2. Tour Table of Contents
1. Army Aviation 31. Knox Army Heliport
Museum 32. Prisoner of War Camp
2. Ted E. Bear 33. MP Station
3. Soldier Service Center 34. SERE Barracks
4. Total Warrant Officer 35. Automotive Skills
Museum Center
5. Painted Boulder 36. Andrews Avenue
6. Mini Mall Shoppette Physical Fitness Center
7. Veterinary Clinic 37. Thrift Shop
8. Lyster Army Health 38. Post Office
Clinic 39. Hutton Plaza
9. Helicopter Over-water 40. Rucker Lanes
Survival Training 41. Commissary
(HOST) 42. Reel Time Movie
10. U.S. Army Theater
Aeromedical Research 43. Main Post Chapel
Laboratory 44. Child Development
11. Averett Family Center (CDC)
Cemetery 45. Guest House
12. Lowe Army Heliport 46. Flynn Pool
13. West Beach 47. Center Library
14. Byrd Family Cemetery 48. Aviation Technical
15. Engineer Beach Library
16. Clayhill Cemetery 49. The Landing
17. East Beach 50. The Landing Zone
18. Allen Heights (LZ)
Neighborhood Center 51. Fort Rucker Parade
19. Fort Rucker Primary Field
School 52. Post Headquarters
20. Bark Park 53. Reviewing Stand
21. Triangle Shoppette 54. Constitution Park
22. Fort Rucker 55. Chapel of the Wings
Elementary School 56. IHG Army Hotel
23. The Commons on 7th 57. Mother Rucker’s
Family Support 58. Alteration/Sew Shop
Facility/FRSA office 59. Fortenberry-Colton
24. Bowden Terrace Physical Fitness Center
Neighborhood Center 60. Camellia House
25. Youth Center 61. Magnolia House
26. Community Gardens 62. Warrant Officer Career
27. Silver Wings Center
Neighborhood 63. U.S. Army Combat
28. Silver Wings Golf Readiness Center
Course/Divots 64. Academic Complex
Restaurant & Grille Quadrangle
29. Buckhorn Lake 65. Goodhand Simulator
30. Equestrian Center Complex
(EQC) 66. Cairns Army Airfield.
3. The Army Aviation Museum (1). Novosel St. was named
for Army Aviation Medal of Honor recipient, Chief Warrant
Officer Michael J. Novosel. Novosel was a veteran of World
War II and the Korean Conflict, but he, like the six other
Army Aviation Medal of Honor recipients, received his award
for heroism during the Vietnam Conflict. Two of the Army
Aviation Medal of Honor recipients were killed in action and
were honored posthumously; the other five are still living.
Hours of Operation: Mon – Sat. from 9:00 – 4:00 pm, Sun.
from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Admission is FREE. Call (334)
598-2508.
1-Army Aviation Museum
Driving along Novosel St., you will see on your right, Ted E.
Bear (2). This 15 ft. Bear, originally known as “Smokey,”
arrived from Panama City, FL to Fort Rucker on March 27,
1961. He served as the mascot for the 31st Infantry Regiment,
“The Polar Bear Regiment.” The regiment received its
nickname during combat in World War I in Murmansk,
Russia. In 1967, the 46th Engineer Battalion assumed
caretaker duties for Bear. In 1994, Soldiers of 1-210th
4. Aviation Regiment became Bear’s official caretakers. With
this reassignment brought a new name – PFC Ted E. Bear. In
1997, Bear was transferred to the care of the Warrant Officer
Career Center (WOCC). Part of the care provided to Bear is
ensuring he has on a fresh outfit. Each class “dresses” Bear
with an outfit ranging from matching WOCC class t-shirts, to
Santa suit for Christmas time. PFC Ted E. Bear was promoted
to SGT during an official ceremony on 12 Sept. 2008 when he
was moved from his original home on 5th Avenue to his new
home near the posts U.S. Army Aviation Museum at the
corner of Novosel Street and Andrews Avenue.
2- SGT Ted E. Bear
At the traffic signal, take a left on Andrews Avenue.
Andrews Avenue was named for Congressman George
5. Andrews, who represented southeast Alabama when the Army
Aviation School moved here in 1954.
