Housing the Homeless

Military bases could be used for long-term transient housing

by Timothy D. Smith
ePluribus Media

As a mandatory mass evacuation of New Orleans began on Wednesday, August 31, relief crews began busing 25,000 refugees from their current precarious perch at the Superdome on a 350-mile trip west to yet another ‘dome, this time the Astrodome in Houston, after Texas Governor Rick Perry offered the massive structure to Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.

But do relief workers really need to create this new breed of “Dome People?” Isn’t there anywhere else that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could take these desperate people that would be more humane, that would have real beds, plumbing, and basic creature comforts?
According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which was passed in 1987 to respond to America’s growing homeless population, the federal government has a “clear responsibility and … existing capacity to meet the basic needs of all the homeless.” This responsibility is met by Title V of the act which says that surplus federal property should be made available, and that non-profit or government agencies that aid the homeless population could obtain said properties at no cost.

Armed with this knowledge, and using this map and this list of military bases, ePluribus Media attempted to locate every U.S. Armed Forces military base currently in use that had a minimum of 100 temporary housing units, in an effort to identify “surplus” property available for immediate use.

Those bases that qualified account for less than a third of the total number of bases in the continental United States. Despite that, these bases alone have a total combined 17,182 units or rooms assigned for temporary housing. Even if unit means one bed in a large room with multiple beds, and a room has only one bed, you could theoretically house nearly 35,000 married people (assuming they were sleeping two per bed) or more than 8,500 families of four requiring two beds per family. All of these facilities have food-production facilities, modern plumbing and the basic creature comforts needed for long-term survival.

Refugees could even be put to work caring for their habitats and teaming up for meal preparation, etc., as to not strain Armed Forces personnel currently working at these bases.

Another source of housing not being counted here is the thousands of empty billets that normally house active military personnel that are currently overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan. Fort Benning alone has 4,070 family units. Those billets that would normally be filled could be reconverted to house refugees until permanent housing could be rebuilt.

Calls to the Department of Defense Press Office were not returned at the time this story was published.

