Known for being Fort Benning’s primary Force Projection Platform, Lawson Army Airfield is a military airport located just South of Columbus Georgia in Chattahoochee County.
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History
In late 1918, the U.S. Army established a new camp for the Infantry School of Arms south of Columbus on the Bussey Plantation. The camp was named in honor of Henry Lewis Benning, a Columbus native who served as a Confederate general during the Civil War and later as a justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. The Army created a rudimentary landing field at Benning in 1919 with the initial mission of determining if data obtained by balloon observation would benefit the infantry. The airfield consisted of two small hangars that housed the balloon unit.
In 1922, the Army made the facility a permanent Army post renaming the camp Fort Bennin. From 1921 to 1931, aircraft from Maxwell field near Montgomery Alabama, occasionally utilized the airfield for maneuvers and other purposes. In 1928, the balloon unit transferred and the airfield was without any permanent occupation for three years.
In 1954, the Air Force turned Lawson over to the Army, and it has operated continually since that time as Lawson Army Airfield.
Lawson received a major expansion program in 1965 including an 8,200-ft. runway capable of handling large jet transports.
Mission
Our mission is to provide command, control, training, administration, logistical and civilian-military support to assigned and attached non-divisional units stationed at Fort Stewart.
Population
Population at Lawson Army Airfield contains over 5700 active duty soldiers, 5,212 active duty family members, 9,177 retirees, and 737 civilian employees.
Sponsorship
Hunter Army Air Field is part of the Fort Stewart sponsorship program. The Fort Stewart sponsorship program requires every soldier, Sergeant (E-5) through Colonel (0-6), receiving an assignment to Fort Stewart be provided a sponsor. A reactionary sponsor will be provided for these soldiers if a pinpoint assignment and advance arrival sponsor cannot be provided. Click Here for sponsorship rates and information.
Temporary Quarters
Temporary quarters on HAAF are available at Hunter Lodging, Bldg. 6010. You may call 912-315-5910, DSN 312-729-5910 for reservations, or send a fax to 912-315-6920, fax (DSN) 312-729-6920.
Relocation Assistance
Army Community Service (ACS) Relocation Readiness offers a variety of services and resources to eliminate the stress associated with relocating. Call the ACS Relocation Program Coordinator at 912-315-2694 for more information.