Fort McPherson Fort McPherson was a U . S . Army military base located in East Point , Georgia , on the southwest edge of the City of Atlanta , Ga . It was the headquarters for the U . S . Army Installation Management Command , Southeast Region ; the U . S . Army Forces Command ; the U . S . Army Reserve Command ; the U . S . Army Central Command . Named after Major General James Birdseye McPherson , this fort was founded by the U . S . Army in September 1885 . However , this site , had been in use by military units since 1835 , and it was used as a Confederate Army base during the American Civil War . During the Reconstruction Era , it was named the " McPherson Barracks " , and it served as a post for the Federal troops who were occupying Atlanta . With the end of Reconstruction , the McPherson Barracks was closed and sold off in 1881 , though the site continued to be occupied during the summers by U . S . troops stationed in Florida . In 1885 , the land was again purchased by the Army at which to station ten army companies . During World War I , Fort McPherson was used as a camp for Imperial German Navy prisoners of war and as a training site for the Active Army and Georgia National Guard . A rifle Range was operated along the ridge where current Stanton road now exists . The Deploying officers and NCO ' s surveyed the local civil war entrenchments parallell to the Railroad along Utoy Creek to learn about trench warfare . During the General Textile Workers Strike in 1934 , this fort was used as a detention center to hold picketers who had been arrested while striking at a cotton mill in Newnan , Georgia . Fort McPherson ’ s nearest Army neighbor , and its sub - post , is Fort Gillem , previously established as the Atlanta Army Depot in 1941 , is located in Forest Park , Georgia , not too far away . Fort Gillem was a logistical support base , housing some Army , Department of Defense , and other government agencies . Those units include the First Army , the U . S . Army and Air Force Exchange Distribution Center , the Military Entrance Processing Station , and the U . S . Army Second Recruiting Brigade . Fort Gillem also hosts the only crime lab of the U . S . Army . Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem shared most common services . Fort Gillem is now a military enclave following Fort McPherson ' s closing due to the 2005 BRAC commission . In 2007 , there were 2 , 453 active duty soldiers and 3 , 784 civilian employees at both forts , with a total active duty and civilian employee payroll of $ 529 , 874 , 972 . With only 102 family quarters and 272 single soldier billets at Fort McPherson , and 10 family quarters at Fort Gillem , the active duty military and Department of the Army civilian employees lived in civilian housing in the surrounding Fulton , DeKalb , Clayton , Fayette , and Henry Counties . Other important users of the fort facilities were the 98 , 700 or more Atlanta area military and naval retirees and their family members . These residents live mostly in Fulton , DeKalb , Cobb , Clayton , Fayette , Gwinnett , and Henry counties . For urban mass transit , Ft . McPherson was mostly served by the Lakewood / Fort McPherson MARTA ( Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority ) station . Base realignment and closure . As a result of the 2005 BRAC commission recommendation , Fort McPherson was officially closed down September 15 , 2011 , with Fort Gillem being reduced to a military enclave . The following units were relocated from Fort McPherson : the Headquarters of the U . S . Army Forces Command and the Headquarters of the U . S . Army Reserve Command , was moved to Fort Bragg , North Carolina . The Headquarters , U . S . Army Central , was moved to Shaw Air Force Base , South Carolina . The Installation Management Command , Southeast Region and the U . S . Army Network Enterprise Technology Command , Southeastern Region was moved to Fort Eustis , Virginia . The Army Contracting Agency , Southern Region Office , was moved to Fort Sam Houston , Texas . The McPherson Planning Local Redevelopment Authority ( MPLRA ) is the community - based entity authorized by the secretary of defense to develop the vision and plan for what will become of Fort McPherson after the installation closes . The MPLRA is a multijurisdictional body representing the surrounding communities impacted by the installation closure . The comprehensive reuse plan that the MPLRA executive board approved on Sept . 11 , 2007 includes the following elements : The following Fort Gillem units are scheduled to relocate : Headquarters , First Army , to Rock Island Arsenal , Ill . ; 2nd Recruiting Brigade to Redstone Arsenal , Ala . ; the 52nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group to Fort Campbell , Ky . ; the 81st Regional Readiness Command Equipment Concentration Site to Fort Benning , Ga . ; and the U . S . Army Central Headquarters support office to Shaw Air Force Base , S . C . The Army and Air Force Exchange Service Atlanta Distribution Center will cease operations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will move off the installation . Fort Gillem will maintain a contiguous enclave for the Georgia Army National Guard , the remainder of the 81st RRC units , the Criminal Investigation Division Forensics Laboratory and the Navy ’ s Reserve Intelligence Area 14 , which will relocate from Naval Air Station Atlanta . Other units have requested discretionary moves into the enclave , including the Atlanta Fraud Residence Agency , the Southeastern Fraud Field Office , the South East Regional Storage Management Office and the Civil Support Readiness Group - East . The Forest Park / Fort Gillem Local Redevelopment Authority ( LRA ) primary development objectives are to stimulate economic growth , create a high - value redevelopment plan ; improve education , quality of life , and the perception of the area and ensure one community . Using these objectives , the redevelopment plan outlines land uses and parcels to take advantage of the opportunity to create significant , high - paying jobs . The redevelopment plan adopted by the Forest Park / Fort Gillem LRA is primarily light industrial and logistical , with a smattering of commercial , residential , and retail space . Units . Installation Management Command , Southeast Region . The Installation Management Command , Southeast Region ( IMCOM - SE ) , is located in Building 171 at Fort McPherson and has the function of managing Army installations in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico . IMCOM - SE provides all base operations , public works and family support programs , ensuring the readiness of Soldiers , Families and military units . It has more than 15 , 000 employees across the southeast and manages a $ 2 . 