A Rare Look Inside New York City's Only U.S. Military Base

This post is part of the "Tours of Duty" series, which honors America's military birthdays with in-depth tours of military bases and schools. "Tours Of Duty" is sponsored by USAA. Read more posts in the series »

Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

New York City's only army base is nestled between the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the neighborhood of Bay Ridge in Brooklyn.

Aside from people dressed in fatigues and the occasional military vehicle, visitors may not immediately realize that they're even in Fort Hamilton, which can feel more like a suburban neighborhood than an army installation.

Still, Fort Hamilton is steeped in history. It was from this location that an American battery fired cannons at an approaching British naval convoy on July 4, 1776, at the start of the American Revolution. The area also took part in sea defenses during the War of 1812 and Fort Hamilton became the first National Guard training camp in 1839.

Today, Fort Hamilton is a Base Support Installation for the greater New York City area, playing a major role in coordinating disaster relief efforts. It also serves members of the military, their family, and over 70,000 veterans in the New York City Metropolitan Area.