Fort Custer Training Center, often known simply as Fort Custer, is a federally owned and state-operated

Michigan Army National Guard The Michigan Army National Guard is the Army component of the Michigan National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Army. During the Cold War, the 156th Signal Battalion was federalized on 1 October 1962 at its home stations in res ...

training facility, but is also used by other branches of the armed forces and armed forces from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

, and

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. It is one of the most heavily used

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

training facilities and is used mainly for company level small arms and maintenance training. Fort Custer occupies land in both

Kalamazoo County, Michigan Kalamazoo County ( ) is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. , the population was 261,670. The county seat is Kalamazoo, Michigan, Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo County is included in the Kalamazoo–Portage, Michigan, ...

, to the west and

Calhoun County, Michigan Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 134,310. The county seat is Marshall. The county was established on October 19, 1829, and named after John C. Calhoun, who was at the time ...

, to the east. Most Fort facilities are located north or south of M-96 about west of

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...

, in Calhoun County, and east of

Augusta, Michigan Augusta is a village in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 885 at the 2010 census. The village is mostly within Ross Township, though a small portion extends south into Charleston Township. Augusta is situat ...

, in

Kalamazoo County Kalamazoo County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. , the population was 261,670. The county seat is Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo County is included in the Kalamazoo–Portage, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area. Etymology The nam ...

. This locates the Fort about east of the town of

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, and mostly south of M-96, and divided east–west by the Kalamazoo and Calhoun county line that runs north and south. The current Fort Custer Training Center is located south of M-96 and mostly east of the county line at 2501 26th St., Battle Creek, Michigan 49037. Th
Battle Creek VA Medical Center
is located north of M-96 in northwest Calhoun County at 5500 Armstrong Rd., Battle Creek, Michigan 49037.

Fort Custer National Cemetery Fort Custer National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located just outside the village of Augusta in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. It encompasses , and had 33,000 interments. History Named for General George Armstrong Custer, the ...

is located north of M-96 in

, about two miles east of

, at 15501 Dickman Rd., Augusta, Michigan

Fort Custer Recreation Area Fort Custer State Recreation Area is a State Recreation Area located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Michigan. The area features lakes, the Kalamazoo River, over 25 miles of multi-use trails, second growth oak barrens and dry-mesic southern ...

is located on the south side of M-96 in

, at 5163 Fort Custer Dr., Augusta, Michigan 49012.

History

Camp Custer was built in 1917 for military training during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Named after

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

cavalry officer General

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point ...

, the facility trained or demobilized more than 100,000 troops during World War I, including 5,000 for Polar Bear Expedition as part of the

Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War The Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War consisted of a series of multi-national military expeditions that began in 1918. The initial impetus behind the interventions was to secure munitions and supply depots from falling into the German ...

. The camp was first designed and built by civil engineer Samuel Arnold Greeley in just a few months to handle 35,000 men. Samuel Arnold Greeley - Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers
page 84 "After calling on Sam Greeley to design and construct Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Ml for 35,000 men in only a few months in 1917, the U.S. government later assigned Greeley and Hansen to design and build water supply and sewage disposal facilities at Camp Forrest (shown) in Tullahoma, Tennessee, in 1940" In the years following World War I, the camp was used to train the Officer Reserve Corps and the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

World War II

On August 17, 1940, ''Camp'' Custer was designated ''Fort'' Custer and became a permanent military training base. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the post had an area of 16,005 Acres, and Quarters for 1,279 Officers and 27,553 Enlisted Personnel. More than 300,000 troops trained there, including the 5th Infantry Division (also known as the "Red Diamond Division") which was sent to Iceland in 1942 to protect the North Atlantic convoy routes, and in 1944 landed in France shortly after D-Day. The division saw much combat and sustained heavy casualties, particularly at the

Battle of Metz The Battle of Metz was fought during World War II at the French city of Metz, then part of Nazi Germany, from late September 1944 through mid-December as part of the Lorraine Campaign between the U.S. Third Army commanded by Lieutenant General ...

. In 1943, Fort Custer was the activation point for many Army inductees from Chicago, Illinois and other parts of the midwest. New troops received their equipment before being sent by train to Basic Training or other duty assignments. The primary purpose of the camp was to function as a Military Police Replacement Training Center. Fort Custer also served as a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

camp for 5,000

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

soldiers until 1945.

Cold War

Fort Custer became home to units of the Navy Reserve in 1949 and to a

Marine Corps Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Reserve is an expedi ...

Tactical Bridge Company in 1952. Also during that time, approximately 17,000 troops were trained for the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

and Fort Custer served as an induction center for draftees. Beginning in 1959, Fort Custer served for a decade as part of the North American Air Defense system. In 1968, the state of Michigan took over operation of the base although it remains federally owned.