2 billion annual operating budget . The region is responsible for , delivering to standard , all facets of installation support , including care of Soldiers and Families ; morale , welfare and recreation ; education services , food and laundry ; religious support ; force protection ; fire and emergency services ; public works ; environmental ; residential housing ; and execution of DoD base realignment . The IMCOM - SE team includes Anniston Army Depot , Ala . ; Blue Grass Army Depot , Ky . ; Fort Benning , Ga . ; Fort Bragg , N . C . ; Fort Buchanan , Puerto Rico ; Fort Campbell , Ky . ; Fort Gordon , Ga . ; Fort Jackson , S . C . ; Fort Knox , Ky . ; Fort McPherson , Ga . ; Fort Rucker , Ala . ; Fort Stewart , Ga . ; Holston Army Ammunition Plant , Tenn . ; Milan Army Ammunition Plant , Tenn . ; Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant , Miss . ; Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point , N . C . ; Redstone Arsenal , Ala . ; and the U . S . Army Garrison , Miami , Fla . The region supports the senior mission commander on each installation by relieving him or her of the requirement to oversee day - to - day garrison operations . The region exercises installation management , provides for public safety , provides for sound stewardship of resources , executes community and Family support services and programs and maintains and improves installation infrastructure . IMCOM - SE is one of six regions under the Installation Management Command , which is headquartered at Arlington , Va . IMCOM was first organized as the Installation Management Agency in 2002 . In 2006 , IMCOM was activated as a three - star command that includes the former Installation Management Agency , the former Community and Family Support Center and the former Army Environmental Center under a single command as a direct reporting unit . U . S . Army Forces Command . U . S . Army Forces Command ( FORSCOM ) is the largest command in the U . S . Army and the Army ’ s Force Provider to combatant commanders worldwide . FORSCOM combines the contributions of more than 750 , 000 Army National Guard , Army Reserve and active component Soldiers with those of more than 2 , 400 Army civilians to form a seamless , winning force that operates as a team across services , components and units . FORSCOM provides relevant and ready land power worldwide , in defense of the nation , at home and abroad . Headquartered at Fort McPherson , FORSCOM trains , mobilizes , deploys , sustains , transforms and reconstitutes combat - ready Army forces capable of responding rapidly to crises worldwide . Using the Army Force Generation ( ARFORGEN ) process , FORSCOM tailors the resources and training of its units to meet the specific and ever - changing requirements of combatant commanders and , when directed , those of U . S . civil authorities . These requirements can range from fighting the war on terrorism to providing relief to natural disaster victims . FORSCOM reports through two chains of command ; as an Army command responsible directly to the chief of staff of the Army for the readiness , manning , equipping , training , mobilization and deployment of assigned forces , and as an Army Service Component Command , reporting to Joint Forces Command in Norfolk , Va . In this role , FORSCOM provides Army forces to the joint war fight . FORSCOM units also participate in multinational exercises to build confidence among U . S . allies and friends . The active component of FORSCOM has nearly 200 , 000 Soldiers stationed nationwide . This number includes three Army corps — I Corps at Fort Lewis , Wash . ; III Corps at Fort Hood , Texas ; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg , N . C . FORSCOM also has eight divisions , multiple brigade combat teams and a full range of other combat , combat support and combat service support units . First Army at Fort Gillem reports to FORSCOM . It is responsible for the training , readiness , mobilization and deployment support for Army National Guard and Army Reserve units in FORSCOM . It also executes FORSCOM missions within the continental United States and Puerto Rico . Army Reserve units are part of the federal force and make their primary contribution to FORSCOM ’ s combat power by providing support specialties such as medical , civil affairs , public affairs , transportation , maintenance and supply . As such , the Reserve accounts for about 45 percent of the Army ’ s total combat service support strength and about 30 percent of the total combat support units . Many Reserve units are designated to deploy early for contingency operations worldwide . The Army National Guard provides FORSCOM a balanced force of eight National Guard combat divisions , 32 separate brigades and extensive supporting units . The current FORSCOM Army National Guard strength is about 350 , 000 Soldiers . Mobilizing the Army National Guard into active federal service would bring the total strength of FORSCOM to nearly two - thirds of the Army ’ s combat ground forces . U . S . Army Reserve Command . The U . S . Army Reserve Command ( USARC ) has approximately 191 , 000 U . S . Army Reserve Soldiers and 10 , 000 DA civilian employees . It commands all U . S . Army Reserve conventional forces in the continental U . S . and Puerto Rico . Units in the Army Reserve have a warfight focus on combat support and combat service support missions for the Total Army and include medical , legal , civil affairs , chemical warfare , transportation , engineering and military police . The USARC was established in October 1990 as a major subordinate command of the U . S . Army Forces Command ( FORSCOM ) . In September 1998 , the USARC moved from leased facilities into their headquarters building on Fort McPherson . In 2007 , the USARC transferred from reporting to FORSCOM to reporting directly to DA . Approximately 900 civilians , contractors and Soldiers work at the headquarters . The USARC provides command , control and support for all Army Reserve troop units in the continental United States . The USARC also ensures the readiness of its force and prepares more than 2 , 000 Troop Program Units under its command to mobilize in support of joint war - fighting contingencies and operations other than war . Since Sept . 