--- title: What Military Bases are in Texas? slug: what-military-bases-are-in-texas description: >- A guide to active military bases in Texas, from Joint Base San Antonio to Fort Cavazos, plus PCS housing tips, VA-loan guidance, and veteran-friendly agents. publishedAt: '2026-06-22T09:00:00.000Z' updatedAt: '2026-06-19T00:00:00.000Z' author: VeteranPCS categories: - US Military Bases canonical: 'https://www.veteranpcs.com/blog/what-military-bases-are-in-texas' componentSlug: us-military-bases stateSlug: texas --- # What Military Bases are in Texas? Texas has one of the largest military footprints in the country. The state is home to **eleven major active installations**, supporting the **Army, Air Force, and Navy**, plus reserve and joint units that train alongside them. Whether you are **PCSing to Texas** (Permanent Change of Station, the military term for an official move to a new duty station), thinking about a move, or just curious about military history, this guide gives you a clear overview of the **key military bases** in the state. ## Overview of Military Installations in Texas Texas military bases cover a wide range of missions. They include **pilot training, basic training, armored and aviation operations, intelligence and firefighter training, and depot-level repair** of helicopters and combat vehicles. The state trains a large share of the people who fly, fix, and fight for all the services, and it keeps thousands of military families moving in and out every year on PCS orders. ### Active Military Bases in Texas - **Joint Base San Antonio (Fort Sam Houston, Lackland, and Randolph)** - **Fort Cavazos** (formerly Fort Hood) - **Fort Bliss** - **Sheppard Air Force Base** - **Dyess Air Force Base** - **Goodfellow Air Force Base** - **Laughlin Air Force Base** - **Naval Air Station Corpus Christi** - **Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth** - **Red River Army Depot** - **Corpus Christi Army Depot** ## Army Bases in Texas ### Fort Cavazos Fort Cavazos, in Central Texas near Killeen, was known as **Fort Hood** until it was redesignated in 2023 to honor Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, the first Hispanic American to earn the rank of four-star general. Set in more than **340 square miles**, it is the home of **III Armored Corps**, the **1st Cavalry Division**, and **1st Army Division West**, with more than 34,500 soldiers and airmen stationed there. It is one of the largest active-duty armored posts in the force. **Key Missions:** - Armored and mounted warfare operations - Multi-domain operations and global deployment - Training and readiness for Army combat units Learn more from the official [Fort Cavazos mission and vision page](https://home.army.mil/cavazos/about/mission) and the [Fort Cavazos redesignation page](https://home.army.mil/cavazos/about/fort-cavazos-redesignation). ### Fort Bliss Fort Bliss sits in West Texas inside the city limits of **El Paso** and is home to roughly **90,000 soldiers and family members**. It is the home of the **1st Armored Division**, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," which the post calls **"America's Tank Division."** Fort Bliss units routinely support operations around the world. **Key Missions:** - Armored division operations and deployment - Air defense and combat training - Support for global combatant commands See the official [1st Armored Division page](https://home.army.mil/bliss/units-tenants/1st-armored-division) and the [Fort Bliss garrison page](https://home.army.mil/bliss/about/Garrison). ### Red River Army Depot Red River Army Depot, near **Texarkana**, was established in **1941**. Today it is a major repair and rebuild center for ground combat and tactical vehicles. It is the Army's center of excellence for platforms such as the **HMMWV** (Humvee), the **Bradley Fighting Vehicle**, the **HIMARS** rocket system, and the family of medium tactical trucks. **Key Missions:** - Repair and rebuild of tactical and combat vehicles - Sustainment of ground combat systems - Industrial support for the joint warfighter Read more on the [Red River Army Depot website](https://redriver.army.mil/) and the [TACOM Red River overview](https://tacom.army.mil/tacom-oib-pages/rrad-oib). ### Corpus Christi Army Depot Located on **Naval Air Station Corpus Christi**, Corpus Christi Army Depot is the Army's main center for **helicopter repair and overhaul**. It is the largest industrial employer in South Texas and services aircraft including the **UH-60 Black Hawk**, **CH-47 Chinook**, and **AH-64 Apache**. **Key Missions:** - Overhaul and repair of Army helicopters - Engine and component remanufacturing - Aviation readiness support for the joint force Details are on the [Corpus Christi Army Depot About page](https://www.ccad.army.mil/About-Us/). ## Air Force Bases in Texas ### Joint Base San Antonio Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) is one of the largest joint bases in the Department of Defense. The Air Force is the lead service, and JBSA brings together three main locations with hundreds of mission partners. - **JBSA-Lackland** is known as the **"Gateway to the Air Force."