Fort Belvoir
Encyclopedia
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army
installation and a census-designated place
(CDP) in Fairfax County
, Virginia
, United States
. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations. The population of Fort Belvoir was 7,100 at the 2010 census.
, the cousin and land agent of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
the proprietor
of the Northern Neck
, which once stood on land now on the base. William Fairfax purchased the property in 1738 when his cousin arranged for him to be appointed customs agent (tax collector) for the Potomac River, and William erected an elegant brick mansion overlooking the river, moving in with his family in 1740. Lord Fairfax came to America in 1747 and stayed less than year at the Belvoir estate before moving to Greenway Court. The Fairfax family lived at Belvoir for over 30 years, but eldest son (and heir) George William Fairfax sailed to England on business in 1773, never to return. The manor home was destroyed by fire in 1783. Today, the ruins of the Belvoir Mansion
and the nearby Fairfax family grave site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. William Fairfax served in the Royal Navy as a young man and all of his sons (except his eldest, George William) served in uniform, two of whom were killed in combat.
The base was founded during World War I
as Camp A. A. Humphreys, named for Andrew A. Humphreys
. The post was renamed Fort Belvoir in the 1930s to honor the historic Belvoir plantation, but the adjacent United States Army Corps of Engineers
Humphreys Engineer Center retains part of the original namesake.
Fort Belvoir was initially the home of the Army Engineer School
prior to its relocation in the 1980s to Fort Leonard Wood, in Missouri. It was also the home of the United States Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory
.
, the Defense Acquisition University
, the Defense Contract Audit Agency
, the Defense Technical Information Center
, the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
, all agencies of the United States Department of Defense
.
Fort Belvoir is home to the Virginia National Guard's 29th Infantry Division (Light) and elements of ten Army Major Commands; nineteen different agencies and direct reporting units of the Department of Army; eight elements of the United States Army Reserve
and the Army National Guard
; and twenty-six Department of Defense
agencies. Also located here are the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)
, the Military District of Washington's 12th Aviation Battalion which provides rotary-wing movement to the DoD and Congress, a Marine Corps
detachment
, a United States Air Force
activity, United States Army Audit Agency, and an agency from the Department of the Treasury
. In addition, Fort Belvoir is home to NRO
's Aerospace Data Facility, East (ADF-E).
All major Washington, DC-area NGA
facilities, including those in Bethesda, MD; Reston, VA; and Washington, DC will eventually be consolidated at a new facility to be constructed. This new facility, called the NGA Campus East at this stage, will be massive, housing several thousand people and will be situated on the former Engineer Proving Ground site near Fort Belvoir. The cost of the new center, as of March 2009, is expected to be $2.4 billion. The center's campus is 2400000 square feet (222,967.3 m²) and is scheduled for completion in September 2011.
The expansion of the base is a source of significant controversy between the Army and the local government as Fort Belvoir is located in heavily suburban Northern Virginia
. The largest concern for local officials and residents is an increase in the traffic that the expansion of the post would cause. There is a potential traffic problem because the post is located on a heavily-trafficked U.S. Route 1
corridor. Recent points of controversy include the location of the planned US Army Museum.
. Nearby CDPs are Mount Vernon, Virginia
(northeast) and Franconia, Virginia
(northwest). As of the census
of 2000, there were 7,176 people, 1,904 households, and 1,867 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 314.1/km² (813.7/sq mi). There were 2,056 housing units at an average density of 90.0/km² (233.1/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 55.7% White, 31.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 5.1% from other races
, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.5% of the population.
There were 1,904 households out of which 84.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.3% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.9% were non-families. 1.7% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.66 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 44.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 41.3% from 25 to 44, 3.9% from 45 to 64, and 0.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,592, and the median income for a family was $39,107. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $25,817 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $12,453. About 4.7% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
installation and a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations. The population of Fort Belvoir was 7,100 at the 2010 census.
History
The Fort Belvoir site was originally the home of William FairfaxWilliam Fairfax
William Fairfax was a political appointee of the English Crown and a politician: he was Collector of Customs in Barbados, and Chief Justice and governor of the Bahamas; he served as Customs agent in Marblehead, Massachusetts before being reassigned to the Virginia colony. There he was elected to...