11 , 2001 , the Army Reserve has mobilized approximately 185 , 000 Soldiers in support of the Global War on Terrorism . Missions throughout the world where Army Reserve Soldiers are currently providing support include Afghanistan , Iraq , Kuwait , the Balkans and Africa . The Chief , Army Reserve , Washington , D . C . , also serves as the commanding general of the U . S . Army Reserve Command . Since 2003 , the Army Reserve has taken an aggressive approach to transitioning the force from a strategic environment to an operational force . With BRAC initiatives and transformation , proposed changes will make the Army Reserve more deployable and functional in order to serve America ’ s military needs in the 21st century . Units will be functionally aligned forces that will not only benefit the Army Reserve , but the total military in terms of readiness and responsiveness to operational requirements . Within the United States , Army Reserve Soldiers are actively involved in the homeland defense antiterrorism effort while continuing to provide support to military and federal agencies following natural and man - made disasters . USARC ’ s focus is on training , readiness , mobilization support and providing federal military assistance to other federal agencies . U . S . Army Central . U . S . Army Central ( USARCENT ) is committed to supporting the objectives of US Central Command ( CENTCOM ) in some of the most volatile regions of the globe - the Middle East and South and Central Asia . In 1998 , CENTCOM assumed responsibility for Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan , in turn broadening USARCENT ’ s mission in this very important region of the world . Assigned as the Army component to CENTCOM , USARCENT is the only Army - level headquarters in the force structure today manned and ready to provide the CENTCOM with a fully deployable , warfighting command and control headquarters anywhere in the world . USARCENT is capable of commanding ground combat forces operating as a joint task force , a coalition joint task force or as an Army echelon - above - corps headquarters . During wartime , USARCENT becomes the Coalition Forces Land Component Command ( CFLCC ) , responsible for commanding all forces involved in ground operations in its area of responsibility . Since its inception in 1918 , USARCENT , once Third Army , has played major roles in America ’ s military history , serving in World Wars I and II , the Persian Gulf War and now the war on terrorism in Afghanistan , Iraq and other parts of the region . Over and over , USARCENT has demonstrated its determination , capabilities and flexibility to deter aggression in different parts of the world . USARCENT does not have a fixed force structure of assigned units . Instead , it has a central reservoir composed of both active and reserve units based throughout the United States from which it may draw forces tailored to specific situations . In short , USARCENT continually customizes packages geared to sustain operation in the region 365 days a year in support of our national security objectives and obligations , filling a vital defense need and complementing USARCENT ’ s rich heritage and proud traditions . Under the leadership of Gen . George S . Patton Jr . , USARCENT participated in eight major operations in World War II , fighting through France , Belgium , Luxembourg , Germany , Czechoslovakia and Austria . After performing Army - of - occupation duty following Germany ’ s surrender , Third Army returned to Atlanta in March 1947 . Later that year , it moved to Fort McPherson , where it remained until it inactivated Oct . 1 , 1973 . In December 1982 , Third Army was reactivated in Atlanta and assumed its current mission . Third Army once again demonstrated its flexibility and capability when it was deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 to assume its role as the senior Army headquarters under CENTCOM . At the peak of the build - up , the Third Army command oversaw more than 338 , 000 coalition forces , including 303 , 000 U . S . Army Soldiers and British and French ground forces . Third Army was responsible for deploying , receiving and sustaining all Army forces deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990 and 1991 . The headquarters developed the initial defensive plan for Saudi Arabia , and later the offensive ground plan . Following the war , Third Army supervised the relief effort to restore life support facilities in Kuwait and provided protection for Iraqi refugees in southern Iraq . Third Army headquarters returned to Fort McPherson in May 1991 . In 1992 , and again in 1993 , Third Army formed and deployed joint task forces to Kuwait in response to Iraqi threats . Since the end of Operation Desert Storm , Third Army has deployed combat forces to Southwest Asia nine times to deter aggression . USARCENT plans and executes an intensive schedule of joint and combined exercises in countries throughout the region , including the “ Intrinsic Action ” series in Kuwait and the “ Bright Star ” series in Egypt . Also , the headquarters manages the pre - positioned equipment program in this region to sustain a rapid response to future crisis . Immediately following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001 , USARCENT began preparing for its role in the Global War on Terrorism . In November 2001 , USARCENT commanded the ground forces involved in combat operations in Afghanistan to destroy al - Qaida and the Taliban government that supported and harbored terrorist networks . The headquarters turned over responsibility for the operation to the XVIII Airborne Corps in May 2002 . A few months later , USARCENT deployed again as CFLCC headquarters to Kuwait in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom to remove the Saddam Hussein regime . Much of the combat phase of this operation was viewed live around the world due to an unprecedented combination of embedded media and satellite video technology . USARCENT Soldiers continue providing support to the ongoing stability and support phase of this campaign while simultaneously preparing for the next crisis , contingency or war . After decisive combat operations , the CFLCC was designated as the Coalition Joint Task Force - Seven ( CJTF - 7 ) . On June 15 , 2003 , V Corps assumed responsibilities as the CJTF - 7 . A portion of the USARCENT / CFLCC staff remains forward deployed in Kuwait . Army