Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss is a United States Army installation located in El Paso County, Texas, and Doña Ana and Otero counties, New Mexico. Established in 1848 as the Post Opposite El Paso del Norte, the facility was renamed in 1854 to honor Brevet Lieutenant Colonel William W.S. Bliss. Confederate forces controlled the post from 1861 until 1862. Historically, the installation occupied sites at Magoffinsville, Camp Concordia, and Hart’s Mill before relocating to its current location on La Noria mesa in 1893. In 1916, it served as the base for the Punitive Expedition into Mexico. During World War II, the post functioned as an anti-aircraft artillery training center and later hosted German rocket specialists under Operation Paperclip.

The installation is operated by United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and serves as the headquarters for the 1st Armored Division. Stationed units include three armored brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade, division artillery, and a sustainment brigade. Other tenant organizations include the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the 5th Armored Brigade, and the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade. The post functions as a Joint Mobilization Force Generation Installation and hosts the CONUS Replacement Center. Joint and interagency commands at the facility include Joint Task Force North, the El Paso Intelligence Center, and the Joint Modernization Command. The German Air Force maintains a command and air defense center on site.

The installation encompasses 1.12 million acres, including 924,640 acres of maneuver area and 1,500 square miles of restricted airspace used for missile and artillery testing. Infrastructure includes Biggs Army Airfield, McGregor Range, Doña Ana Range, and a Digital Air Ground Integration Range. Aviation facilities support squadrons of MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles. The post hosts equipment for Patriot, Avenger, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems. Supporting facilities include the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, an inland desalination plant, and the Camp East Montana detention facility. The site also contains the Fort Bliss National Cemetery and the Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Center of Excellence.