FORT RUCKER: IN-DEPTH WELCOME CENTER

Introduction

Welcome to the home of Army Aviation! Fort Rucker is a great place to live and work that operates much like any hometown. After all, this post is virtually a small city with approximately 5,000 active duty personnel, another 10,000 civilian personnel, and around 3,000 family members living on the installation. Fort Rucker covers about 63,000 acres of southeast Alabama countryside in an area known as the Wiregrass, named for a wild grass peculiar to the region. Much of the main post is in Dale County, with the remaining government-owned and leased acreage in Coffee, Geneva, and Houston counties. Fort Rucker, named U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence in 2008, serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Army Aviation. The U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence also hosts various Army tenant organizations. Continue reading for an in-depth guide to help aid you in your transition to living and working on Fort Rucker.

1. Where Is Fort Rucker?
2. Google Map View
3. Getting There – Directions to the Post
4. Entering Fort Rucker and Post Amenities
   • Check-in Procedures for Incoming Personnel
   • Fort Rucker Visitor Center
   • Fort Rucker DEERS Office
   • Fort Rucker Gate Hours
   • Fort Rucker Commissary
   • Fort Rucker Exchange
   • Fort Rucker Barber Shops
   • Fort Rucker Post Office
   • Fort Rucker Finance Office
   • Fort Rucker Legal Office
   • Fort Rucker Library
   • Fort Rucker Hotels
5. Where Should I Live Near Fort Rucker?
6. What Schools are Near Fort Rucker?
7. What’s the Weather Like in Fort Rucker?
8. Things to Do Near Fort Rucker

Where Is Fort Rucker?

Fort Rucker Visitor Center

84 Daleville Ave. Daleville, AL 36322

Phone:

1 (334) 255-0404

Fort Rucker Map

Fort Rucker Directions

If you don’t yet have a DOD-issued identification, you will be subject to a background check before you’re allowed to enter Fort Rucker. Click here to learn more about where to go.

Driving Directions

From Dothan Regional Airport

1. If you drive from the airport, you will take Airport Drive to Flightline Drive.
2. From there, take a sharp right onto Cade Street and turn left at the first cross street onto South Atlantic St.
3. Turn right onto Headquarters Street and left onto Lee Street until you reach Napier Field Road.
4. Continue onto U.S. Highway 231 North for 3 miles until County Road 14 in Pinckard.
5. Turn left onto King Street and merge onto AL-123 North.
6. Turn left onto AL-134 and continue for 7 miles until you hit Daleville where you will take AL-85 North/Daleville Avenue and follow the signs for Fort Rucker.

Fort Rucker Amtrak Station

The nearest Amtrak stop to Fort Rucker is in Montgomery, roughly 90 miles away. Alternatively, you could take a Greyhound bus from Orlando, Atlanta, and most major cities to Dothan.

Flights to Fort Rucker, AL

The closest airport to Fort Rucker is Dothan Regional Airport. It’s a busy airport in terms of takeoffs and landings with 90,000 aircraft operational annually, more than half involving soldier training. Approximately 80,000 commercial air passengers pass through these gates, connecting through Atlanta to destinations all over the world.

Fort Rucker Transportation Office

5700 Novosel St., Room 270 Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 255-9842

Fort Rucker Transportation Office Hours

• Monday -

  0730 to 0415

• Tuesday -

  0800 to 0415

• Wednesday through Friday -

  0730 to 0415

Entering Fort Rucker and Post Amenities

Check-in Procedures for Incoming Personnel

All permanent party Soldiers that are assigned to Fort Rucker are required to bring their original individual flight record folder with a CAFRS. PCS electronic flight records file to the Student Support Division, Flight Records Section in Building 5700, Room 210 for in-processing within 14 calendar days. Inprocessing signs posted at each of the main entrances to Fort Rucker point permanent party Soldiers to the Soldier Service Center.

Student Support Division

American Red Cross Novosel Street Building 5700. Rm 373. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Fort Rucker Visitor Center

Daleville Visitor Control Center 84 Daleville Ave. Daleville, AL 36322

Phone:

1 (334) 255-0404

Daleville Visitor Control Center Hours

• Monday through Friday -

  0800 - 1600

Fort Rucker DEERS Office

The Fort Rucker DEERS Office is an appointment-based system. Appointments can be scheduled 120 days prior to card expiration and cards can be renewed prior to expiration. Walk-ins can be seen on an emergency basis only (lost CAC, PIN reset, DD Form 1172, in/out-processing and retiree card renewal). More information and appointments can be found here.