Fort Benning, Georgia
Located seven miles south of Columbus, GA, Fort Benning is home to 3d Brigade, 3d Infantry Division; 36th Engineer Group; Army Infantry Training Brigade; Army Ranger School and Army Infantry School.
Temporary Lodging:  1,079 visitor and temporary lodging units 706-689-0067 campground 706-545-7238
Health care:  130-bed hospital. Appointments 706-544-2041; Tricare 706-544-3461
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Fort Gordon, GA
Located near Augusta, GA, Fort Gordon is home to the Army Signal Center, a number of military intelligence brigades and battalions and the 73d Ordnance Battalion. Fort Gordon is like a city. The garrison provides logistical and community services necessary for the day-to-day operation of the installation. The garrison command is responsible for maintaining high-quality living and working conditions for all military and civilian personnel on the installation. The command also ensures the force readiness and mobilization capabilities of the installation as a power-projection platform.
Temporary Lodging:   843 temporary duty units; 106-room guest house 706-790-3676
Health care:  333-bed Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center. Appointments 706-787-5811; Tricare 706-787-1430
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Fort Bliss, Texas
Located in El Paso, TX, Fort Bliss is home to 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Joint Task Force 6, U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy and 204th Military Intelligence Battalion.
Temporary lodging:  565 temporary units; campground 915-565-7777
Health care:  330-bed medical center. Appointments 915-569-2262; Tricare 915-680-7600
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Fort Hood, Texas
Like the state of Texas, Fort Hood is big and boasts of being the largest active-duty armored post in the United States Armed Services. Fort Hood covers a total of 339 square miles and is the only post in the United States that supports two full armored divisions.
Temporary lodging:  274 visitor units 254-532-8233; 75-unit guest house 254-287-3067; 64 RV spaces
Health care:  187-bed hospital, seven clinics. Appointments 254-288-8000; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Fort Rucker, Alabama
Located 80 miles south of Montgomery, Fort Rucker is home to the 1st Aviation Brigade, Aviation Training Brigade, Army Aviation Center Noncommissioned Officer Academy and the Aeromedical Center.
Temporary lodging:  38 guest-house units; 504 transient units 334-598-5216
Health care:  37-bed medical center. Appointments 800-261-7193; Tricare 334-598-6500
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Fort Polk, Louisiana
Located in Lousiana, Fort Polk is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 519th Military Police Battalion.
Fort Polk was established in 1941 and named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana and a Confederate general. Since then Fort Polk has adapted to service during every U.S. military crisis.
Temporary lodging:  322 visiting officer and enlisted quarters; 70-room guest house 337-531-9200
Health care:  150-bed hospital. Appointments 337-531-3000
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Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Today, as the largest bomb wing in Air Combat Command and part of the historic 8th Air Force, the wing continues to reflect the heritage of its motto, Libertatem Defendimus: “Liberty We Defend.”
Temporary lodging:  264 visitor and temporary units 318-456-3091; campground 318-456-2679
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 318-456-6555; Tricare 800-611-2875
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Brooks City-Base, Texas
Brooks AFB, situated on a 1310-acre tract in the southeast part of San Antonio, has undergone a continual metamorphosis since its construction in 1918. As a military installation, Brooks has adapted to changes in mission and organization that are reflected in the planning, design, and construction history of the base. While some historic facilities remain, others have made way for newer buildings to serve the overall mission of the base. The result is a mix of old and new that continues to evolve with the new Brooks City-Base project.
Temporary lodging:  175 visitor units; eight temporary-lodging facilities; 15 RV spaces at campground 210-536-1844
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 210-536-1847; Tricare 210-536-2928
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Dyess AFB, Texas
Today Dyess B-1Bs and the 7th BW make up a large portion of the U.S. Air Force bomber force. Dyess has played a vital role in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The B-1B continues to produce effective sorties at Dyess and the “Bastion in the Big Country” continues to flourish and remains one our nation’s most revered bases. The men and women of Dyess serve our great nation and Abilene community proudly.
Temporary lodging:  160 visitor units; 39 temporary units 915-696-2681
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 915-696-4677; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Goodfellow AFB, Texas
On 1 July 1993, the 17th Training Wing was activated on Goodfellow AFB. With the change in name came a marked diversification and increase in Goodfellow’s mission. Rounds one and two of the base realignment and closure process transferred special instruments training from Lowry AFB and fire-protection training from Chanute AFB to Goodfellow. To support the increased training load, Goodfellow underwent extensive modernization and growth. With new training facilities, dormitories, dining halls, a commissary, a youth center and a physical fitness center, Goodfellow entered its second half-century of operation as one of the most modern installations in the Air Force.