The Soldier Service Center (3), on the right side of Andrews
Ave., houses the Directorates of Human Resources and
Resource Management, the Staff Judge Advocate, and many
other Soldier & Family Offices (Lending Closet, Army
Community Service - ACS, Leisure Travel, Child, Youth &
School Service Registration, I.D. Card section, Vehicle
Registration, and many more).
3-Soldier Service Center (Bldg. 5700)
The Total Warrant Officer Museum (4) is currently being
relocated. Formerly known as the Warrant Officer Hall of
Fame with emphasis on aviation warrant officers, this museum
now operates under the auspices of the Warrant Officer Career
Center and includes exhibits interpreting the history of the
total Warrant Officer Corps.
Outside the Warrant Office Museum you will see several
markers donated over the years by various warrant officer
classes. Some of the inscriptions are serious and others are
humorous. On the opposite side of the museum building room
6. the parking lot, beyond a pavilion and a grassy area, is a large
painted Boulder (5). This boulder was formerly at Fort
Wolters, where there was a tradition for the successive
helicopter flight classes to paint it with their respective class
colors. After Fort Wolters closed, a retired warrant office had
the boulder transported to Fort Rucker.
At the intersection of Andrews Ave., and Dust Off St. is the
Mini Mall Shoppette (6). Hours of Operation are Mon. –
Fri, 5 am – 12 Midnight, Sat. – Sun, 6 am – 10:00 pm. Call
(334) 503-9338. Located inside the Mini Mall is:
Military Clothing Sales Store -- Hours of operation:
Mon – Fri., 8:30 am – 6:00 pm, Sat. 9:00 am – 4:00
pm, Sun, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Call (334) 255-3313.
Alteration Shop – Hours of operation – Mon – Fri
9:00 am – 5:30 pm, Sun 9:00am – 2:00 pm. Call
(334) 598-1204.
Taking a left at the intersection of Andrews Ave. and Dust Off
St., will take you to the Veterinary Clinic (7), just a short
ways down on the right. Pets are seen by appointment only
and must be preregistered. All animals housed on post must
be registered at the VTF within 3 days of arrival and must be
micro chipped. Hours of Operation are Mon. – Fri. from
8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Call (334) 255-9061.
7- Veterinary Clinic
7. Traveling through the intersection of Andrews Ave. and Dust
Off St., turn right at the Lyster Army Health Clinic (8) –
LAHC sign, a short block past Dust Off St. Dust Off St.
which partly encircles Fort Rucker’s medical complex, was
named after the radio call sign used by medical evacuation
helicopters during the Vietnam Conflict. In 1967, the new
Fort Rucker hospital was named from the Father of Aviation
Medicine, Brig. Gen. Theodore C. Lyster, the chief surgeon of
the Army Air Service During World War I. A memorial
marker is near the entrance. Fort Rucker does not have an
Emergency Room. Lyster Army Medical Clinic includes the
Aeromedical Center headquarters, a dental clinic and the
School of Aviation Medicine.
8 – Lyster Army Health Clinic (LAHC)
To the right of the parking lot, you will see the Helicopter
Over-water Survival Training - HOST (9), (formerly
DUNKER) building. HOST is where we prepare aircrew
members and their passengers to successfully egress an
aircraft in an over-water ditching emergency, in both day and
night conditions.
Across the parking lot, to the left of LAHC is The U.S. Army
Aeromedical Research Laboratory (10). It was established
in 1962 to conduct medical research in support of Army
8. Aviation and Army airborne activities. Exiting LAHC parking
lot, going right on Andrews Avenue you will be driving
toward Enterprise Gate. The road merges with Red Cloud
before turning into Rucker Blvd. once outside the gate. Red
Cloud Rd. is named in memory of Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud,
Jr. a Korean Conflict Medal of Honor recipient, crosses Fifth
Ave., just north of Hutton Plaza.
Prior to reaching the Enterprise Gate, turn right onto Lowe
Field Rd. The Averett Family Cemetery (11) is located
about 200 yards down an auto-accessible path from Lowe
Field Rd. When Camp Rucker was constructed in 1942,
burials were exhumed from several cemeteries on the
reservation, but this cemetery and three others remained intact.
Lowe Army Heliport (12) was one of the first major
construction projects following Army Aviation’s move to
Camp Rucker in 1954. The facility was dedicated in
September 1957 in honor of Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe,
who organized the Balloon Corps of the Army of the Potomac
during the Civil War. It now serves as the base field for the
first phase of helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker. When
not in use, all aircraft are kept at base fields, such as Lowe.
