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Fort Hamilton

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Fort Hamilton New York U.S. Army

Fort Hamilton is a historic Brooklyn, New York post and is located in the center of the NY metro area. Known as “the Army’s ambassador to New York City”, the first garrison flag flew over Fort Hamilton in 1831; some of the post’s buildings (including the Harbor Defense Museum on post) are included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Fort Hamilton has a diverse military community that doesn’t just include active and reserve Army troops; all branches of service are represented at Fort Hamilton and the area draws a good many military retirees.

Find information about Fort Hamilton, New York including the main commercial and DSN numbers for the base, information on basic services, base transportation, lodging for TDY and PSCing personnel, and inprocessing.

Fort Hamilton, New York Mission & Units

There are several missions at Fort Hamilton that make this installation an important regional location for the Army. Those missions include a healthcare recruitment team, the New York Military Entrance Processing Station, and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which serves 14 states plus Europe and Africa.

Important units at Fort Hamilton include;

  • 77th RSC Ernie Pyle USARC Fort Totten
  • 8th Medical Brigade
  • New York City Health Care Recruitment Team
  • 344th CSH (HUS)
  • 1179th Deployment Control Group
  • 5th Medical Brigade
  • 427th Detachment
  • 7238th US Army Hospital
  • New York City Recruiting Battalion
  • U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton
  • Naval Criminal Investigation Services
  • 722nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron
  • New York Military Entrance Processing Station

Fort Hamilton, New York History

In 1831 the first coastal defense of New York City was constructed-this is what would later become known as Fort Hamilton, named after Alexander Hamilton. The installation was designed to help supplement the firepower of Fort Lafayette and add protection for the “narrows” located between Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York.

The earliest known use of the area for defense purposes actually came in the century prior; as early as Independence Day, 1776 a small group operating on the future site of Fort Hamilton fired upon British vessels attempting to deliver troops to suppress the American Revolution; the attack is said to be largely symbolic but significant in the history of the fort.

World War One saw a great deal of growth at Fort Hamilton, with new recruits and trainees arriving to prepare for service in Europe. World War Two would see the fort being used as a staging and mobilization area once more; between the two World Wars coastal defense weaponry had been taken out of Fort Hamilton and used elsewhere.

Following World War Two it was determined that coastal gun strategies had become obsolete and the last coastal defense weapon at the fort was dismantled and buried in 1948. Some weaponry was used in the 1950s; a battery of 120mm M1 guns was deployed there as part of a Cold War air defense system.

In the 1960s, Fort Hamilton would become home to the United States Army Chaplain School, but later that operation would be transferred to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Today the fort has a diverse range of missions; it is the home to the New York City Recruiting Battalion, the NY Military Entrance Processing Station, and the North Atlantic Division Headquarters of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Fort Hamilton also supports United States Army Reserve and New York Army National Guard units in the area.

Fort Hamilton, New York Contacts

Main Address And Phone Numbers

101st Street
Brooklyn, NY, United States
11252-0000

  • (718) 630-4848
  • (718) 630-4456

Important Fort Hamilton Contact Numbers

  • Emergency – 911
  • Relocation Readiness Program – (718) 630-4462
  • Survivor Outreach Services – (718) 630-4467
  • Army Volunteer Corps – (718) 630-4498
  • ID and CAC Card Processing – (718) 630-4557
  • Army Community Service – (718) 630-4754
  • Employment Readiness – (718) 630-4756
  • Morale, Welfare and Recreation – (718) 630-4758
  • Visitor Control Center – (718) 630-4848
  • Suicide Prevention Hotline – (800) 273-8255
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline – (800) 656-4673
  • Civilian Personnel Advisory Center – (718) 630-4809
  • Operator – (718) 630-4101
  • New York Military Entrance Processing Station – (718) 630-4870
  • Child Development Center (CDC) – (718) 630-4079
  • School Age Services – (718) 630-4518
  • Federal Credit Union – (718) 492-0600
  • Consumer Affairs and Financial Planning – (718) 630-4471
  • Financial Readiness Program – (718) 630-4498
  • Legal Office – (718) 630-4743
  • Victim Advocacy Program – (718) 630-4754
  • Financial Management Office – (718) 630-4778
  • TRICARE – (877) 874-2273
  • Brooklyn Veterans Hospital – (718) 836-6600
  • Holiday Inn Express (IGH) – (718) 439-2340
  • Balfour Beatty Communities – (718) 630-4697
  • Barracks and Single Service Member Housing – (718) 630-4785

Fort Hamilton, New York Surrounding Area

Fort Hamilton is in Brooklyn, with easy access to New York City by rail, bus, taxi, rideshare, etc. The New York City and Brooklyn areas feature first-class tourist destinations from Broadway to Yankee Stadium.

There are plenty of music, theater, and other events at Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden, and New York City is famous for its arts district including the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), The Solomon Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”) and too many others to name.

New York City and Brooklyn are also conveniently located for East Coast travel-you can catch a bus or train to Washington D.C., Baltimore, fly to Boston, or get your fill of closer-to-home attractions in the Hamptons and all over Long Island. History buffs will love the area for its’ connection to the earliest parts of colonial America, the Revolutionary War, and more.

