Virginia is home to many military installations in the United States, and here, we have discussed military bases in the state.
When discussing the largest army in the world, the United States Army has to be in the top three. Other countries like China, India, Russia, and North Korea complete the list of the top five largest armies in the world.
The United States has many military installations across different states in the country. Building military installations at strategic locations is essential and that is what the United States government has done with states like Virginia.
Virginia’s geographical location makes it a perfect spot for the U.S. to defend its eastern borders. So, how many military bases are in Virginia and where are they located?
In a moment, we will show you each military installation in the state of Virginia and more.
The Pentagon
Virginia is where the Pentagon is located, the Pentagon is the home of the United States Department of Defense and one of the most distinctive buildings in the country.
The building has five floors and is constructed of steel and reinforced concrete. Inside the building are five concentric pentagons with ten corridors all connecting together.
Corridors inside the Pentagon measure over 17 miles. It takes the average person just about seven minutes to walk within two points inside the Pentagon.
The building is the home base of the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. Currently, over 23,000 service members and civilian personnel are hired at the Pentagon. More than 2,500 maintenance and non-defence personnel are also employed at the Pentagon.
During the 9/11 attack. The Pentagon was one of the terrorist targets. The Pentagon was attacked during 9/11 and it took more than 10 years to complete the renovations.
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Military Bases in Virginia
Military installations in Virginia include the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard bases.
#1. Fort A.P. Hill
Fort A.P. Hill is the first military installation on this list. Located near the town of Bowling Green, Virginia, Fort A.P. Hill is a training and manoeuvre centre owned by the United States Army.
It’s a large military base where the United States reinvigorate its forces. Fort A.P. Hill covers over 75,000 acres. A large portion of the land at Fort A.P. Hill is used as a training field.
Although this military base is owned and controlled by the United States Army, it also caters to other service branches of the military.
#2. Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is the headquarters of the Missile Defense Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command.
The military base is located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Carrying out military operations and intelligence missions to support the United States Army is the main priority of this military base.
Most of the units at Fort Belvoir represent the landscape of the U.S. federal government.
#3. Fort Lee Army Base
Fort Lee Army Base is one of the military bases in Virginia. It’s located over 8 miles west of Petersburg, Virginia.
This military base houses various agencies. The U.S. Army Transportation School, United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), U.S. Army Ordnance School, United States Army Quartermaster School, Sustainment Center of Excellence, U.S. Defense Commissary Agency, and Army Logistics University are all agencies at Fort Lee Army Base.
This military base is the third largest training site of the United States Army.
#4. Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett is a military base located in Virginia. It’s a military installation that offers over 42,000 acres for the Virginia Army National Guard and Army Reserve to train.
This military base accommodates members of all service branches in the United States military. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard all use this base as a training ground.
Additionally, Fort Pickett is also a facility where non-military agencies such as the FBI, US Marshalls Service, Civil Air Patrol, and the ATF train.
#5. Radford Army Ammunition Plant
Located in Pulaski and Montgomery Counties, Virginia, Radford Army Ammunition Plant manufactures explosives and propellants for the U.S. military.
They manufacture explosives and propellants to support air defence, field artillery, tank, aircraft, missile, as well as naval weapons systems.
Radford Army Ammunition Plant is divided into two facilities. There is a manufacturing facility and a storage facility located 12 miles from the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.
#6. Warrenton Training Center
Established in 1951, Warrenton Training Center is a classified U.S. government communication complex in Virginia.
WTC is made up of four installations which are referred to as Station A, Station B, Station C, and Station D.
Each Station is unique and serves a particular purpose. Station A houses facilities for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), while Station B is specifically used for electronic testing and communications development and training in communication.
Station C takes care of coded signals from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Station D handles satellite communications.
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#7. Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall
Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall (JBMHH) is located in Virginia and was created from the merger of Fort Myer, Fort McNair, and Henderson Hall.
JBMHH is one of the military bases in Virginia commanded by the United States Army. It also has resident command of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine.
#8. Medical Center Portsmouth
Since 1830, this centre remains the oldest hospital offering healthcare to the United States military. The United States Navy is in charge of this medical centre.
