Fort Sam Houston, TX Installation Guide

Fort Sam Houston is located on the northeast side of San Antonio, Texas. It is accessible from Interstate-Loop 410, Interstate-35 and US 281. The post is surrounded by San Antonio, the 10th largest city in the United States. Some interesting places to visit are the Alamo, the Riverwalk, the Missions, the Alamodome, Seaworld of San Antonio and Fiesta Texas Theme Park. San Antonio is known as "Military City USA" because it has the extreme good fortune of having five military installations located in its perimeter and the city shares a wonderful rapport with members of our military community.

Major Commands.

HQ, U.S. ARMY NORTH.

U.S. Army North (USARNORTH) is headquartered in the historic Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in San Antonio, with the majority of its people forward deployed throughout its 21-state area of responsibility. U.S. Army North is an Army Service Component Command working on Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities under U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).

U.S. ARMY NORTH RECRUITING BRIGADE.

The Brigade's mission is to recruit with integrity the high quality men and women necessary to meet the needs of the United States Army and Army Reserve, including AMEDD, Chaplains, Officer Candidates, Warrant Officer Flight Candidates, and Technical Warrant Officers (USAR).

BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER (BAMC).

Brooke Army Medical Center has a regional mission as one of only five Army Medical Centers providing regional integration, specialty supervision and army command and control of health care operations. BAMC oversees the Great Plains Health Care Support area which encompasses 14 states and Panama. The BAMC Commander is responsible for the command and control of nine medical treatment facilities in this area. He also manages and coordinates activities related to the medical readiness of active Army, National Guard and Army Reserve medical units.

U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT CENTER & SCHOOL (AMEDDC&S).

Occupying more than 300 buildings in its complex at Fort Sam Houston, the AMEDDC&S is the largest health care training center in the world. The primary mission is to train and educate Army medical department officers and enlisted personnel.

U.S. ARMY MEDICAL COMMAND (MEDCOM).

The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) took over the buildings and personnel of the 21-year-old U.S. Army Health Services Command (HSC), which was deactivated.

The MEDCOM gives the Surgeon General direct command authority, for the first time, over all Army medical activities and operations in the U.S. and Europe, except field medical units.

The MEDCOM comprises more than 80 medical activities, and eight Army Medical Centers (MEDCENs) in the U.S., including Brooke Army Medical Center, with its world-famous burn center, and a ninth in Landstuhl, Germany. There are 28 installation Medical Department Activities (MEDDACs), including Heidelberg and Wuerzburg in Germany.

CAMP BULLIS.

This sub-post of Fort Sam Houston was used as a target maneuver area during 1917 and target range for troops during World War I. It is currently a training area for Active and Reserve Forces as well as other federal agencies and covers about 27,000 acres of rugged Texas hill country.

U.S. ARMY GARRISON (USAG).

The USAG missions include command and support of assigned and attached FORSCOM activities, sub-units and sub-installations, such as Camp Bullis. Plan, coordinate and prepare for the mobilization and deployment of Reserve Component Units. Support the deployment of active component and mobilized Reserve Component Units. Provide base operation support and other support (e.g. information systems, security programs, motor pool, contracting, legal services, civilian personnel services) to Department of the Army, Department of Defense and other government activities which are tenants on, supported by, or satellites of the installation. Develop, establish and conduct Morale Support Activities programs.

MISSION

The primary mission at Fort Sam Houston is to work on Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities under U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).

Population assigned-served................: 206,992

Active Duty Officers & Enlisted - 38,028
Family Members - 17,305
Retiree - 112,535
Civilian Employees - 25,938
Reserve Components - 5,905
Student Personnel - 6,458
Other Services - 823

TELEPHONE ACCESS

All phone numbers listed in this guide are in the (210) area code unless otherwise noted. The operator may be reached commercially by calling (210) 221-1211 or through the DSN system by calling 471-1211. The Brooke Army Medical Center Information Desk is (210) 916-4141 or DSN 429-4141. Fort Sam Houston Toll-Free number 1-800-531-1114 may be used for official business (5 minutes only) the operator will transfer to any number on post.

HISTORY

Fort Sam Houston was founded in 1845 and named for General Sam Houston, hero of the battle of San Jacinto and the first president of the Republic of Texas. Fort Sam Houston is unique among Army posts. On one hand, it is a major, active military installation and plays a vital role in the defense of the United States. On the other hand, it contains some of the oldest structures on any Army installation. This blend of old and new gives today's soldiers a share of the post's history which dates back more than 150 years.

PERSHING HOUSE.

The Pershing House is named for General John J. Pershing (1860-1948), one of its most famous residents. The only person to have the rank "General of the Armies," General Pershing commanded the American expeditionary forces during World War I. He occupied the quarters that now bear his name. The Pershing House continues to be the home of the senior Army officer at Fort Sam Houston.

THE QUADRANGLE.

The Quadrangle is an enclosed park-like area that houses the clock tower, offices, and blacksmith shop. Deer and fowl roam freely as visitors wander through the enclosure. It is listed in the National Register of Historical Sites and bears a Texas state historical building landmark.