Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg (renamed Fort Liberty from 2023 to 2025) is a U.S. Army military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 military personnel. Covering more than 251 square miles (650 km2), Fort Bragg is home to the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps and serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, which oversees the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) and the 75th Ranger Regiment. Additionally, it hosts the 82nd Airborne Division, United States Army Western Hemisphere Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and Womack Army Medical Center. Fort Bragg also operates two airfields: Pope Field, where the U.S. Air Force stations global airlift and special operations units, as well as the Air Force Combat Control School, and Simmons Army Airfield, which supports Army aviation units for airborne and special operations missions. The installation was originally named for Confederate general Braxton Bragg. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense renamed the installation "Fort Liberty" due to controversy surrounding memorials to Confederate leaders. In February 2025, the U.S. Army changed the name of the installation back to "Fort Bragg", but in honor of World War II paratrooper Roland L. Bragg instead of the Confederate general.