From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker, Alabama
Badge of the 1st Aviation Brigade
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale
County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil
War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The
post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation
and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center
of Excellence (USAACE) and the United States Army Avia-
tion Museum. Small sections of the post also lie in Coffee,
Geneva, and Houston counties. Part of the Dale County
section of the base is a census-designated place; its popu-
lation was 6,052 at the 2000 census.
The main post has entrances from three bordering
cities, Daleville, Ozark and Enterprise. In the years before
the September 11, 2001 attacks, the main post (except
airfields and other restricted areas) was an open post
with unmanned gates allowing civilians to drive through.
Following the attacks, this policy was changed, and the
post is now closed to unauthorized traffic and visitors.
Military facilities
The U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence is the dom-
Type Army post
inant military facility at Fort Rucker. Training, doctrine,
Coordinates 31°20′37.2″N 85°42′28.8″W / 31.343667°N 85.708°W
and testing are all key parts of the Center’s mission to
/ 31.343667; -85.708Coordinates: 31°20′37.2″N develop Army Aviation’s capabilities. All Army Aviation
85°42′28.8″W / 31.343667°N 85.708°W / 31.343667;
-85.708
training has been undertaken at Fort Rucker since 1973,
as well as training of US Air Force and ally helicopter pi-
Built 1 May 1942 (1 May 1942) lots. The Center is home to the US Army Aviation Tech-
In use 1942–present nical Test Center (ATTC), which conducts developmental
aircraft testing for Army Aviation.[2] The United States
Current Operational Army Operational Test and Evaluation Command’s Test
condition
and Evaluation Coordination Office and TH-67 primary
Controlled by United States Army and instrument training are both located at Cairns Army
Airfield.[3][4]
Garrison 1st Aviation Brigade
110th Aviation Brigade Operational units on the post include the 1st Aviation
23d Flying Training Sqdn Brigade and the 110th Aviation Brigade handling Army
Aviation training,[5] and the USAF 23d Flying Training
Current Major General Anthony Crutchfield[1]
commander
Squadron for the training of Air Force helicopter pilots.[6]
The 110th Aviation Brigade consists of five battalions
Commanders Maj. Gen. James O. Barclay III, 2008–2010[1] using three different sites. 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation
Regiment, operates and manages air traffic control ser-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fort Rucker
vices and flight simulation support for USAAVNC/Fort While serving in the Army, Al Gore was stationed
Rucker and the National Airspace System.[7] 1st Battal- at Fort Rucker before his five-month deployment in the
ion, 14th Aviation Regiment operates from Hanchey Vietnam War.
Army Heliport and conducts graduate level training us- The 81st Division (Wild Cat) was the first unit activat-
ing the AH-64D Apache Longbow and OH-58D Kiowa heli- ed at Camp Rucker on June 15, 1942. The 81st received
copters. 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment operates equipment, personnel and trained here before shipping
from Lowe Army Heliport and Shell Army Heliport and out to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) Other units
conducts combat and night operational training, using passed through and called Camp Rucker home before
the OH-58, UH-1, and UH-60 helicopters. 1st Battalion, shipping overseas, these included the 35th, 66th and 98th
223d Aviation Regiment operates from Cairns Army Air- Infantry Divisions. The 91st and 94th Infantry Divisions
field and Knox Army Heliport and conducts flight train- were inactivated at Camp Rucker.
ing using the CH-47 Chinook helicopter and C-12 Huron
aircraft. The Helicopter School Battalion operates from
Shell Army Heliport and, providing training for Latin
Geography
American pilots under the United States Security Coop-
eration Program.[8][8][9][10]
Additionally, due to the large number of warrant of-
ficers stationed there, the Warrant Officer Candidate
School and Warrant Officer Career College are both locat-
ed at Fort Rucker.[11][12] Aviation branched warrant of-
ficers remain at Fort Rucker to complete flight training
and the Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course. Upon
completion of their training, aviation warrant officers re-
ceive the Army Aviator Badge.
Fort Rucker is often referred to as "Mother Rucker",
both as an insulting pseudo-homonym, and in deference
to the birth of an Army Aviator’s career and his or her
constant return to the Post for continued training and
responsibility throughout their career. It is common
knowledge in an Army Aviation career, that "Everyone
returns to Mother Rucker", because of the frequency of
pilot training and re-education.[13]
Fort Rucker is located at 31°20’37" North, 85°42’29" West
Support and other facilities at Fort Rucker include
(31.343654, -85.707995)[18].
the Lyster Army Health Clinic,[14] United States Army
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP area of
Aeromedical Research Lab,[15] United States Army School
the base has a total area of 10.9 square miles (28.2 km²),
of Aviation Medicine,[16] and Army Aviation Museum.
of which, 10.9 square miles (28.2 km²) of it is land and
0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.18%) is water.
