Named after Meriwether Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition, Fort Lewis is one of the largest and most modern military reservations in the United States. It is located on the south end of the Puget Sound about half way between Tacoma and Olympia.

Fort Lewis began as Camp Lewis in 1917 when the citizens of Pierce County voted by an eight to one margin to bond themselves for $2 million to buy 68,721 acres (278 km²) of land. They donated the land to the federal government for military use. The only stipulation was that the tract be used as a permanent army post. Captain David L. Stone and his staff arrived at the camp site May 26, 1917, and a few days later the initial construction began. The entire camp was ready for occupancy a month ahead of schedule. In 90 days, Stone had supervised the construction of a "city" of 757 buildings and 422 other structures, all lighted and heated for 60,000 men. The first recruits moved into their new barracks on September 5, 1917, exactly two months after the post building plan had been handed to the contractors.

When they implemented auction of the new cantonment, workmen subscribed $4,000 to build the main gate - which is still standing. The arch was built of fieldstone and squared logs resembling the old blockhouses which stood in the northwest as forts. Some 60,000 men, including the 91st Division, moved into the hastily constructed cantonment to train for World War I. Recruited largely from the northwest, the 91st was considered "Washington's Own." In 1917, Pierce County, through the process of condemnation proceedings (eminent domain), took 3,370 acres (13.6 km2) of the Nisqually Indian Reservation (14 km²) for the Fort Lewis Military Reserve.

Consisting of 87,000 acres of prairie land cut from the glacier-flattened Nisqually Plain, it is the premier military installation in the Northwest. Fort Lewis has served the nation faithfully through two world wars, the Korean and Vietnamese wars and today it is one of 15 American power projection platforms. Part of Forces Command, Fort Lewis, since 1981, it is the home of I Corps. The Corps’ focus is the Pacific Rim and it has a close, ongoing relationship with Pacific Command. The principal Fort Lewis maneuver units are the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division and the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. It is also home to the 593rd Corps Support Group, the 555th Engineer Group, the 1st MP Brigade (Provisional), the I Corps NCO Academy, Headquarters, Fourth ROTC Region, the 1st Personnel Support Group, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), 2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, and Headquarters, 5th Army (West).

Fort Lewis has abundant high-quality, close-in training areas, including 115 live fire ranges. Additional training space is available at the Yakima Training Center in Eastern Washington, including maneuver areas and additional live fire ranges. Fort Lewis has more than 25,000 soldiers and civilian workers and the post supports more than 120,000 retirees and more than 29,000 family members living both on and off post. Fort Lewis proper contains 86,000 acres and the Yakima Training Center covers 324,000 more.

MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
With a beneficiary population exceeding 350,000 within a six-state region, Madigan Army Medical Center continues to be one of the busiest hospitals in the Pacific Northwest. Occupying more than 120 acres of land, this four-building structure is located at Fort Lewis. There are more than 120,000 soldiers, family members and retirees in Madigan’s 40-mile catchment area. Executing Madigan’s phenomenal health care mission are more than 3,124 staff members, which include 360 doctors, 627 nurses and 166 residents, 50 interns and 18 fellows. Madigan also boasts a robust Red Cross program. There are approximately 300 volunteers who donate more than 10,000 hours of ser- vice monthly.

Madigan is the recipient of many awards for excellence and honors and is a highly desirable place to receive training. It is the central medical facility of the Western Regional Military Command for medical services provision to Active Army and Reserve units and dependents in the six state region including Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada and California. Interaction with Army National Guard and Army Reserve medical units is an additional component of the WRMC’s medical-readiness posture.

Ft Lewis, McChord AFB and Madigan Army Medical Center are collectively responsible for the creation of more than 87,000 jobs and together they have an annual economic impact of more than $3.3 billion.