USAG Alaska, Greely

"Home of the Rugged Professional"

USAG Fort Greely's installation mission is Midcourse Missile Defense. Fort Greely is also host to the military mission of the Cold Regions Test Center. 

Fort Greely Garrison supported tenants include: Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, 49th Missile Defense Battalion, 59th Signal Battalion (NEC), Cold Regions Test Center, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Commissary Agency, Logistics Readiness Center, and the U.S. Postal Service.

The installation and garrison commander at USAG Fort Greely reports to both Installation Management Command (IMCOM) through the Pacific Area Region Office and the senior mission commander through the Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC). 

The post’s history began in 1942 when an advance detail of 15 men arrived in the Big Delta Area to establish an Army Air Corps Base. These first Army units set up camp on June 30, 1942, at what was to become Station 17, Alaskan Wing, Air Transport Command. Throughout World War II, the post was a rest and refueling spot for American pilots ferrying aircraft to Ladd Army Airfield (now Fort Wainwright) for the Lend Lease Program.

USAG Fort Greely continued as an Army Air Corps Base until 1945 when it was put in an inactive status. In April 1947, the War Department designated the base as the site for post-war cold weather maneuvers, and “Exercise Yukon” was staged during the winter of 1947-1948.

The installation was reactivated May 1, 1948 and was officially transferred to the Department of the Army and redesignated as an Army post. Under this directive, the post was to be called United States Troops, Big Delta, Alaska. The post was named as the site for the Arctic Training Center in 1948.

The post was redesignated the Arctic Training Center on July 1, 1949 and later renamed the Army Arctic Center on September 1, 1952. Construction began on the permanent buildings located a mile from the airfield in 1953. These buildings are referred to as “main post” today, while the original temporary buildings near the airfield are called “old post”. A major construction program for permanent-type buildings was initiated in 1954.

The post was designated Fort Greely on August 6, 1955 in honor of Major General Adolphus Washington Greely, an arctic explorer and founder of the Alaska Communications System. Greely was responsible for the construction of thousands of miles of telegraph lines throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Alaska. More than 45,000 miles of telegraph lines were completed in Alaska alone.

In April of 1963, the Department of the Army redesignated the Cold Weather and Mountain School as the Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC). NWTC was then given the mission of training units in the conduct of warfare in northern areas of operation.

Fort Greely became part of the 172nd Infantry Brigade in 1974, after the disestablishment of the United States Army, Alaska. The post was under the command of Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Georgia.

Fort Greely celebrated its 50th anniversary (in conjunction with the annual Midnight Sun Festival) with a three-day festival in June 1992. The 6th Infantry Division (Light) was deactivated in a formal ceremony on July 6, 1994, at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The actual effective date for the deactivation occurred on July 26, 1994, becoming U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK).

In 1995, the installation underwent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and was warm based in 1997. In 2001, it was partially removed from the BRAC list to support the national objective of missile defense. It was reduced to its current size of 7,200 acres, and the surrounding ranges and training lands were transferred to Fort Wainwright.

Today, USAG Fort Greely proudly serves as an integral part of the Nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) and is a National Security Asset.

USAG Fort Greely’s installation mission is mid-course missile defense (destroying threat missiles in their midcourse phase). Fort Greely is also host to the military mission of the Cold Regions Test Center.

USAG, Fort Greely's population is a mix of:

Full Time Military: 407 (346 Full Time Military and Transient Military 61), 

Total Civilians: 935 (Army Civilians 272, Contractors 428, Other Civilians 227, Transient Civilians 8),

Total Base Population: 1,342

Reserve Component Military: 325 

USAG, Fort Greely is considered a remote tour of duty as it is 100 miles away from Fairbanks. It is 350 miles north of Anchorage. When weather permits people often travel to Fairbanks or Anchorage for shopping and/or entertainment. USAG, Fort Greely is situated between two beautiful mountain ranges with breathtaking scenery. In mid-summer months the sun does not go below the horizon, in mid-winter the shortest day has about 4 hours of sunlight.

Delta Junction, known as the end of the Alaska Highway, is the nearest town about 5 miles north of USAG, Fort Greely. The name "Big Delta", as it is currently used, refers to the residential and farming community located near where the Delta River joins the Tanana River, about nine miles north of Delta Junction. Delta Junction, once called Buffalo Center, is the city itself. Its city limits encompass about an eight mile radius and a population of about a thousand people. For more information please visit the installation homepage @ https://home.army.mil/alaska/fort-greely

If you are driving through Canada, you will be required to have a valid passport as it is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel.

When traveling with a group of vehicles, parents or guardians should arrive at the border in the same vehicle as their children or any minors they are accompanying. If you share custody and the other parent is not traveling with you, or if you are traveling with minors for whom you are not the parent or legal guardian, we recommend you carry a consent letter to provide authorization for you to take them on the trip and enter Canada. Suppoorting identification such as birth certificate or citizenship card may be required.

A consent letter must include the custodial parents' or legal guardians' full name, address and telephone number. Some travelers chose to have the consent letter notarized, to further support it's authenticity, especially if they are undertaking a significant trip and want to avoid delays.

All vistors arriving from or transitioning through the United States are encouraged to visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Web site for information concerning the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and the requirements to enter or return to the United States. For more information, check the Canadian website.

Pets traveling through Canada must also have a current health certificate (within 30 days) that will need to be shown at border crossings.

There is no base transportation or rental car companies available on or outside of USAG Fort Greely.  The nearest rental car comany is located in Fairbanks which is 100 miles away or a 1.5 - 2 hour drive. The post is small and most areas can be accessed within 10 minutes or less if walking. As of this entry there are also no private taxi's or Uber/Lift options.