, the cousin and land agent of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and of Catherine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway....
the proprietor
Proprietary colony
A proprietary colony was a colony in which one or more individuals, usually land owners, remaining subject to their parent state's sanctions, retained rights that are today regarded as the privilege of the state, and in all cases eventually became so....
of the Northern Neck
Northern Neck
The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This peninsula is bounded by the Potomac River on the north and the Rappahannock River on the south. It encompasses the following Virginia counties: Lancaster,...
, which once stood on land now on the base. William Fairfax purchased the property in 1738 when his cousin arranged for him to be appointed customs agent (tax collector) for the Potomac River, and William erected an elegant brick mansion overlooking the river, moving in with his family in 1740. Lord Fairfax came to America in 1747 and stayed less than year at the Belvoir estate before moving to Greenway Court. The Fairfax family lived at Belvoir for over 30 years, but eldest son (and heir) George William Fairfax sailed to England on business in 1773, never to return. The manor home was destroyed by fire in 1783. Today, the ruins of the Belvoir Mansion
Belvoir (plantation)
Belvoir was the historic plantation and estate of colonial Virginia's prominent William Fairfax family. It was situated on the west bank of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia at the present site of Fort Belvoir. The main house — called Belvoir Manor or Belvoir Mansion — burnt in 1783...
and the nearby Fairfax family grave site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. William Fairfax served in the Royal Navy as a young man and all of his sons (except his eldest, George William) served in uniform, two of whom were killed in combat.
The base was founded during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as Camp A. A. Humphreys, named for Andrew A. Humphreys
Andrew A. Humphreys
Andrew Atkinson Humphreys , was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union General in the American Civil War. He served in senior positions in the Army of the Potomac, including division command, chief of staff, and corps command, and was Chief Engineer of the U.S...
. The post was renamed Fort Belvoir in the 1930s to honor the historic Belvoir plantation, but the adjacent United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
Humphreys Engineer Center retains part of the original namesake.
Fort Belvoir was initially the home of the Army Engineer School
Engineer Officer Basic Course
The Engineer Basic Officer Leader Course Phase B is located at the United States Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and is approximately seventeen weeks long and the second part of the Basic Officer Leaders Course...
prior to its relocation in the 1980s to Fort Leonard Wood, in Missouri. It was also the home of the United States Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory
United States Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory
The United States Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory was a United States Army Corps of Engineers research facility located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Among other things, it was responsible for the creation of the ERDL woodland camouflage pattern in 1948 and it established the first U.S...
.
Units and Agencies
Fort Belvoir serves as the headquarters for the Defense Logistics AgencyDefense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency is an agency in the United States Department of Defense, with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world...
, the Defense Acquisition University
Defense Acquisition University
The Defense Acquisition University is a United States military training establishment that trains and enables the 147,705 military and civilian Department of Defense personnel in the fields of acquisition, technology, and logistics, including leadership, program management and bureaucratic...
, the Defense Contract Audit Agency
Defense Contract Audit Agency
The Defense Contract Audit Agency , under the authority, direction, and control of the United States Under Secretary of Defense , is responsible for performing all contract audits for the United States Department of Defense , and providing accounting and financial advisory services regarding...
, the Defense Technical Information Center
Defense Technical Information Center
The Defense Technical Information Center is the premier repository for research and engineering information for the United States Department of Defense. DTIC's Suite of Services is available to DoD personnel, defense contractors, potential defense contractors, federal government personnel and...
, the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
The United States Army Intelligence and Security Command is a direct reporting unit that conducts intelligence, security, and information operations for U.S. Army commanders and national decision makers. INSCOM is both an organization within the United States Army and the National Security Agency,...
, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defense and is the official Combat Support Agency for countering weapons of mass destruction . DTRA's main functions are threat reduction, threat control, combat support, and technology development...
, all agencies of the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
.
Fort Belvoir is home to the Virginia National Guard's 29th Infantry Division (Light) and elements of ten Army Major Commands; nineteen different agencies and direct reporting units of the Department of Army; eight elements of the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
and the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
; and twenty-six Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
agencies. Also located here are the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)
249th Engineer Battalion (United States)
The 249th Engineer Battalion is a versatile power generation battalion assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that provides commercial-level power to military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations. Additionally, the commander serves as the Commandant of the U.S...
