Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Fort Polk

Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, approximately 10 miles east of Leesville, serving as the primary home of the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), which delivers realistic, large-scale combat training scenarios to prepare brigade combat teams and other units for deployment.^[1]^[2]

Established in 1941 as Camp Polk during World War II mobilization, the base rapidly expanded to train infantry divisions, house German prisoners of war, and support maneuvers involving over 400,000 troops across Louisiana and Texas, earning it a reputation as one of the Army's premier training facilities amid the demands of global conflict.^[3]^[4] Postwar, it hosted units such as the 5th Infantry Division and evolved into a key site for Vietnam-era preparations before transforming in 1975 into the JRTC, emphasizing force-on-force exercises against a dedicated opposing force to simulate modern warfare conditions, which has since honed readiness for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond.^[3]^[2] The installation's naming has been contentious: initially honoring Confederate Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk, it was redesignated Fort Johnson in June 2023 to commemorate World War I Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William Henry Johnson as part of a Department of Defense effort to eliminate Confederate-associated titles, only to revert to Fort Polk in June 2025 specifically to recognize Lt. Gen. (Ret.) James H. Polk, a decorated World War II commander who led airborne operations in Europe and later contributed to the base's training legacy.^[3]^[5]^[6] This sequence underscores ongoing debates over historical commemoration in military nomenclature, with the 2025 change reflecting a pivot toward honoring combat-proven leaders from the Allied victory in World War II rather than prior figures tied to the Confederacy.^[5]^[7]

History

Establishment and World War II Era

Camp Polk was established in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, in 1941 as a U.S. Army training installation to prepare forces for World War II entry. The site was selected for its sandy, hilly terrain mimicking European battlefields, building on the massive Louisiana Maneuvers of summer 1941 that involved 350,000 troops and 50,000 vehicles across 3,400 square miles.^[3]^[8] Construction began early 1941, with the first permanent unit, the 3rd Armored Division, arriving on June 2 and initial trainees from its elements by May.^[9]^[10] During the war, Camp Polk emerged as a premier infantry and armored training hub, where 48 of the Army's 91 divisions conducted exercises, focusing on combined arms tactics, maneuvers, and realistic combat simulations.^[11] Large-scale field exercises in 1942 and 1943 drew 61,000 to 106,000 troops from the camp into surrounding areas, refining strategies later applied in Europe and the Pacific; visiting commanders including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mark Clark, Omar Bradley, and George S. Patton observed operations.^[12]^[3] Units such as the 9th Armored Division underwent intensive preparation there before deployment.^[13] From July 1943, Camp Polk also operated as a prisoner-of-war facility for German captives, initially from Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, with capacity for up to 3,000 prisoners whose numbers varied through 1946.^[14]^[15] These POWs engaged in supervised labor programs aiding local farms and construction, under Geneva Convention guidelines, contributing to wartime manpower shortages without compromising security.^[16] The camp inactivated in December 1946 following Allied victory.^[3]

Postwar Developments and Korean War

Following the end of World War II, Camp Polk was downsized significantly, transitioning by 1946 to serve primarily as a medical training center with only a skeleton crew of personnel remaining on site.^[3]^[17] Military officials formally declared the installation inactive in December 1946, leading to the closure of its barracks and training facilities as part of the postwar demobilization efforts.^[17]^[3] The North Korean invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950, necessitated a rapid U.S. military expansion, prompting the reactivation of Camp Polk that summer to support infantry training for the conflict.^[3]^[18] The installation quickly expanded its capacity, becoming the U.S. Army's largest Infantry Training Center dedicated to providing basic combat training for individual soldiers, including a high proportion of draftees mobilized under the Selective Service System.^[3]^[17] This role involved rigorous field exercises in the post's rugged terrain, simulating combat conditions to prepare troops for deployment to the Korean Peninsula, where U.S. forces faced harsh winter warfare and mountainous engagements.^[3] Several National Guard divisions underwent mobilization and training at Camp Polk during the war, including the 45th Infantry Division, which arrived in August 1950 as one of the first units to utilize the facility before shipping out.^[3] The 37th Infantry Division, ordered into federal service on January 15, 1952, also conducted its training there, focusing on infantry tactics and unit cohesion amid the ongoing stalemate in Korea.^[19] By the armistice on July 27, 1953, Camp Polk had processed thousands of trainees, contributing directly to the Army's ability to sustain operations against North Korean and Chinese forces, though the post's future remained uncertain as demobilization loomed.^[3] The installation closed again in 1954 following the war's end, reflecting the cyclical nature of its operational status tied to national defense needs.^[3]^[17]

Vietnam War Training

During the Vietnam War era, Fort Polk transitioned into a primary U.S. Army training hub for infantry units preparing for Southeast Asian combat, earning the designation as the "Home of the Combat Infantryman" due to its emphasis on realistic, scenario-based instruction simulating jungle and village environments.^[3] In June 1962, the base received a new mission to conduct Advanced Individual Training (AIT) specifically tailored for jungle warfare, shifting from earlier basic training roles to focus on skills like patrolling, ambushes, and close-quarters battle in simulated Vietnamese terrain.^[20] Central to this preparation was Tigerland, an advanced infantry training area established at Fort Polk featuring two mock Vietnamese hamlets constructed with thatched huts, rice paddies, and booby-trapped paths to replicate urban and rural combat conditions encountered in Vietnam.^[3] Soldiers underwent intensive eight-week AIT cycles there from 1962 to 1973, practicing house-to-house clearing, night operations, and counterinsurgency tactics against role-playing "Viet Cong" aggressors, with training designed to build endurance in Louisiana's humid, forested Peason Ridge area mimicking Vietnam's terrain.^[21] Over the war's duration, more than one million troops cycled through Fort Polk's programs, with the base dispatching more soldiers directly to Vietnam than any other U.S. training installation during this peak period.^[3]^[22] This rigorous regimen, which included live-fire exercises and psychological conditioning to handle guerrilla threats, contributed to the readiness of draftees and volunteers alike, though it drew on cadre experiences from earlier conflicts to address the unique demands of asymmetric warfare.^[23] By the mid-1970s, as U.S. involvement wound down, Fort Polk's infantry training center ceased operations in 1976, marking the end of its Vietnam-specific mission.^[24]

Late Cold War and Post-Vietnam Period

Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the elimination of the military draft under President Richard Nixon, Fort Polk shifted from its prior emphasis on large-scale basic and advanced individual infantry training—known as "Tigerland"—to serving as a permanent base for operational combat units under U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM).^[3] This transition reflected broader Army reforms amid post-Vietnam force reductions and a pivot toward all-volunteer professionalism, with individual training phasing out by mid-decade as draftee inflows ceased.^[3] In July 1975, the installation formally transferred from Continental Army Command (CONARC) oversight to FORSCOM, enabling a focus on collective unit readiness rather than entry-level soldier processing.^[22] In October 1974, Fort Polk became the home station for the reactivated 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), initially with its 1st Brigade, as part of the Army's expansion to a 24-division structure designed for sustained Cold War deterrence against Soviet threats in Europe.^[3] By 1977, the full division—comprising mechanized infantry, armor, and support elements—was operational at the post, conducting rigorous field exercises emphasizing combined arms maneuvers, live-fire training, and rapid deployment simulations tailored to mechanized warfare doctrines like AirLand Battle.^[22] These activities leveraged the installation's expansive Peason Ridge training area for battalion- and brigade-level operations, prioritizing tactical proficiency in armored assaults and defensive positions amid the era's focus on NATO reinforcement scenarios.^[25] The 5th Infantry Division's presence solidified Fort Polk's role in maintaining U.S. ground force readiness through the late 1970s and 1980s, with units undergoing periodic evaluations and rotations to hone skills for potential high-intensity conflicts.^[26] A notable deployment occurred in December 1989, when division elements participated in Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama to oust Manuel Noriega; forces assaulted key objectives including Rio Hato airfield and returned to Fort Polk by late January 1990, demonstrating the post's contributions to expeditionary operations at the Cold War's close.^[3] This period marked a stabilization for the installation, with infrastructure expansions supporting over 10,000 permanent personnel by the mid-1980s, though drawdowns loomed as strategic priorities evolved post-1991.^[26]

Establishment of Joint Readiness Training Center

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), originally established at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, in 1987 to train light infantry brigade combat teams in realistic combat scenarios, relocated to Fort Polk, Louisiana, in 1993 as part of the U.S. Army's efforts to optimize its combat training infrastructure.^[3]^[27] On March 12, 1993, JRTC headquarters formally accepted command of the Fort Polk installation, marking the beginning of the transition.^[28] The move was completed following the final rotation at Fort Chaffee in May 1993, with the JRTC's official opening at Fort Polk occurring on August 20, 1993.^[27] The relocation to Fort Polk was driven by the installation's expansive 100,000-acre training area, which features diverse terrain including swamps, pine forests, and rolling hills conducive to simulating low-intensity and unconventional warfare environments encountered by light forces.^[3]^[29] This geography, originally developed for World War II maneuvers and later adapted for Vietnam-era training in areas like "Tigerland," provided superior conditions for force-on-force exercises compared to Fort Chaffee, enhancing the realism of joint and multi-domain operations.^[3] The JRTC's focus on rotational brigade training, incorporating an opposing force (OPFOR) battalion to replicate enemy tactics, was preserved and expanded at the new site to prepare units for deployments.^[27] The first full training rotation at Fort Polk commenced in September 1993, involving brigade combat teams in extended field exercises emphasizing tactical proficiency, live-fire integration, and after-action reviews.^[27] This establishment solidified Fort Polk's role as one of the Army's premier Combat Training Centers, alongside Fort Irwin and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, with over 10 rotations per year by the mid-1990s.^[3]^[30] The transition also integrated joint service elements, reflecting post-Cold War shifts toward expeditionary and coalition operations.^[27]

Naming and Redesignations

Original Naming after Leonidas Polk

Camp Polk, the precursor to Fort Polk, was established in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, in 1941 amid the U.S. Army's rapid expansion for World War II training, including preparations for the Louisiana Maneuvers.^[3] ^[31] The Army's Historical Section recommended the name in 1940, selecting Leonidas Polk due to his dual prominence as the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana (from 1839) and as a lieutenant general in the Confederate States Army.^[32] This choice reflected Polk's historical ties to the state, where he had served ecclesiastically before resigning his bishopric in 1861 to join the Confederacy, as well as the regional tradition of honoring Southern military figures from the Civil War era despite the federal context of the naming.^[32] ^[29] Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864), born in Raleigh, North Carolina, rose to Confederate command under President Jefferson Davis, whom he had known from West Point and seminary days, though his military record included tactical setbacks such as at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862.^[32] The 1941 designation honored his Louisiana ecclesiastical legacy—founding the University of the South and advocating for Protestant Episcopal growth in the antebellum South—over his wartime performance, aligning with the Army's practice of drawing from local historical figures for installations in the region.^[29] First troops arrived in March 1941, with the 3rd Armored Division taking residence by June, marking the camp's operational start under its original name.^[31] The post's status was elevated to "Fort Polk" in subsequent years, but the initial naming endured until 2023 redesignations.^[3]