To relieve the congestion around base fields during training
hours, many of the aircraft are flown to stage fields for
students to train in taking-off, landing, hovering and other
aviation skills.
12 – Lowe Army Heliport
9. Christian Rd. was named for World War II Medal of Honor
recipient, Pvt. Herbert F. Christian. At the intersection of
Christian Rd. and Johnson Rd., visitors may take a side trip to
the West Beach (13) of Lake Tholocco and the very small
Byrd Family Cemetery (14). The West Beach recreation
area is about 3 miles on Johnson Rd. Outdoor Recreation is
located here and has many amenities for rent, such as paddle
boats, ski boats, badminton equipment, etc. Hours of
Operation: Mon – Fri. 7:30 am – 5:00 pm, Sat. & Holidays
8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Call (334) 255-4305. The Byrd family
cemetery is about a mile further, a few yards beyond the end
of the pavement. A couple of miles further on the unpaved
extension of Johnson Rd. is Engineer Beach (15), a camp
ground for RVs and tents, offering 18 rustic sites and 30
modern sites.
Clayhill Cemetery (16), a cemetery for blacks, some of
whom were slaves or former slaves, is several miles away and
not on your map. It is located north of Lake Tholocco near the
intersection of Al Highway 27 and Ravanell Rd., about 6
miles from Ozark. To see this cemetery, you can request
directions from the Command Historian or from the
Directorate of Public Works.
From the intersection of Whittaker Rd. and Lake Rd., you may
take a side trip to the East Beach (17) area of Lake Tholocco,
about 1 mile down Lake Rd. 2, 3, or 4 bedroom Cottages are
available through Lake Tholocco Lodging at (334) 255-4234.
Hours of Operation: Seven Days/Week 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Allen Heights Neighborhood Center (18) is located on the
corner of Christian Rd. and Artillery Rd. Allen Heights is the
Junior NCO, Senior NCO, and Company Grade Officer
housing neighborhood. Call (334) 598-4473. Taking a right
on Artillery Rd. you will see the Fort Rucker Primary School.
10. Fort Rucker Primary School (19) was designed and
constructed in 1973. It houses 4 year olds, kindergarten and
1st grade. Alabama requires children to be 4, 5 or 6 years old,
on or before September 1 to enter the program for 4 year old,
kindergarten or first grade respectively. Call (334) 598-4473
19 – Fort Rucker Primary School
Bark Park (20) is open during daylight hours to allow
patrons living on Fort Rucker with pets to have an area where
they can run and play without a leash. The small enclosure is
for dogs under 20 lbs. The park also offers benches for patron
seating.
As you continue on Artillery the Triangle Shoppette (21) will
be on your right. Hours of Operation: Mon. – Sat. 6:30 am
– 9:00 pm, Sun. 9:00 am – 8:00 pm. Call (3340 503-9044,
ext. 277. Artillery Rd. turns into Farrel Rd. just past the
shoppette. Farrel Rd. was named for Capt. Francis P. Farrel,
an Army aviator killed during World War II. Continue on
Farrel until you reach the stoplight.
Fort Rucker Elementary School (22) is located across and to
the left of the light. The school, designed and constructed in
1964 with traditional individual classrooms, is comprised of
second through six grades. Call (334) 598-4408. Take a left
11. on Red Cloud. At the second 4-way intersection, take a left
onto 7th Avenue.
22 -- Fort Rucker Elementary School
Athletic fields are now located across Seventh Avenue from
Bowden Terrace. During World War II and the Korean
Conflict, this large open area was the Division Parade Field
for troops undergoing training. In front of the athletic fields is
the new Family Support facility, The Commons on 7 th (23).
This facility is used by Fort Rucker units, Family Readiness
Groups (FRGs), as well as recognized Fort Rucker Private
Organizations for meetings, social activities, and training. The
United States Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE)
Family Readiness Support Assistant (FRSA) office is located
in the Family Support facility. The facility also has computer
access with internet and webcam capabilities for Soldier &
their Families. The USAACE FRSA has information
regarding both military and community resources. Hours of
operation are Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Call
(334) 255-0960.
