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Fort Hamilton

ArmyNY, US

Yes, the Army Has a Base in Brooklyn, and Yes, It's Unfair

Fort Hamilton in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn — the most un-Army duty station in the entire Department of Defense, a place so unlikely that soldiers at Fort Polk would weep if they knew it existed. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is literally on post, connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island in a way that makes your morning run feel like a Nike commercial. Your AOR is all of New York City — the five boroughs, 8 million people, and every parade, dignitary visit, and ceremonial event that happens in the greatest city on Earth. The BAH is astronomical and still won't cover a parking spot in Manhattan, a studio in Park Slope, or a one-bedroom anywhere your civilian friends would consider livable. Soldiers here have the same commute as Goldman Sachs analysts, arguably a better pizza situation (Di Fara's, L&B Spumoni Gardens, and every dollar slice in existence are in your AOR), and the most surreal military experience imaginable: doing PT overlooking the Statue of Liberty, then getting on the subway in uniform while a guy in a Spider-Man costume plays saxophone. Everyone at every other post hates you.

40.6134°N, 74.0310°WNY, US

Brooklyn, NY (5 min)

|Four seasons, cold winters, hot humid summers|extreme COL

NYC military entrance processingArmy garrison in New York City

PCS Intel

Major UnitsNew York City Recruiting Battalion · Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) NYC · Fort Hamilton Garrison · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers NY District

Population~200 military, ~2,000+ civilian workforce

Nearest AirportJFK (JFK) — 30 min; LaGuardia (LGA) — 30 min; Newark (EWR) — 45 min

HousingVery limited on-post. Off-post in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst (Brooklyn) — $2,500-$4,000+/2BR. NYC rents are extreme. BAH is high but does not cover costs.

SchoolsNYC public schools vary enormously. Bay Ridge area schools decent. Specialized high schools (Stuyvesant, Bronx Science) by exam. Private schools expensive.

MedicalNo military hospital. NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, and NYC Health + Hospitals system. World-class civilian care.

Spouse EmploymentUnlimited. NYC has every job imaginable. The strongest job market in the country.

Commute / GatesTiny post in Bay Ridge — no real gate. NYC subway and bus system. Driving in NYC is not recommended.

Local AreaYou live in New York City. Bay Ridge is a diverse, family-friendly Brooklyn neighborhood with excellent restaurants (Middle Eastern, Italian, Mexican). The Verrazano Bridge is your landmark. Manhattan is a subway ride away. Every museum, restaurant, concert, and cultural experience on Earth is accessible. The trade-off is cost — NYC is the most expensive city in America and BAH falls short. But for the experience of living in NYC while in uniform, there is nothing like it.

RecreationAll of New York City — Broadway, museums, restaurants, parks · Brooklyn waterfront and Prospect Park · Coney Island and Brighton Beach · Verrazano-Narrows Bridge views · Staten Island Ferry (free) with Statue of Liberty views

The Good