June 5, 2010: After five years of planning, the U.S. Army is moving its armored warfare center and school from Fort Knox, Kentucky to Fort Benning, Georgia. This is part of a major reorganization, which will move an infantry brigade, and the army human resources (personnel) operations to Fort Knox. The armor center and school is moving nearly 200 M-1 tanks, and a thousand other armored vehicles to Fort Benning.
Nearly 4,000 buildings were constructed during World War II, in support of armor unit training. The armor center was set up in 1940. At Fort Benning, where the infantry school and center is located, infantry and armor will be able to train together more frequently, and more effectively (with the schools for both branches being there.)
Fort Knox will still contain an army basic training center, along with the Patton Armor Museum, and the U.S. Gold Bullion Depository (containing nearly 5,000 tons of gold). This treasure will remain well protected, as the reorganization is moving thousands of engineer, aviation and reserve training troops to Knox. The 44,000 hectare (109,000 acres) base is undergoing nearly a billion dollars worth of new construction, along with the demolition of most of the remaining World War II era buildings and training facilities.
