Military

These Are America's Smallest Domestic Military Bases

Chris Lange

Published: April 27, 2024 1:50 pm

The United States utilizes military bases and installations around the world to project power and run operations where it sees fit. On the domestic front, these bases serve a slightly different role. There is much less staging in an operational sense, but these seek to provide logistical hubs, housing and training centers for U.S. troops and assets. (This is the largest military base in your state.)

Some domestic bases are renowned for their training facilities where they produce the next generation of American soldiers and military personnel. Others house important military assets like tanks or aircraft that can quickly be deployed where needed.

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at America’s domestic military bases. To identify America’s smallest military bases, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the demographic data from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for 2019, which has the most recent year of comprehensive data by base. These military bases were ranked on the fewest active-duty military personnel. We only included bases housing active-duty military personnel for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and DoD were considered.

The Norfolk Naval Station, located in Virginia, is the largest naval base in the world and houses many of the U.S. naval assets. It plays an important role in supporting naval operations along the East Coast. (These are the biggest military bases in the United States.)

One of the smaller bases within the U.S. is Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. It primarily acts as a training facility for the more advanced pilots in the U.S. Air Force. The base hosts Red Flag exercises, the world’s most realistic air combat training exercises, which attract international participation and foster collaboration among allied nations. So, while this base might be one of the smallest, it is by no means the least important.

Here is a look at America’s smallest military bases:

Why Are We Covering This?

Source: usnavy / Flickr

U.S. domestic military bases are essential assets that play into national security and ensure military readiness on the domestic front. They play an important role in training and logistics, among other things, making them integral components of the U.S. military infrastructure.

26. Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia

USNS Comfort departs Naval Station Norfolk. (BY 2.0) by Official U.S. Navy Imagery

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 47,368 (37.5% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 100,893
• Service branch: Navy
• Location: Norfolk

25. Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Fort Bragg celebrates Army's 237th Birthday with four-mile run [Image 10 of 26] (BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 45,055 (43.2% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 109,101
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 10 miles from Fayetteville

24. Camp Pendleton, California

Camp Pendleton fire [Image 4 of 9] (BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 39,690 (24.0% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 70,700
• Service branch: Marine Corps
• Location: 35 miles from San Diego

23. Camp Lejeune MCB, North Carolina

Source: Public Domain / Wikipedia

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 38,706 (37.1% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 72,106
• Service branch: Marine Corps
• Location: 3 miles from Jacksonville

22. Fort Hood, Texas

T-72-Fort Hood (BY-SA 2.0) by Ronnie-TX

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 36,697 (30.0% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 83,815
• Service branch: Army
• Location: Killeen

21. San Diego NAVSTA, California

Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 32,983 (20.0% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 66,557
• Service branch: Navy
• Location: San Diego

20. Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Source: Bedford at en.wikipedia / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,824 (83.1% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,977
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 50 miles from Nashville

19. Fort Lewis, Washington

File:M60 Patton Tank Fort Lewis Military Museum.jpg (BY-SA 4.0) by Articseahorse

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,512 (44.6% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,831
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 12 miles from Tacoma

18. Fort Bliss, Texas

Source: Bill Chizek / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,100 (21.3% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 60,307
• Service branch: Army
• Location: El Paso

17. Fort Carson, Colorado

Source: Chmiel / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,520 (68.4% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 57,473
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 6 miles from Colorado Springs

16. Fort Benning, Georgia

Follow Me! - Iron Mike, Fort Benning Georgia (BY 2.0) by expertinfantry

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,305 (35.7% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 46,785
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 5 miles from Columbus

15. Lackland AFB, Texas

Source: Glen Richard / iStock via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 22,220 (18.2% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 42,521
• Service branch: Air Force
• Location: 5 miles from San Antonio

14. Fort Stewart, Georgia

Source: usacehq / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 19,476 (28.6% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 45,302
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 35 miles from Savannah

13. Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois

Naval Air Station Great Lakes (BY 2.0) by Coast Guard News

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,726 (72.8% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,875
• Service branch: Navy
• Location: 30 miles from Chicago

12. Fort Riley, Kansas

Kansas (Fort Riley - Military Base) 6 (BY-SA 3.0) by DianaMH

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,214 (69.8% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 33,295
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 50 miles from Topeka

11. Fort Drum, New York

Springtime at Fort Drum (BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,195 (74.7% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 32,011
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 8 miles from Watertown

10. Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

111220-A-RX730-004 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by USACE Honolulu District

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,057 (31.7% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 34,022
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 20 miles from Honolulu

9. Fort Sill, Oklahoma

Fort Sill personnel observe training at Moroccan Field Artillery Center (BY 2.0) by US Army Africa

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 13,310 (59.2% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,189
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 90 miles from Oklahoma City

8. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

Midwest Storm Striked Fort Leonard Wood [Image 1 of 6] (BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 12,218 (72.3% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 23,479
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 85 miles from Springfield

7. Fort Jackson, South Carolina

Treaty of Fort Jackson Historical Marker (BY-SA 3.0) by Rivers Langley; SaveRivers

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,545 (28.4% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 20,589
• Service branch: Army
• Location: Columbia

6. Fort Gordon, Georgia

Fort Gordon students DSCF0425 (BY 2.0) by U.S. Army Environmental Command

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,220 (16.5% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,636
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 12 miles from Augusta

5. Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

Barracks, Fort George G. Meade, Md. (BY 2.0) by Boston Public Library

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,140 (39.8% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,041
• Service branch: Army
• Location: 15 miles from Baltimore

4. Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle Clock Tower (BY 2.0) by nan palmero

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,721 (8.8% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,655
• Service branch: Army
• Location: San Antonio

3. Mayport NAVSTA, Florida

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,442 (15.7% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,013
• Service branch: Navy
• Location: 10 miles from Jacksonville

2. Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor Naval Base - Honolulu - Hawaii (BY 2.0) by MasonArchitects

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,222 (21.5% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,697
• Service branch: Navy
• Location: 6 miles from Honolulu

1. Nellis AFB, Nevada

Red Flag, Nellis AFB, NV - F-15E Strike Eagle 90-0237 391st Fighter Squadron 366th Fighter Wing - Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. (BY-SA 2.0) by TDelCoro

• Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,168 (89.2% of mil. personnel in state)
• All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,937
• Service branch: Air Force
• Location: 8 miles from Las Vegas