--- title: "Fort Campbell in mission essential report-status after tornado rips through region" description: "A tornado tore through Clarksville, Tennessee near Fort Campbell. Dozens of military families off base were displaced." date: "2023-12-10" modified: "2023-12-10" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/fort-campbell-displaced-families-tornado/" categories: - "Field Guide" - "Military Life" --- # Fort Campbell in mission essential report-status after tornado rips through region ![]() *CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 10: Residents and visitors work to clear debris in search of pets and belongings of a destroyed home in the aftermath of a tornado on December 10, 2023 in Clarksville, Tennessee. Multiple long-track tornadoes were reported in northwest Tennessee on December 9th causing multiple deaths and injuries and widespread damage. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)* The U.S. Army’s Fort Campbell installation is ordering only “mission essential” soldiers to report to work on Monday, Dec. 11 after a major tornado struck the surrounding area over the weekend. The base itself was mostly left unscathed, but damage to nearby communities left roughly 100 military families displaced. The tornado ripped through Clarksville, Tennessee. At least six people have died as a result of the storm, and dozens were injured and many homes destroyed, according to [local media]() reports. Fort Campbell sits on land on either side of the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Clarksville as the nearest town on the Tennessee site. The tornado that hit Clarksville had reported winds of up to 150 mph. Photos and video from the area show flattened buildings, debris across roads and other widespread damage. Fort Campbell itself suffered no discernable damage, according to the garrison public affairs officer, although power was briefly knocked out on Saturday. No military personnel or families were injured by the tornado. Several facilities on base will be open Monday, including the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital. [**Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today**]()**. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.** As of Sunday evening local time, approximately 100 families were displaced as a result of the tornado, according to the garrison. Those affected are working with their respective units to find temporary housing and get services, according to the Fort Campbell public affairs office. In addition to damaged or destroyed homes, power outages remain an issue in the area outside of the base. Due to the level of displacement, the base is calling for only mission essential personnel to report Monday, while authorities assess the extent of the damage to the area and see how many people were affected. That will be reassessed Monday afternoon, the garrison told Task & Purpose. Fort Campbell is home to several units, including the [101st Airborne](), 5th Special Forces Group and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. In 2011 another tornado hit an airfield on the installation, destroying one building and damaging others, as well as vehicles. Any impacted personnel are directed to ask all questions to the Fort Campbell MWR. ## The latest on Task & Purpose - **Marine Infantry veteran says** [**enlisted shouldn’t become officers**]() **— mayhem ensues** - [**Father loses 80 pounds**]()**, joins Air Force alongside his 2 sons** - **Opinion: Veterans won’t help the**[ **recruiting crisis**]() **until our issues are addressed** - **Navy** [**fires head of Amphibious Squadron 5**]() **for ‘loss of confidence’** - **How much do CIA case officers get paid? A look at** [**life as a spook**]() ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()