History
After the onset of World War II, the US War Department Demographics
decided to add a number of new bases. Fort Rucker (situ-
As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 6,052 people,
ated on 58,000 acres (235 km2) of sub-marginal farmland,
1,399 households, and 1,347 families residing on the base.
and formerly a wildlife refuge) was opened the 1st of May
The population density was 556.8 people per square mile
in 1942 as "Camp Rucker", and had quarters for 3,280 Of-
(215.0/km²). There were 1,544 housing units at an av-
ficers and 39,461 Enlisted Personnel.[17] It was deactivat-
erage density of 142.0 per square mile (54.8/km²). The
ed following the war, then reopened during the Korean
racial makeup of the base was 68.5% White, 18.1% Black
War. After another short deactivation, it was again re-
or African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.1% Asian,
opened and expanded when it became a helicopter train-
0.7% Pacific Islander, 5.3% from other races, and 4.4%
ing base. The name was changed to "Fort Rucker" in Oc-
from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race
tober 1955.
were 11.7% of the population.
Hanchey Army Heliport became the home of the
There were 1,399 households out of which 79.9% had
Department of Rotary Wing Training of the Army Avia-
children under the age of 18 living with them, 85.4% were
tion School on 5 October 1959, marking the first time the
married couples living together, 8.2% had a female
Department was centralized.
householder with no husband present, and 3.7% were
non-families. 3.1% of all households were made up of in-
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fort Rucker
dividuals and 0.1% had someone living alone who was 65 [6] Reference to summary of 23d Flying Training
years of age or older. The average household size was 3.47 Squadron activities at Fort Rucker
and the average family size was 3.51. [7] Describes duties of The 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation
On the base the population was spread out with 35.3% Regiment
under the age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 46.2% from 25 to [8] ^ List of Aviation Regiments
44, 2.4% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age [9] Activities of each Aviation Regiment
or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 fe- [10] Homepage for 1st Battalion, 223d Aviation
males there were 131.6 males. For every 100 females age Regiment
18 and over, there were 145.1 males. [11] Link to support Warrant Officer Candidate School
The median income for a household on the base was location at Fort Rucker
$34,603, and the median income for a family was $33,664. [12] Link to support Warrant Officer Candidate School
Males had a median income of $29,321 versus $18,750 for location at Fort Rucker
females. The per capita income was $14,495. About 6.1% [13] http://www.motherrucker.com/LocalInfo/
of families and 7.1% of the population were below the WelcometoMotherRucker/tabid/197/Default.aspx
poverty line, including 9.3% of those under the age of 18 [14] US Army Aeromedical Center
and 16.7% of those 65 and older. [15] U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory
[16] United States Army School of Aviation Medicine
See also [17] Stanton, Shelby L. (1984). Order of Battle: U.S. Army
World War II. Novato, California: Presidio Press.
• Cairns Army Airfield pp. 602. ISBN 0-89141-195-X.
• Hanchey Army Heliport [18] "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United
• Lowe Army Heliport States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12.
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/
References [19]
gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
"American FactFinder". United States Census
[1] ^ Brainard, Emily; Russell Sellers (August 19, 2010). Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved
"Crutchfield assumes command of USAACE, Fort 2008-01-31.
Rucker". Army.mil. http://www.army.mil/-news/
2010/08/19/43970-crutchfield-assumes-command-
of-usaace-fort-rucker/. Retrieved 2010-12-13. External links
[2] The Aviation Technical Test Center • Ft. Rucker official website
[3] Information about Cairns Army Airfield • Ft. Rucker authorized military newspaper website
[4] Description of activities at Cairns Army Airfield • Army Aviation Museum
[5] Reference to 1st Aviation Brigade references on Ft. • Fort Rucker Guide - History
Rucker Website • Engineer Beach RV Park Information, Fort Rucker
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Rucker&oldid=462885568"
Categories:
• 1942 establishments
• United States Army posts
• United States Army airfields
• United States Army training facilities
• Forts in Alabama
• Buildings and structures in Coffee County, Alabama
• Buildings and structures in Dale County, Alabama
• Enterprise-Ozark micropolitan area
• Buildings and structures in Geneva County, Alabama
• Buildings and structures in Houston County, Alabama
• Census-designated places in Alabama
• Populated places in Dale County, Alabama
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