If it's your first time moving to Fort Liberty, North Carolina (formerly Fort Bragg), a.k.a, the Army’s mother ship, you’ve got some research to do! You’ve probably asked around and heard a lot of mixed feelings about Fort Liberty and Fayetteville. The base has legions of fans and some detractors, mostly because of preconceived notions and unpreparedness for arrival at an iconic military base and town.
The two names—Fort Liberty and the largest city nearby, Fayetteville—are often used interchangeably for several reasons. Simple geography is one. There’s little room between where Fort Liberty ends and Fayetteville begins. Another reason is the huge population of military families that immerse themselves not only on base but also within the neighborhoods of Fayetteville. Lastly, it’s known that without each other, Fayetteville and Fort Liberty wouldn’t be as successful and productive as they are today.
Understanding the Fort Liberty/Fayetteville dynamic is just the first of many important things you need to know before moving to Fort Liberty.
Here are 14 more...
There is certainly a very specific lifestyle associated with living in a military dominant town, but there are plenty of things to do and see, especially for a first time PCS. To maximize your time at Fort Liberty and get outing ideas, download the free Military Family Guide to Fort Liberty.
You’ll find a strong military presence in nearby Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Raeford, Sanford, Spring Lake, and Hope Mills. Depending on where the service member works on Fort Liberty one of these cities may be closer to their job.
Its population reaches 80,000 people and encompasses 163,000 acres. In other terms, Fort Liberty makes over 250 square miles.
But there are many more you might not know about. Fort Liberty is home to U.S. Army Forces Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), 82nd Airborne Division, Security Force Assistance Command, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Dental Health Activity, 419th Contracting Support Brigade, 406th Army Field Support Brigade, 192nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 50th Signal Battalion, USA-SATMO, Army Golden Knights, 4th ROTC Brigade, Joint Interoperability Division, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, 139th Infantry Regiment - North Carolina National Guard, Womack Army Medical Center, 3-58th Airfield Operations Battalion, U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization and the JSOC Intelligence Brigade.
These are the two airfields associated with Fort Liberty.
On Fort Liberty, you'll find seven elementary schools providing for students in pre-K4, one elementary school for pre-K5, an intermediate school housing grades 5 and 6, while the junior high school encompasses grades 7 through 9. High schools are operated by localities, depending on where you live.
Some of the amenities include 34 restaurants, 15 medical clinics, 11 churches, 13 fitness outlets, an ice rink, campground, library, and hotels. There are two very large commissaries, North and South Post, and the CDC system operates 12 facilities.
But the entire region attacks golfers year-round due to enviable playing weather. Pinehurst Resort, the “Anchor Site of the U.S. Open,” is under an hour’s drive away, at about 35 miles.
Amtrak has a historic station in downtown Fayetteville, and further out, a regional airport with easy access takes flyers to major cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C., every day. If you prefer to drive to an international airport, Raleigh is the nearest large city, about 1.5 hours away.
Going west to the mountains is a two-plus-hour drive, while heading east to the beach in Wilmington is about two hours as well.
Hot to warm to mild temperatures are the norm with higher than average humidity. Occasional colder temperatures and some winter weather change up the scenery and provide coveted snow days simply because there isn’t the support to maintain roads properly.
Fort Libery and Fayetteville have been enduring and perpetuating growth opportunities in many capacities, which is a good thing. However, with improvement comes the necessary harassment of growth—traffic. Accommodating tens of thousands of people on and off base each day proves challenging at the heart of commute times, especially if a construction project is active.
Throughout the year, major non-profits host conferences, and career/job-bolstering events are the norm on and off base.
As it's often said of any new military destination, especially one as storied as the Fort Liberty/Fayetteville area, your experience living there is framed by what you embrace of the location. Half the battle of moving to Ft. Liberty is learning where to live and what to do.
Take a look at homes near Fort Liberty!