Fort Leavenworth is the oldest continually operating base west of the Mississippi River, established in 1827. In 1881, General William T. Sherman established the School of Application for Cavalry and Infantry which eventually became known as the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) is still at the fort today.


The fort is home to the Military Corrections Complex which consists of the DoD's only maximum security prison, the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, and the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, housing a variety of prisoners. Also on base is the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, one of the national cemeteries established by Abraham Lincoln in 1862. The cemetery has laid many veterans to rest since its opening, including Colonel Henry Leavenworth, founder of the fort and for whom it is named.


Fort Leavenworth maintains and operates the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (CAC) which is a subordinate headquarters for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). The CAC is dedicated to leader development, collective training, and Army doctrine and battle command of the present and future.


The CGSC provides graduate-level education for mid-grade Army officers and its sister services. The school operates satellite locations at Fort Belvoir, VA, Fort Lee, VA, Fort Gordon, GA, and Redstone Arsenal, AL. Notable alumni include Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1925, Colin Powell in 1968, and David Petraeus in 1983.