Welcome
Redstone Arsenal is located in the middle of the Tennessee Valley, the far northernmost region of Alabama. The Arsenal covers nearly 38,000 acres, and Arsenal facilities provide work space for more than 34,000 employees. In addition, Redstone Arsenal provides services for a population of nearly 78,000 retired military and 118,000 family members who live in the commuting area. There are also several Alabama Army National Guard and Army Reserve units in the area.
Huntsville, Alabama, is a community of more than 400,000 residents that borders the Arsenal to the east and north, and serves as the area’s health and educational center. The Huntsville Metropolitan Area is the second largest in Alabama, and Huntsville, with a population of nearly 200,000 within its city limits, is the second largest city in the state. Madison, Athens, Decatur and a number of smaller cities are generally considered part of the Huntsville metro area.
A variety of shopping and entertainment, excellent schools, and professional facilities make Huntsville a very desirable place to live, work, learn and play. The community continues to be recognized nationally and internationally for its outstanding economic growth, excellent career opportunities, careful attention to planning and attractive lifestyle. Huntsville is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville and Alabama A&M University, the world’s fourth largest research park known as Cummings Research Park, 42 Fortune 500 companies, and the Von Braun Center, which draws world-renown musicians and artists, as well as international cultural events, concerts, conventions and conferences.
People of all ages enjoy the rich variety of outdoor activities here. The Tennessee River, which borders the Arsenal to the South, is home to some of the area’s best fishing, hunting, boating, water skiing, picnicking, hiking and biking. Golf is a popular sport with a wide variety of golf courses, including the Hampton Cove Golf Course, which is part of the state’s internationally acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. In addition, professional sports thrive, with Huntsville being home to the Huntsville Stars Double-A Baseball Team, Huntsville Havoc hockey team and Alabama Hammers arena football team.
We hope the following information will help you settle into this growing and welcoming community.
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
BRAC 2005 brought many positive changes to the Tennessee Valley and Redstone Arsenal as the BRAC Directive realigned an Army Major Command (MACOM), Army Materiel Command (AMC) and AMC’s United States Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC). Additionally, BRAC realigned the entire Missile Defense Agency (MDA) from various locations in the National Capital Region (NCR), with the exception of certain key command elements. The Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was the first unit to complete its realignment from the NCR and Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado to Redstone.
The U.S. Army Aviation Technical Test Center (ATTC) from Fort Rucker, Ala., has consolidated with the Redstone Technical Test Center (RTTC) to form the Redstone Test Center. RTC’s mission is critical to ensure the future safety and effectiveness to our Army Aviation platforms. The 2nd Recruiting Brigade and the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion have completed their realignment to Redstone. Their responsibility for recruiting Soldiers into the Army spans the entire Southeastern United States.
BRAC 2005 realigned seven general officer positions for a total of 13 General Officers at Redstone Arsenal post BRAC. With the realignment of AMC, Redstone Arsenal will be the home of the first four-star General Officer in the State of Alabama.
The impact of BRAC 2005 will continue to be felt for years to come. BRAC 2005 has sparked tremendous economic growth in the Tennessee Valley. Other federal government and Defense related activities are already re-stationing to Redstone Arsenal, making significant contributions to the safety and security of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) have established a training presence at Redstone Arsenal and have taken advantage of the synergies that continue to transform Redstone Arsenal. The Army Contracting Command (ACC) and the Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) will also play a vital role and ensure continued world-wide contracting support to both war-fighters and OCONUS installation operations.
Newcomers and Visitors
Whether you are military or a Department of Defense civilian employee, you can request a welcome packet by contacting Army Community Service (ACS) at (256) 876-5397 or DSN 746-5397. Welcome packets are also available through written request or by stopping by ACS during regular business hours. ACS is located at Building 3338, Redeye Road, Redstone Arsenal, 35898.
If you are military assigned to the U.S. Army Materiel Command (and any subordinate command), U.S. Army Garrison, or any other tenant activity, check in with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison-Redstone Arsenal, in Building 3206. The Personnel Administrative Center may be reached Monday through Friday during business hours at (256) 876-7797 or DSN 746-7797.