** It is home to the **37th Training Wing**, the largest training wing in the Air Force, which runs **Basic Military Training** for new Air Force and Space Force recruits. - **JBSA-Fort Sam Houston** is the **home of Army medicine**. It hosts the **U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence** and **Brooke Army Medical Center**, training tens of thousands of medical personnel each year. - **JBSA-Randolph** has been a flying training base since **1930**. It is home to **Headquarters Air Education and Training Command**, the **Air Force Personnel Center**, and the **12th Flying Training Wing**, which trains the instructors who teach others to fly. **Key Missions:** - Basic Military Training for the Air Force and Space Force - Military medical education and care - Pilot and instructor flight training See the official [Joint Base San Antonio website](https://www.jbsa.mil/) and the [JBSA-Randolph fact sheet](https://www.jbsa.mil/Information/JBSA-History-Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/2664767/jbsa-randolph/). ### Sheppard Air Force Base Sheppard AFB, in **Wichita Falls**, is the largest and most diverse training base in the **Air Education and Training Command**. Its host unit, the **82nd Training Wing**, runs the largest technical training operation in the Air Force, teaching skills such as aircraft maintenance and munitions. Sheppard also hosts an international pilot training program. **Key Missions:** - Technical training for Air Force career fields - Aircraft maintenance and munitions training - International pilot training Learn more on the [Sheppard Air Force Base website](https://www.sheppard.af.mil/) and the [Sheppard AETC fact sheet](https://www.aetc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/558884/sheppard-air-force-base/). ### Dyess Air Force Base Dyess AFB, in **Abilene**, is named for Lt. Col. William Edwin Dyess, a Texas native captured on Bataan in 1942. Its host unit, the **7th Bomb Wing**, flies the **B-1B Lancer** bomber, and the **317th Airlift Wing** flies the **C-130J Super Hercules** cargo plane. **Key Missions:** - B-1B bomber operations and training - C-130 airlift and aircrew training - Global strike and rapid airlift support See the official [About Dyess page](https://www.dyess.af.mil/About-Us/About-Dyess/) and the [317th Airlift Wing fact sheet](https://www.dyess.af.mil/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3824756/317th-airlift-wing/). ### Goodfellow Air Force Base Goodfellow AFB, in **San Angelo**, is home to the **17th Training Wing**. The base is unusual because it trains members from all branches of the service in two main fields: **intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)** and **fire protection (firefighting)**. More than 700 courses are taught there each year. **Key Missions:** - Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance training - Firefighter and fire-rescue training - Joint and coalition training across the services Read more on the [Goodfellow Air Force Base website](https://www.goodfellow.af.mil/) and the [17th Training Wing fact sheet](https://www.goodfellow.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/879923/17th-training-wing/). ### Laughlin Air Force Base Laughlin AFB, in **Del Rio**, is home to the **47th Flying Training Wing**, one of the premier pilot training wings in the world. Each year about **400 new military pilots earn their wings** at Laughlin after an intense 52-week course flying the T-6, T-38, and T-1A trainer aircraft. **Key Missions:** - Specialized undergraduate pilot training - Training for Air Force, Reserve, Guard, and allied pilots - Developing mission-ready aircrew See the official [Laughlin Air Force Base website](https://www.laughlin.af.mil/) and the [Laughlin AETC fact sheet](https://www.aetc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/558878/laughlin-air-force-base/). ## Navy Bases in Texas ### Naval Air Station Corpus Christi NAS Corpus Christi is the headquarters of the **Chief of Naval Air Training**, which leads flight training for the entire Naval