Fort Bliss arrival guide: gates, Reception Company and El Paso BAH
Fort Bliss is a big post with twelve listed access points, and they don't all keep the same hours. Many newcomers learn that the first morning they try a gate that's closed on weekends. This guide puts the official gate schedule, the Reception Company routine, housing contacts and 2026 El Paso allowance figures on one page.
Gate hours (official page last modified Oct 1, 2026)
Source: Fort Bliss Directorate of Emergency Services, Gate Information, read Oct 15, 2026.
| Access point | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Soldier | 24/7 | Visitor Control Center 24/7 (Bldg 5400, 5400 Buffalo Soldier Road, 915-568-3215). Commercial trucks use this gate on weekends. |
| Cassidy | 24/7 | |
| MSG Espinoza | 24/7 | |
| MSG Peña | 24/7 | No visitor center |
| Silvestre Reyes (formerly Constitution) | 24/7 | |
| Chaffee | Mon–Fri 5 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed weekends | Visitor Control Center Mon–Fri 5 a.m.–9 p.m. (Bldg 2616, 2616 Chaffee Road, 915-568-6853) |
| Old Ironsides | Mon–Fri 5 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed weekends | Closed federal holidays |
| SGT Duran | Mon–Fri 5 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed weekends | |
| Sheridan | Mon–Fri inbound 5–9 a.m. and 2–6 p.m.; outbound 5 a.m.–7 p.m. | Closed weekends |
| PFC Minue | Mon–Fri 5–10 a.m. and 4–8 p.m., outbound only | The page lists a closure Oct 12–16 for a new canopy |
| Ross School ECP | Mon–Fri 7–8 a.m., 10:45 a.m.–noon, 2–5:30 p.m. | Pedestrian, DoD only |
| CSM Barreras | Closed | "Closed until further notice" |
Visitors: a Community Access Pass, issued after a criminal-history check at either visitor center, allows entry through all gates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and can be issued for up to a year. Everyone 18 and older in the vehicle needs one. Applicants must bring a REAL ID-compliant license or state ID. A DoD ID holder can sponsor 24/7 guests in person at a visitor center, or by emailing the installation access application from a .mil address 72 hours to 14 days before the visit (same source). Plan this before family flies in to help you unpack.
Reception Company: what the first week looks like
Source: Military OneSource, Fort Bliss check-in procedures, read Oct 15, 2026.
- Report to the Reception Company staff duty desk, Building 909C on Pleasonton Road, no later than your report date. The desk is staffed 24 hours a day: 915-569-5261.
- Expect about five days with Reception Company for finance, medical and dental in-processing and the installation welcome brief.
- Reception Company won't approve PTDY or house-hunting leave on arrival. Have your losing unit authorize PTDY before you leave. After sign-in, any PTDY goes through your gaining unit.
- Flying into El Paso International? Staff duty can pick you up if you call the same number. You can also take a ride share and claim it on your travel voucher.
- Bring your leave form, orders with all amendments (and DD-1610s if they apply), health and dental records, your CAC, and receipts for any travel cost over $75. Register privately owned weapons when you arrive.
- Uniform for sign-in Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is OCP.
Housing on and off post
Family housing at Fort Bliss is privatized. Fort Bliss Family Homes (1991 Marshall Rd, El Paso 79906, leasing 915-564-0795) rents two-, three- and four-bedroom homes to active-duty Army families, and some homes to retirees, DoW civilians and the public (Military OneSource, Fort Bliss housing, read Oct 15, 2026). Because housing is privatized, you don't need a housing stamp to take PTDY for house hunting after you arrive (same page).
The Army Housing Office is at 515B Pershing Rd, 915-568-2898. Its posted hours differ between two Military OneSource pages read the same day, so call before you drive over. Talk to the office before you send any deposit. The same Military OneSource housing page says service members must report to the Housing Services Office before arranging to rent, lease or buy off post, and should not send deposits until they have done so.
2026 El Paso BAH
ZIP 79916 falls in the EL PASO, TX (TX279) housing area. An E-6 with dependents receives $2,148, and an O-3 with dependents receives $2,202.
| Grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,665 | $1,302 |
| E-4 | $1,665 | $1,302 |
| E-5 | $1,809 | $1,437 |
| E-6 | $2,148 | $1,611 |
| E-7 | $2,172 | $1,668 |
| E-8 | $2,187 | $1,881 |
| E-9 | $2,241 | $1,977 |
| W-2 | $2,178 | $1,878 |
| O-1 | $1,857 | $1,518 |
| O-2 | $2,145 | $1,764 |
| O-3 | $2,202 | $2,022 |
| O-4 | $2,352 | $2,157 |
| O-5 | $2,466 | $2,172 |
HUD uses a single metro-wide Fair Market Rent for El Paso County. The comparison below uses that figure:
| ZIP / area | Place | BAH area | 2-BR FMR | 3-BR FMR | E-5 BAH (w/ dep) | BAH minus 3-BR FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso metro | El Paso County | TX279 | $1,191 | $1,633 | $1,809 | $176 |
FMR source: HUD FY2026 FMR documentation. An FMR is HUD's estimate of a typical gross rent (rent plus utilities) used for housing vouchers; it is not a listing price.
Use the calculator to check a specific ZIP and grade.
Schools
The School Liaison Office is at 505 Pershing Road, Room A107, open Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 915-569-5064 (Military OneSource, Fort Bliss local schools, read Oct 15, 2026). Before you commit to an address, ask the liaison which district serves it and how mid-year enrollment works there.
First-week list for Bliss
- Get PTDY approved by your losing unit before you sign out.
- Save 915-569-5261 for the airport pickup and the Reception desk.
- If you arrive on a weekend, use a 24/7 gate: Buffalo Soldier, Cassidy, Espinoza, Peña or Silvestre Reyes.
- Book visitor passes for family who are coming to help.
- Call the housing office at 915-568-2898 and Fort Bliss Family Homes at 915-564-0795 to compare on-post and off-post options.
- Bring weapons registration paperwork if you own firearms.