Walter Reed Forest Glen Heliport

The heliport was closed as a direct result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission's decision. This action mandated the closure of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) on Georgia Avenue in Washington D.C., which the heliport served. All medical operations were consolidated with the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, to form the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. With the hospital's closure, its dedicated MEDEVAC heliport at the Forest Glen Annex became obsolete.

The heliport is permanently closed and non-operational. The site is located within the Forest Glen Annex in Silver Spring, Maryland, which remains an active military installation. Following the WRAMC closure, the Annex was placed under the command of Fort Detrick, Maryland. It now serves as a support facility, housing various military, medical research, and federal agency tenants. While the physical concrete helipad structure is still visible on satellite imagery at the specified coordinates, it is no longer a commissioned or active aviation facility.

The Walter Reed Forest Glen Heliport was a critical infrastructure component for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), the U.S. Army's flagship medical facility for over a century. Its primary and most vital role was handling Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) flights. It served as the final airborne destination for thousands of critically wounded soldiers being transported from overseas conflicts, particularly during the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Typically, injured service members would arrive at Andrews Air Force Base via large transport aircraft and would then be ferried by helicopter directly to this heliport for immediate access to WRAMC's world-class specialized care. The heliport also facilitated the transport of high-ranking military officials, VIPs, and essential medical supplies. Its operations were a symbol of the nation's commitment to caring for its wounded warriors.

None. There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the heliport. The primary medical center it was built to serve has been permanently closed and its functions relocated for over a decade. The new, consolidated Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda is fully equipped with its own modern helicopter landing facilities, eliminating any strategic or operational requirement for the former Forest Glen heliport.