Fort Hamilton, New York Inprocessing and Check-In

All new arrivals are directed to report to their gaining command AND visit the Fort Hamilton Visitor Center where they will be instructed on current inprocessing requirements. Military personnel assigned to the Fort Hamilton Garrison are ordered to report to the Military Personnel Office during normal duty hours.

New arrivals are required to attend a Newcomer’s Orientation (spouses and family members are encouraged to attend) held on the last Thursday of the month. Call the Relocation Program Manager at 718-630-4462 for more information.

Fort Hamilton Services

Health Care

Fort Hamilton’s Ainsworth Army Health Clinic closed its’ doors in 2015. At the time of this writing, the Fort Hamilton official site’s list of services does not include mention of on-post health care options; service members should consult the TRICARE official site for in-network coverage options for the New York area.

Child Care

Fort Hamilton is served by the Child Development Center (CDC) which offers care for children from six weeks of age to five years old. Hourly and full-time daycare options are available; a waiting list may apply depending on time of year, demand, and other variables.

Full day care is available during the school year; fees are based on family income. New arrivals should know the following about the Fort Hamilton CDC program:

  • Certified by the Department of Defense.
  • Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
  • Balanced, nutritionally approved meals and snacks.
  • Age-appropriate developmental activities.
  • Parent-involvement activities.
  • Parent-teacher conferences conducted twice yearly.
  • Creative Curriculum Assessments

Dependent And Retiree ID Card Renewal, Replacement, New Issue

ID cards for dependents, retirees, and currently serving military members are processed by the Fort Hamilton ID Card Section. Call to schedule an appointment: (718) 630-4557 or use the RAPIDS system to schedule online. Walk-in services are NOT available at this office. In order to get ID card services, one or more of the following unexpired documentation may be required:

  • Uniformed Services CAC/PIV ID card
  • U.S. passport or a U.S. passport card
  • Permanent Resident card
  • Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
  • Foreign passport
  • Foreign National ID
  • Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
  • Driver’s License or an ID card issued by the DMV
  • U.S. Military dependent’s ID card
  • Any other Federal Department Personal Identity Verification complaint ID card
  • DoD or Uniformed Services ID card (DD Form 2/2764/2765)
  • DoD Civilian Retiree ID card.

Household Goods

All incoming personnel are directed to use Move.mil to track and manage their household goods shipments.

Fort Hamilton Schools

There are over 30 school districts in the New York City area; school-age children will attend schools based on location though the Fort Hamilton official site states that most on-post families will send their children to District 20 schools.

The Fort Hamilton areas is served by Districts 20, 21, 15 and 31. Each district may contain as many as 30 schools. Fort Hamilton welcome packets urge families living off base to research local area schools prior to committing to one or another “due to zoning-based placement”.

Enrollments are handled on the local level; elementary and middle school registrations are accomplished at the school but high school enrollment is handled at district offices. High school enrollment is not zoning-based, but rather done on a space-available basis.

To enroll, the following documentation is required:

  • Birth certificate
  • Shot records
  • Social Security Number
  • Physical exam
  • Proof of parent/custodian address
  • Custody or guardian papers filed through the court where applicable

Fort Hamilton Housing

The New York area is quite expensive and it’s said that most who are stationed at Fort Hamilton who are not New York residents or former residents choose to live in on-base housing. Fort Hamilton’s military housing is privatized and operated by Balfour Beatty Communities.

Those due to be reassigned to Fort Hamilton with family members should contact Balfour Beatty at (718) 630-4697 for information about on-post family housing and referrals for off-post options where appropriate.

There is a waiting list for on-post housing and no advance sign-up possible for the list, but the new arrivals are be backdated according to the separation date from the losing base or command IF the service member notifies the Fort Hamilton Housing Office within 30 days of reporting to Fort Hamilton.

Unaccompanied service members are directed to contact their sponsor about the availability of on-post unaccompanied housing.

Fort Hamilton PCS and TDY Lodging

The Intercontinental Hotel Group Army Hotel (IHG) serves Fort Hamilton’s temporary lodging needs. Advance reservations are required; contact IHG at 718-439-2340 or 718-630-4892 for reservations or more information.

Those PCSing to Fort Hamilton with pets must pay a non-refundable $75 pet fee and there is a two pet limit plus an 80 pound weight restriction. Those traveling on orders have priority, call in advance to determine if space available reservations are possible.

Fort Hamilton Transportation

There are no on-post shuttle services or transportation options except for the single commercial taxi service authorized to operate on post. Contact them at 718-680-2500 for on-post service.

Fort Hamilton Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License

Installation access documents from other military bases are not acceptable at Fort Hamilton, which uses a standalone system for authorizing base access. At a minimum, all operators of privately owned vehicles who need entry and exit privileges are required to present a RealID-compliant photo ID card.

If you are arriving on PCS or TDY orders, contact the Visitor Access Control Center at (718) 630-4848 to get instructions about base access. All drivers are required to comply with all New York State requirements for motor vehicles including emissions standards, registration, minimum insurance, etc.