"The Army Says I Should Call It Home" Fort Polk by jayshell00

When I first learned of our orders to Fort Polk I began to ask around about the area, shopping, where to eat, what to do and living conditions. The minute I said Fort Polk, smiles would fade, faces would fall, and skin would turn a sickly green. People would say thru gritted teeth "you'll love it dear" and my favorite," It is what you make it". I felt as if I had been sentenced to death or exhiled to a prison colony.

But I am happy to say that God must have been smileing because this community has been given a get out of jail free card. Fort Polk is not a bad place to live after all. The area has been built up, the people were friendly and every one seemed willing to go outta their way to make us part of the community. I was told by locals upon arrival that once upon a time Fort Polk was considered a bad place for families but it has done a 360 and is now a place they are proud to call home.

air shot of North fort training area

I am told that once spouses lived in small green one room shantys and were stacked ten familys deep. (You can see them on display in leesville) Now we live in nice apartment homes that are maintained by the priviet sector. There are new playgrounds being built, a recently finished Education center and promise of community centers in the near future. There are live musicals, plays and a movie theater. Not to mention bowling alleys, shooting and archery ranges, sports teams and hiking trails. There is a golf course, lake recreation, fishing and two swimming pools. I have found Fort Polk a rather nice place to live but the disabled vet that was sitting in the Dairy Queen in Berea Kentucky was correct "It is what you make it."

Spring has sprung at Fort Polk

It is safe to say that Fort Polk and Leesville are sisters. One feeds off the other and neither is worth much on it's own. Leesville is just north of Fort Polk on La 171. It is the closest place to shop or eat after leaving post and I what I consider really just an extention of both places. Some locals might consider that a put down as they like to think that Leesville is a seperate town but In truth it needs the money spent by the army families and the army families need the town for supplies, entertainment and human interaction. It helps remind some of us why we do this job for and the rest why we send our families off to do it

• Pros:Small town, Locals are extreamly friendly, Always something to do
• Cons:Icolated, Bad roads and outlieing areas are run down
• In a nutshell:Where army and community are becoming one