12. 23 – The Commons on 7th, Family Support Facility &
USAACE FRSA Office
The family housing units near the intersection of Red Cloud
Rd. and Seventh Avenue are in Bowden Terrace, the second of
three family housing communities on Fort Rucker. Picerne
Military Housing began newly designing neighborhoods at
Fort Rucker in 2006. Each neighborhood will have its own
Community Neighborhood Center with neighborhood offices,
meeting rooms, kitchen area, game room, fitness room and
zero-entrance pool. Bowden Terrace Neighborhood Center
(24), is located at the corner of Division Rd. Call (334) 503-
3640. **Munson Heights Neighborhood Center will be
complete in 2011 – Call (334) 503-3641.
The Youth Center (25) facility consists of a large multi-
purpose room with a regulation basketball court that doubles
as the roller skating rink, a fully equipped Gymanstics/Self
Defense room, a dance studio, a music room, a teen room, and
a snack area. Hours of Operation: Mon – Thurs., 2:30 – 8
pm, Fri., 2:30 – 10:30 pm, Sat. 1 – 6 pm and 7-11pm. Call
(334) 255-9108/9127.
13. Take a right onto Diamond Avenue to reach the Picerne
Community Gardens (26) located on Baker Street. 25 plots
are available to residents to plant gardens. For more
information contact your local neighborhood center. Take
Baker Street to Fifth Avenue. Take a left following 5th
Avenue around until it meets Andrews Avenue, take a left.
Take a right onto Hatch Road.
Down Hatch Road on the right you will see the new Silver
Wings Neighborhood (27). This housing area is for 0-6
personnel.
28 – Silver Wings Golf Course/Divots Restaurant & Grille
Silver Wings Golf Course and Divots Restaurant & Grille
(28) to your left off Hatch Rd.. Lunch is served and Silver
Wings offers 3 9-hole courses for your golfing pleasure.
Hours of Operation: Mon. – Fri. 10-2pm, Weekends &
Holidays, 6 am – 4pm. Call (334) 598-1632.
Upon reaching Engineer Rd., the adventurous may wish to
take a two-mile side trip around Buckhorn Lake (29). You
may turn left on Engineer Rd., go 0.6 of a mile and turn right
14. on an unpaved road, which circles the fishing lake and a picnic
area and leads back to Hatch Rd. Otherwise continue along
Hatch Rd.
Equestrian Center (30) or EQC facility has a hay barn, 40
duplex stalls, each with a 6’ by 12’ tack room, and paddocks
to stable 80 privately owned horses, as well as 98 stalls for
transient and show horses and two community pastures. For
more information call (334) 598-3384.
30 – Equestrian Center
Knox Army Heliport (31) located at the intersection of Hatch
Rd. and Knox Field Rd., was named in honor of Mr. Jim
Knox, a civilian flight instructor who was killed at Fort Dill
shortly before Army Aviation moved to Camp Rucker at 1954.
Knox Field, originally much smaller, was the first new landing
facility constructed after the move to Camp Rucker.
About one-half mile on Dilly Branch Rd., from the
intersection of Knox Field Rd., a forest road to the left leads to
the area where the World War II Prisoner of War Camp (32)
was located. Except for some asphalt paving and concrete
15. foundations, nothings remain of the camp today. Italian and
German prisoners were kept separate and never saw each
other. According to the account of one former German
prisoner, however, the Germans occasionally heard the Italians
singing. Dilly Branch Road turns into Nighthawk Street.
At 3rd Avenue, take a right. On Kingman St. you will find the
MP Station and Fire Department (33). MPs are available to
do vehicle VIN inspections for vehicle registration. You can
sign-up for Residential Checks if you reside on Fort Rucker --
while you are away, the MPs will drive by and check on your
residence. MP desk (334) 255-2222.
Staying on 3rd Avenue. On the right hand side you will see
barracks surrounded by barb wire. These are the SERE
Barracks (34). This is where you will go to pick up your
Soldier once he/she has completed SERE training.
Continuing on 3rd Avenue, past the Enlisted Barracks you
will notice on the right hand side, the Automotive Skills
Center (35). This facility has the equipment you need to save
money on do it yourself car maintenance and repair. This 24
bay facility has 12 lifts, 8 bays (non-lift) inside the building,
and 5 sheltered bays outside the main building. The facility
also has a paint booth and a body bay. The Automotive Skills
Center has a Mechanic-for-Hire Program, which can save
military Families money towards labor expenses. The
Automotive Skills Center also offers propane gas for sale.
