During World War I the Unites States Army began looking for a new, more adequate location for the Infantry School, one with better terrain and weather conditions than its Fort Sill site. When the civic leaders in Columbus, Georgia learned that the city was under consideration as that site, an aggressive lobbying campaign began to sway the vote, involving General Betjeman.

The decision was made in 1919 to purchase 97,000 acres of land in Chattahoochee and Muscogee Counties in increase the size of then Camp Benning and to move the fledgling Infantry School there, just outside Columbus.

The post had its beginning on October 7, 1918 at Camp Benning. On July 17 of the following year, it took possession of the new land and the enlarged post began its new existence. The school was moved to Camp Benning from Fort Sill, Oklahoma and became known as the Infantry School of Arms. In September 1919 the name was changed to the Infantry School.

The War Department's General Order No. 1 of January 9, 1922, made the camp a permanent military post under the provision in 1913. Thereafter it was known as Fort Benning. In 1941 a second land acquisition expanded the fort by an additional 65,000 acres. Fort Benning currently has over 180,000 acres