Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center
Part of Arkansas National Guard United States Army Reserve
Fort Smith, Arkansas
U.S. Army Reserve soldiers of the 652nd Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge), from Ellsworth, Wis., launch and position bridge bay sections during River Assault 2011 at Fort Chaffee, Ark. River Assault 2011.
Type	National Guard Training Camp
Site information
Owner	Arkansas
Controlled by	Arkansas National Guard
Open to the public	Prior Permission needed
Site history
Built	1941
Built by	United States Army
In use	1941-Present
Battles/wars	World War II, Cold War
Garrison information
Occupants	U.S. Army, Arkansas National Guard

Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center, often called Fort Chaffee, is a large military base in western Arkansas. It is right next to the city of Fort Smith. This base is used by the Arkansas Army National Guard.

Fort Chaffee started as Camp Chaffee in 1941. It became Fort Chaffee in 1956. Over the years, it has been a training camp for the U.S. Army. It also held captured soldiers during wartime and later became a place for people seeking safety.

After 1995, the base changed. The Arkansas National Guard now uses about 66,000 acres (267 km2) for training. The state of Arkansas got about 6,000 acres (24 km2) of the land. About half of this land has been redeveloped for other uses.

Where is Fort Chaffee Located?
History of Fort Chaffee
Redeveloping the Land
Fires at Fort Chaffee
Other Uses of Fort Chaffee
Images for kids
See also

Where is Fort Chaffee Located?

Fort Chaffee is located just outside Fort Smith and Barling. It is on Arkansas Highway 22. The Arkansas River flows along its northern side.

History of Fort Chaffee

Fort Chaffee was first called Camp Chaffee. It was named after Major General Adna R. Chaffee Jr.. He was an artillery officer who realized that tanks were important for modern warfare.

Building the Camp

Work on Camp Chaffee began on September 20, 1941. This was part of the Department of War's plan to make the U.S. Army much bigger for World War II. The government bought over 15,000 acres (61 km2) of land. This land belonged to many families, farms, and businesses.

It took only 16 months to build the entire base. The first soldiers arrived on December 7, 1941. This was the same day as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From 1942 to 1946, several armored divisions trained there. Camp Chaffee also held about 3,000 German prisoners during World War II.

Changes Over the Years

From 1948 to 1957, the 5th Armored Division was based at Chaffee. On March 21, 1956, Camp Chaffee officially became Fort Chaffee. This showed it was a permanent military base.

In 1958, Elvis Presley came to Fort Chaffee. He got his first military haircut here when he joined the Army. In 1959, the Army's main artillery training moved from Fort Chaffee to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

In the early 1960s, Fort Chaffee was used for basic training for new Army recruits. Thousands of soldiers learned their basic skills here.

This sign, titled "New Horizon" in front of Fort Chaffee showed the number of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees who had lived at the camp and had been subsequently resettled, as well as the number still living there.

Helping People in Need

Fort Chaffee has been a major center for people seeking safety three times.

From 1975 to 1976, it helped people from Southeast Asia. These were Vietnamese and Cambodian people after the Vietnam War and Cambodian Civil War. The base helped over 50,000 people. They received health checks and help finding new homes in the U.S.
In 1980, Fort Chaffee became a center for people from Cuba. About 19,000 Cubans came here after the Mariel boatlift. There were some challenges in helping everyone settle. On June 1, some people caused a disturbance, damaging buildings and clashing with police. After this, the facility became more secure. Over two years, Fort Chaffee helped more than 25,000 Cuban people.
In September 2005, Fort Chaffee housed people who had to leave their homes after Hurricane Katrina. More than 10,000 people from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas stayed in the empty barracks. Many of these people later decided to make Fort Smith their new home.

Becoming a Training Center

In 1987, the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) began training soldiers at Chaffee. In 1995, it was decided that Fort Chaffee would close as a main Army base. However, it would remain a training area for the Reserve components.

On September 28, 1995, Fort Chaffee became part of Fort Sill. Later that year, about 7,000 acres (28 km2) of Fort Chaffee's land were given to the state. The remaining 66,000 acres (267 km2) went to the Arkansas National Guard for training.

On September 27, 1997, the Arkansas Army National Guard took control of Fort Chaffee. It became the Chaffee Maneuver Training Center. The Arkansas Air National Guard also used the fort's Razorback Range for target practice until 2014.

In April 2014, a new $26 million training center opened at Fort Chaffee. It has 18 buildings designed to look like a small city. This helps soldiers train in realistic settings.

Redeveloping the Land

In 1997, the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority was created. Their job was to develop the 7,000 acres (28 km2) given to the state. They tore down over 700 old buildings. This area is now called 'Chaffee Crossing'. It has new homes, shops, and businesses.

After the land transfers, Fort Chaffee became an "open post." This meant people could enter without special permission. But after the September 11, 2001, attacks, all Army bases became "closed posts" again for security.

Buses loaded with Hurricane Katrina refugees arrive at Fort Chaffee

In 2005, work began on the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center. This is a large nature area for the public.

In 2011, a part of the base with 44 old barracks buildings was added to the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings were built in 1941-42 for soldiers.

In 2013, new developments came to Chaffee. These included plans for a shopping center, the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, and new housing. Companies like Graphic Packaging and Mars Petcare also have factories here.

By 2014, about 3,000 acres (12 km2) were left for development. This land is planned for homes, shops, and factories.

Fires at Fort Chaffee

Fort Chaffee has experienced several fires.

On January 29, 2008, a brush fire burned about 100 acres (0.4 km2). It damaged or destroyed 150 empty buildings.
On August 3, 2011, a fire broke out in the old medical complex. It destroyed the hospital and nearly 120 buildings. This was on one of the hottest days in Fort Chaffee's history.
Another fire destroyed an office building on June 20, 2014.

Other Uses of Fort Chaffee

Fort Chaffee has been used for different purposes beyond military training.

Movie Set: It has been a filming location for movies like A Soldier's Story (1984) and Biloxi Blues (1988). It was also featured in an episode of Ghost Adventures.
Training for Federal Agents: The Department of Energy (DOE) uses Fort Chaffee for training its federal agents. The Office of Secure Transport (OST) trains new agents here. They learn many skills, including law enforcement tactics, physical security, and driving large trucks. This training helps them transport nuclear materials safely.

Images for kids

U.S. Army Reserve soldiers launch and position bridge bay sections during River Assault 2011 at Fort Chaffee, Ark.
This sign, titled "New Horizon" in front of Fort Chaffee showed the number of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees who had lived at the camp and had been subsequently resettled, as well as the number still living there.
Buses loaded with Hurricane Katrina refugees arrive at Fort Chaffee