2023 Renaming to Fort Johnson

In 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act established the Naming Commission to recommend new names for U.S. military installations honoring Confederate figures, leading to the redesignation of Fort Polk, originally named for Confederate Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk in 1941.^[33] The commission's 2022 final report proposed renaming it Fort Johnson to honor Sergeant William Henry Johnson, a World War I soldier from the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters.^[34] Johnson's selection reflected his documented heroism, including single-handedly repelling a German patrol of over 20 soldiers in 1918 near the Argonne Forest, sustaining 21 wounds while using his rifle, bolo knife, and empty hands; he received the French Croix de Guerre with Gold Palm and, posthumously, the Medal of Honor in 2015.^[35]^[36] The U.S. Army implemented the change effective June 13, 2023, during a redesignation ceremony at the Joint Readiness Training Center on the installation in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, attended by Johnson's family members and military officials.^[3]^[35] The renaming aligned with broader Department of Defense efforts to replace nine Confederate-honoring base names by January 2024, costing approximately $85 million across all sites for signage, structures, and administrative updates, though specific costs for Fort Johnson were not publicly itemized.^[33] Local stakeholders, including Louisiana congressional representatives, had advocated for alternatives tied to the base's history, but the commission prioritized Johnson for his combat valor over other candidates like World War II or Vietnam-era figures.^[34] The redesignation updated official signage, unit letterheads, and historical references, with the Army emphasizing Johnson's embodiment of resilience and sacrifice as fitting for a training center focused on realistic combat simulations.^[3] Critics, including some veterans and Louisiana officials, argued the process overlooked the base's Louisiana roots and non-Confederate historical figures, but the Army proceeded under congressional mandate without further local veto.^[35] The change lasted until mid-2025, when subsequent policy shifts prompted another redesignation.^[3]

2025 Redesignation Honoring James H. Polk

In June 2025, the U.S. Army announced the redesignation of Fort Johnson back to Fort Polk, this time honoring Major General James Hilliard Polk for his distinguished 35-year military career spanning World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War.^[37]^[38] The change took effect on June 11, 2025, reversing the 2023 renaming that had shifted the installation's name from its original Confederate-associated designation to honor World War I soldier William Henry Johnson.^[39] The redesignation ceremony occurred on July 11, 2025, at Woodfill Hall on the base, where speakers emphasized Polk's leadership and gallantry, particularly his Silver Star award earned during World War II combat operations.^[37]^[7] James H. Polk III, the general's son, attended as a guest speaker and expressed family pride in the recognition, noting the honor's significance in perpetuating his father's legacy of service.^[6]^[7] Installation officials stated that while the post exchange would retain the name Fort Johnson to preserve historical ties to the prior honoree, the primary designation as Fort Polk would reflect Polk's contributions to Army readiness and valor.^[7] This move aligned with broader Department of Defense directives under President Donald Trump's administration to reevaluate and restore select traditional base namesakes deemed fitting for modern veneration.^[5]

Military Mission and Training Operations

Role in Joint Readiness Training

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, redesignated Fort Johnson, serves as a critical venue for joint readiness by delivering rigorous, realistic training that integrates U.S. Army brigade combat teams with elements from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and multinational partners. This training emphasizes multi-domain operations in decisive action training environments (DATE), simulating large-scale combat scenarios to foster interoperability and adaptive leadership across services.^[40]^[41] Rotations, typically numbering around 10 per year, involve thousands of personnel coordinating joint assets such as close air support and combined arms maneuvers to replicate operational complexities encountered in theaters like Afghanistan.^[42]^[43] JRTC's Operations Group orchestrates these exercises to prepare units for high-intensity conflicts, incorporating mission rehearsal exercises (MRE) that enhance joint, interagency, and multinational coordination. By employing opposing force (OPFOR) simulations and live, virtual, constructive environments, the center stresses units in stressful conditions that mirror real-world joint operations, thereby improving overall military readiness and decision-making under duress.^[40]^[27] This approach has evolved to address large-scale combat operations (LSCO), ensuring seamless integration of service-specific capabilities for decisive outcomes.^[44] The center's joint focus extends to specialized training, such as military assisted departures and special operations integration, as demonstrated in rotations involving units like the 5th Special Forces Group, which collaborate with joint partners to execute multi-service tasks. These efforts underscore JRTC's role in building robust, interoperable forces capable of responding to diverse threats in multi-domain battlefields.^[45]^[46]

Training Methodologies and Innovations

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, now Fort Johnson, utilizes force-on-force training methodologies centered on a dedicated Opposing Force (OPFOR) provided by the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, which simulates adversary tactics ranging from insurgent to near-peer threats in complex, realistic environments.^[47]^[48] Rotational brigade combat teams engage in multi-week exercises emphasizing decisive action in a training environment (DATE), incorporating noncontiguous operations across expansive terrain mimicking operational theaters.^[40] These methodologies prioritize joint and combined arms integration, with participating units facing stressors like limited communications, logistical challenges, and enemy ambushes to replicate combat friction.^[49] A core component is the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), which equips personnel and vehicles with laser emitters and detectors to simulate direct and indirect fire effects, enabling real-time casualty assessment and detailed after-action reviews through instrumentation data.^[50]^[51] This system supports force-on-force engagements while minimizing live ammunition risks, allowing for repeated iterations of maneuvers in live-virtual-constructive formats that blend physical training with simulated elements.^[52] Innovations in JRTC training have evolved to address large-scale combat operations against peer competitors, incorporating multi-domain operations that integrate cyber, space, and electronic warfare alongside kinetic actions.^[53] Recent rotations test concepts like "transforming in contact," where units transition from light to armored configurations mid-engagement to enhance adaptability, drawing from Ukraine conflict lessons.^[54] Emerging technologies, including unmanned aerial systems for reconnaissance and space-based radar for intelligence, are embedded in scenarios to prepare forces for contested environments, with scenarios dynamically updated via operational feedback loops.^[55]^[56] These advancements ensure training relevance, as evidenced by over 30 annual rotations certifying units for deployment since the center's establishment in 1983.^[57]

Contributions to U.S. Military Readiness

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk has significantly enhanced U.S. Army readiness by providing rigorous, brigade-level training that simulates high-intensity, large-scale combat operations against peer adversaries. Established at the installation in 1993, JRTC conducts force-on-force rotations for Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) and Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs), enabling units to integrate joint, interagency, and multinational elements in realistic environments. This training emphasizes multi-domain operations, breaking from prior counterinsurgency focuses to prepare forces for hybrid threats and contested battlespaces, thereby improving tactical proficiency and logistical adaptability.^[44]^[57] Innovations at JRTC, including expanded training areas by over 42,000 acres to include Peason Ridge and Fullerton Box, have allowed for more complex scenarios such as near-simultaneous airborne assaults and Stryker BCT maneuvers, fostering innovation in opposing force tactics and role-player integration. These developments under initiatives like JRTC 2025 have reversed trends toward smaller-unit training, emphasizing brigade-scale challenges that permit controlled failures as learning opportunities, ensuring Soldiers confront operational difficulties in training rather than combat. As one of the Army's three combat training centers, JRTC accounts for approximately one-third of BCT rotations, including National Guard units, directly contributing to deployable readiness for global missions.^[44]^[56]^[49] Historically, Fort Polk's training legacy, spanning over 80 years since 1941, has prepared forces for every major U.S. conflict, including training more than one million Soldiers during the Vietnam War era through immersive "Tigerland" simulations. Post-Vietnam, JRTC's evolution has sustained this impact, with rotations enhancing unit cohesion, leader development, and joint interoperability, ultimately bolstering the Army's capacity to deter aggression and respond decisively in peer competitions.^[58]^[59]

Current Units and Personnel

Active Duty and Combat Units

The primary active duty combat formation stationed at Fort Johnson is the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), designated as the "Patriot Brigade." This brigade, headquartered at Fort Johnson since its realignment, focuses on light infantry operations tailored for mountainous and rugged terrain, while also supporting Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) missions through multi-echelon training exercises. As of 2025, it comprises infantry battalions such as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 87th Infantry Regiment, along with supporting elements including artillery and brigade support, enabling rapid deployment and sustained combat capabilities.^[60]^[61] The brigade's presence enhances the installation's role in preparing units for large-scale combat operations by providing both training participants and observer controllers. Complementing the brigade, the 1st Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment ("Geronimo") serves as the core of the JRTC's Opposing Force (OPFOR), an active duty airborne infantry battalion dedicated to simulating peer adversaries during rotational training. Established as the premier OPFOR unit, it delivers realistic, high-intensity opposition in force-on-force scenarios, drawing on its parachute assault heritage to challenge rotating brigades in multi-domain environments. The battalion, with approximately 600-800 personnel, integrates maneuver, fires, and sustainment elements to replicate hybrid threats, contributing to the validation of doctrinal tactics for deploying units.^[47]^[62] Fort Johnson also hosts additional deployable combat battalions under JRTC Operations Group, forming part of the four separate combat-focused units noted in installation assessments, which bolster training realism and maintain combat proficiency for global contingencies. These elements, including specialized maneuver and fires components, ensure the OPFOR's adaptability to evolving threats like near-peer competition. Overall, these active duty combat units total several thousand personnel, emphasizing infantry-centric warfare and joint interoperability to sustain U.S. Army readiness.^[63]

Support and Medical Units

The primary medical facility at Fort Johnson is the Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital (BJACH), which delivers comprehensive healthcare services to active-duty personnel, retirees, dependents, and other eligible beneficiaries, including emergency care, outpatient clinics, and diagnostic imaging available 24/7 to support rotational training units at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).^[64]^[65] BJACH operates under the Defense Health Agency and emphasizes medical readiness training, hosting clinical rotations for Army Nurse Corps cadets and providing ancillary support such as laboratory and radiology services during JRTC exercises.^[66]^[67] The 32nd Hospital Center, a tenant unit at Fort Johnson, serves as a key medical command element, overseeing deployable field hospitals like the 115th Field Hospital under the 1st Medical Brigade, which conducts readiness exercises such as Operation Forge to validate combat health support capabilities for brigade combat teams.^[68]^[69] These units integrate with JRTC operations to simulate medical evacuation and treatment in austere environments, enhancing overall force sustainment.^[70] Support units at Fort Johnson are primarily organized under the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG), which manages installation operations through directorates including the Directorate of Logistics, responsible for supply chain management, transportation, maintenance of equipment, and ammunition handling to sustain training missions and tenant activities.^[71]^[72] The garrison coordinates with rotational support from elements like the 734th Regional Support Group, which delivers logistics, resourcing, and personnel augmentation for JRTC cycles, ensuring seamless buildup and sustainment of combat power.^[73] Additional support encompasses administrative functions via Army Community Services, offering relocation assistance, financial counseling, and family advocacy to approximately 15,000 personnel and dependents on the installation.^[74]