Fort Rucker DEERS Office

5700 Novosel St. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 255-2182

Fort Rucker DEERS Office Hours

• Monday through Friday - 0730 - 1615

Fort Rucker Gate Hours

There are five gates that provide access to Fort Rucker.

• Daleville Gate -

  Open 24/7. The Daleville Visitor Control Center is open 0800 to 1600 Monday through Friday.

• Enterprise Gate -

  Open 24/7.

• Ozark Gate -

  Open 24/7. The Visitor Control Center is open 0800 to 1600 Monday through Friday.

• Faulkner Gate -

  Open 0430 to 2030 Monday through Friday. Closed on weekends, DONSAs and federal holidays.

• Newton Gate -

  Open 0500 to 0700. Monday through Friday, 1300 to 1500 Monday through Friday and 0930 to 2245 Monday through Friday. Closed on weekends, DONSAs and federal holidays.

Fort Rucker Commissary

The Fort Rucker Commissary lets you save your hard-earned dollars when shopping for groceries at the commissary. In-store amenities and specialties include an ATM, a bakery, a deli, special orders for produce trays and custom cakes, bagger-less checkout and more. The commissary is open Tuesday through Friday, 0900 - 1900, Saturday 0900 - 1800 and 1000 - 1700 on Sunday.

Fort Rucker Commissary

8900 Division Road Fort Rucker, AL 36362 Phone: 1 (334) 255-6671

Fort Rucker Commissary Hours

• Monday -

  Closed

• Tuesday through Friday -

  0900 to 1900

• Saturday -

  0900 to 1800

• Sunday -

  1000 to 1700

Fort Rucker Exchange

The Fort Rucker Exchange offers a price-match program that guarantees the lowest prices in town. The exchange is open 0900 to 1900 Monday through Friday and 1030 to 1800 on Sunday.

Fort Rucker Exchange

9214 Fifth Ave. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 503-9044

Fort Rucker Exchange Hours

• Monday through Friday -

  0900 to 1900

• Saturday -

  Closed

• Sunday -

  1030 to 1800

Fort Rucker Barber Shops

There are three barber shops on post. Hours vary by location so call for more information.

Main Px Barber Shop

Phone:

1 (334) 598-4484

Ji’s Barber Shop

Phone:

1 (334) 598-5336

Barber Shop

Phone:

1 (334) 598-2498

Fort Rucker Post Office

Soldiers are not authorized to receive personal mail at the BOQ, BEQ, or any temporary quarters on Fort Rucker. The official mail center is open from 0730 to 1615 Monday through Friday and is closed on federal holidays.

Official Mail and Distribution Center

118 Sixth Ave. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 255-9313/3179/1118

Official Mail and Distribution Center Hours

• Monday through Friday -

  0730 to 1615

Fort Rucker Finance Office

The Fort Rucker Finance Office is open from 0800 to 1600 Monday through Friday. The office is home to the Financial Readiness Program. The program has accredited financial counselors to help you better understand your finances and learn about other services like the Army Emergency Relief and Education Program.

Fort Rucker Finance Office

5700 Novosel St. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 255-9798

Fort Rucker Finance Office Hours

• Monday through Friday -

  0800 to 1600

Fort Rucker Legal Office

The Fort Rucker Legal Assistance Office provides legal advice and assistance to eligible clients, including active duty, retired, and dependents with a military ID card. The office is where you want to go to get a will prepared or have other legal documents reviewed, including powers of attorney, living wills, bills of sale, simple affidavits, leases, name changes, uncontested divorces, etc. Call for hours or to make an appointment.

Fort Rucker Legal Office

5700 Novosel St., Room 320 Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 332-9673

Fort Rucker Legal Office Hours

• To make an appointment with the Legal Assistance Office, call 1 (334) 255-3482.

Fort Rucker Library

The Center Library is your one-stop shop for research, communication resources, and entertainment. The library has so much to offer: 19 high-speed computers, WiFi, copiers, study areas, scanners, special events, story time, inter-library loan services, DVDs, magazines, and tons and tons of books (audio and physical). The library is open from 1000 to 1700 Monday through Friday and 1000 to 1400 on Saturday.

Fort Rucker Library

212 Fifth Ave. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 255-3885

Hours:

• Monday - Friday -

  1000 to 1700

• Saturday -

  1000 to 1400

Fort Rucker Hotels

The Holiday Inn Express on Fort Rucker is your home away from home while you get settled into Fort Rucker. The hotel offers guests pet-friendly accommodations and a smoke-free environment. Enjoy the free continental breakfast and the complimentary shuttle. There’s a jogging track and 24-hour fitness center on site as well. The front desk is open 24/7, though check-in starts at 1600 and checkout is at 1100.

