Editor’s note: This post was updated in November 2020.

One of the most challenging aspects of military spouse life is preparing for an upcoming PCS or if you get the chance, potentially picking a new duty station. There is a lot of information out there, and it can be almost overwhelming.

We here at Army Wife Network want to take some of the guesswork out of the need-to-knows about duty stations around the globe. Hence, our Post With the Most series. In this particular blog, we will be showcasing information related to Fort Hood, Texas.

Founded in 1942, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the entire United States. It’s a giant of an installation, housing two commissaries and major U.S. Army divisions.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Fort Hood is home to the following units:

• 1st Cavalry Division
• 1st Army Division West
• 13th Sustainment Command
• Operational Test Command
• 1st Medical Brigade
• 3rd Cavalry Regiment
• 13th Financial Management Center
• 21st Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat)
• 36th Engineer Brigade
• 41st Fires Brigade
• 48th Chemical Brigade
• 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
• 85th Civil Affairs Brigade
• 89th Military Police Brigade
• 407th Army Field Support Brigade
• 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
• 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion
• 62nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion
• 901st Contingency Contracting Battalion

Surrounding Cities:

• Killeen (right outside the gate)
• Copperas Cove (9 miles)
• Harker Heights (11 miles)
• Nolanville (13 miles)
• Belton (22 miles)
• Salado (30 miles)
• Temple (30 miles)
• San Antonio (148 miles)

Closest MAJOR Cities: Waco (64 miles) and Austin (69 miles)

Names of Area Colleges:

• Central Texas Community College located both on Fort Hood and in Killeen
• Excelsior College via partnership with Central Texas Community College
• University of Maryland located on Fort Hood
• Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen
• University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton
• Temple College in Temple
• Baylor University in Waco
• Texas State Technical College in Waco
• University of Texas in Austin

Weather: Weather in the Fort Hood/Killeen area is pretty mild overall. Summers are hot and humid and the winters are short and cold. The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 96 degrees, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 34 degrees. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 4.5 inches.

“Fort Hood has two seasons: warm and hot!”—Carla N.

Time Zone: Central Standard Time

SPECIFIC POST INFORMATION

To access the post website, click here.

Map of the Area

Historical Facts/Landmarks:

• Fort Hood History
• 1st Cavalry Division Museum
• 3rd Cavalry Regiment Museum
• 4th Infantry Division Memorial Site

HOUSING

On-post Housing is managed by Fort Hood Family Housing.

Major realty/rental companies in the area:

• Coldwell Banker Realty in Killeen
• Linnemann Realty in Killeen
• REAL Star Property Management in Killeen
• Lone Star Realty and Property Management in Killeen
• Century21 Premier Realtors in Copperas Cove
• Shine Team Realtors in Harker Heights
• Colonial Real Estate in Harker Heights

SCHOOLS

School Liaison Officer

School District:

• Killeen Independent School District (KISD)

On-Post Schools

• Elementary: Clarke Elementary (PreK-3rd), Clear Creek Elementary (PreK-5th), Meadows Elementary (PreK-5th), Montague Village Elementary (PreK-5th), Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary (PreK-3rd), Venable Village Elementary (PreK-5th), and West Ward Elementary (PreK-5).
• Middle: Audie Murphy Middle School (6th-8th)
• High School: Early College High School (9th and 10th).

Off-Post Schools:

• Elementary: There are 26 off-post elementary schools within the Killeen Independent School District. You can find them and their corresponding websites here.
• Middle: There are 11 middle schools within the Killeen Independent School District. You can find them and their corresponding websites here.
• High School: There are six high schools within the Killeen Independent School District. You can find them and their corresponding websites here.
• Private/Charter: Cove Charter Academy, Richard Milburn Academy (9th-12th), Memorial Christian Academy (PreK-12th), and St. Joseph Catholic School (PreK-6th). You can find other specialty campus information at the bottom of the page here.

