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27-583: Fort Custer occupies land in both Kalamazoo County, Michigan , to the west and Calhoun County, Michigan , to the east. Most Fort facilities are located north or south of M-96 about four miles (6.4 km) west of Battle Creek, Michigan , in Calhoun County , and two miles (3.2 km) east of Augusta, Michigan , in Kalamazoo County . This locates the Fort about 14 miles (23 km) east of

54-449: A 200-acre (0.81 km) working farm for vocational therapy The 3,000-acre (12 km) Fort Custer Recreation Area is a state park adjoining the Fort, donated from base land in 1971. It includes 22 miles (35 km) of hiking trails, 20 miles (32 km) of mountain bike trails and 16 miles (26 km) of bridle trails . There is cross-country skiing in the winter. Mini cabins and rustic cabins are available for rent. The park

81-560: A decade as part of the North American Air Defense system. In 1968, the state of Michigan took over operation of the base although it remains federally owned. Fort Custer's facilities are used by the Michigan National Guard and other branches of the armed forces (including ROTC students), primarily from Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. The 177th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Augusta Armory and

108-467: Is currently being looked at as the location of a proposed Eastern United States missile defense site . The U.S. Navy Reserve 's Navy Operational Support Center Battle Creek is located in the northeast portion of the facility. It provides administrative, training, and medical support to 270 Michigan and Indiana reserve Sailors in 13 units and is staffed by 14 Full-Time Support Sailors. Established during World War I and greatly expanded during World War II,

135-606: Is just east of Augusta on M-96 . Battle Creek Unlimited built Fort Custer industrial park containing over ninety businesses which provide over 8,000 jobs. It was developed on base land in the 1970s and lies between the Fort Custer Military Reserve and W. K. Kellogg Airport (civilian and Air National Guard). Goods produced include shopping carts , noodles , fiber optic , traffic signals , automotive parts , water purification pumps , and instruments for microscopic study of surgical specimens. A master plan

162-427: Is located north of M-96 in Kalamazoo County , about two miles east of Augusta, Michigan , at 15501 Dickman Rd., Augusta, Michigan Fort Custer Recreation Area is located on the south side of M-96 in Kalamazoo County , at 5163 Fort Custer Dr., Augusta, Michigan 49012. Camp Custer was built in 1917 for military training during World War I . Named after Civil War cavalry officer General George Armstrong Custer ,

189-419: The 2010 United States Census , there were 250,331 people living in the county. 80.1% were non-Hispanic White , 11.1% Black or African American , 2.2% Asian , 0.5% Native American , and 3.0% of two or more races . 4.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). As of the 2000 United States Census , there were 238,603 people, 93,479 households, and 57,956 families living in the county. The population density

216-516: The Civilian Conservation Corps . On August 17, 1940, Camp Custer was designated Fort Custer and became a permanent military training base. During World War II , the post had an area of 16,005 Acres, and Quarters for 1,279 Officers and 27,553 Enlisted Personnel. More than 300,000 troops trained there, including the 5th Infantry Division (also known as the "Red Diamond Division") which was sent to Iceland in 1942 to protect

243-609: The North Atlantic convoy routes, and in 1944 landed in France shortly after D-Day. The division saw much combat and sustained heavy casualties, particularly at the Battle of Metz . In 1943, Fort Custer was the activation point for many Army inductees from Chicago, Illinois and other parts of the midwest. New troops received their equipment before being sent by train to Basic Training or other duty assignments. The primary purpose of

270-881: The Regional Maintenance Training Site are based at Fort Custer. Additionally FBI, the Michigan State Police, and other law enforcement agencies have used the area. Fort Custer offers a distance learning center, barracks and dining facilities for visiting units, and plenty of training areas. The small arms ranges are recently upgraded and the maneuver training areas offer a variety of terrain. ROTC cadets use Fort Custer for their bi-annual CFTXs (Combined Field Training Exercises). These exercises consist of day and night land navigation, and Situational Tactical Exercise (STX) lanes. Cadets are placed into squads with other cadets from different schools, and graded on their performances. Fort Custer

297-781: The United States. As of January 2014 four sites were shortlisted - SERE Remote Training Site in Maine ( Rangeley ), Fort Drum in New York , Camp James A. Garfield in Ohio , and Fort Custer Training Center in Michigan . Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Vermont was dropped from consideration in late 2013. In June 2019, Fort Drum in New York was chosen as the location for the potential missile defense site. In January 2014

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324-407: The age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.00% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00. The county population contained 24.10% under

351-469: The age of 18, 15.20% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 42,022, and the median income for a family was $ 53,953. Males had a median income of $ 39,611 versus $ 27,965 for females. The per capita income for

