Located
in Lousiana, Fort Polk is home to the Joint Readiness
Training Center, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 519th
Military Police Battalion.
Fort Polk was established in 1941 and named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana and a Confederate general. Since then Fort Polk has adapted to service during every U.S. military crisis.
Thousands of soldiers learned the basics of combat here during the World War II Louisiana Maneuvers. Afterwards, the post was opened and closed for the Korean War and for large-scale exercises Sage Brush and King Cole.
The Berlin Crisis prompted the post's reactivation in 1961, and Fort Polk became an infantry training center in 1962. Three years later, it was selected to conduct Vietnam- oriented advanced training, and in 1973 became the sole training center qualifying basic infantry soldiers. More than a million men graduated from basic and advanced individual training before the training center colors were retired in 1976.
Main
phone numbers: Commercial (337)531-2911 or
DSN 863-2911
Mailing
address: Fort Polk, LA 71459-500
Population:
9,310 active duty; 29,640 reservists and ROTC;
14,151 family members; 5,396 civilians.
Housing:
4,258 fmaily housing units; 3,038 unaccompanied units
(337)531-7325
Temporary
lodging: 322 visiting officer and enlisted
quarters; 70-room guest house (337)531-9200
Army
Community Service: (337)531-1941
Schools: Two
elementary schools on post run by Vernon Parish
Child
Care: One center; nine approved homes
(337)531-2149/1954
Health
care: 150-bed hospital. Appointments
(337)531-3000; benefits (337)531-3176; Tricare
(337)531-3909
Fort
Polk has a medium size commissary - (337)531-6132,
a medium sized exchange, a mall, and one shoppette
(337)537-0350. Recreation at Fort Polk includes arts
and crafts, bowling, library, auto hobby, recreation
center, theater, golf, gym, tennis, swimming, outdoor
recreation, camping, and fishing.
