The complete post guide to Fort Lee

Updated onDec 12, 2022 10:07 PM PST

5 minute read

Staff Sgt. Patty Gardiner, who grew up in Palau, represents the rich tapestry of diversity in today’s Army. She is a drill sergeant assigned to Bravo Company, 16th Ordnance Battalion, at Fort Lee, Virginia.

SUMMARY

Located just three miles east of Petersburg, VA, Ft. Lee is an Army training post that provides logistics doctrine and…

Located just three miles east of Petersburg, VA, Ft. Lee is an Army training post that provides logistics doctrine and leader development. It’s home to a wide array of agencies including the Army Transportation School, Commissary Agency, and the Combined Arms Support Command. On post, you’ll find two Army museums. That’s to say nothing of the US Quartermaster Museum and the US Army Women’s Museum that’s there, too.

Ft. Lee is a large post, with nearly 8,000 active duty service members calling it home. Ft. Lee is one of many Army posts that will be renamed in the coming years. The Army is definitely tracking that there are plenty of other notable Virginians for whom the post could be named. In fact, Rep. A. Donald McEachin says he wants to see the name changed to honor retired Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, who, when he retired, was the highest ranking Black officer in the Army.

Virginia is no stranger to military installations. So if you're on a road trip through the state, there are several bases to stop at and explore.

Location

Fort Lee is located in Prince George, Virginia. Fort Lee is three miles east of Petersburg, VA, 116 miles from Washington, DC, and 21 miles from Richmond, the capital of Virginia.

Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Rodriguez and Sgt. 1st Class Michael Phillips – Delta Company, 16th Ordnance Battalion drill sergeants – distribute U.S. flags to company Soldiers during the Hill of Heroes event at Richmond’s Virginia War Memorial June 24. Twenty-five Delta Co. troops helped to stake nearly 12,000 flags honoring those uniformed Virginians lost from War World II to today (photo by T. Anthony Bell).

Directions

Fort Lee can be reached by car using the following routes.

Heading in from the north? Take I-95 S to I-295 S.

Driving from the south? Take I-95 N to I-295 N.

Making the trek from the east? Take I-64 E to I-295 S.

Coming from the west? Take I-64 W to I-295 S.

Transportation

Richmond International Airport (23 miles) is served by 8 airlines with multiple destinations.

Driving would allow you to visit nearby cities. Fort Lee also has easy access to bus and rail services that can take you throughout the Northeast.

Soldiers use a mobile gym to exercise at a camp located at Fort Benning, Georgia. The camp is being used for Soldiers transitioning from training schools to their duty locations throughout the country. This camp is one of two sites used to support efforts in fighting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The camp at Fort Benning as well as a similar one at Fort Lee, Virginia, were built using the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program. The Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Benning and Fort Lee contracting offices provide local contract administration services in support of the LOGCAP contract.

Contacts at Fort Lee

Army Emergency Relief: (804) 734-6381

Behavioral Health: (804) 734-9623 | (804) 734-9143 | (804) 734-9387

Chaplain: (804) 734-6494 | (804) 734-6483

Civilian Personnel Advisory Center: (804) 765-4580

Commissary: (804) 765-2254

Dental Appointments: (804) 734-9607

Domestic Abuse Hotline: (804) 734-6378

Employee Assistance Program: (804) 734-9693

Equal Opportunity Office: (804) 734-6601

Family Advocacy Program: (804) 734-6388

Housing (on-post): (804) 733-1558

ID/CAC Card Processing: (804) 734-7349

Information & Referral Services: (804) 734-7347

Kenner Army Health Clinic: (804) 533-5242

Legal Assistance: (804) 765-1500

Lodging Reservations: (804) 733-4100

Military Police Desk: (804) 734-7400

Nurse Advice After Hours: (877) 874-2273, Option 1

Public Affairs Office: (804) 734-7451

Safety Office: (804) 765-3132

School Liaison Officer: (804) 765-3813

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office: (804) 894-0029

Soldier Support Center (Duty Hours): (804) 734-7784

Veterinary Services: (804) 734-2446

Welcome & Visitors Center: (804) 734-5053

Pfc. Jason Hoffman, Pfc. Devin Alvarado and Pfc. Steve Chavez pay their respects at the gravesites of Ret. Lt. Gen. Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller and his wife Virginia Montague Evans at the Christ Church Parish cemetery in Saluda following the annual Chesty Puller Memorial Relay Run Oct. 4. More than 250 students and cadre from Marine Corps Detachment Fort Lee participated in the 64-mile event.