Medical Center Portsmouth is a state-of-the-art facility that provides healthcare and support to men and women serving in the United States military.
#9. Naval Air Station Oceana
This military base was built in 1941 and is located in Virginia Beach Virginia.
Naval Air Station Oceana is under the jurisdiction of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. This base is the headquarters of Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic and Carrier Air Wings 1, 3, 7 & 8.
Currently, over 10,500 Navy service members are at Navy Air Station Oceana. When you include the families of service members at this base, you have about 20,000 people living in this base.
#10. Naval Station Norfolk
We have seen the U.S. Navy stationed at Pearl Harbor during World War II. However, Naval Station Norfolk is a naval station with the highest concentration of the U.S. Navy force.
NSN spans over 7 miles and its mission remains to support the United States Atlantic Fleet. Naval Station Norfolk supports about 75 ships, 5 carriers, 134 aircraft, 5 destroyers, 4 frigates, 7 submarines, 8 amphibious assault commands, and 24 guided missile destroyers.
#11. Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads
Although Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads (NSA HR) are close to each other, they are completely separate.
NSA HR has the largest concentration of fleet headquarters and communication facilities outside of Washington D.C.
To mention a few, there is the headquarters of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Naval Reserve Forces Command, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command.
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#12. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division
We are still discussing military bases in Virginia and we want to look at NSWCDD.
Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division oversees analysis, test and evaluation, as well as research and certification of complex naval warfare systems.
NSWDD is a facility leading research aimed at training service members for scientific warfare. Service members acquire skills in areas such as physics, mathematics, laser, computer, mechanical, and biotechnology.
#13. Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
Naval Weapons Station Yorktown is one of the United States Navy’s strategic facilities.
According to reports, combat and supply ships are often seen leaving and arriving at this station. NWS Yorktown is also responsible when it comes to storing large deposits of ammunition needed to support the Atlantic Fleet.
#14. Navigation Center Coast Guard Base
Next on our list of military bases in Virginia is Navigation Center Coast Guard Base.
Located in Alexandria, Virginia, this base is under the United States Coast Guard. It utilizes the most advanced technologies and the ultimate mission of this base is to ensure the safety of the county’s waters.
#15. Sector Hampton Roads Coast Guard Base
Sector Hampton Roads has a mission and that is to ensure the implementation of national and environmental defence. Many operations are performed at this base and the majority of the operations focus on search and rescue.
Service members at this military installation work tirelessly to uphold the value of the U.S. Coast Guard.
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#16. Telecom Systems Command Coast Guard
We are still discussing the military bases in Virginia, let’s look at the importance of communication in the military.
The United States Coast Guard needs active and adequate communication to function. Be it research and rescue, law enforcement investigations or clean-ups, communication is key and every guardsman needs it to stay in contact with other service members.
Telecom Systems Command is available to ensure advanced communications systems wherever it’s needed. This system is essential when it comes to communications and the U.S. Coast Guard needs the best communication system to function.
#17. Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCB) is one of the military bases in Virginia. It’s located near Triangle, Virginia and covers over 55,000 acres of southern Prince William County.
MCB is a military installation owned by the United States Marine Corps for over 100 years. The base is where some war-fighting techniques were created for the U.S. Marine Corps.
This military base is home to several active-duty combat units and it also offers officer training, as well as career development for the U.S. Marines.
#18. Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island Navy Base
This is a small military installation that consists of a hard team of 300 military, civilian, and contractor staff. They all work closely to ensure technical engineering and training support to the fleet.
#19. Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
Established on October 1, 2009, Joint Expedition Base Little Creek-Fort Story is a joint base of the United States military situated in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
JEBLC-FS was formed from the merger of the former U.S. Army post Fort Story and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.
#20. Joint Base Langley-Eustis
Here is another joint base established on October 1, 2010.
Joint Base Langley-Eustis is a military facility located close to Hampton and Newport News, Virginia.
This base was formed from the merger of the United States Air Force’s Langley Air Force Base and the U.S. Army’s Fort Eustis.
Conclusion
Virginia’s geographical location is a strategic spot for the United States to protect its eastern borders. The state of Virginia is home to various military installations and some of these bases even train non-military personnel.