ON-POST SERVICES

• Child and Youth Services
• Army Community Service
• PX
• Commissaries: Clear Creek and Warrior Way
• Casey Memorial Library
• Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
• MWR
• Fort Hood Spouses’ Club
• Chaplain & Religious Services/Organizations

OFF-POST INFORMATION

Health Care:

• Hospital: Metroplex Hospital in Killeen and Seton Medical Center Harker Heights
• Urgent Care: Baylor Scott & White Convenient Clinic in Killeen and Freedom Urgent Care in both Killeen and Harker Heights
• General Practitioners: Cornerstone Family Medicine in Killeen and Wellstone Health Partners in Harker Heights
• Dentist: House of Smiles, Killeen Family Dentistry, Dr. Stephen Brandt Pediatric Dentistry, Clear Creek Family Dentistry, and Cen-Tex Dental all located in Killeen and Market Heights Family Dental in Harker Heights

Best place for beauty services:

• Blonde Salon and Spa in Killeen
• Chloe Nails in Killeen
• Shelley’s Day Spa and Salon in Killeen
• Salon Chemar in Killeen
• The Salons of Elm Square in Killeen
• Salon Monai in Killeen
• Skin Deep Clinical Skincare, Salon, and Day Spa in Harker Heights

Shopping/malls:

• Killeen Mall in Killeen
• Round Rock Premium Outlets in Round Rock
• The Domain in Austin

RESTAURANTS

Killeen:

• Rosa’s Cafe
• Rudy’s Real Texas Bar-B-Q
• Taquerias Mexico
• El Taco Jalisco Mexican Restaurant
• Big Hoss BBQ
• Little Italy
• Billy Bob’s Burgers
• Pluckers Wing Bar
• C&H Hawaiian Grill
• Tex-Rican Restaurant

Copperas Cove:

• Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
• Bella Sera Italian Restaurant

Harker Heights:

• Papa’s Cafe
• Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe

Belton:

• The Gin at Nolan Creek
• Dead Fish Grill

Salado:

• Johnny’s Steaks and BBQ

MUST DO

Fort Hood:

• Don’t miss any installation events with the Fort Hood Area Events Page
• Catch a 1st Cavalry Division Horse Demonstration
• Spend some time with nature at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA)

Belton:

• Visit the Bell County Expo Center for tons of events including a rodeo, circus, dinosaur exhibits, fairs, and more.
• Get into the holiday spirit with the Holiday Lights at Lake Blora (this is a seasonal event)
• Find any number of happenings at the Bell County Events page

Salado:

• Sip some tasty wine and check out the work of local artists at the annual Texas Wine and Rogue Art Fest at Salado Winery
• Attend an outdoor concert at Johnny’s Steaks and BBQ and don’t miss their annual crawfish boil
• Drop in any of the boutiques and art galleries in town for something one-of-a-kind.

Temple:

• Ride the rails at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum

Waco:

• Get into a home decorating spirit after a visit to Magnolia Market, the shop owned by former HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.
• Taste the 23 flavors at the Dr. Pepper Museum
• See all different species of animals at the Cameron Park Zoo
• Take a day for the kiddos and visit the 17 different Mayburn Museum Children’s Discovery Rooms on the Baylor University campus. You can also find a Natural History Museum and a historic village at the same location.

Austin:

• Learn the story of Texas at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
• Check out a variety of animals at the Austin Zoo
• Let the kiddos roam free at the Austin Children’s Museum, free for military children during the summer
• If your children are a fan of the Austin Children’s Museum, don’t miss Thinkery
• Rent kayaks on the river in Austin at any one of these locations

Fredericksburg:

• Visit and try the tasty drinks at any number of wineries and breweries in the area
• Looking for killer spa services? You can find them all here.
• Brush up on some World War II history at the National Museum of the Pacific War
• Check out the ranch known as the “Texas White House” of former president LBJ at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park

SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS

Army Wife Network does not promote or endorse these groups; however, we know they can be helpful in learning about various duty stations, so they are provided for your convenience.

Installation Facebook page: III Corps and Fort Hood

Military Spouse Groups: 

• Fort Hood Spouses’ Club (Facebook page)
• Fort Hood Army Wives
• Fort Hood Army Spouses

Buy/Sell/Trade Pages:

• Fort Hood Buy, Sell and Trade

Religious Services:

• Fort Hood Protestant Women of the Chapel
• Fort Hood Catholic Women of the Chapel

SPOUSE TESTIMONIALS

“When I found out we were moving to Fort Hood, I was horrified! Three years later, I cried my eyes out when we left. It is easy to make Fort Hood home.” — Jasmine K.

“Fort Hood was our first duty station as a family. And even though I didn’t particularly enjoy the weather, we met some amazing people and had a great experience there! Because the post is so large, there are opportunities galore to get involved, volunteer, and attend all kinds of events.” — Lisa W.