Newcomers and visitors to Redstone Arsenal can access the post through two Visitor Centers - one at Gate 1 on Martin Road and another at Gate 9 on Rideout Road. Visitors must be sponsored, and must provide driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of vehicle insurance to obtain access to Redstone Arsenal.
Housing On/Off-Post
Redstone Communities provides an on-post inventory of 350 privatized housing units for both military and civilian employees. The Redstone Communities Initiative Office is located in Building 302, Hughes Drive. Active duty service members have priority, regardless of rank, for on-post housing. Federal employees, military retirees, reservists and military widows/widowers are also allowed to apply for on-post housing. Floor plans for most of the housing units are available at www.redstonecommunities.com. For further assistance, call (256) 430-1517, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Permanent party single Soldiers in grades E5 and below are required to reside on post. There is one barracks with 59 suites located on the installation for single service members. Each service member is provided their own suite. Service members E6 and above may apply for unaccompanied personnel housing or reside off post and draw basic allowance for housing at the without dependent rate. There are no accommodations for permanent party geographical bachelors. For assistance, visit the Housing Services Office, Building 3207, Hercules Road, or call (256) 842-9902 or DSN 788-9902.
Assistance in locating off-post accommodations, rentals, and sales is available for all military and Department of Defense civilian personnel. The Housing Services Office, located in Building 3207, Hercules Road, can provide assistance with off-post housing requirements. It is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and can be reached by calling (256) 842-0422. Assistance with off-post rentals can also be provided by the Automated Housing Referral Network sponsored by the Department of Defense. Visit its website at www.ahrn.com for further information. Pertinent housing information can also be found at Army One Source, (800)-464-8107 or on the web at www.onestoparmy.com/main.htm (user ID is army, password is OneSource).
Automobile Licensing and Registration
When stationed in Alabama, military personnel may use their home state driver’s license and license plates, or any combination of the two, when operating vehicles on state roadways. For those active duty, retirees, and civilian and contractor employees making a permanent move to the Redstone Arsenal community, they must obtain an Alabama driver’s license and car tags and title within 30 days of residency.
For the convenience of the Redstone Arsenal community, a county and state licensing office has been established at the PX/Commissary Mall. The Madison County License Department is open at its Arsenal location Tuesdays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It issues boating, fishing and hunting licenses, disability tags and placards, manufactured home licenses, and car tags and titles, and it can renew state driver’s licenses. Licenses can also be obtained at the Madison County courthouse and at satellite locations listed at www.co.madison.al.us. For more information on the Arsenal location, call (256) 882-8698.
In addition, the Alabama Department of Public Safety licensing office, located on-post with the county licensing office, is open Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. It issues driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, non-driver identification cards, commercial driver’s licenses and CDL learner licenses, motorcycle licenses, boating licenses and non-U.S citizen licenses. It can conduct written driver’s tests. The state also issues licenses and conducts driver’s tests at its Huntsville office at 1115-A Church Street. For more information on the Arsenal office, call (256) 539-0681.
When registering a vehicle for use on Redstone Arsenal, drivers must provide a current state vehicle registration, a valid driver’s license, a military ID card or civilian badge, and current proof of insurance. There are two registration sites on Redstone - the Visitor Center at Gate 9/Building 4122, Rideout Road, and the Visitor Center at Gate 1/Building 5105, Martin Road. For more information, call (256) 876-5770.
On-Post Child Care
Redstone Arsenal offers two Child Development Centers for children from ages six weeks to five years old. The centers offer full-day, part-day and hourly care for children in rich and stimulating environments that develop motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills through a balance of exploration and planned curriculum. Learning activities are designed to support the natural development of children and include individual, small group and large group experiences.
The centers are open to children of active duty military, DOD civilians and contractors, Reservists, and full time National Guard. Monthly tuition fees are based on a sliding scale of six income categories. Income categories are based on Total Family Income and are standardized throughout the Department of Defense. The Goss Road Child Development Center is available for child care services Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (256) 876-7952. The Mills Road Child Development Center is available for child care services Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (256) 842-5862, 842-5863 or 842-5864.