Reserve and National Guard Components

The United States Army Reserve maintains the 32nd Hospital Center at Fort Polk, which provides operational medical support and training integration for Reserve component forces during rotations at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).^[68] This unit, headquartered on the installation since at least the early 2000s, oversees field hospitals and combat support elements, such as the 115th Combat Support Hospital, enabling rapid mobilization and sustainment capabilities for expeditionary medical operations.^[75] The 32nd Hospital Center's presence facilitates joint training exercises that incorporate Reserve personnel into multi-component scenarios, enhancing interoperability with active duty forces.^[76] The Louisiana Army National Guard operates a Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) facility at Fort Polk, established to service armored and wheeled vehicles for units including the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.^[77] This installation-based shop, operational since the post-World War II era expansions, supports over 1,000 pieces of equipment annually, ensuring readiness for National Guard deployments and state missions.^[78] It serves as a hub for preventive maintenance and repairs, reducing downtime for Guard units in the region without permanent basing elsewhere on the post.^[79] Fort Polk's JRTC plays a central role in Reserve and National Guard training, hosting brigade-level rotations for units from multiple states to simulate large-scale combat operations under realistic conditions. In 2023, the Illinois Army National Guard's 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted a 28-day rotation involving over 4,000 soldiers, focusing on decisive action maneuvers against opposing forces.^[80] Similarly, the Iowa Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team trained there in June 2025, emphasizing urban combat and sustainment in austere environments as part of Rotation 25-08.^[81] These exercises, occurring in 10 annual cycles, integrate Reserve Component forces with active and joint elements, contributing to overall U.S. Army readiness by validating tactics, techniques, and procedures derived from operational lessons.^[1] No large-scale permanent National Guard combat units are stationed at Fort Polk, with activities centered on rotational training and logistical support.^[82]

Facilities and Infrastructure

Training Grounds and Expansions

The training grounds at Fort Polk comprise approximately 241,126 acres, including Army-owned lands at the main post and Peason Ridge, as well as cooperative training areas within the Kisatchie National Forest.^[83] These facilities support maneuver warfare, live-fire exercises, and simulated combat operations essential to the Joint Readiness Training Center's mission.^[57] The Peason Ridge Training Area, located about 16 miles north of the main installation, provides expansive terrain for brigade-level operations, encompassing Army-managed lands and adjacent Forest Service areas totaling over 74,000 acres in the associated wildlife management area.^[84] Additionally, the Limited Use Area features seven major designated zones—Cravens, Flatwoods, Johnsonville, Marlow, Providence, Pitkin, and Rustville—for rotational unit training, with access coordinated to minimize conflicts with public recreation.^[85] Expansions of these grounds have focused on acquiring contiguous lands to enhance connectivity and reduce logistical dependencies on leased Forest Service properties. Beginning in 2012, the Army initiated its largest land acquisition since World War II, purchasing over 42,000 acres south and southeast of Peason Ridge to link fragmented training areas and support extended maneuver space.^[86] By fiscal year 2015, approximately 45,000 acres were targeted for completion, bolstering capabilities for high-intensity training.^[86] These efforts enable the development of infrastructure for Multi-Domain Operations, integrating cyber, space, and electronic warfare into conventional ground training at Peason Ridge.^[87] Further enhancements include the 2019 expansion of the R-3803 restricted airspace complex, adding four new areas (R-3803C through F) over central Louisiana to accommodate increased aviation and artillery training without encroaching on civilian airspace.^[88] Ongoing modernization under the North Fort Polk Area Development Plan incorporates new facilities to sustain large-scale combat training amid evolving doctrinal requirements.^[57]

Medical and Community Support Facilities

The primary medical facility at Fort Polk is Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital (BJACH), a TRICARE-managed installation providing inpatient and outpatient care, emergency services, primary care, and specialized treatments such as gynecology, obstetrics, and behavioral health to active-duty soldiers, retirees, and dependents.^[64]^[89] Located at 1585 3rd Street, Building 285, BJACH operates under the Defense Health Agency and supports the Joint Readiness Training Center's operational tempo through routine medical readiness training and partnerships for blood product access.^[90] In November 2024, BJACH added three specialized providers in gynecology and obstetrics to expand women's health services on the facility's fourth floor.^[91] A six-month Defense Health Agency Targeted Care Pilot for behavioral health, concluded in October 2023, successfully matched patients to appropriate support levels, improving access efficiency.^[92] As of April 1, 2025, the Fontaine Troop Medical Clinic and Department of Public Health relocated to BJACH to consolidate services, reduce operational costs, and streamline patient care delivery.^[93] The 32nd Hospital Center, based at Fort Polk, delivers deployable hospitalization, combat health support, and preventive medicine capabilities in alignment with theater medical requirements.^[94] Community support facilities emphasize family resilience and soldier welfare through integrated programs under Army Community Service (ACS) and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR). ACS, located at Building 920, 1591 Bell Richard Avenue, offers comprehensive relocation assistance, financial counseling, crisis intervention, and family advocacy services to mitigate stressors for soldiers and families.^[74]^[95] MWR facilities include fitness centers with group classes and running trails, outdoor recreation equipment rentals, leisure travel booking, and child and youth services to foster readiness and work-life balance.^[96]^[97] The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Family Support, co-located with ACS, provides case management, respite care coordination, and resource referrals for families with dependents requiring long-term medical or educational accommodations.^[98]^[99] Additional targeted support includes the New Parent Support Program, which delivers home visits, parenting education, and stress management for expecting and new parents to enhance early family stability.^[100] These facilities collectively address deployment-related challenges, with ACS serving as a central hub for prevention and intervention since its establishment under broader Army resilience initiatives.^[74]

Recent Building and Modernization Efforts

In 2025, Fort Polk completed a $29 million solar energy project featuring a 13-megawatt installation across 97 acres, designed to supply approximately 40% of on-base housing power needs and generate 17,537 megawatt-hours annually, enhancing energy resilience and reducing costs through a partnership with Corvias and Onyx Renewables.^[101]^[102] A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked its operational launch on August 5, 2025.^[101] Modernization of soldier housing advanced with a March 4, 2025, groundbreaking for new barracks accommodating 160 personnel in two-bedroom units equipped with walk-in closets, full bathrooms including tub/shower combinations, and kitchenettes, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to replace outdated facilities.^[103] Earlier, in August 2024, a renovated barracks facility was dedicated after upgrades that enclosed the structure for a unified building envelope, added an Exterior Insulation and Finish System for energy efficiency, and improved overall habitability.^[104] Infrastructure sustainment included a design-bid-build contract solicitation for renovating the Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility, aimed at updating capabilities for vehicle and equipment repair to support Joint Readiness Training Center operations.^[105] Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital allocated over $10 million for recent enhancements to its main facility and dental clinic, focusing on service improvements for soldiers and families without specifying exact project timelines beyond completion in the mid-2020s.^[106] North Fort Polk's Area Development Plan progressed with construction of a new JRTC Operations Center and Rotational Unit Billeting Area, alongside range and training area enhancements to accommodate evolving multi-domain training requirements.^[39] These efforts align with broader Army priorities for resilient, sustainable infrastructure amid fiscal constraints and operational demands.

Environmental Management

Wildlife and Habitat Programs

The Environmental and Natural Resources Management Division at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), located at Fort Polk (renamed Fort Johnson in 2023), administers wildlife and habitat programs under the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP), a framework developed in compliance with the Sikes Act to integrate conservation with military training objectives.^[107] The INRMP establishes measurable goals for ecosystem sustainability, including habitat protection, species recovery, and mitigation of training-induced disturbances like soil erosion and vegetation loss, ensuring long-term viability of fish, wildlife, and plant resources across installation lands.^[108] Habitat enhancement initiatives date to 1965 and encompass prescribed burns, mechanical treatments, and plot maintenance to bolster biodiversity; by 2019, the division sustained roughly 15 acres across 10-12 dedicated wildlife plots for monitoring and improvement.^[108] Forest management spans approximately 142,000 acres divided into 92 compartments of 1,200 to 1,600 acres each, employing selective thinning of unhealthy or competing trees to enhance canopy structure, soil stability, and understory vegetation critical for wildlife foraging and cover, with prescriptions coordinated to minimize conflicts with live-fire exercises.^[109] Targeted species conservation emphasizes federally threatened taxa, such as the Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni), through a multi-year habitat strategy involving environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys conducted over two decades to detect presence without disturbance, suppression of invasive species, and longleaf pine restoration on hundreds of acres annually to replicate native sandhill habitats.^[110] In 2023, installation staff contributed a wild-captured male pinesnake to captive breeding efforts and facilitated releases of captive-bred juveniles into adjacent Kisatchie National Forest, balancing these actions with restricted training zones to avoid direct impacts.^[111] Comparable protocols protect the red-cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis), alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), and Louisiana pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema riddelli), incorporating nest monitoring, stream assessments, and relocation where necessary.^[111] These programs, executed in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, earned JRTC and Fort Polk the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 20th Annual Military Conservation Partner Award for exemplary integration of readiness and stewardship, demonstrating reduced habitat fragmentation and sustained population metrics amid intensive use.^[111] Complementary management occurs via the adjacent 105,545-acre Fort Polk-Vernon Wildlife Management Area (renamed Fort Johnson-Vernon WMA in 2023), where regulated public hunting of deer, turkey, quail, and small game aids population control and habitat regeneration through natural disturbance emulation.^[112]

Feral Horse Management and Controversies

The U.S. Army at Fort Polk has designated the feral horses roaming its 210,000 acres and adjacent Kisatchie National Forest as "trespass animals" or estray horses, citing interference with military training exercises and safety risks to personnel from encounters in live-fire zones.^[113]^[114] In 2015, Fort Polk officials initiated a removal program, estimating a population of 400 to 700 horses, primarily to mitigate hazards during Joint Readiness Training Center operations.^[115]^[116] Management efforts have included roundups using helicopters and ground teams, followed by auctions or transfers to rescue organizations, with over 300 horses removed by 2018 despite ongoing legal challenges.^[117]^[118] Controversies arose from equine advocacy groups, such as the Pegasus Equine Guardian Association (PEGA), which argue the horses—potentially descendants of Cavalry mounts from the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers or earlier Spanish strains—hold historical and genetic value warranting preservation through non-lethal methods like fertility control rather than mass removal.^[119]^[120] In December 2016, advocates filed a federal lawsuit under the National Environmental Policy Act, claiming the Army failed to conduct a required environmental impact statement before removals and that the horses' cultural significance to local communities was overlooked.^[121]^[122] A federal judge in June 2018 denied a preliminary injunction, allowing roundups to continue pending trial, while criticizing the Army's documentation but affirming military priorities over equine presence.^[113] Critics, including the Animal Legal Defense Fund, have accused the Army of inhumane practices, such as selling horses to auctions linked to slaughter pipelines, though the Army maintains compliance with federal livestock laws and prioritizes operational readiness on taxpayer-funded land.^[123]^[117] As of 2024, remnant herds persist in Kisatchie National Forest boundaries near the installation (renamed Fort Johnson in 2023), with advocates pushing for cooperative management between the U.S. Forest Service and Army to balance conservation and training needs, though no formal agreement has been established.^[124]^[125] The dispute highlights tensions between military utility—supported by documented incidents of horses disrupting maneuvers—and claims of ecological or heritage benefits, which lack peer-reviewed evidence of unique biodiversity contributions from the herds.^[126]

