This Army Base Has Been Guarding America Since Before It Existed

With more than 1.3 million active soldiers currently serving in the US military, it is unsurprising that many bases are required to house them. Between troops, equipment, families, and everything else, these bases are a home away from home for thousands. In many cases, some of these bases have housed troops since the Declaration of Independence was written.

The Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was opened in 1867 and is part of the U.S. strategic missile operations.

Fort Myer Army Base, located in Arlington, Virginia, was opened in 1863 and is home to those who work in and around the US Capital.

The Rock Island Arsenal Army Base, located in Arsenal Island, Illinois, was opened in 1862 and is home to the United States First Army.

MCRD Parris Island Marine Corps Base, located in Port Royal, South Carolina, was opened in 1861 and is home to Marine Corps training for enlisted recruits.

Fort Riley Army Base, located in Riley, Kansas, was opened in 1853 and has been home to various Army divisions since World War I.

The Yuma Proving Ground Army Base, located in Yuma County, Arizona, was opened in 1850 and is one of the largest army installations in terms of land area.

The Fort Bliss Army Base, located in El Paso, Texas, was opened in 1849 and is the largest base in FORSCOM (United States Army Forces Command).

The Presidio of Monterey Army Base, located in Monterey, California, was opened in 1846 and is home to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

The United States Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland, was opened in 1845 and is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies. The base educates midshipmen for service in the US Navy and Marine Corps.

The Fort Hamilton Army Base, located in Brooklyn, New York, was opened in 1831 to provide military support to the New York metropolitan area.

The Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, located in Portsmouth, Virginia, was opened in 1830 and remains the oldest continuously running hospital in the Navy medical system.

The Fort Leavenworth Army Base, located in Leavenworth, Kansas, was opened in 1827 and is home to US Army Training and Doctrine Command.

The Naval Hospital Pensacola, located in Pensacola, Florida, was opened in 1826 and is responsible for training those who serve in the Information Warfare Corps.

The Pensacola Naval Air Station, located in Pensacola, Florida, was opened in 1826 and is an initial training base for flight training for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers.

The Key West Naval Air Station, located in Key West, Florida, was opened in 1823 and is one of the primary locations for teaching air-to-air combat training.

The Watervliet Arsenal Army Base, located in Watervliet, New York, was opened in 1813 and still produces much of the army's artillery, including cannons, mortars, and tanks.

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, located in Kittery, Maine, was opened in 1800 and is one of the nation's oldest continuously operational shipyards. It is currently working on modernizing our submarine fleet.

The Norfolk Naval Shipyard Navy Base, located in Portsmouth, Virginia, was opened in 1794 and is one of the largest and oldest shipyards of the US Navy.

The US Military Academy Army Base West Point, located in West Point, New York, was opened in 1790 and is the oldest US service academy for commissioning officers into the US Army.

The Carlisle Barracks Army Base, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, dates back to 1745 when it was created by British soldiers and repurposed in 1776 for the Continental Army. Today, it's home to the United States Army War College.