If you are searching for an army base in Washington state, the answer is short: nearly every Soldier who PCSes here goes to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, or JBLM, south of Tacoma. The Army also runs Yakima Training Center on the dry side of the Cascades, and the Washington National Guard is headquartered at Camp Murray.
This guide explains what each site does, who is stationed where, and what housing costs nearby. PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station, the military's term for an assigned move.
Every Army Site in Washington State, at a Glance
| Installation | Where it is | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Base Lewis-McChord | Pierce County, between Tacoma and Olympia | Home of I Corps; the Army's main West Coast post |
| Yakima Training Center | Central Washington, near Yakima | Maneuver and live-fire training land run as part of JBLM |
| Camp Murray | Pierce County, next to JBLM | Washington National Guard joint headquarters |
Army sites in Washington, grouped by side of the state. Sources: JBLM and Yakima Training Center garrison pages; Military OneSource.
For the Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard bases too, see our guide to what military bases are in Washington.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord: The Army Base in Washington State
How JBLM came to be
JBLM began operating in October 2010, when Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base were combined under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure round. Fort Lewis dates to 1917 and McChord to 1947, per the JBLM garrison. You will still hear locals say "Lewis Main" and "McChord Field" for the two sides of the base.
Who is stationed there
JBLM is the home of I Corps and the Air Force's 62nd Airlift Wing. Tenants include the 7th Infantry Division, the 1st Special Forces Group and the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The garrison describes JBLM as the only Army power-projection platform west of the Rockies, with access to deep-water ports for deploying units.
How big it is
The joint base supports about 110,000 people: roughly 40,000 active-duty members, 60,000 family members and 15,000 civilian and contract employees. The main base in western Washington covers 142 square miles.
Medical care centers on Madigan Army Medical Center, one of the Army's major hospitals. For arrival steps, gates and neighborhoods, see our 2026 guide to PCSing to JBLM.
Yakima Training Center
Yakima Training Center covers 327,000 acres, or about 511 square miles, in central Washington. That is roughly the size of Rhode Island, per the Yakima Training Center FAQ. It is bordered by Interstate 90 to the north, the Columbia River to the east and Interstate 82 to the west.
Units come here to train in open, dry terrain they cannot find on the wet west side. A small permanent staff works on site, including an ordnance company and an air ambulance detachment. Most Soldiers who train at Yakima are stationed at JBLM and come for exercises, not for a full tour.
Camp Murray
Camp Murray sits beside JBLM and houses the joint headquarters of the Washington National Guard, per Military OneSource. If you are joining the Guard or working in a full-time Guard job, this is where you will report. Active-duty families rarely get PCS orders here.
What BAH Covers Near Washington's Army Sites
BAH is Basic Allowance for Housing, the monthly amount the military pays you toward housing when you live off post. It is set by pay grade, dependent status and your duty station's rate area, not by the rent you actually pay.
JBLM falls in the Tacoma rate area (WA311). Yakima Training Center falls in the Yakima rate area (WA313). Here are 2026 monthly rates, with dependents first and without second, from the official DTMO BAH rate lookup.
| Pay grade | JBLM (Tacoma, WA311) | Yakima Training Center (Yakima, WA313) |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $2,370 / $2,034 | $1,731 / $1,329 |
| E-5 | $2,556 / $2,121 | $1,923 / $1,458 |
| E-7 | $2,994 / $2,376 | $2,499 / $1,875 |
| O-3 | $3,123 / $2,784 | $2,703 / $2,214 |
| O-4 | $3,324 / $2,991 | $3,015 / $2,502 |