Local Impact and Community Relations

Economic Contributions

The Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, now designated Fort Johnson since 2023, serves as a primary economic driver for Vernon Parish and the surrounding region in Louisiana. The installation directly supports approximately 15,000 jobs and generates nearly $770 million in annual payroll, encompassing military personnel, civilian employees, and contractors.^[127] ^[128] This payroll figure reflects fiscal year data around 2021, with consistent contributions reported in subsequent analyses, forming the backbone of local employment in an area where military-related activities dominate the labor market.^[129] Beyond direct employment, the base's operations yield a total annual economic contribution of approximately $1.5 billion to Louisiana through procurement contracts, construction projects, and spending by base personnel on off-installation goods and services.^[63] This includes indirect effects such as supply chain demands for logistics, maintenance, and training support, which sustain businesses in Leesville and Vernon Parish, including retail outlets, housing services, and hospitality sectors that cater to rotating troops and families. Recent estimates place the installation's impact at up to $1.79 billion, underscoring its role in preventing economic contraction amid potential base realignments.^[130] As Louisiana's largest single military spender, Fort Polk's activities amplify statewide military economic output, which reached $9.64 billion in total impact as of 2021, supporting broader fiscal stability through federal funds that offset rural underdevelopment in central Louisiana.^[131] Local infrastructure investments, such as road improvements and utility extensions tied to base expansions, further channel federal dollars into Vernon Parish, enhancing connectivity and development potential without reliance on volatile civilian industries.^[132]

Education and Family Support

The Vernon Parish School District serves as the primary public education provider for children of military personnel stationed at Fort Polk, encompassing schools in communities such as Leesville, Anacoco, and Rosepine, which are frequently selected by families due to their performance ratings and proximity.^[133]^[134] The district has maintained an A rating from the Louisiana Department of Education, reflecting consistent high-quality instruction across its facilities.^[135] Installation-based School Support Services, operated through Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), facilitates smooth transitions for incoming families by offering enrollment guidance, academic resource referrals, and liaison support with local schools to address relocation challenges.^[136]^[137] For families with children requiring special needs, the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Education Directory provides tailored resources, including coordination with district exceptional student services.^[138] Child and Youth Services (CYS) under MWR delivers comprehensive childcare options, including Child Development Centers (CDCs) offering full-day care from infancy through preschool, hourly care, and before/after-school programs for school-aged youth up to age 12.^[139]^[140] These facilities operate weekdays with extended hours—typically 5:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.—and include certified family child care homes for flexible arrangements, subsidized by fee assistance programs based on family income and deployment status.^[141]^[142] Youth programs extend to middle and high schoolers through school-age centers and teen activities focused on leadership, sports, and employment readiness, with enrollment prioritized for eligible active-duty and civilian families.^[143] Broader family support is coordinated via Army Community Service (ACS), which provides relocation assistance, financial planning workshops, and crisis intervention through its Military and Family Support Center.^[74]^[144] The Family Advocacy Program addresses domestic violence prevention with 24/7 hotlines, counseling, and resiliency training, while the New Parent Support Program offers home visits and parenting classes for expectant and new families.^[145]^[100] These services aim to mitigate deployment stresses and enhance family readiness, with data from installation reports indicating high utilization rates among supported households.^[146]

Quality of Life Assessments

In late 2019, the U.S. Army designated Fort Polk as one of three installations—alongside Fort Irwin, California, and Fort Wainwright, Alaska—for a targeted quality of life assessment to identify deficiencies in services, facilities, and support for soldiers and families, with the goal of transforming it into a preferred assignment destination.^[147] ^[148] The evaluation included direct input from stationed personnel through meetings and surveys, focusing on barracks conditions, housing, and community resources.^[147] Subsequent initiatives addressed assessment findings by investing millions in on-post housing upgrades and barracks renovations, emphasizing sustainment for single soldiers and family amenities to boost retention and morale.^[149] ^[150] By 2021, leadership highlighted progress in these areas, including expanded wellness programs and infrastructure enhancements tied to the Joint Readiness Training Center's operational demands.^[151] The rural Louisiana location contributes to a low cost of living compared to other bases, potentially easing financial pressures for families, though it limits access to urban amenities and increases reliance on post facilities.^[152] Despite these efforts, broader Army-wide evaluations reveal ongoing challenges applicable to training-heavy sites like Fort Polk. A 2023 Government Accountability Office report documented substandard barracks conditions across installations, including mold, pest infestations, sewage overflows, and faulty fire suppression systems, which compromise soldier health, privacy, and readiness while correlating with lower reenlistment rates.^[153] A 2025 Army tenant satisfaction survey echoed these concerns, with respondents reporting persistent maintenance delays, inadequate pest control, and privacy deficits in barracks, underscoring gaps in implementation despite funding allocations exceeding $15 billion Army-wide for facility sustainment in fiscal year 2024.^[154] ^[153] Family support programs, such as Army Community Services for relocation aid, financial counseling, and employment readiness, aim to mitigate these issues, with recent command priorities in 2025 emphasizing education, childcare, healthcare access, and spousal employment opportunities.^[74] ^[155] Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital has received high patient safety ratings, supporting medical needs, though mental health access improvements via targeted care programs address rotation-induced stressors at the JRTC.^[156] ^[157] Overall, while official metrics show incremental gains in infrastructure, soldier feedback indicates that environmental harshness and deferred maintenance continue to hinder perceived quality of life relative to non-training bases.^[154]

Controversies and Criticisms

Naming Disputes and Political Influences

Fort Polk was originally established in 1941 and named after Confederate Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk, a Louisiana native who also served as an Episcopal bishop before the Civil War.^[158] Polk, who died in 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign, represented a figure tied to Southern military tradition, though his ecclesiastical role added a layer of non-combat historical significance.^[159] In the wake of the 2020 George Floyd protests, Congress established the Naming Commission via the National Defense Authorization Act to review and recommend renaming Department of Defense assets honoring Confederates, overriding President Trump's veto despite his objections to the process as divisive.^[160] The commission proposed redesignating Fort Polk as Fort Johnson to honor Sergeant William Henry Johnson, a Black World War I soldier from the 369th Infantry Regiment who earned the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2015 for single-handedly repelling a German raid in 1918.^[161] This change, implemented on June 13, 2023, under the Biden administration, aligned with broader efforts to address perceived glorification of the Confederacy, though critics argued it prioritized symbolic gestures over military heritage amid institutional pressures from progressive activism.^[162] The 2023 renaming drew local backlash, with some veterans and residents viewing it as an erasure of tradition linked to World War II training at the site, including Tigerland preparations for Vietnam, unrelated to Confederate legacy.^[163] Political influences were evident in the commission's framework, which mainstream outlets like CNN framed as rectifying historical inequities, but which conservative commentators saw as yielding to cultural mandates from left-leaning academia and media despite limited empirical evidence of operational harm from original names.^[161]^[164] Following the 2024 election, President Trump directed the reversal of several renamings on June 10, 2025, restoring "Fort Polk" but honoring Major General James Hilliard Polk, a Silver Star recipient for gallantry in World War II who later commanded units in Korea and Vietnam, rather than the Confederate namesake.^[159]^[164] The redesignation ceremony occurred on July 11, 2025, prompting outrage from some quarters who decried the diminishment of Johnson's legacy to a single building, interpreting the shift as partisan retribution against Biden-era changes.^[7]^[165] This back-and-forth highlighted oscillating political control over military nomenclature, with each administration leveraging the base's name to signal cultural priorities—anti-Confederate under Biden and restorative under Trump—often at the expense of apolitical consistency.^[166] Congressional efforts to block the 2025 reversals emerged but failed to halt the executive action, underscoring tensions between branches on symbolic military policy.^[167]

Operational Challenges and Soldier Feedback

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk imposes significant operational challenges through its focus on high-fidelity, large-scale combat simulations in Louisiana's humid, forested terrain, which replicates austere conditions to prepare units for peer-level threats. Rotations involve coordinating thousands of soldiers across 10 annual exercises, straining logistics for sustainment, medical support, and after-action reviews amid environmental factors like heavy rainfall and heat that exacerbate equipment failures and fatigue.^[42]^[49] Infrastructure maintenance presents ongoing hurdles, exemplified by mold proliferation in transient barracks discovered in July 2025 during Iowa National Guard training, affecting showers and prompting remediation of nearly 50 buildings. Army officials cited incomplete drying of facilities post-use as a contributing factor, alongside broader barracks inspection mandates revealing deferred maintenance.^[168]^[169] Construction delays for barracks and training facilities have been attributed to labor shortages in rural Louisiana, compounded by supply disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes, hindering timely modernization efforts as of April 2023. Water quality issues, including resident reports of discolored water in 2019, necessitated interventions by the Public Health Command-Pacific to assess and upgrade infrastructure, addressing potential health risks from aging pipes.^[170]^[171] Soldier feedback underscores the physical and psychological toll of JRTC rotations, with accounts emphasizing dehydration risks, ambush drills, and improvised explosive device scenarios that demand strict adherence to procedures under stress, often leading to lessons in adaptability but also higher stateside accident rates compared to deployments. While some units report positive leadership and lower operational tempo in garrison, transient trainees frequently cite isolation—requiring over an hour's drive for basic amenities—as diminishing morale and recovery time.^[172]^[173]^[174]