Schools
Children living on Redstone Arsenal attend either public or private schools in Huntsville. Arsenal buses along with Huntsville City School buses run daily scheduled routes from the post housing area to the designated schools. The city school system provides school bus transportation to Huntsville City Magnet Schools - the Academy for Academics and Arts and the Academy for Science and Foreign Language. Special accommodations are available for physically or mentally challenged students.
Children entering kindergarten or the first grade must have a certified copy of a birth certificate and a Social Security Card. Also, all children entering the Huntsville public schools for the first time must have an Alabama immunization certificate (blue in color). Military shot records will not be accepted. You can pick the certificate up at the Arsenal medical facility, from private physicians in Huntsville, or from the Health Department. The certificate will remain in the child’s folder, which will follow the child from school to school. For more information on local schools, contact the School Liaison Officer at (256) 842-9642.
There are several colleges, universities and trade schools within a short drive of Redstone Arsenal. All offer full or part-time study. The University of Alabama in Huntsville, the Southeastern Institute of Technology, Calhoun Community College, Alabama A&M University, Oakwood College, J.F. Drake State Technical College and several schools specializing in business training are all located in Huntsville. There are many local and nearby universities and colleges that offer undergraduate and graduate courses to Soldiers, civilians and family members.
Army Community Service
Army Community Service is a community-oriented social service program designed to provide free services and educational programs to active duty military, retired military, and Department of Defense civilian employees and their family members.
Services include welcome packets, a lending closet for household goods, Army Emergency Relief (for Active Duty, Retired Military, surviving dependents of Active Duty and Retired Military or family members with Power of Attorney only), employment readiness, family special needs coordination, financial readiness, mobilization support, referral to local community resources, and relocation assistance. The Survivor Outreach Services program provides support and outreach to Gold Star Families who have lost a military service member. Victim Advocate Program provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, available 24 hours.
Classes include Army Family Team Building, stress management, parenting and many other topics of interest to military families.
ACS is located in Building 3338 Redeye Road, and is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (256) 876-5397.
Medical
Health care for military families at Redstone Arsenal is provided through the USA MEDDAC, which operates the ambulatory care clinic Fox Army Health Center, located at 4100 Goss Road. The mission of the health center is “inspiring those who serve our nation and their families, past and present, to live a lifetime of wellness.” It is striving to become the premier model of organizational and beneficiary wellness through the Army’s medical community. The center provides primary care services, pharmacy, dental clinic, eye clinic, wellness clinic and behavioral health clinic. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call (256) 955-8888 or visit the center’s website at www.redstone.amedd.army.mil.
Shopping
Shopping on Redstone is within walking distance of the housing area and barracks. It features The Exchange in a covered mall area, small shops and the commissary, all under one roof. Also in the vicinity are a military clothing sales shop, a convenience store (class six shoppette and gas), branch bank, credit union, and an automotive retail/service center. Huntsville has several shopping centers and malls, all within a short drive from the Arsenal. For more information, call (256) 883-6100.
Religious Life
The Bicentennial Chapel, located on Goss Road, offers a full range of Protestant and Roman Catholic religious programs, as well as an active youth program. You can easily walk from the housing areas to the Chapel, or you can ride the shuttle bus that runs between the troop barracks and the Chapel.
The following is our Service Schedule:
Saturday
Catholic Mass
5 p.m. Bicentennial Chapel
Sunday
Catholic Mass
9:30 a.m. Bicentennial Chapel
Protestant Worship
11 a.m. Bicentennial Chapel
Contemporary Service
5 p.m. (begins with a meal) Bicentennial Chapel
5:30-6 p.m. (bible study)
6-7 p.m. (worship service)
LDS
1 p.m. Troop Religious Activity Center (TRAC)
Protestant Sunday School
9:30 a.m. Bicentennial Chapel
Cath CCD
10:45 a.m. Bicentennial Chapel
We have just completed a $1.7 million renovation on the Bicentennial Chapel in order to bring you a more fulfilling worship experience. Come join us, and let us serve you. For more information on programs and upcoming events, contact the Chapel Staff at (256) 842-2964/2176.