Hours of Operation: Mon. – Tues. (closed), Wed. – Fri.
10:30 am – 7:30 pm, Sat. 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, Sun. 10:00
am – 6:00 pm. Call (334) 255-9725.
35 – Automotive Skills Center
16. Most of the east-west streets on Fort Rucker that intersect with
5th Ave. and Andrews Ave., e.g. Shamrock, Raider, Outlaw,
etc., are named after radio call signs used by Army Aviation
companies during the Vietnam Conflict. Novosel St., Division
and Red Cloud roads are exceptions.
Take a left onto Gladiator Street. The Andrews Avenue
Physical Fitness Center (36) is located near the intersection
of Andrews Ave. and Red Cloud Rd. The facility offers
LifeFitness and Precor cardiovascular equipment, LifeFitness
selectroized strength equipment and a free weight room. It is
home to a regulation college center basketball court, three
regulation high school practice courts, a squash court, a 25-
meter indoor pool, football, soccer and softball fields, a
quarter-mile track and several running trails. Hours of
Operation are Mon – Fri from 5 am – 9pm, Sat. 8 am –
6pm, Sunday & Holidays, 10 am – 6pm. Call (334) 255-
2296.
Crossing Andrews Avenue, you will find the Thrift Shop
(37). They raises funds for worthy causes through the sale of
consigned and donated merchandise such as used clothing,
toys, jewelry, books, house wares, furniture, and electronics.
The Thrift Shop also awards scholarships to deserving
students and donates merchandise to the local DAV, the
Wiregrass Emergency Pregnancy Service, Relay for Life and
many other organizations. Volunteers are always needed.
Hours Of Operation: Wed – Fri. from 10:00 am – 2:00
pm. The consignment hours are Wed. from 10:00 – 1:00
pm and Thurs. from 10:00 – 12:00pm. Call (334) 255-
9595.
At the intersection of Gladiator St. and 5th Avenue is the Post
Office (38). Hours of Operation: Mon. – Fri. 9:00 am –
1:00 pm and 2:00 – 4:15pm. Call (334) 598-6446.
Take a left onto 5th Avenue, just through the light; on the right
hand side of the road is Hutton Plaza (39). It was named for
Brig. Gen. Carl I. Hutton, the first commander of the Army
Aviation Center at Fort Rucker. The memorial plaque is on a
17. brick wall on the north side of the AAFES Main Exchange
building. Visitors may park and enter the mall area of the PX
for lunch or refreshments. Hours of Operation: Mon. – Sat.
9:00 am – 8:00 pm, Sun. 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Call (334)
503-9044. Also located in the Hutton Plaza parking lot is
Rucker Lanes (40) bowling alley. Hours of Operation:
Mon – Thurs. 11:00 am – 9:00 pm, Fri – Sat 11:00 am –
11:00 pm, Sun & Holidays 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. Call (334)
255- 9503.
The Commissary (41) is a 27,000 sq. ft. facility with 16
cashier lines for shoppers’ convenience. With 24-hour notice,
customers can purchase special cuts of meat, deli party trays
and bakery items. Hours of Operation: Mon (closed);
Tues. – Fri. 10:00 am – 7:00 pm, Sat. 9:00 am – 6:00 pm;
Sun 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Call (334) 255-9729; deli/bakers
255-1091; produce 255-9711. Reel Time Movie Theater
(42) is located in front of the Commissary. Hours of
Operation: Tues. – Sun 7:00 pm showing, Sat. – Sun. 2:00
pm showing. Call (334) 255- 2408.
Located on Red Cloud Rd., the Fort Rucker Main Post
Chapel (43) is open to visitors. Call (334) 255-3140/3050.
Next to the Main Post Chapel is the Child Development
Center or CDC (44), is open Monday – Friday, 5:30 am – 6
pm. The Fort Rucker CDC offers full-care for children 6
weeks – kindergarten age. Children ages 2-5 are eligible for
enrollment in the part-day program. This program offers 2, 3,
or 5 day sessions. Call (334) 255-2262.
44 – Child Development Center (CDC)
18. Taking Copper Rd., behind the Commissary, which winds
around to the right turning into Park Dr., you will find the
Guest House (45). See IHG Army Hotel information to make
reservations.