Ground Forces Band . The 214th Army Band ( The Army Ground Forces Band ) was organized in 1845 in Texas as the 4th Infantry Regiment Band . Its heritage , which includes 26 campaign streamers and two awards of the French Croix de Guerre , spans the Mexican War , the American Civil War , the Spanish – American War , the Philippine – American War and both World Wars . During the Battle of Monterrey , Mexico , the band captured and turned an artillery battery against the enemy . To commemorate this distinguished service , President Zachary Taylor authorized the band to wear red piping on the uniform , making it the only Army band to receive a combat distinction from a president of the United States . The band fought with the victorious Third Division , which spearheaded the Battle of the Marne in July 1918 . Having served in Alaska during World War II , the band participated in the Aleutian Islands operatation in May 1943 . Following World War II , the 4th Infantry Regiment Band was re - designated the 214th Army Band . Since 1945 , this organization has been stationed in Fort Lewis , Wash . ; Fort Hood , Texas ; Fort Meade , Md . ; Fort Richardson , Ark . ; and Fort McPherson , Ga . . The unit was reassigned as the band for Headquarters , U . S . Army Forces Command , Fort McPherson , in 1973 . Secretary of the Army John O . Marsh Jr . conferred the special designation “ The Army Ground Forces Band ” in 1985 . U . S . Army Forces Command is charged with the combat readiness of active and reserve component Army units and the Army Ground Forces Band has been designated as the “ Musical Ambassador of the American Combat Soldier . ” The mission of the Army Ground Forces Band is to fulfill the requirements of U . S . Army Forces Command at local , national , and international events by providing musical support for military , state , recruiting and civil functions , formal concerts , and recreational activities . The Army Ground Forces Band consists of a variety of musical ensembles , including the marching band , the concert band , the Jazz Guardians , the Old Flint River Dixieland Band , the rock band “ The Loose Cannons , ” and various ceremonial and chamber ensembles . First Army . First Army is the senior military activity at Fort Gillem . First Army is one of two Continental U . S . Armies in U . S . Army Forces Command . Headquarters , First Army , is staffed by a specialized team of active Army , active Guard and Reserve Soldiers and DA civilian employees . It has an integrated command structure that includes more than 10 , 000 Active and Reserve Component ( RC ) Soldiers . First Army ’ s area of operations includes 27 states east of the Mississippi River ( including Minnesota ) , two territories ( Puerto Rico and the U . S . Virgin Islands ) and the District of Columbia . Its customer base involves support to more than 350 , 000 RC Soldiers . First Army ’ s mission centers around the three core functions of training and readiness : support , mobilization of RC forces and homeland defense . First Army enhances the combat readiness of RC Soldiers and units by providing training and readiness support . It facilitates the RC units ’ ability to execute missions throughout the full spectrum of military operations . This is done by providing observer / controller trainers and maintaining direct contact with RC units . First Army plans , prepares and executes the mobilization and deployment of RC units to provide combat - ready forces to war fighting combatant commanders . It supports presidential reserve call - ups ( such as Bosnia , Kosovo and Kuwait ) as well as full and partial mobilizations ( such as support of homeland defense ( HLD ) ) . In fulfilling this responsibility , First Army has mobilized more than 110 , 000 Army National Guard and Army Reserve troops for Operations Enduring Freedom , Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom since the September 11 attacks in 2001 . First Army conducts HLD in support of national objectives , as directed . This means First Army is the regional DoD planning agent for military support to civil authorities during a response to natural or manmade disasters . This mission directly supports the Federal Response Plan during disaster relief operations . Normally led by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and joined by 27 federal agencies , including the American Red Cross , First Army Soldiers and civilian employees are proud of their mission to assist American families during times of crisis . The size of the First Army ( and military ) response depends upon the magnitude of the event requiring military support . First U . S Army also performs two missions that , while not core functions , are significant in their importance to the Army : management of the Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army program and support to the National Boy Scout Jamboree . First Army serves as the higher headquarters for three reserve divisions ( training support ( TS ) ) : the 85th Division ( TS ) , headquartered in Arlington Heights , Ill . ; the 78th Division ( TS ) , headquartered in Edison , N . J . ; and the 87th Division ( TS ) , headquartered in Birmingham , Ala . The two important missions of training and readiness support and mobilization of RC Soldiers are accomplished through these three divisions . First Army was formed in France on Aug . 10 , 1918 , with Gen . John J . Pershing commanding . As America ’ s first numbered Army , First Army engaged in two major operations : the reduction of the St . Mihiel Salient , east of Verdun , and the Meuse - Argonne offensive , west of Verdun . After World War I and a short period of occupation in Europe , First Army was deactivated in 1919 . It was reactivated at Fort Jay , N . Y . , in 1933 . On D - Day , June 6 , 1944 , with Gen . Omar N . Bradley commanding , First Army troops landed on Omaha and Utah beaches in Normandy . First Army established an impressive record of “ firsts ” in World War II : First on the beaches of Normandy , first to break out of the Normandy beachhead , first to enter Paris , first to break through the Siegfried Line , first to cross the Rhine River and first to meet the Russians . After World War II , First Army headquarters was located on Governor ’ s Island , N . Y . On January 1 , 1966 , First and Second Armies merged and First Army headquarters moved to Fort Meade , Md . In 1973 , First Army transitioned from an active Army - oriented organization to one dedicated to improving the readiness of reserve components . In 1983 , another reorganization took place . Second Army was reactivated at Fort Gillem and assumed responsibility for reserve component matters in seven states and two territories formerly assigned to First Army . In 1991 , Fourth U . S . Army was deactivated and its seven Midwestern states became part of First Army . In 1995 , First and Second Armies were once again consolidated and First Army moved to Fort Gillem . 