Animal Welfare and Environmental Disputes

In 2015, U.S. Army officials at Fort Polk designated an estimated 700-750 feral horses roaming the installation and adjacent Kisatchie National Forest lands as "trespass animals," citing interference with military training activities, including live-fire exercises, vehicle maneuvers, and aviation operations, which posed safety risks to personnel and equipment.^[175]^[176] The horses, unmanaged for decades, had proliferated without veterinary oversight, leading to documented hazards such as collisions with military vehicles and disruptions to operational readiness.^[177] Animal welfare advocates, including the Pegasus Equine Alliance and Animal Legal Defense Fund, contested the removal plans, filing lawsuits in December 2016 and seeking an injunction in January 2018, arguing that capture methods—such as roping, helicopter drives, and tranquilizer darting—inflicted undue suffering, with reports of injuries, stress-related deaths, and inadequate post-capture care.^[178]^[179] These groups alleged violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for failing to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact statement assessing effects on the herd's habitat and potential cultural significance, as well as the National Historic Preservation Act, claiming the horses descended from rare colonial Spanish strains with historical ties to the region predating the base.^[118]^[180] Critics further expressed fears that auction sales of unclaimed horses would funnel them to slaughter, though Army officials maintained removals complied with federal stray animal laws and prioritized adoption or humane euthanasia over indiscriminate culling.^[181]^[182] The disputes highlighted tensions between military operational imperatives and advocacy-driven interpretations of animal status; while proponents cited genetic studies suggesting unique bloodlines warranting protection, Army assessments classified the herd as non-native feral equids exacerbating overgrazing and habitat degradation for indigenous species like the red-cockaded woodpecker.^[183] Litigation outcomes favored the Army, enabling progressive roundups starting in 2016, with partial adoptions by rescues but persistent claims of escalated captures without transparency. Environmental concerns extended beyond equine management to contamination legacies, with Fort Polk designated a Superfund site since the 1980s due to historical waste disposal and industrial activities, prompting ongoing remediation of solvents, heavy metals, and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from firefighting foams used in training.^[187]^[188] Federal investigations confirmed PFAS detections in groundwater and potential drinking water pathways, fueling veteran claims in multidistrict litigation alleging health risks, though installation officials asserted compliance with EPA standards and active monitoring without conceding liability.^[189]^[190] These issues underscore causal links between intensive military land use and persistent pollutants, balanced against base assertions of mitigated impacts through regulatory adherence and habitat restoration programs.^[191]