Across the street from the Guest House is Flynn Pool (46), an
outdoor facility opened to accommodate on post swimming
enthusiasts. Hours of Operation: Mon. – Fri. 5:30 am –
7:00 pm and Sat. – Sun. 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Call (334)
255-2296/9567.
Park Drive comes to a funny intersection at Novosel, Taking a
short left intersects 5th Avenue. On the right you will have,
the Center Library (47). It has 23 high-speed public access
internet computers, Wi-Fi for laptops, a children’s collection
and an activities room, copying service, individual study area,
and a digital scanner. FREE fax service to all toll-free and
DSN numbers is also available. Patrons also have access to
FREE university and licensure examination proctor service as
well as reference assistance for all personal and academic
research requirements. Hours of Operation: Mon & Fri.
9:00 am – 5:00 pm; Tues. – Thurs. 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, Sat.
12:00 – 5:00 pm, Closed Sunday & Federal Holidays. Call
(334) 255-3695.
On the left is the Aviation Technical Library (48), which
provides academic and technical library services including
research assistance and interlibrary loan capability to students,
staff, faculty and tenant activities. Computer and internet
access is provided for government use only to active duty
personnel, DoD civilians, and authorized Fort Rucker
contractors. Hours of Operation: 0800 – 9:00 pm Mon –
Thursday, 8:00 – 5:00 pm Fri., 1215 – 9i:00 Sun. Call
(334) 255-3177/2944.
Where Park Dr. intersects Novosel, take a right. The building
down the hill from this intersection is The Landing (49),
formerly the Officer’s Club. The Landing can accommodate
parties, proms, hail n farewells, weddings and more. They
offer an extensive lunch menu to please the most concerning
19. of appetites. The Landing Zone or LZ (50) is located inside
The Landing and features a full-service bar 7 days a week,
daily specials, live entertainment and 24 flat screen TVs. The
Landing Zone is open to the public seven days a week. Call
The Landing, (334) 598-2426 or The LZ, (334) 598-8025.
49 – The Landing
Starbucks is also located in The Landing Zone, open 7 days a
week from 7 am – 6pm.
Near the flag pole on the Fort Rucker Parade Field (51) are
monuments honoring the war dead of two of the Infantry
divisions that trained at Camp Rucker during World War II,
the 81st and the 66th.
51 – Fort Rucker Parade Field (Howze Field)
20. The building across the street from the parade field is Post
Headquarters (52). A marker near the entrance
commemorates the establishment of Army Aviation as a
combat arms branch of the Army on April 12, 1983.
52 – Post Headquarters
Across the street from Post Headquarters, on the street side of
the Reviewing Stand (53), is a plaque paying tribute to the
men and women who deployed from Fort Rucker for service
in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Constitution Park (54), dedicated on September 17, 1987, the
bicentennial of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, is adjacent
to a parking lot at the intersection of Shamrock St. and
Headquarters Place. Across Shamrock St. from that
intersection is an historic Fort Rucker chapel, Chapel of the
Wings (55). Originally known as Post Chapel and later as
Headquarters Road Chapel, this chapel contains an altar,
lectern, podium, rail, and four chairs made by German
prisoners of war during World War II. The 50 state flags were
originally displayed in the Chapel of the Flags in Da Nang,
Vietnam, from where they were taken to Fort Wolters, Texas,
following the American withdrawal from Vietnam. When all
21. aviation training moved from Fort Wolters to Fort Rucker in
1973, the flags, along with the stained glass windows, were
brought to Fort Rucker. The wings, from whence the chapel
derives its current name, represent the various insignia of
Army aviators and are located on the back wall of the
sanctuary. This is the only remaining of several chapels of
this same original design that stood on Fort Rucker from
World War II, until the new post chapel complex was
constructed in 1992. The chapel is open and visitors are
welcome. Call (334) 255-9221/2051.
55 – Chapel of the Wings
Taking the first right past Wings of Chapel will lead you to the
IHG Army Hotel (56) previously Army Lodging, located in
Bldg. 308. This is for official and unofficial travelers.
Military Training Service Support students are priority.
Reservations for temporary duty, permanent change of station,
and unofficial travelers, are based on availability, subject to
preemption by MTSS students. For Central Reservation call
1-877-711-TEAm (8326 or visit the website at
www.IHGArmyHotels.com. Hours of Operation: 24/7.
