The outdoor shopping and eating center provides a local hangout and is a center of activity all year long.

Because Fort Bliss and El Paso are so large, the importance of learning the service member’s daily work location is often a principal factor in the family’s decision on where to live.įamilies rave about Freedom Crossing, Fort Bliss’s exclusive entertainment complex. The Franklin Mountains split El Paso into east and west sides, and this separation dictates the Fort Bliss commute to and from locations on either side. Speaking of the U.S/Mexican border, it's a newcomer’s rite of passage to almost drive into Mexico, while learning the interstate and street systems of El Paso. This isn’t to discount the importance of the Rio Grande River, which borders Mexico. The Chihuahan desert mountain landscape, specifically the Franklin Mountain Range, is the backdrop of Fort Bliss, El Paso, and the western corner of Texas. The post lies at the the far western tip of Texas adjacent to El Paso, bordering the Rio Grande river, with over 90% of its training area located in New Mexico. Cassidy, MSG Pena, Fred Wilson, McGregor Front, and CSM Barreras gates provide 24/7 access, and the remaining gates are opened around typical work and school hours to relieve congestion.īase Location and Information Official Site: Fort Blissįort Bliss is located at 1 Pershing Road, Fort Bliss, TX 79916. The Buffalo Soldier and Chaffee gates offer visitor center services. Most military families find homes among the diverse personalities of neighborhoods found in Downtown, Central, East, Far East, Horizon City, Northeast, Northwest, and West.Ĭurrently, Fort Bliss operates 12 gates that are open to civilian and/or military personnel. You’ll have a choice of several popular areas and neighborhoods to choose from in Sun City. Customs and Border Patrol, and the FBI have offices in El Paso.Ģ) Where do military families live in El Paso? In addition to the military presence, the DEA, U.S. Safewise ranks El Paso as the 6th safest metro city in 2019. For a city of its size, El Paso has lower crime statistics than the national average. The largest tenants include the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, 407th AFSBN, 93rd Military Police Battalion, CONUS Replacement Center, Joint Modernization Command, and Mobilization Brigade.īack to top Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Bliss 1) Is El Paso a safe place to live?Īmong many sources, two (Safewise and Neighborhood Scout) deem El Paso a safe city to live in. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) installation and comprises approximately 1.12 million acres of land in Texas and New Mexico.

Later, a newly independent Mexican government laid claim to the land, but the United States stepped in by the mid-1850s. The lands around El Paso, and eventually Fort Bliss, were colonized initially by the Spanish, who were on their way to Santa Fe, New Mexico. West Texas is rich in indigenous and Native American history, and later, the history expands to include Spanish, Mexican, and American influence. Soldiers test M1A2 Abrams tanks during a live-fire accuracy screening test at Fort Bliss, Texas, Oct. Bliss also took strong interest in Native American tribes and invested time learning their cultures and languages, which is fitting given where his namesake Army post is located. Bliss taught at West Point and ultimately served as Tyler’s Presidential Secretary.

In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) reassigned the 1st Armored Division to Fort Bliss, Texas.įort Bliss is named in honor of Army officer and son-in-law of President Zachary Tyler, William Wallace Smith Bliss.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort BlissĮasily one of the Army’s top five largest bases in both size and population, depending on the method of measurement, Fort Bliss is widely known as the home to the 1st Armored Division-America’s Tank Division, also affectionately known as “Old Ironsides.” The division’s storied and patriotic past has ties to the majority of significant modern American military operations.

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