52nd Explosives Ordnance Group . The wartime mission of the 52nd Explosives Ordnance Group ( EOD ) is to conduct force protection operations to defeat or lessen effects of conventional , unconventional ( nuclear , biological , chemical or improvised explosive device ) and terrorist munitions within its area of operations . Further , the group deploys , redeploys and assumes command and control of up to six ordnance battalions in a theater of operations , supporting the theater commander . At Fort Gillem , the group headquarters commands and controls four battalion headquarters and 39 companies geographically separated throughout the United States . The group also runs the U . S . Army Very Important Persons Protective Service Agency , responsible for joint service coordination and tasking of EOD support to the U . S . Secret Service and the U . S . State Department . Military Entrance Processing Station . The Atlanta Military Entrance Processing Station ( MEPS ) is one of a network of 65 MEPS located nationwide and in Puerto Rico . The United States Military Entrance Processing Command ( USMEPCOM ) is a joint DoD agency staffed with personnel from all military services that reports directly to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy . Although it is a separate DoD agency , USMEPCOM comprises two geographical sectors and staffed with personnel from all military services . The mission of USMEPCOM and the Atlanta MEPS is to process individuals for enlistment or induction into the armed services based on DoD - approved peacetime and mobilization standards . The Atlanta MEPS performs state - of - the - art testing , medical evaluation and processing for individuals wishing to enter military service . The three primary areas to be considered in determining an applicant ’ s qualifications for enlistment are aptitude for militaryservice , physical qualifications and background evaluation screening . For reasons ranging from adventurism to educational benefits , almost 7 , 000 young men and women from the Atlanta area were qualified for entry into the five military services through the Atlanta MEPS in fiscal year 2007 . In most cases , the term of enlistment in the military service includes specialized job training . When these young men and women complete their service obligation , they return to their local community with valuable skills , disciplined work ethics and on - the - job experience . The current location for the Atlanta MEPS was designed and built specifically for use by the MEPS . With an approximate construction cost of $ 3 . 7 million , groundbreaking for the new facility was held August 14 , 1997 . Personnel from the MEPS began processing applicants from this facility August 30 , 1999 . The normal tour of duty for military personnel assigned to the station is three years . All personnel assigned to the MEPS have the primary mission of assisting each branch of the military in processing personnel for duty in the U . S . Armed Forces . The Atlanta MEPS has enlistment responsibility for 95 counties in Georgia , including 316 high schools and five strategically located Military Examination Test ( MET ) sites . Aside from the MEPS located at Fort Gillem , the five MET sites in the state of Georgia area offer aptitude testing to applicants near their homes , which eliminates unnecessary applicant travel . Those sites are located in Athens , Columbus , Dobbins Air Reserve Base , Macon and Robins Air Force Base . As with any business , the Atlanta MEPS has considerable operating overhead which directly benefits the local business community . The Atlanta MEPS ’ paid contracts and services during the fiscal year 2007 were more than $ 4 million . Headquarters , 3d Military Police Group ( CID ) . The 3d Military Police Group ( Criminal Investigation Division ) ( 3d MP Group ( CID ) ) is a tactical headquarters located at Fort Gillem . The mission of the 3d MP Group ( CID ) and its four organic battalions is to provide a full range of criminal investigative support and services for commanders , installations and other areas of Army interest in the 28 states east of the Mississippi , the District of Columbia , Puerto Rico , Central and South America and the Caribbean . It also is responsible for providing criminal investigative support to all Army interests within the United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM ) area of responsibility ( AOR ) . USCENTCOM ’ s AOR comprises the 25 countries in Southwest Asia ( Northern Red Sea Region , South and Central Asia , Arabian Peninsula , Iraq and the Horn of Africa ) . Investigative support to this operational theater includes : criminal investigations of felony crimes , logistical security , criminal intelligence assessments , personal security protection for DoD officials and visiting foreign dignitaries , force protection and safeguarding of critical resources in peacetime , combat and contingency operations . The group also works with other federal , state and local law enforcement agencies and uses the latest equipment , systems and investigative techniques . The 3d MP Group ( CID ) is organized into a command group and seven staff divisions , including personnel and administration , operations , logistics , resource management , staff judge advocate , information management and Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment . The group exercises command and control of 35 subordinate units . These units support key Army field elements , including : XVIII Airborne Division , Fort Bragg , N . C . ; the 101st Air Assault Division | 101st Air Assault Division ( Light ) , Fort Campbell , Ky . ; the Third Infantry Division , Fort Stewart ; the 10th Mountain Division ( Light ) , Fort Drum , N . Y . ; and Third Army ( ARCENT ) . The 3d MP Group ( CID ) is also responsible for providing support for various major commands in their area , including : DA , U . S . Army Forces Command , U . S . Army Training and Doctrine Command , U . S . Central Command , U . S . Southern Command , U . S . Joint Forces Command and U . S . Special Operations Command . U . S . Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory . The US Army Criminal Investigation Command ( USACIL ) provides forensic laboratory services to DoD investigative agencies and other federal law enforcement agencies . USACIL also operates an Army school to train forensic laboratory examiners and manages the U . S . Criminal Investigation Command criminalistics program . USACIL is the DoD forensic laboratory with the most extensive range of capabilities to support all defense criminal investigation organizations worldwide . The laboratory is equipped for analysis in multiple forensic disciplines . USACIL performs forensic analysis in support of criminal investigations in the laboratory , at crime scenes or deployed into combat theaters . USACIL examiners routinely present expert testimony in criminal trials around the globe . From 2007 - 2011 , the lab underwent scrutiny for a series of instances of personnel misconduct and allegations of poor investigative work . Southeastern Army Reserve Intelligence Support Center . The Southeastern Army Reserve Intelligence Support Center ( Language Lab ) at Fort Gillem provides battle - focused intelligence training support to improve reserve component technical intelligence skills , proficiency and readiness . The center augments the total force ’ s intelligence and linguistic capabilities and supports multi - service reserve component intelligence personnel and units in satisfying requirements of warfighters and national intelligence agencies . United States Army 2nd Recruiting Brigade . The U . S . Army 2nd Recruiting Brigade , headquartered at Fort Gillem , directs the efforts of nine recruiting battalions located throughout the southeastern United States . The battalions under the U . S . Army 2nd Recruiting Brigade are located in Smyrna , Ga . ; Columbia , S . C . ; Jackson , Miss . ; Jacksonville , Fla . ; Miami , Fla . ; Tampa , Fla . ; Montgomery , Ala . ; Nashville , Tenn . ; and Raleigh , N . C . Headquarters functions include command management , administration , operations , liaison , program budget and accounting logistics , advertising and public affairs for operation of the brigade headquarters and its recruiting battalions . Atlanta Distribution Center — Army and Air Force Exchange Service . The Army and Air Force Exchange Service Atlanta Distribution Center ( ADC ) mission is twofold : to receive , store and distribute retail , cost , food and expense merchandise to primary customers in the Southeastern United States and to receive , store and distribute specialized merchandise — music , video , jewelry , military clothing , catalog , books and magazines — to customers worldwide . The ADC completed construction of a facility next to four existing buildings at Fort Gillem in the spring of 1999 , making it one of the most modern facilities of its kind . U . S . Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine . The U . S . Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine ( USACHPPM ) mission is to provide worldwide health promotion and preventive medicine leadership and services to identify , assess and counter environmental , occupational and disease threats to the health , fitness and readiness of America ’ s Army , the Army community and the Army civilian workforce . The unit ’ s lineage can be traced back over 50 years to the Army Industrial Hygiene Laboratory , established at the beginning of World War II and , under the direct jurisdiction of The Army Surgeon General , conducted occupational health surveys of Army - operated industrial plants , arsenals and depots . These surveys were aimed at identifying and eliminating occupational health hazards within the DoD ’ s industrial production base and proved to be of great benefit to the nation ’ s war effort . The more than 1 , 000 - person USACHPPM team is a linchpin of medical support to combat forces and of the military managed - care system . It provides worldwide scientific expertise and services in clinical and field preventive medicine , environmental and occupational health , health promotion and wellness , epidemiology and disease surveillance , toxicology and related laboratory sciences . Professional disciplines represented include chemists , physicists , engineers , physicians , optometrists , epidemiologists , audiologists , nurses , industrial hygienists , toxicologists and entomologists , as well as sub - specialties within these professions . The USACHPPM headquarters is located at the South Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground , Md . Five regional subordinate commands are located at Fort George G . Meade , Md . ; Fort Lewis , Wash . ; Landstuhl , Germany ; Camp Zama , Japan ; and Fort McPherson , Ga . Located in Building 180 on Fort McPherson , USACHPPM - South is responsible for providing preventive medicine services and training to the southeast region of the continental U . S . The unit consists of five divisions : entomological sciences , field preventive medicine , industrial hygiene , quality management support and environmental health engineering . USACHPPM - South can request additional support in other , more specialized areas from its headquarters to support its regional customers . USACHPPM - South is in the process of relocating to Fort Sam Houston , Texas , and expects to complete this move by September 30 , 2009 . At Fort Sam Houston , USACHPPM - South will continue to provide “ cutting edge ” public health services to all DoD entities ( both active and reserve components ) in the southeast region of the continental United States . History of Fort McPherson . Origins . Situated on and located four miles ( 6 km ) southwest of the center of Atlanta , Fort McPherson is rich in military tradition as an Army post dating back to 1867 . It was during that year that a post was established in west Atlanta on the grounds where Spelman College is now located . Between the years 1867 and 1881 , the post was garrisoned in turn by elements of the 2nd , 16th and 18th U . S . Infantry Regiments and the 5th Artillery . Their mission was to enforce Union regulations during the reconstruction period following the Civil War . In October 1881 , Secretary of War Robert T . Lincoln directed that the lease of the site be surrendered and the buildings sold at public auction . In compliance with this directive , McPherson Barracks was abandoned by U . S . troops Dec . 