378-782: The base reached a size of over 14,000 acres (57 km). After the wars, the size of the base was reduced. In 1923, 675 acres (2.73 km) were transferred for the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs hospital. The hospital received casualties from Europe. During and immediately following WWII, the Fort Custer Veterans Affairs Hospital served primarily for the in-patient medical care and therapy of amputees. WWII war veteran amputees living in Michigan refused to return to Fort Custer for any reason, as they continued to have nightmares of

405-601: The camp was to function as a Military Police Replacement Training Center. Fort Custer also served as a prisoner of war camp for 5,000 German soldiers until 1945. Fort Custer became home to units of the Navy Reserve in 1949 and to a Marine Corps Reserve Tactical Bridge Company in 1952. Also during that time, approximately 17,000 troops were trained for the Korean War and Fort Custer served as an induction center for draftees. Beginning in 1959, Fort Custer served for

432-426: The cemetery had 11,955 total burials. During FY 1999 (Oct 98-Sept 99) there were 1,112 burials. The VA estimates Fort Custer National Cemetery has sufficient space to continue providing full casket gravesites beyond the year 2030. Kalamazoo County, Michigan Kalamazoo County ( / ˌ k æ l ə m ə ˈ z uː / KAL -ə-mə- ZOO ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of 2020 ,

459-517: The county has voted Democratic in every presidential election (through 2024). It swung particularly heavily to the Democrats after 2008, following the trend in most urban counties across the country. Even as Michigan trended Republican in 2016, Kalamazoo County voted for Democratic candidate to a similar level as in recent years. The county government operates the jail , provides law enforcement in unincorporated areas, maintains rural roads, operates

486-539: The county was $ 21,739. About 6.50% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over. Kalamazoo County was a bastion of the Republican Party following the Civil War. From 1884 through 1988, voters selected the Republican Party presidential nominee all but three times–in 1912, 1936 and 1964. However, starting in 1992

513-601: The facility trained or demobilized more than 100,000 troops during World War I, including 5,000 for Polar Bear Expedition as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War . The camp was first designed and built by civil engineer Samuel Arnold Greeley in just a few months to handle 35,000 men. In the years following World War I, the camp was used to train the Officer Reserve Corps and

540-511: The hospital; they spoke of tracks along the ceilings of the buildings as well as the long hallways that linked the various hospital buildings together, and of all the amputees sitting on slings suspended from the ceiling tracks as they were pushed from room to room and building to building. The Fort Custer Veterans Affairs Hospital is best known today for providing out-patient and, more particularly, in-patient care for male and female veterans with Post Traumatic Stress. The extensive grounds included

567-446: The major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records , administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions—fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc.—are

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594-476: The population was 261,670. The county seat is Kalamazoo . Kalamazoo County is included in the Kalamazoo– Portage , MI Metropolitan Statistical Area . Kalamazoo County was organized in 1830, although its set off date is unknown. The village of Kalamazoo (then known as Bronson) was made the county seat in 1831. The name purportedly means "the mirage or reflecting river" and the original Indian name

621-411: The responsibility of individual cities and townships. (information current as of October 2022 ) 42°14′N 85°32′W  /  42.24°N 85.53°W  / 42.24; -85.53 Proposed Eastern United States missile defense site The Proposed Eastern United States missile defense site is a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense site that may be built in the eastern half of

648-533: The town of Kalamazoo, Michigan , and mostly south of M-96, and divided east–west by the Kalamazoo and Calhoun county line that runs north and south. The current Fort Custer Training Center is located south of M-96 and mostly east of the county line at 2501 26th St., Battle Creek, Michigan 49037. The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is located north of M-96 in northwest Calhoun County at 5500 Armstrong Rd., Battle Creek, Michigan 49037. Fort Custer National Cemetery

675-414: Was "Kikalamazoo". See, Etymology of Kalamazoo for detail on the origin of the name. See also, List of Michigan county name etymologies . Kalamazoo County does not have a county flag. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km ), of which 562 square miles (1,460 km ) is land and 19 square miles (49 km ) (3.2%) is water. As of

702-676: Was 425 inhabitants per square mile (164/km ). There were 99,250 housing units at an average density of 177 per square mile (68/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 84.57% White , 9.73% Black or African American , 0.41% Native American , 1.83% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 1.27% from other races , and 2.15% from two or more races. 2.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.3% were of German , 11.5% Dutch , 10.3% English , 8.4% Irish and 7.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 93.7% spoke English and 2.8% Spanish as their first language. There were 93,479 households, out of which 30.40% had children under

729-564: Was developed and implemented. "The charge to retain, develop and attract employers led to resounding success in Fort Custer Industrial Park, at 3,000 acres the largest modern industrial park in Michigan." The 770-acre (3.1 km) Fort Custer National Cemetery lies on land from Fort Custer and the VA Medical Center. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs indicates that as of September 30, 1999,

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