fort rucker

Chris Mendez, from the MWR office at Fort Rucker, recently spoke to the Enterprise Lions Club about the facilities, programs, and events that are open to military families and also to the public.

Fort Rucker encompasses 62,000 acres, including lands for hunting, a 640-acre Lake Tholocco for swimming, boating, and fishing, an equestrian stable, a golf course, swimming pools, and camping sites, among other activities and facilities.

The facilities, programs, and events offer something for almost everyone, and that’s a good thing since Fort Rucker serves a population of 156,000. Of that number, 5,000 are active-duty soldiers assigned to Fort Rucker. Add another 5,300 for family members of those soldiers, and 2,000 for flight students. In addition, approximately 110,000 retirees and their families avail themselves of the services offered on post. Finally, 25,000 veterans in the area bring the final count to 156,000. And those numbers do not include the civilians who work and play on Fort Rucker.

Lake Tholocco is open to both military and civilians. Visitors can take advantage of the swimming, boating, and fishing opportunities, and 52 campsites. There are 23 furnished cabins on the lake, and while only active-duty military, veterans, and retirees can rent the cabins, they can sponsor a civilian family who might want to use one of the cabins. The new Lake Lodge will be opening soon and all rooms will face the lake. The lodge will also feature banquet facilities for weddings, meetings, reunions, etc. There will also be an outdoor gazebo for outdoor events.

The 27-hole Silver Wings Golf Course is open to the public year-round and, in addition to the golf course and a driving range, offers dining opportunities at the Divots Restaurant and Grille. Brunch is served on Sundays. Disc Golf is another popular recreational activity that visitors to Fort Rucker can enjoy.

MWR also hosts five major events every year. The…