8 , 1881 . Part of the site was purchased by the American Baptist Missionary Society for use by the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary , which later became Spelman College . The U . S . Treasury realized $ 17 , 264 . 40 from the sale of the buildings . March 3 , 1885 , Congress passed the Sundry Civil Bill , which contained an initial sum of $ 15 , 000 for the purchase of land and the erection of a 10 - company post . The task of site selection went to Maj . Gen . Winfield Scott Hancock , commanding general of the Division of the Atlantic . Five tracts of land amounting to were purchased in September 1885 . Capt . Joshua W . Jacobs , assistant quartermaster , was responsible for developing and implementing the first master plan for the post . That same year , Maj . Gen . John A . Schofield , chief of staff , suggested the new post be formally named in honor of Maj . Gen . James Birdseye McPherson . During the Civil War , McPherson participated in the Battles of Jackson and Vicksburg earning promotion to brigadier general . In 1864 he was in command of one of the Three Armies under the Major General William T . Sherman ' s Miliitary Division of the Missippi . He was killed while on a reconnaissance patrol during the Battle of Atlanta July 22 , 1864 . He is the highest ranking officer to have been killed by position in the history of the United States , He commanded the Union Army of the Tennessee . US Army Engineers built a monument to him on the site he was killed in 1888 , in East Atlanta and maintained to this day by the Sons of Union Veterans of the American Civil War , SUVCW . During the Spanish - American War , Fort McPherson served as a general hospital and as a recruit training center for nearly 20 , 000 men . Barracks were filled to overflowing and emergency tents were set up . It later became a prisoner of war ( POW ) facility , and by the end of July 1898 , 16 Spanish Army prisoners were incarcerated in what is now the Post Chapel . World War I . During World War I , Fort McPherson was selected to be an internment camp for German POWs ; a base hospital , General Hospital No . 6 ; and the site of an officers ’ training camp . Immediately to the west of the post , across Campbellton Road , a war prison barracks was established to confine German POWs . The prison camp reached a peak population of 1 , 411 in July 1918 . The secretary of war directed that the permanent barracks of Fort McPherson be made available for general or base hospital use June 23 , 1917 . The command of the post was turned over to the ranking medical officer and Fort McPherson transformed itself into a general hospital with a capacity of nearly 2 , 400 beds . It is estimated that more than 10 , 000 patients were admitted from August 1917 until December 1918 . Fort McPherson served as the headquarters for the IV Corps Area from 1920 until 1923 and 1927 until 1934 . In the 1930s , the post hospital was greatly expanded to serve as a rehabilitation center and the post served as the headquarters for District B of the Civilian Conservation Corps . World War II . With the passage of the 1940 Selective Service Act and the outbreak of World War II , Fort McPherson activities were greatly expanded . In addition to serving as a general depot , a reception center was established to process thousands of men for entry into the service and the post again served as a major hospital center . In August 1945 , as World War II ended , the United States War Department reversed the flow of work at the induction center . Fort McPherson became a separation center for almost 200 , 000 Soldiers and processed countless others for reassignment . Today , historic Fort McPherson is home to U . S . Army Forces Command ; U . S . Army Central the U . S . Army Reserve Command and the Installation Management Command , Southeast Region . Historic buildings . The historic district of the post sits on of land . The 40 buildings that comprise the historic district are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Some of those buildings and their histories are : Hodges Hall . Hodges Hall , ( Building 65 ) the post headquarters , was built in 1904 as a double barracks at a cost of $ 55 , 000 . It has a distinctive horseshoe shape and is a departure from the interval between the other barracks . This building is named in honor of Gen . Courtney Hodges , commander of Third United States Army and First United States Army during World War II . Today , this facility houses the offices of the garrison commander and staff . Troop Row . Construction of Troop Row began in 1889 at the east end with Building 56 . All of the buildings are double barracks except Building 60 , in the center , which is a triple barracks . The average cost of these buildings was $ 26 , 000 . The Audie Murphy Barracks Complex opened in 1998 , replacing the use of the barracks . The Troop Row barracks have been converted to office space . Post Chapel . The chapel ( Building 42 ) was built between 1886 and 1889 as the post guardhouse . During the Spanish - American War , this building served as a place of confinement for 16 POWs . In 1921 , pews , 11 stained - glass windows and four stained - glass transoms were added to the structure when it was converted into a chapel . Hospital . The original post hospital , General Hospital No . 6 ( Buildings 170 and 171 ) , was built between 1886 and 1889 at a cost of $ 11 , 414 . During World War I , the hospital was so important that the senior ranking medical officer commanded the post . Between August 1917 and December 1918 , more than 10 , 000 Soldiers were admitted . During both world wars , many of the surrounding buildings , including Troop Row , were used as hospital wards . In 1977 , the hospital became a clinic and the majority of the building was converted to administrative space . In January 1998 , the Lawrence Joel United States Army Health and Dental Clinic was dedicated and opened in Building 125 . Building 170 and 171 house Installation Management Command , Southeast Region , headquarters . Public safety . Construction was completed on Buildings 100 , 101 and 102 in 1898 , 1893 and 1889 , respectively . The first two were storehouses for the commissary and the quartermaster , while Building 102 was the post bakery . The bakery contained three rooms and two ovens to bake bread . At one time , tokens were used , evidently as a means of ration control . These small tokens were redeemable for one loaf of bread . Today , these buildings are used by the