References

[1]
JRTC and Fort Polk Home Page - Army Garrisons
Sep 16, 2025 · The Official home page for The United States Army Garrison Fort Polk in Louisiana.
[2]
Joint Readiness Training Center - DVIDS
The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) provides US military units and personnel with realistic pre-deployment training scenarios in all aspects of armed ...
[3]
History :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 17, 2025 · The installation became the Army's largest Infantry Training Center. Its new mission: To provide basic training for individual Soldiers, many of them draftees.Missing: base | Show results with:base
[4]
Fort Polk, LA (Louisiana) - History, Locations, Maps & Photos
Fort Polk is a military installation of the US Army located in Vernon Parish. It was named after the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk.
[5]
Two years after switch, Fort Polk's name returns | American Press
Jul 11, 2025 · The Leesville base was initially named for Confederate Gen. Leonidas Polk but was renamed after Johnson in 2023 during the Joe Biden ...
[6]
Polk Family honored to have Louisiana Army base named after ...
Jul 11, 2025 · Fort Polk has been renamed to honor Gen. James H. Polk, a decorated World War II veteran. The base was previously named Fort Johnson after Sgt.
[7]
Fort Polk renaming made official during redesignation ceremony
Jul 11, 2025 · (KPLC) - The Leesville base was originally named for Confederate General Leonidas Polk, before it was changed under the Biden administration to ...
[8]
Fort Polk history – Heritage Families, training villages - Army.mil
May 18, 2021 · – In 1941, with World War II in full swing, Army leadership chose the wooded, sandy hills area of central Louisiana to conduct maneuvers ...
[9]
Fort Polk (2) - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts
Jan 6, 2019 · Camp Polk was activated about 1 May 1941. The first trainees were elements of the 3rd Armored Division commanded by Major General Alvan C ...
[10]
What is the history of Fort Polk? - Facebook
Dec 9, 2023 · The first troops started arriving in March 1941, even before the post was completed. On June 2 the 3rd Armored Division, Camp Polk's first unit, ...Leesville, Louisiana in the 1940s and Fort Polk ExperiencesHistory of Fort Polk in Vernon Parish, Louisiana - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.com
[11]
About :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 17, 2025 · Forty-eight of the Army's 91 divisions of WWII trained at Camp Polk. ... The 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) replaced the infantry training ...
[12]
[PDF] National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - NPGallery
Jan 9, 1992 · Training maneuvers from. Polk involving from 61,000 to 106,000 troops were held in the surrounding countryside in 1942 and '43. Other large ...
[13]
Camp Polk's Famous Armored Divisions | Vernon Parish Journal
Mar 19, 2025 · The 9th Armored Division had trained extensively at Camp Polk and entered battle and proved itself as they battled the Germans at Saint Vith, ...
[14]
POW Camps in Louisiana - 64 Parishes
Apr 12, 2023 · The five Louisiana base camps were Camp Ruston (Lincoln Parish), Camp Claiborne (Rapides Parish), Camp Livingston (Rapides and Grant Parishes), Camp Polk ( ...
[15]
The German POW Camp at Camp Polk, La. | Vernon Parish Journal
Nov 13, 2024 · Few Americans know that from 1942 until 1946 over 400,00 German, 50,000 Italian, and 5,000 Japanese prisoners of war were housed in the ...
[16]
Fort Polk - Vernon Parish Louisiana's Legend Country
During World War II, Camp Polk continued to be used for training, in addition to serving as a prison for Germans captured overseas.
[17]
JRTC, Fort Polk gear up for 80th anniversary | Article - Army.mil
Jan 12, 2021 · Its new mission was to provide basic training for individual Soldiers, many of them draftees. Fort Polk offered them their introduction to the ...
[18]
Hero embodies warrior spirit at historic redesignation ceremony
Jun 14, 2023 · In June 1950 it once again teamed with Soldiers training for the Korean War. In 1955, Camp Polk was redesignated as Fort Polk in preparation ...
[19]
[PDF] CONNECTING TO THE COLLECTIONS WEEK IN REVIEW M Tu Sa ...
Jan 15, 2024 · JANUARY 15, 1952: The 37th Infantry Division is ordered into active federal service for the Korean. War and sent to Camp Polk, La. for training.<|control11|><|separator|>
[20]
Fort Polk Plays Role in Training During Vietnam War - Army Garrisons
Apr 5, 2019 · Fort Polk was home to basic training, but in June 1962 Fort Polk was given a new mission - Advanced Infantry Training in preparation for war in the jungles of ...
[21]
162nd revives Tigerland, raises replica arches | Article - Army.mil
May 10, 2010 · Fort Polk was home to Tigerland, an advanced infantry training center during the Vietnam War, from 1962-1973. This period of Fort Polk's ...<|separator|>
[22]
Ft Polk - 2-12th Infantry Regiment "Warriors"
While primarily a training facility, Camp Polk also served as a military prison for Germans captured during World War II. The first prisoners of war (POWs), who ...
[23]
TIGER VILLAGE: FIFTY YEARS LATER 1968 TO 2018 (August 2019)
During the Vietnam War, Fort Polk was known as the "Home of the Combat Infantryman" due to the realistic basic and combat training taught there. Many of us ...
[24]
AIT | Charlie Company Vietnam 1966-1972
In the spring of 1976, the Infantry Training Center at Fort Polk closed its doors and ceased operations. The final chapter of the Vietnam War ended for Fort ...
[25]
THE PROVING GROUND - BestOfSwla
Aug 17, 2016 · In addition to mass training of troops, Fort Polk, which was called “Camp Polk” at the time, was a prisoner of war camp for captured Germans. ...
[26]
Fort Polk - GlobalSecurity.org
May 7, 2011 · From its start as a base for the Louisiana Maneuvers in the 1940s, to a basic training post during Vietnam, to the home of the 5th Mech Division ...
[27]
Joint Readiness Training Center (Airborne ... - GlobalSecurity.org
Nov 30, 2012 · The official opening of the JRTC was on 20 August 1993. The first training rotation took place at Fort Polk in September 1993. JRTC's heavy ...
[28]
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) - GlobalSecurity.org
The JRTC headquarters accepted command of Fort Polk on 12 Mar 93. The move to Fort Polk will be completed after Rotation 93-7 in May 93. The first rotation at ...
[29]
History - Fort Polk, LA
The extensive practice led to the creation of 16 armored divisions after the war. Though Polk closed after training soldiers for the Korean War, it was ...
[30]
Fort Polk's JRTC, Ops Group mark 25 years training soldiers - KALB
Mar 16, 2018 · A historic event changed the face of Fort Polk March 12, 1993 —the post became the new home of the Joint Readiness Training Center, ...
[31]
WWII vet remembers Camp Polk | Article | The United States Army
For nearly three years, Lacy called Camp Polk home as he and fellow Soldiers prepared for an invasion that would ultimately lead to the end of World War II. He ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[32]
Naming of U.S. Army Posts
Camp Polk: In 1940, the Army decided to build a camp in Louisiana. The Historical Section recommended naming it after Leonidas Polk, who had been an ...
[33]
DOD Begins Implementing Naming Commission Recommendations
Jan 5, 2023 · The Naming Commission process is now over and the names of bases, posts, ships, streets and more named after Confederate soldiers will change.
[34]
Surprises in Commission's Post Renaming - AUSA
May 24, 2022 · Fort Pickett, Virginia, to be renamed Fort Barfoot in commemoration of Army Tech. ... Fort Polk, Louisiana, to be renamed Fort Johnson in ...
[35]
Fort Polk to be Renamed for New York Guardsman Henry Johnson
Fort Polk in Louisiana will be renamed for New York National Guard Sgt. Henry Johnson, a World War I hero, during a June 13 ceremony at the post.
[36]
U.S. Army renames Fort Polk after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a ...
Jun 14, 2023 · The U.S. Army renames a base in honor of Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black WWI hero ; National · An Army fort named after Robert E. Lee now ...
[37]
Fort Polk redesignation ceremony honors past, future - Army.mil
Jul 28, 2025 · James H. Polk III, the General Polk's son, was a guest speaker at the redesignation ceremony. He said it was a special occasion to be at Fort ...
[38]
Fort Polk Redesignation Ceremony Held | Natchitoches Parish Journal
Friday's ceremony renamed the fort in honor of the late General James H. Polk who served a 35 year career in the US Army, spanning WWII, the Korean War and Cold ...<|separator|>
[39]
Fort Polk | Base Overview & Info | MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
Fort Polk is located in Vernon Parish in West-Central Louisiana, better known as "The Crossroads", about 60 miles from Alexandria, 66 miles from Lake Charles, ...
[40]
JRTC Operations Group - Army Garrisons
Sep 23, 2025 · The JRTC provides multi-domain training in a DATE and MRE environment to develop adaptive leaders and robust capabilities. It is a premier ...
[41]
[PDF] the role of the joint readiness training center - DTIC
May 24, 2005 · The JRTC has the following mission: The Joint Readiness Training Center provides highly realistic, stressful, joint and combined arms training ...
[42]
Sustaining an optimal military training environment at Fort Polk ...
Dec 1, 2022 · JRTC typically conducts 10 training rotations per year. These combined rotations involve the coordination of thousands of soldiers and the ...<|separator|>
[43]
Joint warfighters hone close air support skills at JRTC
Oct 5, 2009 · JRTC and GFE employs joint assets that provide realistic and rigorous training to replicate the operational environments found in Afghanistan ...Missing: Marines | Show results with:Marines
[44]
How Has the Joint Readiness Training Center Changed to…
Col. David S. Doyle, US Army, is the commander of Operations Group for the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
[45]
5th SFG (A) Soldiers Conduct Military Assisted Departure at Joint ...
Apr 18, 2025 · The 5th SFG (A) participated in a training exercise at Fort Johnson, La., as part of JRTC Rotation 25-06, which trained the U.S. Army Special ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[46]
[PDF] Joint Readiness Training Center - Tangent Blog
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) is a premier training facility operated by the. United States Army, located at Fort Polk, Louisiana. It ...
[47]
1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment - Army Garrisons
Aug 1, 2025 · 1-509th is the Premier Opposing Force in the World. We prepare units to fight and win as they deploy to conduct operations in defense of our Nation.
[48]
We Need More Professional OPFOR - Army University Press
Opposing force (OPFOR) soldiers engage friendly forces during a decisive action training ... Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Johnson, Louisiana, 25 April 2014.
[49]
Lessons Learned at JRTC Will Last a Lifetime, National Guard Chief ...
Jul 28, 2022 · The theme at the Joint Training Readiness Center is to provide tough, realistic training so Soldiers experience their worst days here rather than in a combat ...
[50]
Joint Readiness Training Center prepares Soldiers to fight and win
May 16, 2024 · The MILES gear operates in a laser tag system to simulate a combat scenario and track Soldiers and their progress. This was done during the ...
[51]
Forged in 'The Box': 1MBCT, 101 showcases L2A2 power ... - Army.mil
Jun 4, 2025 · A key component of JRTC training is the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, MILES, which simulates real-time combat through laser ...
[52]
Allies in box experience JRTC crucible training - DVIDS
Jan 31, 2020 · They will practice force on force using Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, or MILES, to provide a level of reality to the training.Missing: methodology | Show results with:methodology
[53]
Rethinking Large-Scale Combat Operations Training - Army.mil
Mar 13, 2025 · 3rd ID is actively advancing the concept of enhancing brigade-level readiness through focused 30- and 45-day field exercises.
[54]
Army puts its 'transforming in contact' concept to biggest test yet
Aug 29, 2024 · A transforming-in-contact unit recently did a rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, Louisiana.
[55]
UAE Arrival at JRTC Rotation 25-10 - Innovation - The National Guard
Aug 4, 2025 · “This space based radar technology promotes operational and tactical intelligence systems as a way to increase effectiveness of the joint force.
[56]
At the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Modern Warriors ...
Nov 5, 2024 · The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, formally known as Fort Polk, is one of three major combat training centers.Missing: establishment | Show results with:establishment
[57]
Mission and Vision :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 17, 2025 · Mission. JRTC and Fort Polk train Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) and Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFAB) to conduct large scale operations ...Missing: innovations | Show results with:innovations
[58]
Fort Polk honors 80 years of successful training | Article - Army.mil
Jan 19, 2021 · Throughout those 80 years, Fort Polk has continued its mission to train Soldiers for every major war and conflict the United States has faced.
[59]
Hero embodies warrior spirit at historic redesignation ceremony
Jun 14, 2023 · More than one million Soldiers trained at Fort Polk during the Vietnam War. In 1993, the Joint Readiness Training Center moved from Fort Chaffee ...
[60]
3rd Light Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain ... - Army Garrisons
Jun 26, 2025 · The mission of the 3rd Light Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is to conduct multi-echeloned training at Fort Johnson ...Missing: Johnson | Show results with:Johnson
[61]
Uncasing its colors, 3rd BCT, 10th Mtn Div is home - DVIDS
Apr 30, 2025 · Gen. Jason A. Curl, commanding general of JRTC and Fort Johnson, and Maj. Gen. Scott M. Naumann, commanding general of the 10th Mountain ...
[62]
1st BCT, 82nd ABN DIV completes JRTC rotation 24-05 [Image 2 of 3]
Oct 4, 2024 · Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, support rotational units at JRTC to train and validate their ability to deploy in ...
[63]
[PDF] USAG Fort Johnson, Louisiana - DOD DENIX
The JRTC and Fort Johnson is home station for one brigade combat team and four separate, deployable combat battalions, with additional support units and ...
[64]
Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital
The official website of Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital - Fort Johnson, Louisiana.
[65]
BJACH, Cajun Dustoff, support readiness, rotational units at JRTC
Jun 15, 2023 · “We are a 24/7 ancillary clinic supporting our ER. We provide all diagnostic and CT services around the clock,” she said. “Having these services ...<|separator|>
