Located in central Maryland, Fort Detrick is home of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command (USAMRMC). Established in the 1930s, what was once pastoral farmland was transformed into Area A (the main base area) and The Farm (test areas). Fort Detrick is the epicenter for biomedical research and hosted biological warfare research and development in its early years. These controversial programs were discontinued in 1970, but the lore remains and many contagion-themed movies and TV dramas are set at Fort Detrick. The base is now home to the Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (AMRIID) and the National Cancer Institute.

The city of Frederick surrounds Fort Detrick and annexed the base in 1983. Frederick and Fort Detrick have a symbiotic relationship: The base is the largest employer in the county, and many—if not most—of the servicemembers stationed here reside in Frederick. Positioned roughly an hour’s drive from both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, living in Frederick is also an option for anyone who doesn’t mind a longer commute. Living in the DC Metro area is an option! Some people commute from as far away as West Virginia.

Commuting to and from Walter Reed in Bethesda is also something to consider, depending on what you or your service member’s job requires. Forest Glen Annex, in Silver Spring, is under Fort Detrick command but is located on the Walter Reed complex. Just be aware that 40 miles separate Fort Detrick and Forest Glen Annex.