Fort Lee

Fort Lee is one of the military posts of the United States Army. It is located in the state of Virginia. Fort Lee was named after the Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee. Fort Lee covers roughly eight square miles of land. Built in 1917 as Camp Lee and still functioning today, it is also the current headquarters of United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), United States Army Quartermaster School, US Army Ordnance School, Sustainment Center of Excellence, The US Army Transportation School, Army Logistics University, and the US Defense Commissary Agency. Fort Lee is home to the US Army’s Women museum and the US Quartermaster museum. The 49th Quartermaster Group of the US Forces Command unit is also stationed there which oversees petroleum and water. There are also plans of a collection preservation site for the Army’s Ordinance Museum.

History of Fort Lee

Selected as a state mobilization camp, Fort Lee began its life as a camp immediately after the United States declared war with Germany during World War I. After that Fort Lee was turned into a division training camp. Within 60 days of building the camp during 1917, approximately 14,000 men were posted at Camp Lee. After the construction of the camp was completed, it had the resources to hold over 60,000 men. While the Commonwealth of Virginia took over the camp after World War I ended, temporarily turning it into a game preserve, parts of the land were brought into the National Military Park of Petersburg and continued to accommodate soldiers.

This continued through to World War II when the United States War Department needed another camp and rebuilt Camp Lee. In 1941, the Quartermaster Replacement Training Center (QMRTC) was constructed and began operations. At its peak, 35,000 men were stationed at Camp Lee during World War II. Though a Medical Replacement Training Center (MRTC) was temporarily positioned at Camp Lee, it was moved as the focus on the QMRTC increased and relocated to Camp Pickett. When the QMRTC was reassigned as an Army Services Forces Training Center, it still continued to train and prepare Quartermaster personnel for duty. Camp Lee served as the main center of basic and advanced Quartermaster personnel training as of 1941 and continued to do so throughout the duration of World War II.

After the end of World War II, the War Department decided to keep Camp Lee active as a center for Quartermaster Training permanently. In 1950, its permanent status was recognized and the camp was reassigned to be Fort Lee. At this point, soldiers in the Korean War conducted Quartermaster training at Fort Lee which continued through to 1953. A Women’s Army Corps (WAC) training center was also located at Fort Lee. 

When the Korean War was over, Fort Lee was transformed from a temporary base made of primarily wooden structures to a permanent base whose buildings were now made from brick and cinder block.

The Quartermaster Training Center was able to not only able to supervise the training of Quartermaster personal and troops, but it was able to focus in on intense training activity within the QMC. Because of this intensification of curriculum, courses taught at other locations became part of the curriculum at Fort Lee Quartermaster School.

During the year 1962 it was obvious some major changes were taking place. Fort Lee post was turned into a Class 1 military installation. This installation happened under the Second United States Army. The Quartermaster school fell under the Continental Army Command service school system this year. Fort Lee also was nominated and became the home of Corps Historian and the Quartermaster Corps. During 1966 the Second US Army was deactivated. Finally, in July 1973, Fort Lee came back under the control of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. Today, Fort Lee is still a Quartermaster school with many other functions.

Modern Day Fort Lee

Today, Fort Lee is a census designated place in Prince George County, Virginia. The population is roughly 7,600 military personal. It is a sectioned census area, remaining separate from the surrounding cities. Fort Lee is populated by a primarily African American and Caucasian inhabitation. There are over 1,200 families living in Fort Lee housing, making it a very family friendly area. Fort Lee is also home to the Kenner Army Health Clinic and the US Army Quartermaster Museum.

Kenner Army Health Clinic

This clinic was originally opened in 1941 as Kenner Army Community Hospital with only 871 beds. By 1942, Kenner Army Health Clinic was readjusted to hold over 2000 beds. By 1944 the health clinic was renamed as a hospital and remained that way until 1947 when it was downsized to 1,100 beds. In 1950 when Camp Lee was renamed Fort Lee, the clinic became an army hospital and was downsized to 200 beds. After many changes in both name and type of medical facility, it now functions as Kenner Army Health Clinic and can meet the health needs of the 30,000 soldiers, family members and community surround Fort Lee. The hospital was named after General Albert W. Kenner, who was a army surgeon during both World Wars.

US Army Quartermaster Museum

This museum has made its mission preserving the history of the US Army Quartermaster Corps, which is the United States Army’s oldest functioning logistics group. Since the Revolutionary War the Quartermaster Corps has made sure that the US Military receives the food, shelter and other supplies they need. In fact, George Washington said that all the operations of the army depend of the Quartermaster Corps. This museum preserves artifacts dating back to 1775, before the official start of the Revolutionary War. They have demonstrations about how to feed and supply an full fledged army.

Fort Lee is one of the United States Army’s historical forts. It has a rich and diverse history. Still functioning as a Fort as a US Army, and a museum ground for the US Army, there is much to see and learn from at Fort Lee.