Fort Hood
| Fort Hood | |
|---|---|
| Killeen, Texas | |
| Shoulder sleeve insignia of major Ft. Hood units | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Army post |
| Owner | Department of the Army |
| Controlled by | United States Army |
| Status | Active |
| Website | Official website |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 31°08′23″N 97°45′57″W / 31.13972°N 97.76583°W |
| Area | 332.05 sq mi (860 sq km) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942–present |
| Garrison information | |
| Current commander | LTG Kevin Admiral |
| Garrison | III Armored Corps First Army Division West 1st Cavalry Division 36th Engineer Brigade 13th Sustainment Command 3rd Cavalry Regiment 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade 89th Military Police Brigade 1st Medical Brigade Operational Test Command 407th Army Field Support Brigade 48th Chemical Brigade 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 11th Signal Brigade 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade |
Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. The post is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about 60 mi (100 km) from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarters of III Armored Corps and First Army Division West and is home to the 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cavalry Regiment, among others.
The post was originally named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, commander of the Texas Brigade during the American Civil War. In 2023 it was renamed Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, a native Texan and the US Army’s first Hispanic four-star general. In 2025 it was renamed back to Hood, this time in honor of Col. Robert Hood.
Its origin was the need for wide-open space to test and train with World War II tank destroyers. The War Department announced the location in January 1942, and the initial completion was set for that August. As originally constructed, Fort Hood had an area of 158,706 acres (64,226 ha), with billeting for 6,007 officers and 82,610 enlisted personnel. The main cantonment of Fort Hood had a total population of 53,416 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. Fort Hood was the most populous U.S. military installation in the world. The main business area is in Bell County, with the training countryside area of the post in Coryell County. In April 2014, the base's website listed 45,414 assigned soldiers and 8,900 civilian employees covering an area of 214,000 acres (87,000 ha).