Air Training Command. The Corpus Christi area offers light air traffic and good weather, which makes it a strong place to learn to fly. The base supports student naval aviators along with several tenant commands. **Key Missions:** - Naval flight training and support - Headquarters for naval aviation training - Support for tenant units, including Corpus Christi Army Depot Learn more on the [NAS Corpus Christi installation page](https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Corpus-Christi/) and the [Chief of Naval Air Training mission page](https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/mission.asp). ### Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth NAS JRB Fort Worth sits on the former Carswell Air Force Base in **North Texas**. As a joint reserve base, it is home to units from several services. The **301st Fighter Wing**, an Air Force Reserve unit, operates there and is moving to the **F-35A Lightning II** fighter, with new squadron operations and simulator facilities being built to support it. **Key Missions:** - Reserve fighter operations - Joint reserve training across multiple services - Combat-ready airpower for the Air Force Reserve See the official [NAS JRB Fort Worth installation page](https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-JRB-Fort-Worth/) and the [Navy news on the F-35 facility milestone](https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3901972/nas-jrb-fort-worth-reaches-milestone-with-new-squadron-operations-and-flight-si/). ## Moving to Texas? Let Us Help You Find a Home Relocating to Texas for a military assignment comes with unique challenges, but **VeteranPCS** is here to help. Whether you need help understanding a **VA Loan** (a home loan backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, often with no down payment), finding **military-friendly communities**, or working with **experienced real estate agents**, we are committed to making your **PCS move** simple. Our network of **veteran and military-friendly real estate agents** can assist with: - Finding **on-base or off-base housing** - Connecting with **VA loan specialists** - Understanding the **best communities near each installation** If you are getting ready to move to Texas, **contact us today** to connect with an **agent or lender** who understands the unique needs of military families. ## Plan Your PCS to Texas Texas is huge, so your move looks very different depending on your gaining installation. Families headed to Central Texas can read our guide to the [best places to live near Fort Hood (Fort Cavazos)](/blog/best-places-to-live-near-fort-hood), while those bound for San Antonio should see our [Joint Base San Antonio homebuying guide](/blog/buying-a-home-near-joint-base-san-antonio-top-5-things-to-know). If your orders point to North Texas, our roundup of the [best neighborhoods near NAS JRB Fort Worth](/blog/best-neighborhoods-near-nas-jrb-fort-worth) helps. Keep the move organized with the [ultimate PCS checklist and timeline](/blog/the-ultimate-pcs-checklist-and-timeline-for-active-duty-military-personnel), and if you plan to buy, start with [the benefits of a VA loan](/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-va-loan). When you are ready for a local read on a specific base or neighborhood, you can ask Monique Slater, a VeteranPCS agent in San Antonio, for current listings and prices. Know another family with orders to Texas? Share this guide with your military network so they can plan their move too. ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### 1. What is the largest military base in Texas? **Fort Bliss**, near El Paso, is one of the largest military installations in Texas, home to about **90,000 soldiers and family members** and the 1st Armored Division. **Fort Cavazos** is also one of the largest, set in more than 340 square miles in Central Texas. ### 2. How many military bases are in Texas? Texas is home to **eleven major active installations**, supporting the Army, Air Force, and Navy, along with many reserve and joint units. ### 3. What is the main Army base in Texas? **Fort Cavazos** (formerly Fort Hood) and **Fort Bliss** are the two main Army bases in Texas. Both are large armored posts that support Army combat divisions. ### 4. What is the main Air Force base in Texas? **Joint Base San Antonio** is the Air Force's main hub in Texas. Its Lackland location, the "Gateway to the Air Force," runs Basic Military Training for the Air Force and Space Force. [**Connect with our Agents & Lenders in Texas Today**](https://veteranpcs.com/texas) and make your move stress-free.