Fort Sill, OK

Fort Sill, OK 73503 | Post Operator: DSN: 639-7090, (580) 442-8111

Fort Sill: Overview

Fort Sill is the home of the United States Army Field Artillery School, the United States Army Field Artillery School, the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the 75th Fires Brigade, the 214th Fires Brigade, and is one of the five sites utilized by the U.S. Army for its Basic Combat Training. The mission of this installation is to train and prepare both soldiers and marines to operate the latest artillery pieces with the utmost proficiency. In other words, due to the fact that Fort Sill delivers such an impressive curriculum, troops trained here are highly skilled at putting “steel on target.”

The history of Fort Sill began in 1869 when Major General Phillip H. Sheridan established “Camp Wichita” in an effort to prevent raids from hostile Indian tribes on settlements in the area. One of the most significant campaigns supported by Fort Sill was the Red River War of 1874 that experience the eventual surrender of a number of tribes due to the depletion of the buffalo herds. After the mission of defending the frontier had been completed, the focus of Fort Sill turned to field artillery upon the arrival of an artillery battery in 1902. The School of Fire for the Field Artillery, which is known today as the U.S. Army Field Artillery School, was established in 1911.

Fort Sill: Education

Fort Sill understands what it takes to produce the most proficient artillery professionals in the world. It takes hard work, dedication, great instructors, and a high-quality cirriculum. These same qualities can be found when attending an online school. Online schools are prefect for you, the military member, who is extremely busy, yet wants to earn a college degree. You can accomplish this goal through an online school, since you can take classes anytime, anywhere. Learn more by requesting information from a number of these schools. Start by clicking the "Find A School" button below:

Fort Sill: Location

Fort Sill is located in Comanche County in southwestern Oklahoma. Lawton is nearby and Oklahoma City is only about 90 miles to the northeast. Some of the geographical landmarks in the area include Lake Ellsworth, the Tom Steed Reservoir, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and the North Mountain Wilderness Area. Interstate 44 is easily accessed from the post. Nearby communities include Duncan, OK, Burkburnett, TX, Chickasha, OK, Wichita Falls, TX, Altus, OK, Vernon, TX, Mustang, OK, Weatherford, OK, El Reno, OK, Norman, OK, Clinton, OK, Yukon, OK, Moore, OK, Bethany, OK, and Warr Acres, OK.

Fort Sill: Interesting Facts

Fort Sill was made a National Historic Landmark, due in part to the fact that it is the only Army post that was originally constructed and utilized in the Indian Wars and remains in service.
The namesake of the post is Brigadier General Joshua W. Sill, who was killed in the Civil War. General Sheridan, founder of the post, named it in honor of General Sill. Sheridan and Sill were classmates at West Point and were good friends.
At one time, Fort Sill served as a prisoner of war camp for Indian prisoners. One of the most famous of these prisoners was Geronimo.