Fort Gillem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Gillem |
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| Forest Park, Georgia | |
First Army shoulder sleeve insignia
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| Coordinates | 33°37′13″N 84°19′44″W / 33.6202°N 84.3289°W |
| Type | Army post |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | U.S. Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941-2011 (1997-present as MEPS facility) |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | First Army |
| Occupants | United States Military Entrance Processing Command |
Fort Gillem was a United States Army base located in Forest Park, Georgia. This area is on the southeast side of Atlanta in Clayton County. It was built in 1941 and was connected to a nearby base called Fort McPherson.
Fort Gillem was home to many different supply and support groups. This included the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. It also housed the 3rd MP Group (CID), which are both part of the Army's crime investigation team. Many people worked at Fort Gillem. There were 456 active-duty soldiers, 1,663 Army Reserve members, and 1,667 civilians. In 1973, the city of Forest Park took over its 1,465 acres (5.9 km²). The fort was named after Lieutenant General Alvan Cullom Gillem, Jr..
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Fort Gillem's History
The U.S. Army started Fort Gillem in 1941. At the same time, they built the Atlanta Quartermaster Depot and the Atlanta Ordnance Depot. These were mostly finished by December 1942. These two places worked separately for a while. On April 1, 1948, they joined together. They became known as the 'Atlanta Army Depot'. This depot was a part of the Army Materiel Command. The Atlanta Army Depot closed on June 28, 1974. Local people sometimes called Fort Gillem the 'Conley Army Depot'.
Environmental Cleanup Efforts
Over the years, some buried landfills at Fort Gillem caused issues. They polluted the underground water near homes north and south of the base. In 2014, inspectors checked the air inside these homes. They looked for harmful chemicals that might have entered from the ground.
By September 2014, 40 homes were tested. In 26 of these homes, higher levels of certain chemicals were found. These chemicals are often used to clean metal. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division reported this. The Army planned to put in special air systems in these homes. This would help remove or greatly lower any risks. If very high levels were found, residents might need to move while bigger cleanups happened.
Closing and New Plans for the Base
On May 13, 2005, a special group decided to close Fort Gillem. They also decided to close Fort McPherson and the Navy Supply Corps School. An official closing ceremony for Fort Gillem happened on June 3, 2011. The First Army soldiers who were there moved to the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois.
In 2012, the City of Forest Park bought most of the old Fort Gillem land. They paid $30 million for 1,170 acres. The city wanted to build different things there, like homes and shops. But after a housing slowdown, they decided to focus on factories, warehouses, and business parks. There is one private housing area with 125 units. The Army still owns about 165 acres where the underground water is polluted. The Army is responsible for cleaning up this land. The cleanup was expected to take ten years.
What Still Operates at Fort Gillem?
Some parts of Fort Gillem are still used by the Army. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division Crime Lab is still open. This is a special lab that helps solve crimes. It is on a 250-acre area kept by the Army.
The Fort Gillem area also has a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). This is where people go to join the military. Other Army Reserve groups are also there. These include the Southeastern Army Reserve Intelligence Support Center (SEARISC). The United States Army Reserve 3rd Medical Command Deployment Support is also present. The 221st Military Intelligence Battalion of the Georgia National Guard is there too. There is also an office where people can get their military ID cards.
It was decided that Fort Gillem would be added to a list of places needing major environmental cleanup. This list is called the National Priorities List (NPL). In 2013, a state official asked to delay this decision.
On May 2, 2014, city and Department of Defense officials held a ceremony. They celebrated the upcoming changes at Fort Gillem. The city is working with a developer. They hope the area will become busy again. This will happen when the land is back on the city's tax list. They hope companies like Porsche North America will move their main offices nearby.