Current uses

Fort Custer's facilities are used by the Michigan National Guard and other branches of the armed forces (including ROTC students), primarily from Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. The 177th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Augusta Armory and the Regional Maintenance Training Site are based at Fort Custer. Additionally FBI, the Michigan State Police, and other law enforcement agencies have used the area. Fort Custer offers a distance learning center, barracks and dining facilities for visiting units, and plenty of training areas. The small arms ranges are recently upgraded and the maneuver training areas offer a variety of terrain. ROTC cadets use Fort Custer for their bi-annual CFTXs (Combined Field Training Exercises). These exercises consist of day and night land navigation, and Situational Tactical Exercise (STX) lanes. Cadets are placed into squads with other cadets from different schools, and graded on their performances. Fort Custer is currently being looked at as the location of a

proposed Eastern United States missile defense site Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD), previously United States national missile defense, National Missile Defense (NMD), is an anti-ballistic missile system implemented by the United States of America for defense against ballistic missiles, duri ...

. The

U.S. Navy Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2004, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called reservists, are categorized as being in either the S ...

's Navy Operational Support Center Battle Creek is located in the northeast portion of the facility. It provides administrative, training, and medical support to 270 Michigan and Indiana reserve Sailors in 13 units and is staffed by 14 Full-Time Support Sailors.

Non-military uses

Established during World War I and greatly expanded during World War II, the base reached a size of over 14,000 acres (57 km²). After the wars, the size of the base was reduced. In 1923, were transferred for the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs hospital. The hospital received casualties from Europe. During and immediately following WWII, the Fort Custer Veterans Affairs Hospital served primarily for the in-patient medical care and therapy of amputees. WWII war veteran amputees living in Michigan refused to return to Fort Custer for any reason, as they continued to have nightmares of the hospital; they spoke of tracks along the ceilings of the buildings as well as the long hallways that linked the various hospital buildings together, and of all the amputees sitting on slings suspended from the ceiling tracks as they were pushed from room to room and building to building. The Fort Custer Veterans Affairs Hospital is best known today for providing out-patient and, more particularly, in-patient care for male and female veterans with Post Traumatic Stress. The extensive grounds included a working farm for vocational therapy The

is a state park adjoining the Fort, donated from base land in 1971. It includes of

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

trails, of

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling (''mountain biking''). Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in r ...

trails and of bridle trails. There is

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

in the winter. Mini cabins and rustic cabins are available for rent. The park is just east of Augusta on M-96. Battle Creek Unlimited built Fort Custer industrial park containing over ninety businesses which provide over 8,000 jobs. It was developed on base land in the 1970s and lies between the Fort Custer Military Reserve and W. K. Kellogg Airport (civilian and Air National Guard). Goods produced include shopping carts,

noodles Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures and made into a variety of shapes. The most common noo ...

fiber optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre, is a flexible glass or plastic fiber that can transmit light from one end to the other. Such fibers find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at ...

traffic signals Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order t ...

automotive parts This is a list of auto parts, which are manufactured components of automobiles. This list reflects both fossil-fueled cars (using internal combustion engines) and electric vehicles; the list is not exhaustive. Many of these parts are also used o ...

water purification pumps Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

, and instruments for microscopic study of surgical specimens. A master plan was developed and implemented. "The charge to retain, develop and attract employers led to resounding success in Fort Custer Industrial Park, at 3,000 acres the largest modern industrial park in Michigan." The

lies on land from Fort Custer and the VA Medical Center. The

United States Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

indicates that as of September 30, 1999, the cemetery had 11,955 total burials. During FY 1999 (Oct 98-Sept 99) there were 1,112 burials. The VA estimates Fort Custer National Cemetery has sufficient space to continue providing full casket gravesites beyond the year 2030.Global Security.org
/ref>

References

External links

Michigan National Guard: Fort Custer Training Center
*

Historic American Engineering Record Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). It administers three programs established to document historic places in the United States: Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American E ...

(HAER) documentation, filed under Battle Creek, Calhoun County, MI: ** ** {{Authority control

Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point ...

Military installations in Michigan Michigan Army National Guard

Buildings and structures in Calhoun County, Michigan Buildings and structures in Kalamazoo County, Michigan Historic American Engineering Record in Michigan Important Bird Areas of Michigan Protected areas of Calhoun County, Michigan Protected areas of Kalamazoo County, Michigan 1917 establishments in Michigan Military installations established in 1917 Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan National Register of Historic Places in Calhoun County, Michigan Colonial Revival architecture in Michigan Neoclassical architecture in Michigan