Temporary lodging:  777 visitor units; 11 temporary lodging units; 915-654-3332; campground 915-944-1012
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 915-654-3149; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Lackland AFB, Texas
Located near San Antonio, Lackland is home to the 37th Training Wing, 37th Training Group, Defense language Institute English Language Center, and Inter-American Air Forces Academy and Wilford Hall Medical Center.
Temporary lodging:  3,350 visitor spaces 210-671-2556; 98 temporary units 210-671-5397; 29 RV spaces at campground 210-671-5179
Health care:  200-bed medical center. Appointments 210-292-7177; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Maxwell AFB, Alabama
Maxwell AFB and Gunter are located near Montgomery, AL. Maxwell houses Headquarters, Air University Air Education and Training Command; Air War College; Air Command and Staff College; and 42d Air Base Wing Host Wing. Gunter is home to College for Enlisted Professional Military Education, Officer Training School, Commissioned Officer Training, Standard Systems Group Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Logistics management Agency
Temporary lodging:  2,079 temporary units; 334-953-4789; campground 334-953-5161
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 334-953-7605; Tricare 334-953-7855
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Maxwell AFB, Alabama
Maxwell AFB and Gunter are located near Montgomery, AL. Maxwell houses Headquarters, Air University Air Education and Training Command; Air War College; Air Command and Staff College; and 42d Air Base Wing Host Wing. Gunter is home to College for Enlisted Professional Military Education, Officer Training School, Commissioned Officer Training, Standard Systems Group Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Logistics management Agency
Temporary lodging:  2,079 temporary units; 334-953-4789; campground 334-953-5161
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 334-953-7605; Tricare 334-953-7855
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Randolph AFB, Texas
Randolph Air Force Base, located at FM 78 and Loop 1604, occupies the far northeastern section of the Corridor in Universal City. It is the home of more than 10,000 military and civilian employees who make their home in the surrounding communities collectively known as the Randolph Metrocom. The base employs over 5700 military personnel and 6500 civilians. Randolph is headquarters of the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command, the 19th Air Force, the 12th Flying Wing, the Air Force Personnel Center, the Air Force Recruiting Service Headquarters, and the Air Force Center for Quality and Management Innovation. A number of buildings located on the base including the Taj Mahal are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its economic impact region covers a 50-mile commuting radius and has a yearly payroll of more than $350 million. Randolph is believed to have created more than 7,500 jobs for local communities.
Temporary lodging:  549 visitor units; 30 temporary units 210-652-1844; campground 21-652-4125
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 210-652-2273; Tricare 210-652-2933
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Sheppard AFB, Texas
Located near Wichita Falls, Sheppard is home to the 82d Training Wing; 82d Training, Logistics, Medical and Support groups; 782d, 882d and 982d Training Groups; and 80th Flying Training Wing. Today Sheppard is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command. Two organizations — 82d Training Wing and 80th Flying Training Wing — conduct resident training that qualifies students in a broad range of career fields, from pilot, aircraft maintenance, civil engineering, communications, comptroller and transportation to a wide scope of medical specialties. The 82d TRW, the host unit, conducts all technical training here, while the 80th FTW conducts pilot training. The 982d Training Group, under the 82d TRW, provides instruction in a wide range of specialties at more than 60 Air Force installations worldwide. The 82d Support Group, 82d Logistics Group and 82d Medical Group support these organizations.
Temporary lodging:  2,711 visitor units; 80 temporary lodging units 940-676-1844
Health care: 45-bed hospital. Appointments 940-676-1847; Tricare 940-851-2709
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Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
Tinker is one of the Department of Defense’s premier joint-service facilities. The Air Logistics Center’s (ALC) mission is dedicated to providing worldwide technical logistic support to Air Force aerospace weapon systems, as well as associated equipment and commodity items. Its major product line directorates of aircraft, propulsion and commodities manage, maintain and procure resources to support first-line overhaul and maintenance of B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers; the multipurpose C/KC-135 aircraft; and several missile systems. The center’s facilities house some of the most sophisticated technical repair and manufacturing processes in the world, acquiring and maintaining the world’s best aviation systems in partnership with our customers and suppliers. Other directorates furnish center-wide services such as environmental management, financial management, procurement policy, technical and industrial plant maintenance and computer services.