[66]
About Us - Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital
A medically ready and trained medical force by providing training and support to JRTC, Fort Polk, and all beneficiaries through a responsive force.Missing: affiliation | Show results with:affiliation
[67]
Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital at Fort Polk, La., hosts ...
Aug 4, 2022 · Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital is a designated training facility currently hosting U.S. Army Nurse Corps Cadet clinical rotations, special ...Missing: affiliation | Show results with:affiliation
[68]
Units/Tenants :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 27, 2025 · The Joint Readiness Training Center is the premier crucible training experience in the Army. Operations Group prepares units to fight and win ...
[69]
115th Field Hospital Hones Readiness During Operation Forge
Mar 6, 2025 · The 115th Field Hospital, 32nd Hospital Center, 1st Medical Brigade, honed its medical readiness during a 12-day field training exercise.
[70]
Medical Operations in the JASR during JRTC 24-09 - DVIDS
Jul 19, 2024 · Oregon Medical command soldiers conduct medical duties in support of this year's Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) cycle at Fort ...
[71]
Logistics Readiness Center - Army Garrisons
Jun 17, 2025 · Directs operations of supply, transportation, maintenance, ammunition quality assurance, logistical planning, and other logistical services and related matters.
[72]
Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk) - Small Business Contracting Informa
Military Units and Defense Organizations at Fort Johnson. Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Operations Group; Headquarters, US Army Garrison, Fort Johnson ...
[73]
Logistical Readiness, Building Combat Power | Article - Army.mil
Jun 9, 2025 · FORT JOHNSON, La. – The main task of the 734th Regional Support Group (RSG) is to operate as the logistical backbone of the Iowa Army ...
[74]
Army Community Service - Fort Polk MWR
Jun 12, 2025 · Services are offered to Active Duty, Retired, and Reserve Component Soldiers and their Family Members, regardless of branch of service.
[75]
Fort Polk Major Units | MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
Browse or search for Major Units at Fort Polk. Here you'll find command name, phone numbers & websites.Missing: permanent active
[76]
Louisiana - Army Reserve
The Joint Readiness ...
[77]
Fort Polk Army Base Guide - Military.com
Fort Polk is a well-known Army Installation. The Fort Polk base guide has information for service members and families. Learn more.
[78]
Direct Reporting Units - Louisiana National Guard
Direct reporting units include the 225th engineers, 61st for command, 62nd civil support, 139th major command, 773rd military police, and State Aviation ...
[79]
Army National Guard Element, JFHQ Louisiana - CurrentOps.com
Subordinate units · rank Headquarters and Headquarters Company · rank 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment · rank 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment · rank ...
[80]
44th IBCT Builds 'Generational Readiness' in JRTC Rotation
Jun 20, 2023 · Located on Louisiana's Fort Johnson, recently renamed from Fort Polk, JRTC provides highly realistic, challenging and stressful joint and ...
[81]
Iowa National Guard Leadership Supports JRTC Rotation 25-08
Jun 13, 2025 · Additional footage shows Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers training during JRTC rotation 25-08 at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, on June 12, 2025.Missing: Reserve | Show results with:Reserve
[82]
Joint Readiness Training Center & Fort Johnson
Soldiers from the international community as well as our own forces train in rotational cycles throughout the year in various settings to prepare them for all ...
[83]
Fort Polk honors the past, prepares for the future | Article - Army.mil
Apr 27, 2022 · At 241,126 acres, the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, a premier U.S. Army training center, makes up about 1% of the land area ...
[84]
U.S. Army and LDWF Announce Peason Ridge WMA Renamed Fort ...
Jun 27, 2023 · The WMA consists of 74,309 acres located 16 miles north of the Fort Johnson Joint Readiness Training Center Installation and is utilized by the ...
[85]
Limited Use Area :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Oct 7, 2025 · For scheduling purposes, the Army has designated seven major training areas in the LUA. These are: Cravens, Flatwoods, Johnsonville, Marlow, ...Missing: expansions | Show results with:expansions
[86]
Land purchase program moves forward at Ft. Polk - KPLC
Jan 30, 2015 · The purchase of about 45,000 additional acres is expected to be completed by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. Beyond that, there are no other ...
[87]
[PDF] JRTC & FORT POLK 2028 CAMPAIGN PLAN - Army Garrisons
Aug 9, 2021 · The. “Patriots” are a combined arms, combat ready Brigade that uses realistic home station training to prepare for global contingency operations ...
[88]
Expansion of R-3803 Restricted Area Complex; Fort Polk, LA
Jul 16, 2019 · This action expands the R–3803 restricted area complex in central Louisiana by establishing four new restricted areas, R–3803C, R–3803D, R–3803E, and R–3803F.
[89]
Bayne-Jones Community Hospital | Health.mil
1585 3rd Street Building 285 Fort Polk, LA 71459-5110 Get Directions Bayne Jones Army Community Hospital website 1-337-531-3118 Monday-Friday: 8 am to
[90]
LifeShare, Fort Johnson partnership supports patients, readiness ...
Aug 14, 2024 · LifeShare, a nonprofit organization, waives processing and testing fees for blood products in exchange for access to the Fort Johnson community.
[91]
New providers increase women's health access at Fort Johnson
Nov 8, 2024 · BJACH welcomes three new medical providers, specializing in gynecology and obstetrics to the women's clinic on the fourth floor of the military medical ...
[92]
Targeted Behavioral Health Care a success at Fort Johnson - Army.mil
Nov 30, 2023 · A six-month DHA Targeted Care Pilot program on Oct. 31. Targeted Care matches individuals seeking care to the appropriate support.
[93]
Fort Johnson Medical Clinics Relocate, Enhancing Care and Cutting ...
Feb 24, 2025 · The Fontaine Troop Medical Clinic and the Fort Johnson Department of Public Health will relocate to Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital on April 1.
[94]
32D Hospital Center :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 26, 2025 · The mission of the 32nd Hospital Center is to provide hospitalization, combat health services, and preventative medicine in support of ...Missing: facilities | Show results with:facilities<|separator|>
[95]
Army Community Service - My Fort Polk
Jul 1, 2025 · Army Community Service & Prevention Center (ACSPC) provides Soldiers and Families with an all-in-one outlet for support and prevention services.
[96]
Ft. Polk - US Army MWR
On-base housing · Maintenance for On-base · Waitlists · Find Off-base housing · Short-term lodging · Rights as Renter · Buy a Home · Basic Allowance for Housing ...
[97]
For Service Members and Families- Fort Polk Benefits
Jun 25, 2025 · Some things they offer include fitness programs, group fitness classes, gyms, running trails and tracks, and varied sports.
[98]
EFMP Family Support - Directory :: Ft. Polk :: US Army MWR
1591 Bell Richard Ave Bldg. 920 Fort Polk 71459 United States +1 (337)531-2840 Programs using this location: G9 integrates and delivers Family and Morale, ...
[99]
Fort Polk EFMP - Family Support | Military.com
Tel: (337) 531-1941. Address: 1591 Bell Richard Avenue, Building #920, Fort Polk, LA, United States, 71459-0000.
[100]
Fort Polk | New Parent Support Program Info & Resources
The New Parent Support Program focuses on providing individualized support for new & expecting parents. See what's available at Fort Polk.
[101]
Fort Polk, Corvias team up on solar energy project | Article - Army.mil
Aug 26, 2025 · A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Aug. 5 to officially open the $29 million solar energy project that will provide power to about 1,800 ...
[102]
Onyx Renewables Completes Construction of 13-MW Solar Project ...
Aug 20, 2025 · Onyx Renewables Completes Construction of 13-MW Solar Project at Fort Polk Military Installation · ‍Leesville, LA, August 20, 2025 · About Onyx ...Missing: Johnson 2020-2025
[103]
USACE and Partners Break Ground on New Barracks at Fort Johnson
Mar 4, 2025 · The new barracks will provide modernized living quarters for 160 soldiers at Fort Johnson. The two-bedroom units have walk-in closets, a bathroom with tub/ ...Missing: 2020-2025 | Show results with:2020-2025<|separator|>
[104]
Pursuit of Soldier well-being continues with barracks ribbon cutting
Aug 12, 2024 · Improvements included enclosing the facility to provide one complete building envelope, installing an Exterior Insulation and Finish System and ...
[105]
Renovation Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility (TEMF ...
The proposed project is an Unrestricted solicitation for Design-Bid-Build Construction contract for the Renovation of Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility ( ...Missing: 2020-2025 | Show results with:2020-2025
[106]
BJACH invests in infrastructure, improves facilities, patient satisfaction
BJACH has recently completed over $10 million worth of projects at the hospital and the dental clinic to improve services for Soldiers, their Families and ...
[107]
Integrated Natural Resources Management Program - Army Garrisons
Jun 17, 2025 · The plan consists of mutually agreed upon conservation, protection, and management of fish and wildlife resources on Fort Polk military lands.
[108]
[PDF] INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN
Given the proximity of the expansion lands to Fort Polk and Peason Ridge, and the similarity in ... Development of Fort Polk's ACUB Program began in 2003 and the ...
[109]
Forest Management :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 17, 2025 · These forest lands are divided into 92 compartments, ranging in size from 1,200 to 1,600 acres. The compartments are further divided into forest ...
[110]
Army's commitment to endangered species enhances training lands
May 5, 2021 · At Fort Polk, environmental staff perform restoration work for longleaf pine habitat on several hundred acres each year. They've also used ...
[111]
20th Annual Military Conservation Partner Award
Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson are outstanding wildlife conservation partners, protecting wildlife and their habitats for generations to come!
[112]
U.S. Army and LDWF Announce Fort Polk-Vernon WMA Renamed ...
Jun 27, 2023 · The WMA consists of 105,545 acres located adjacent to the Joint Readiness Training Center Installation and is utilized by the U.S. Army as a ...
[113]
Fort Polk can keep getting rid of feral horses, says judge - Army Times
Jun 7, 2018 · Fort Polk can keep rounding up and getting rid of feral horses while waiting for trial of a lawsuit attempting to stop the roundups, a federal judge has ruled.Missing: management controversies
[114]
Fort Polk Creates Danger to Humans and Horses
Oct 3, 2015 · They are claiming the horses pose a threat to the safety of military personnel during training exercises.Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[115]
Ft. Polk, La.: Guardians fight the Army to save wild horses, Dec. 21 ...
Dec 21, 2016 · From 400 to 700 wild horses roam Fort Polk and the adjacent Kisatchie National Forest. There are two herds: undomesticated Kisatchie horses ...
[116]
Making Sense of Fort Polk Wild Horse Plan
Oct 24, 2016 · Horse advocates continue to raise questions and concerns about whether removing horses from Fort Polk is necessary, and about how it will be done.
[117]
Why are some Fort Polk horse rescuers celebrating the births of ...
Feb 18, 2021 · Instead, as ANIMALS 24-7 detailed in both 2018 and in a 2019 follow-up, Alleged “horses for ransom” brokers busted in Louisiana, the U.S. Army ...
[118]
Fort Polk sale of 'trespass horses' challenged by horse welfare ...
Jan 9, 2018 · The lawsuit contends that the Army should have conducted a comprehensive environmental impact statement before removing any of the horses. "The ...
[119]
About PEGA - Kisatchie Wild Horses
Jun 22, 2023 · Fort Polk Horses of Kisatchie Pegasus Equine Guardian Association (PEGA) formed to unify efforts to preserve and protect the wild and free ...
[120]
Fort Polk horses likely descendants of 'globally rare' breed
May 24, 2021 · The idea that the horses on Fort Polk are wild has been a controversial topic. In 2015, Fort Polk officials declared the herds “trespass horses ...Missing: management | Show results with:management
[121]
Lawsuit Challenges Plan to Remove Estray Horses at Fort Polk
Dec 20, 2016 · A group of equine advocates in Louisiana have filed a federal lawsuit to halt the Army's plan to remove estray horses that roam property at ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[122]
Horse Lovers Challenge Army's Plan to Remove Wild Horses
Dec 19, 2016 · This lawsuit highlights the horses' significant historical and cultural value to Fort Polk and raises concerns about their potential fate.Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies<|separator|>
[123]
Animal Coalition Condemns Army's Cruel Plan to Eliminate Horses
Jun 21, 2016 · Despite the horses' decades of presence at Fort Polk, the Army maintains that they impact training operations and must be removed. The proposed ...
[124]
Does Louisiana have wild horses? Check the Kisatchie National ...
Sep 3, 2025 · Louisiana's feral horses can be found within two main areas of the Kisatchie National Forest, around Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk, and the ...
[125]
The Kisatchie: Wild Horses of Louisiana | HORSE NATION
Apr 30, 2024 · WHO: The Kisatchie aka Peason Ridge aka Fort Polk (aka Fort Johnson) aka “globally rare” (by academics) aka “trespass horses” (by U.S. Army ...Missing: management | Show results with:management
[126]
Whither the “Wild” Horses of Louisiana? - Equus Magazine
Dec 14, 2016 · In the case of the horses at Fort Polk, a precedent may be set for other feral horses who migrate onto public or military land, or for how the ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[127]
Aerospace & Defense - Key Industries
In payroll from Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk. $9.64 Billion. Annual economic impact of U.S. military spending in Louisiana. 77,000. Louisiana jobs supported ...
[128]
[PDF] Military Economic Impact Analysis for the State of Louisiana
Fort Polk directly contributes nearly 15,000 jobs and almost $770 million in payroll to the economy. Estimated total spending at Fort Polk was $1.36 billion in ...Missing: 2022 2023 Johnson
[129]
Fort Polk 'economic driver' for state | Leesville Leader