, the Military District of Washington's 12th Aviation Battalion which provides rotary-wing movement to the DoD and Congress, a Marine Corps
Marine corps
A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
detachment
Detachment (military)
A detachment is a military unit. It can either be detached from a larger unit for a specific function or be a permanent unit smaller than a battalion. The term is often used to refer to a unit that is assigned to a different base from the parent unit...
, a United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
activity, United States Army Audit Agency, and an agency from the Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
. In addition, Fort Belvoir is home to NRO
National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:...
's Aerospace Data Facility, East (ADF-E).
Future
As a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Fort Belvoir is expected to have a substantial increase in the number of people stationed or employed there.All major Washington, DC-area NGA
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
facilities, including those in Bethesda, MD; Reston, VA; and Washington, DC will eventually be consolidated at a new facility to be constructed. This new facility, called the NGA Campus East at this stage, will be massive, housing several thousand people and will be situated on the former Engineer Proving Ground site near Fort Belvoir. The cost of the new center, as of March 2009, is expected to be $2.4 billion. The center's campus is 2400000 square feet (222,967.3 m²) and is scheduled for completion in September 2011.
The expansion of the base is a source of significant controversy between the Army and the local government as Fort Belvoir is located in heavily suburban Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
. The largest concern for local officials and residents is an increase in the traffic that the expansion of the post would cause. There is a potential traffic problem because the post is located on a heavily-trafficked U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
corridor. Recent points of controversy include the location of the planned US Army Museum.
Demographics
Fort Belvoir is also a Census-designated placeCensus-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
. Nearby CDPs are Mount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Fort Belvoir , Groveton, Virginia and Hybla Valley, Virginia , and Fort Hunt, Virginia...
(northeast) and Franconia, Virginia
Franconia, Virginia
Franconia is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 18,245 at the 2010 census, down from 31,907 in 2000 due to the splitting off of part of it to form Kingstowne CDP....
(northwest). As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,176 people, 1,904 households, and 1,867 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 314.1/km² (813.7/sq mi). There were 2,056 housing units at an average density of 90.0/km² (233.1/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 55.7% White, 31.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 5.1% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.5% of the population.
There were 1,904 households out of which 84.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.9% were non-families. 1.7% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.66 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 44.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 41.3% from 25 to 44, 3.9% from 45 to 64, and 0.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,592, and the median income for a family was $39,107. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $25,817 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $12,453. About 4.7% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
See also
- Army Gas SchoolArmy Gas SchoolThe United States Army Gas School was established during World War I at Camp A.A. Humphreys in Virginia. The first courses began in May 1918 and the school was designed to instruct commissioned and noncommissioned officers in chemical warfare.-History:...
- National Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyNational Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyThe National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
- National Reconnaissance OfficeNational Reconnaissance OfficeThe National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:...
- Accotink Bay Wildlife RefugeAccotink Bay Wildlife RefugeAccotink Bay Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve on the grounds of Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Several other parks, including Mason Neck Park, Pohick Bay Regional Park, and the Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge are located nearby....
- 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)249th Engineer Battalion (United States)The 249th Engineer Battalion is a versatile power generation battalion assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that provides commercial-level power to military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations. Additionally, the commander serves as the Commandant of the U.S...
- 911th Engineer Company (Technical Rescue)
- Military District of WashingtonMilitary District of WashingtonThe United States Army Military District of Washington is one of nineteen major commands of the United States Army. Its headquarters are located at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C...
- Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation and Testing Activity
- Intelligence and Security Command
- DeWitt Army Community HospitalDeWitt Army Community HospitalFort Belvoir Community Hospital is a U.S. Army hospital located on Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia. The hospital opened in 2011 and replaced the DeWitt Army Community Hospital....
- Belvoir Federal Credit UnionBelvoir Federal Credit UnionBelvoir Federal Credit Union or Belvoir Federal was organized in 1946 by employees of the Engineering Center on Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Since that time, Belvoir Federal has expanded to serve the entire Fort Belvoir community and several Select Employee Groups...
- SM-1SM-1SM-1 is a 2 MWe nuclear reactor developed for The US Army Nuclear Power Program . It was located at Fort Belvoir, VA, and achieved first criticality in 1957 It was the first US nuclear power plant to be connected to an electrical grid.It was decommissioned in 1973....
(former nuclear reactor)