As of 2004 more than 14,000 civilians and military personnel perform the mission of the ALC. Another 10,000 people perform the missions of the many associate organizations that call Tinker home. Together they make Tinker AFB the largest single-site employer in Oklahoma with an annual payroll exceeding $1.1 billion and a statewide economic impact estimated at more than $2.79 billion. In addition to a $1.1B payroll, the OC-ALC impacts the state’s economics with construction projects valued at $36.4 million, major contracts and daily procurements valued at $601.8 million, education requirements $2.8 million, health necessities $15.7 million and commissary and exchange expenditures $.8 million. Base and ALC employees as well as 30,000 secondary jobs in the communities in such fields as housing, food and the services industries, have an economic impact on Oklahoma of approximately $869 million. In addition to Tinker’s work force, there are more than 85,000 base retirees, both civilian and military, who continue to have a large impact on the state’s economy.
Temporary lodging:  165 visitor units; 39 temporary units 405-734-2822; campground 405-734-2289<
Health care:  Hospital. Appointments 405-734-2778; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Altus AFB, Oklahoma
The new millennium continues to bring changes to the base. In August 2002 the mission of the wing grew when the Air Force moved the basic loadmaster course from Sheppard AFB Texas to Altus. This initiative combined similar training programs to reduce the number of moves required by trainees while cutting overall costs. In addition, at the same time the wing reorganized as a “combat wing.” The 97th Support Group became the Mission Support Group, gaining the new 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron comprising the former 97th Supply and Transportation Squadrons and Logistics Plans Flight and the 97th Contracting Squadron. Also, the Logistics Group was deactivated while the 97th Maintenance Directorate was activated. This directorate comprises civil service personnel who are responsible for the care and maintenance of all three aircraft at the base.
As the base moves into the 21st century, it continues to perform the basic mission it started in 1943: providing a safe, comfortable location to train military personnel on the intricacies of operating multi-engine aircraft.
Temporary lodging:  463 visitor units; 30 temporary units 580-481-7356; five RV spaces at campground 580-481-6704
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 580-481-5235; Tricare 800-406-2832
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Whiting Field Naval Air Station, Florida
NAS Whiting Field was opened in July 1943 to fulfill the pilot-training demands of World War II. Although Whiting Field is just over 50 years old, the facilities have been upgraded and renovated to create a new infrastructure that is less than 17 years old. Throughout its existence, NAS Whiting Field’s primary purpose has been to support pilot training. A wealth of attributes contributes to its status as a premier field.
Temporary lodging:  153 visitor units 850-623-0354
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 850-505-7171; Tricare 850-623-7657
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Panama City Coastal Systems Station, FL
Today, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City is one of the major research, development, testing and evaluation laboratories of the U.S. Navy and boasts a wide base of expertise in engineering and scientific disciplines. It is one of Bay County’s finest resources and employs approximately 2,000 civilian and military personnel with an annual payroll of about $117 million. NSWC Panama City contracts services, buys local goods, and maintains an active construction program. Its economic impact on Bay County is about $336 million annually.
Temporary lodging:  315-room inn 850-234-4217; campground with 22 RV hookups 850-234-4402
Health care:  Clinic. Appointments 850-234-4177; Tricare 850-784-7979
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Ft. Bragg, NC
Located near Fayettville, NC, Fort Bragg is known as the “Home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces.” Fort Bragg houses the 82nd Airborne Division and the XVIII Airborne Corps. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army Parachute Team — the Golden Knights — also call Fort Bragg home. Fort Bragg units include the 1st Corps Support Command, 44th Medical Command, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, 18th Aviation Brigade, 35th Signal Brigade, and more.
Temporary lodging:  681-room inn; four guest-house units 910-396-7700; campground 910-396-5979
Health care:  200-bed medical center. Appointments 910-907-6451; Tricare 800-931-9501
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Fort Campbell, KY
Located about 50 miles from Nashville, Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault, 5th Special Forces Group, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and the 31st Military Police Detachment. Fort Campbell is named in honor of Brig. Gen. William Bowen Campbell, the last Whig Governor of Tennessee. He was elected Colonel of the First Tennessee Volunteers, the “Bloody First,” and is remembered in history as he led his regiment in the storming of Monterey in 1846 with the cry, “Boys, follow me!”
Temporary lodging:  135-room guest house 270-439-2229; campground 270-798-3126/5590<
Health care:  241-bed hospital. Appointments/Tricare 931-431-5569 or 800-941-4501
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Fort Leavenworth, KS
Located on the Kansas/Missouri border, Fort Leavenworth is home to U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Battle Command Battle Laboratory, Command and General Staff College, and the Combined Arms Center. Fort Leavenworth, the oldest active Army post west of the Mississippi River, has devoted more than 170 years of service to the nation. During the country’s westward expansion, Fort Leavenworth was a forward destination for thousands of soldiers, surveyors, emigrants, American Indians, preachers and settlers who passed through.
Temporary lodging:  774 visitor and temporary units 913-684-5625
Health care:  25-bed health center. Appointments 913-684-6000; Tricare 913-680-4000

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