Office of Public Safety , which houses the Chief , Directorate of Emergency Services and his staff . Chapel Center . Construction was completed on this facility ( Building 51 ) in 1893 at a reported cost of $ 13 , 000 . The main floor provided rooms for the officer and sergeant of the guard , the noncommissioned officers of the guard force and the members of the guard itself . Space was also provided for a prison room , with two cages for prisoners , six single cells for garrison prisoners and water closets for both the prisoners and the guards . This one - story brick building was the guardhouse and the post prison . In 1949 , it was converted to the Central Telephone Exchange for the post . Today , it houses the post chaplain and staff . Print Plant . This building ( Building 50 ) was built in 1918 as the post firehouse . It had a capacity of one truck and seven beds . The brickwork covering the old vehicle entrance in the front can still be seen under the small portico . In 1941 , it was converted into the post office and used in that capacity until December 2002 . Recreation Center ' . Built in 1918 by the Red Cross as a convalescent center for hospital patients , this building ( Building 46 ) was built in the shape of a Maltese cross . In 1919 , the building was taken over by the Army and converted into a service club . Today , it is used as office space , a meeting area and more . Pershing Hall . The original and present - day bachelor officers ’ quarters ( Building 16 ) was completed in 1904 . This facility was originally given the number 16 to incorporate the structure with the numbering system for the 19 sets of quarters on Staff Row , numbered 1 through 20 , which is the reason why there is no number 16 on Staff Row . This building was named in honor of General of the Armies of the United States John “ Blackjack ” Pershing . During his career , Pershing served as the commander - in - chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and later as the Army chief of staff . Van Horn Hall . Completed in 1889 as the original post headquarters , this two - story structure ( Building 41 ) contained office space for the commander , adjutant , sergeant major , clerks , library , mail and court martial room . In 1891 , the first rental of a telephone line to Atlanta for $ 12 . 50 a month was authorized . In 1893 , $ 17 was approved for material and labor to install electric bells and connections in the building to facilitate communication and the transaction of business in the headquarters . Thus , the first known “ intercom ” system was installed on post . This building was named in honor of Brig . Gen . Robert O . Van Horn , who served as post commander from January 1934 until August 1940 . This six - and - a - half - year period is the longest post commander ’ s tour in the installation ’ s history . In 1957 , the building became office space for the Staff Judge Advocate . Staff Row . Staff Row consists of 19 officer quarters — four single - family residences and 15 duplexes . These quarters were built from 1891 until 1910 at an average cost of $ 15 , 000 . The original concept for Staff Row was to build homes for the officers of an artillery regiment with 10 batteries . At full strength , such a unit would be authorized a colonel , a lieutenant colonel , three majors , 10 captains , 20 first lieutenants and 10 second lieutenants . The final home built on Staff Row in 1910 is currently the residence of the post commander . The small lot required that Quarters 18 also be a single - family unit . Hedekin Field . Staff Row faces the post parade ground , Hedekin Field . Originally a polo field , it is named in honor of Capt . David Drew Hedekin , an avid polo player who commanded Headquarters Company here from 1936 through 1938 . Hedekin was fatally injured while playing in a polo tournament at Fort Oglethorpe , Georgia , July 17 , 1938 . He died there July 20 , 1938 . A monument to Capt . Hedekin is located on the edge of the parade field across from Quarters 12 . Today , Hedekin Field is the site of colorful parades , retirement ceremonies and other special celebrations . Quarters 10 . Quarters 10 is the centerpiece of Staff Row . Completed in 1892 , the three - story home has - high ceilings on the first floor , - high ceilings on the second , and semicircular front windows in the turret . In 1925 , Gen . Douglas MacArthur was assigned to Fort McPherson as post commander . Since his wife refused to live in the quarters , they rented an apartment downtown near the Fox Theatre . The MacArthurs left after having spent 89 days at Fort McPherson , when he was reassigned to Baltimore . A sleeping porch was added to the back of the quarters in 1935 for President Franklin D . Roosevelt ’ s visits while he was en route to Warm Springs , Georgia . Other structures . For a short time , German POWs were held on Troop Row . In June 1917 , they constructed the war prison barracks located just west of the post between Campbellton Road and Venetian Drive . By June 1919 , 1 , 346 prisoners were interned at Fort McPherson . Many homes located west of the post were later built on the cement slab foundations left behind after the prison barracks were torn down in late 1919 . The oldest structure still in use at Fort McPherson is located on Miller Drive . Quarters 532 was built in 1887 at a cost of $ 2 , 470 . The single - family dwelling has of space . It was originally the residence of the civilian post engineer , a plumber , who was in charge of operating the water pump station . Chief Warrant Officer Ulie H . Jeffers , chief field clerk , lived in these quarters from 1923 through 1950 . This period of 27 years probably established a record for the continuous occupancy of a set of Army quarters by one individual . Today , this residence serves as officers ’ quarters . Fort McPherson because of its proximity has always been a part of East Point community , being serviced by the US Post office at East Point until 1941 when a seperate post office was established during WWII . The City of Atlanta annexed the post in 1941 except for the southern portion which remained in East Point and became the 335th Signal Command , Army Reserve Training Center and US Government Owned Warehouses . In 1964 this area was further seperated by the construciton of GA HWY 166 the Lakewood Freeway , renamed Lankford Parkway in 1975 . Natural springs are the one of headwaters for South Utoy Creek traveling to the North West to the Chattahoochee River .