Camp Bullis Army Base

Just northwest of San Antonio, TX, you will find the historic Camp Bullis, a US Army training camp that spans 27,990 acres. Located in Bexar County, it was named for Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis. Camp Bullis operates in partnership with Camp Stanley. Both of the training camps make up the Leon Springs Military Reservation. However, Camp Bullis is mainly used for US Army, Air Force and Marine combat units maneuvering campaigns. The camp also serves as a base for medical field training at the Brooke Army Medical Center located in Fort Sam Houston. Camp Bullis has a long history that started with the turn of the center in America and has seen millions of trainees pass through its gates.

History

Military activity in the San Antonio area started with the purchase of over 17,000 acres in 1906, which would become known as Camp Bullis. The land once belonged to six different ranches. It began as the Leon Springs Military Reservation area and was set aside for maneuvers and training for troops who came from Fort Sam Houston. The area was well known for its small population and terrain, and the new training area immediately saw action upon its opening in 1907.

Target ranges in what is now known as Camp Stanley were originally the site used for the Southwestern Rifle and Pistol Competition in July and August 1907. Major maneuvers started in 1908 and involved National Guard and Army infantry, field artillery, and cavalry units. In the next year, the first documented firing of artillery would take place at the Leon Springs Military Reservation.

Mexico-US Uprisings in the Early 1900s

There were several uprisings in Mexico in 1911 that required the attention of troops stationed at Camp Bullis. This led to more maneuvers, and as tensions rose up through 1916, troops from Fort Sam Houston were deployed to the border. More troops from Camp Bullis came to the aid of the border troops after the raid of Columbus, New Mexico by Pancho Villa. A large remount station was also built near Anderson Hill, which is now located in Camp Stanley.