Nov 11, 2021 · ... Fort Polk operations alone contributed nearly 15,000 jobs and $770 million in payroll to the economy. Estimated total spending at Fort Polk ...
[130]
Military bases valuable to state - Webster Parish Journal
May 9, 2024 · Louisiana's military bases are vital defense facilities, bringing over $3 billion in federal funding, with Fort Johnson having a $1.79 billion ...<|separator|>
[131]
Military Spending in Louisiana has $9.64 Billion Economic Impact
Nov 9, 2021 · It contributes nearly 15,000 jobs and $770 million in payroll to the economy. Estimated total spending at Fort Polk was $1.36 billion in fiscal ...
[132]
Governor Jeff Landry Signs Capital Outlay Including Projects in ...
Jun 27, 2024 · Over $9 million for improvements on Vernon Parish roads ... Fort Johnson and $2 Million for a sewer extension also near Fort Johnson.
[133]
Local Schools :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Apr 10, 2017 · Vernon Parish Public Schools. Anacoco High School · Leesville Junior High School · Pickering Elementary Rosepine High School
[134]
The Ultimate PCS Guide to Fort Johnson, Louisiana | FamilyMedia
Aug 9, 2025 · Healthcare: Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital is the on-post medical facility providing care for the community. MWR (Morale, Welfare, and ...
[135]
Military Families - Vernon Parish School Board
Our efforts of providing high quality instruction in each classroom has earned us the distinction of being rated an “A” district in the State of Louisiana ...
[136]
School Support Services - Fort Polk MWR
School Support Services provides Army school-aged youth with educational opportunities, resources and information necessary to achieve academic success.
[137]
JRTC, Fort Polk School Support Services eases PCS - Army.mil
May 25, 2022 · “Fort Polk has adjusted the newcomers brief schedule, so School Support Services and Child and Youth Services brief on day zero. Before you take ...
[138]
Fort Polk | EFMP Education Directory | MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
Notice: As of June 11, 2025, Fort Johnson has been renamed to Fort Polk. Work is underway to update all content on this page to reflect this change.Missing: organizations | Show results with:organizations
[139]
Child and Youth Services - Fort Polk MWR
Child and Youth Services (CYS) provides programs and services for children of eligible military and civilian families.
[140]
Fort Polk | Child Care Programs & Centers | MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
Programs operate Monday – Friday and include full day care, Before and After Kindergarten Care, Part Day Pre-School Program and Hourly Care. The Main Office, ...
[141]
Childcare and Schools - Fort Polk MWR
May 14, 2025 · Care For Your Children · Family Child Care · School Age Centers · Child Care Fee Assistance · Resources For Success · School Support Services · Youth ...
[142]
Childcare - CDC - Fort Polk MWR
Childcare - CDC BLDG 702 · 7575 Utah Ave Bldg 702. Fort Polk 71459. United States · +1 (726) 780-0921 · Hours: Monday. 5:45am-6:00pm. Tuesday. 5:45am-6:00pm.
[143]
JRTC and Fort Polk Child and Youth Services Part 1 - DVIDS
Jul 30, 2025 · A video describing the services that CYS offers to the community at and around JRTC and Fort Polk. This video highlights the child ...Missing: childcare | Show results with:childcare
[144]
Fort Polk | Military & Family Support Center Programs & Services
The Military & Family Support Center provides support & services to help you balance military life. Learn about the resources at Fort Polk.
[145]
Family Advocacy Program - Fort Polk MWR
Jul 19, 2022 · Our services include seminars, workshops, counseling, and intervention to help strengthen Army Families, enhance resiliency and relationship skills, and ...
[146]
For Service Members and Families - Army Garrisons
Jul 11, 2025 · The Army also offers money for education, comprehensive health care, generous vacation time, family services and support groups, special pay for special duties ...
[147]
Fort Polk chosen for Quality of Life assessment - American Press
Dec 5, 2019 · Their visit including meetings with the soldiers and family members stationed at Fort Polk to get a first-hand account of the issues that matter ...
[148]
Garrett delves into Fort Polk quality of life upgrades
Mar 20, 2021 · In 2019, the Army designated Fort Polk, Fort Irwin, California, and Fort Wainwright, Alaska as “The Big 3,” or garrisons identified to receive ...
[149]
Quality of Life: Millions invested in post housing | Article - Army.mil
Housing plays a huge part in the quality of life for Soldiers and Family members, which is why the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort ...
[150]
Polk continues Army mandate to improve barracks life
In late 2019 the Army selected three installations for quality of life assessments to determine how it could improve ...
[151]
[PDF] JRTC and Fort Polk Guardian
Mar 26, 2021 · “Many of the quality of life initiatives were started on his watch,” Roseberry said. “Major General McGuire has been integral to the improvement ...
[152]
Fort Johnson (Joint Readiness Training Center) - PCSgrades
Fort Johnson (formerly known as Fort Polk) is located in a very rural part of Louisiana (Vernon Parish) in Leesville. The base is a little over an hour from ...<|separator|>
[153]
Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life ...
Sep 19, 2023 · We observed barracks in poor condition, including some with safety risks like sewage overflow and inoperable fire systems. And some barracks don't meet DOD ...Missing: feedback | Show results with:feedback
[154]
Soldiers criticize Army barracks conditions in first-ever survey
Aug 12, 2025 · In an Army barracks survey, soldiers brought up long-standing issues with mold, pests, maintenance delays, privacy and security.
[155]
Fort Johnson community gathers to focus on quality of life issues
May 20, 2025 · Curl, JRTC and Fort Johnson commander, shared with those in attendance his quality-of-life priorities: Education, housing, childcare, health ...Missing: satisfaction reports
[156]
9 Military Hospitals Receive Highest Leapfrog Grade for Safe, High ...
Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital was ...
[157]
Targeted Care increases access to mental health resources for ...
Jul 20, 2023 · The program is designed to increase access to care, reduce wait times for initial and follow up appointments, and increase Soldier readiness.Missing: reports | Show results with:reports
[158]
What is the reason behind Fort Polk being named after a Union ...
Jan 17, 2024 · Fort Polk was named after Leonidas Polk, a Confederate general and an Episcopalian bishop who was from Louisiana. Forts in the South were ...<|separator|>
[159]
Trump resurrects bases' Confederate names, though Fort Polk won't ...
Jun 12, 2025 · Fort Polk became Fort Johnson, honoring a Black soldier, William Henry Johnson, who served in World War I. The changes were based on a ...
[160]
on renaming military bases that now honor Confederates | Stars and ...
Oct 1, 2021 · Then-President Donald Trump vetoed the law, objecting to the renaming commission, but Congress overrode his veto. The Army installations in ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[161]
Commission unveils proposals to rename bases named after ... - CNN
May 24, 2022 · Fort Polk in Louisiana, named after a Confederate commander, Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk, could become Fort Johnson in honor of Sgt. William Henry ...
[162]
Army renames Louisiana base for Black World War I hero - POLITICO
Jun 14, 2023 · A US Army base in western Louisiana was renamed Tuesday to honor Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black hero of World War I who received the Medal of Honor nearly ...
[163]
Fort Polk Name Change to Fort Johnson Sparks Debate ... - Facebook
Jun 14, 2024 · Ft Polk name should never been called Ft Johnson. There a lot of parents that thier boys went through Tiger Land then to Vietnam and came back home in a box.Fort Polk name changed back to honor General James PolkRename Fort Johnson back to the original name of Fort Polk.More results from www.facebook.comMissing: influences | Show results with:influences
[164]
Faimon Roberts: Changing Fort Johnson's name a cynical move
Jun 17, 2025 · The former Fort Polk, which had been renamed to Fort Johnson to honor a World War I hero, will go back to being Fort Polk.
[165]
Renaming of Fort Johnson military base sparks outrage
Jun 10, 2025 · The U.S. Army also issued a statement saying the fort is being renamed “in honor of Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk for his gallantry ...<|separator|>
[166]
Why Fort Johnson is renamed to Fort Polk again in Louisiana | News
Jul 4, 2025 · Founded in the early 1940s, the fort originally bore the name of Leonidas Polk, a Confederate general, slave owner and Louisiana's first ...
[167]
Congress moves to counter Hegseth on base names that evoke ...
Sep 16, 2025 · Congress is inching toward a bipartisan agreement to reversethe Trump administration's recent renaming of severalArmy bases across the southern ...
[168]
Army blames showers left 'wet after use' for mold in barracks
Jul 22, 2025 · Soldiers training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, found mold in their temporary barracks showers. Officials partially blamed 'wet showers' for it.
[169]
Polk continues Army mandate to improve barracks life - DVIDS
Nov 15, 2022 · In addition to the 100 percent inspection of all property on an installation, Fort Polk conducts monthly “tiger team” inspections of barracks, ...Missing: complaints | Show results with:complaints
[170]
Lack of workers in rural Louisiana delays construction and ...
Apr 26, 2023 · Construction has faced major delays because of a lack of skilled labor in the area, acquiring supplies during the coronavirus pandemic and hurricanes that ...Missing: infrastructure | Show results with:infrastructure
[171]
Public Health Command–Pacific team instrumental to Army water ...
Oct 23, 2019 · “Residents at Fort Polk, Louisiana, were concerned with discolored water issues and voiced their concerns at community town halls,” explained ...Missing: soldier | Show results with:soldier
[172]
To anyone who has been to JRTC, what are your experiences and ...
May 11, 2024 · Many years ago on this sub I saw NTC likened to catching AIDS, and JRTC equated to catching AIDS that has AIDS itself.
[173]
JRTC and Fort Polk keeping your Soldiers safe as we continue ...
Nov 23, 2020 · It's heartbreaking how many training accidents, routine maintenance accidents and deaths that happen stateside vs combat related deaths. I never ...Missing: experiences | Show results with:experiences
[174]
how bad would you say the 46th engineer battalion is at fort polk
Oct 14, 2025 · It's not bad. I've mostly enjoyed my time in the 46th, actually. We are way less busy than other units I've served in. The leadership is fine.
[175]
This Is What Will Happen To 700 Feral Horses At Fort Polk
Aug 25, 2016 · Fort Polk, home of the Joint Readiness Training Center in Louisiana, is overrun with more than 700 feral horses. Herds roam freely around the garrison.
[176]
Army to remove horses from Fort Polk - The Town Talk
Aug 16, 2016 · After months of analysis, the Army has announced it will remove hundreds of horses from Fort Polk. An estimated 700-750 horses roam training ...Missing: issues | Show results with:issues
[177]
[PDF] Notice of Intent to Conduct an Environmental Assessment for ...
The population of trespass horses that remain on the training landscape imposes a safety conflict with training activities. This safety risk is unacceptable for ...
[178]
Animal welfare group files suit against Fort Polk - The Town Talk
Dec 15, 2016 · An animal welfare group has filed a lawsuit against Fort Polk and its commanding general, arguing plans to remove more than 700 horses from ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[179]
Advocates Urge Court to Immediately Stop Army's Illegal Seizure of ...
Jan 9, 2018 · Animal advocates are fighting to stop the Army's illegal roundup and sale of Louisiana's wild horses pending their lawsuit's resolution.
[180]
Equine Welfare Advocates Sue Over Ft. Polk Horses
Jan 13, 2018 · A group of equine welfare advocates have filed an injunction asking a federal court to prevent the U.S. Army from gathering and selling ...<|separator|>
[181]
Animal Rights Group Challenges Army Over Wild Horse Roundups
Jan 11, 2018 · The association sued the Army and Fort Polk's commanding officer in December 2016 over plans to remove approximately 700 'trespass horses' ...Missing: welfare | Show results with:welfare
[182]
Fort Polk's wild horses to be moved - Military Times
Aug 17, 2016 · Army officials say the animals represent a safety hazard to soldiers training at the post, while advocates for the horses have argued they ...
[183]
Wild horses at Fort Polk could have colonial Spanish bloodlines ...
Oct 11, 2018 · Wild horses at JRTC and Fort Polk have been the source of controversy for years, JRTC and Fort Polk wanting them removed.
[184]
Endangered Species :: Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk
Jun 17, 2025 · The only known federally-listed endangered species on Fort Polk is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW). The RCW prefers old (average age more than ...
[185]
Local rescues continue to rally for Ft. Polk horses, litigation pending ...
Jan 24, 2018 · Court records filed on Friday show the U.S. Army is standing by the decision to remove Ft. Polk horses.
[186]
Fort Polk escalates wild horse roundups, says animal rights group
Jan 9, 2018 · Fort Polk began escalating efforts in November, and some captured horses are treated poorly and many may be slaughtered, the Pegasus Equine ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[187]
Partnerships, focus bring expertise to cleanup efforts at Fort Johnson
May 30, 2024 · The cleanup work, including contamination assessments, site investigations, remediation and corrective actions has been ongoing at the installation since 1983.
[188]
Fort Polk Toxic Exposure and Compensation | Hill & Ponton, P.A.
Because Fort Polk is under active investigation for PFAS contamination, there is emerging evidence of possible exposure pathways (especially via water systems) ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
[189]
AFFF Lawsuit - Military Veterans May File Claims Online Here
Sep 25, 2025 · Military veterans and their families who drank PFAS contaminated base drinking water can now sign up for the AFFF lawsuit completely online.
[190]
fort polk - PFAS - U.S. Army Environmental Command
The Army uses CERCLA (Superfund) to investigate PFAS releases and lead comprehensive restoration efforts in coordination with federal and state regulatory ...Missing: dispute | Show results with:dispute
[191]
[PDF] Nomination Narrative Army S-NII Fort Polk
Fort Polk's sustainability program includes green buildings, energy/water conservation, recycling, and waste diversion, supporting Army missions and reducing ...Missing: disputes | Show results with:disputes<|separator|>