Call (334) 598-5216.
22. At 5th Avenue, take a left. On the right hand side is Mother
Rucker’s (57), a new Sports Bar being built. **Scheduled to
open in late 2010.
Continuing on 5th Avenue, you will see on the right, the
Alterations/Sew Shop (58) Bldg. 6600. Hours of
Operation: Mon – Fri. 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, Sun 11:00 am –
6:00 pm. Call (334) 503-9044, ext. 283.
Across the street is Fortenberry Colton Physical Fitness
Center (59), is named after CW3 Wesley Charles Fortenberry
and CW2 Lawrence Shane Colton both of which were killed
in action over Baghdad while serving as attack helicopter
pilots with the 1st Battalion 227t Aviation Regiment Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas. The facility boasts top-of-the-line
LifeFitness cardiovascular equipment, strive selectorized
strength equipment and LifeFitness free weights. The facility
includes a fitness room offering a regulation basketball court,
two practice courts, two volleyball courts and a group fitness
room. Also available is a 28 foot realistic climbing wall
which allows four people to climb simultaneously. Hours of
Operation: Mon –Fri. from 7:00 am – 9:00 pm, Sat. 8:00 am –
6:00 pm, Sun. 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Call (334) 255-3794.
59 – Fortenberry Colton Fitness Center
23. The two white frame houses under the magnolia trees near the
intersection of Novosel St. and Fifth Avenue are now used as
temporary lodging for VIP visitors to Fort Rucker. During
World War II and the Korean Conflict, Camellia House (60),
the one nearer the street, was the quarters of the post
commander. The other is the Magnolia House (61).
60 – Camellia House & 61 – Magnolia House
Still continuing on 5th Avenue, The Warrant Officer Career
Center (62) is near the intersection of Fifth Ave. and Raider
St. This is the headquarters for all Army warrant office
candidate training and for common core professional
development training of all Army warrant officers.
Approximately one-half of all warrant officers are aviators,
with the remaining half spread among 15 other Army
branches. Branch specific training for warrant officers is
provided in the various branch schools; e.g. Aviation at Fort
Rucker, Artillery at Fort Sill, Armor at Fort Knox, etc.
24. 62 – Warrant Officer Career College
At Minuteman St., take a right. On the left is The Conrad
Safety Complex of the U.S. Army Combat Readiness
Center – USACRC (63) is dedicated to the late Col. Eugene
Blair Conrad, a survivor of the Bataan Death March of World
War II who later became a major figure in the promotion of
aviation safety. The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center,
formerly called U.S. Army Safety Center, traces its origins to
the Army Accident Review Board, first established at Fort Sill
and then moved to Camp Rucker when the Aviation School
moved here in 1954. The USACRC supports commanders
and the Army staff with timely, accurate information about
hazards, risks and controls they can use to make informed risk
decisions.
63 – Combat Readiness Center
25. Visitors may park on either side of Fifth Avenue, near Outlaw
St. and walk through the grass-covered Academic Complex
Quadrangle (64) between two rows of red brick buildings.
Located near the entrances are memorial markers to the
deceased Army aviators for whom the buildings were named.
The memorial plaque for Ford Hall, at the end of the
quadrangle, is in the breezeway between the two parts of the
building. A Free-standing memorial dedicated to the men of
the 746th Tank Battalion, a World War II unit that trained at
Camp Rucker, is located inside the quadrangle.
Continuing out the end of Minuteman St., across the street is
The Goodhand Simulator Complex (65) was named for
Brig. Gen. O. Glenn Goodhand, a distinguished Army
Aviation leader from 1942 to 1964. This building houses
flight simulators for UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook
helicopters and combat mission simulators for the AH-64
Apache.
Cairns Army Airfield (66) is separated from the main post by
the city of Daleville and is not open to the general public.
Ozark Army Airfield,, as it was called from 1942 to 1959,
served as an air support base for Camp Rucker during World
War II and the Korean Conflict. The existence of the airfield
was a factor in Camp Rucker’s being selected as the new
home of Army Aviation in 1954. The airfield was renamed in
1959 in honor of Maj. Gen. Bogardus S. Cairns, the
commander of Fort Rucker from June 1957 until his untimely
death in a plane crash in December 1958.
This concludes the tour.
“Above the Best”
