Where is Fort Hood? - Killeen, Texas

Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas-President Bush thanks troops at Fort Hood for their service in Iraq. (Photo Credit: White House)

Where is Fort Hood? - About Killeen, Texas

Fort Hood is located mainly in the city of Killeen, Texas, but also neighbors the town of Copperas Cove and is 60 miles north of Austin and 50 miles southwest of Waco. The city of Killeen has 125,000 inhabitants and its economy heavily depends on the expenditures of Fort Hood. In 2007 it was hailed as having the most affordable housing market in the United States with an average cost of $136,725. The nearby towns of Copperas Cover and Harker Heights offer a slightly higher standard of living but one can enter a waiting list and find privatized housing on Fort Hood itself . Temperatures in Killeen Texas rarely reach freezing in the winter months and are regularly over in the high 80s and 90s in the summer with only around 35 inches of precipitation per year.

Major Units at Fort Hood

Units at Fort Hood are extremely committed. As of 2006, 85% of soldiers had served at least one year long combat tour in Iraq or Afghanistan with most having served two. Presently, Fort Hood's major units are: 

• III Corps - III Corps, US Army Forces Command
• 85th CA BDE - 85th Civil Affairs Brigade,  US Army Forces Command
• 1st CAV - 1st Cavalry Division, III Corps
• 13th ESC - 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), III Corps
• First Army Div West - First Army Division West, First Army

See Who You Know at Fort Hood

If you are looking for people you know at Fort Hood, check out RallyPoint.com. At RallyPoint you can even find people by specific units and specialties. 

History of Fort Hood

Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, Fort Hood was announced by the War Department in January 1942 as it desperately needed a wide and open space to test and train with tank destroyers to combat German armored vehicles in World War Two. Originally designed for 38,000 soldiers, Fort Hood in January 1943 acquired 50,000 acres to reach a peak of 95,000 troops stationed there until 1944. These numbers significantly declined as World War Two ended but several decades later, before the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Fort Hood was regarded as the largest military base in the free world. According to 2010 census data, Fort Hood is home to a population of 53,000 as well as state of the art training facilities that allow troops to practice exercises in video-game type scenarios.  Nicknamed as The Great Place, Fort Hood continues to offer a high quality of life to its servicemen and women along with their families and its soldier training on a per capita basis is achieved more economically than any other major US Army installation.

Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas-More than 200 after they took the oath of reenlistment. (Photo Credit: Fort Hood Flickr)

Schools in Killeen, TX

Killeen Texas is home to the Killeen Independent School District (KISD) and it is the largest school district between Round Rock and Dallas with 32 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 5 specialized campuses. KISD public schools spend $4,644 per student and there are about 14.6 students per teacher in the district. While the high schools in KISD do not rank nationally, elementary schools such as Clifton Park Elementary and Venable Village Elementary score highly. Colleges in near Killeen Texas and Fort Hood include Central Texas College and Tarleton State University with University of Texas, Baylor University and Texas A&M University in driving distance.

Killeen, Texas-Children cheer at the Veterans' Day Parade in downtown Killeen. (Photo Credit: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)

Attractions - What to do in Killeen, TX

Killeen Texas is serviced by two airports in the area, Skylark Field and Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport and has a popular public bus transit system. For people who enjoy hiking and the outdoors, Killeen is an ideal place with several nearby lakes and recreational areas. Fort Hood also attracts celebrities, entertainers, and theatrical shows and also has weekly races at the Texas Thunder Speedway. Fort Hood is only an hour drive from Waco and the capital city of Austin so fun and adventure can always be found.


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