Mission and Units

Ft. Lee is all about training to support readiness. From providing logistics doctrine to material solutions, its goal is to sustain a campaign-quality Army for both war and peace times.

Fort Lee’s mission is to integrate and deliver Base Operations that enable Training to support readiness.

Fort Lee is the home to a wide range of Army agencies including Kenner Army Health Clinic and the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM). CASCOM helps to synchronize and integrate Army sustainment capabilities and doctrine.

Kenner was opened during WWII as an 871-bed community hospital. It quickly expanded to accommodate 2,000 beds. During the post-war years, the clinic was downgraded to only 200 beds. However, it can now handle the medical and dental needs of the 30,000 military and civilian personnel that call Fort Lee home

Fort Lee History

Fort Lee is located in America's Historic Heartland in Virginia, 25 miles south of Richmond and very near the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers.

The post got its start when the US entered WWI. In fact, within weeks of our declaration of war on Germany in 1917, the War Department bought the land that’s now Ft. Lee. Speaking of WWI, did you know Kevin Costner is on the board of the WWI museum? During the interwar years, the post closed but reopened quickly to support mission readiness during WWII. During that time, over 300,000 Quartermaster soldiers trained at Ft. Lee.

Surprisingly, Ft. Lee continued to maintain its presence in the DoD landscape even after WWII. In fact, it was home to the Women’s Army Corps from 1948-1954.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Stockman (left) and Chief Petty Officer Eddie Fuchs (right) compete in the 42nd Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event at Fort Lee, Virginia, March 4, 2017. The Coast Guard's culinary team was comprised of culinary specialists from units in Hampton Roads, the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard Headquarters as well as Coast Guard Cutter Obion. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn)

Things to Do Around Fort Lee

Hotels

Best Western Plus Hopewell Fort Lee (2.5 miles)

Holiday Inn Express Hopewell - Fort Lee Area, an IHG Hotel (2.4 miles)

Baymont by Wyndham Prince George at Fort Lee (1.3 miles)

Restaurants

Tilted Kilt (3.1 miles) - Celtic-style sports pub

Primos Mexican Family Restaurant (1.7 miles) - Mexican

Jimmy’s Grill And Pizzeria (1.3 miles) - Pizza

Activities

Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center (96 miles) is home to over 10,000 animals representing over 300 species in 800,000 gallons of fresh and seawater displays. There is also an onsite adventure park and plenty of exhibits and hands-on experiences.

The Poe Museum (24 miles) is a museum dedicated to Edgar Allen Poe and includes a library, a collection of Poe’s images, and an Enchanted Garden inspired by Poe’s poem, “To One in Paradise.”

Virginia Living Museum (77 miles) is a combination aquarium, zoo, botanical gardens, and science center. You can view endangered red wolves, sharks, jellyfish, flying squirrels, stingrays, fish without eyes, and more. There’s also a Butterfly Garden and an outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail with fossils and 16 life-like dinosaurs.

NASA personnel visits the living support area as part of Operations Allies Welcome, to promote stem education trough hands on activities, Fort Lee, Virginia, Nov. 10, 2021. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc Ruby Torres/ 14th Public Affairs Detachment.)

Housing at Ft. Lee

It’s best to call the Military Housing Office as soon as you receive orders to post. Since Lee is such an interactive training installation, housing wait times can be long, even during PCS-off season.

Fortunately, there are plenty of options in and around the local community. The MHO can answer any questions you might have.

Hunt Communities offers privatized housing on post.

Schools Near Ft. Lee

Unfortunately, there are no DoDEA schools on post. However, mil-kids who call Ft. Lee home can benefit from the nearby Prince George County Public School District. PGC serves students from grades kindergarten through twelfth grade. School selection is based on where you live. Be sure to call the School Liaison Office for the most up-to-date information.

Afghan children watch the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band, Full Spectrum, perform at the living support area, Fort Lee, Virginia, Nov. 4, 2021. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ruby Torres / 14th Public Affairs Detachment)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Fort Lee deploy?

There are a small number of soldiers who deploy from Fort Lee, but it is primarily a training facility.

What happened at Fort Lee?

Before 1865, Ft. Lee saw a lot of combat because of the Civil War.

Do Marines go to Fort Lee?

Yes, there is a Marine Corps Detachment on Fort Lee, which maintains a staff of approximately 180 Marines and has an annual throughput of nearly 2,500 students.

What is Fort Lee famous for?

Fort Lee is famous for being the center of logistics and sustainment for the U.S. Army.