Holiday Inn Express

308 Sixth Ave. Fort Rucker, AL 36362

Phone:

1 (334) 598-5216

Where Should I Live Near Fort Rucker?

If you’re considering living on post, check out the available on-post housing options. Otherwise, read on to find out more about living off post.

Cities Near Fort Rucker

There are three main cities near Fort Rucker, and each has a gate to the installation that corresponds with the city’s name.

Daleville, AL

Daleville is considered the gateway to Fort Rucker and it’s also known as the “City of Possibilities.” Daleville has a charming small town feel with a population just over 5,100. Housing is plentiful and most residents choose to rent, with the median gross rent sitting well below the national average at $705 per month. The city might be small but there are year-round activities to offer its residents. Daleville is home to the Army Aviation Museum, one of Alabama’s top tourist attractions, and Family Fun Fest, a full carnival midway. And, if there’s not enough to do in the area, the city is just a short drive from the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Enterprise, AL

Just a short drive from the front gates of Fort Rucker, Enterprise is home to nearly 29,000 people. An average household income coupled with a low housing cost makes Enterprise an ideal place to live. The average monthly rent will set you back $850, 17% below the national average. Hard to believe that housing is so affordable in a city that’s famous for its Boll Weevil Monument. An infestation of boll weevils in 1915 caused destruction to the city’s cotton crops. Farmers planted peanuts to lessen the damage from the insect and to recoup their losses. By 1917, Coffee County was the leading producer of peanuts in the U.S. Enterprise is the only city in the world with a monument honoring an insect.

Ozark, AL

The county seat of Dale, Ozark apparently earned its name after a traveler who visited was reminded of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. The city of 14,300 was voted the most patriotic in Alabama. The title was given after Insurify Insights compared the number of military residents to the overall population. Ozark’s convenient location off state Route 231 easily connected it to Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky and the rest of the state. Or, you can take the 231 straight to Ed Lisenby Lake to hike the 3 mile pedestrian trail or catch some fish. You’ll find affordable housing in Ozark, with median rents at $629 per month, 39% below the national average.

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Fort Rucker Schools

Alabama adopted the nation’s Common Core standards in 2010, making it the 41st state to do so. The national standards ensure your children will be able to transition easily and receive a quality education in the Fort Rucker area. You’ll find a ton of elementary, intermediate, and high schools to choose from, whether that’s a public or private school. Not to mention preschools and daycare facilities for the younger kids. Whether you decide to enroll your kids in the on-post elementary school connected to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), or a school in another district, rest assured that they’ll have access to the finest education possible. And if your child requires extra help, there are a number of programs available. The on-post school liaison officer will be there to help make the tough transition to a new school easier.

Fort Rucker Weather

Look forward to hot summers and mild winters when you live and work in Fort Rucker. The humid, subtropical summer temperatures can be brutal but temperatures rarely go below freezing.

Spring

Rain falls throughout the year but spring (and specifically March) is when it’s the wettest. Rain and thunderstorms are a common occurrence at this time of year. When it’s not raining, the temperatures are pleasant, trending on the warm side. The season is ideal for outdoor recreation and entertainment.

Summer

It’s hot and muggy in southeast Alabama throughout June, July and August. Daytime temps in the summer months peak around the mid-90s and humidity can be stifling. The warmest months in the area are July and August where the average highs are in the mid-90s and the lows are in the 70s.

Fall

Rain is occasional during this season, with few rainy days. This is the time of year when it’s ideal to get out and take advantage of all of the outdoor activities. Temperatures are still on the warmer side but it’s much more pleasant than the summer months, especially in October.

Winter

As you would expect, the lowest temperatures of the year are during the winter months. Lows are found in the low 40s and the highs are usually creeping toward the mid-60s. Alabama very rarely sees snow but you can expect some rain and a lot of wind during the winter months.

Things to Do Near Fort Rucker

There are tons of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors with fishing, hiking, boating, and hunting at nearby parks and nature reserves. There are also fun annual events like the National Peanut Festival in Dothan. Although you don't have to wait for the festival to enjoy the painted peanut statues scattered around the city. Fantastic restaurants, live music, and special events are just a short drive away in Montgomery. Not to mention the recreation and entertainment options available on post thanks to Fort Rucker Family and MWR. Check out 23 of the Best Things to Do Near Fort Rucker for additional information.

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Conclusion

Fort Rucker has more to offer than meets the eye. The area is bustling with things to do and there’s, even more, to offer just a short drive away. While stationed at Fort Rucker you’ll have the opportunity to train at one of the premier Army installations while the location provides the chance to experience everything the South has to offer. Moving to a new place has its challenges but you’ll be glad to be here.  

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

 

Last Updated:

9/30/2021