Last verified: April 2026
The Renaming — From Fort Polk to Fort Johnson
Renamed from Fort Polk in 2023 under the Naming Commission's redesignation of Confederate-named installations, Fort Johnson is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) — the Army's premier light-infantry combat training rotation site — and is one of the largest active-duty Army installations in the United States. ⚠️ Some sources, signs, and informal references still call it Fort Polk; the legal name is Fort Johnson.
The Joint Readiness Training Center
JRTC is the Army's premier collective-training site for light-infantry brigade combat teams. Brigade-sized units rotate through JRTC for multi-week exercises before operational deployments. The training rotations bring tens of thousands of soldiers through Fort Johnson each year, on top of the resident-population stationed at the post permanently.
The Federal Cannabis Reality at Fort Johnson
As with every active-duty Army installation:
- UCMJ Article 112a — wrongful use, possession, or distribution of controlled substances by a service member. Cannabis is Schedule I federally; UCMJ 112a applies regardless of state law.
- Cannabis use is grounds for court-martial or administrative separation. Even off-duty, off-post, in legal-cannabis states.
- Civilian federal employees at Fort Johnson are subject to the Drug-Free Workplace Act.
- Cleared contractors face clearance suspension or revocation for cannabis use.
The Region 10 (Leesville) Pharmacy Carve-Out
The Region "10" Marijuana Pharmacy designation was operationally a carve-out within Region 6's geography — partly to serve the off-post civilian population around Fort Johnson. LifeLyft / Pelican Pharmacy in Leesville is the Region 10 pharmacy, intended primarily for:
- Civilian residents of Vernon Parish.
- Civilian dependents of military personnel (with their own Louisiana physician recommendations).
- Retired military and their dependents.
- Federal civilian workers who are NOT clearance holders or DOT-tested.
It is NOT intended for active-duty military, cleared civilian contractors, or service-member dependents whose status creates federal-employment exposure.
Vernon Parish
Vernon Parish, where Fort Johnson sits, has a small civilian population and a working-class economy heavily dependent on the post. The community's economic relationship with Fort Johnson means that local employer drug-testing culture mirrors federal standards even for non-federal positions.
The "Joint" Readiness Aspect
JRTC is "joint" because it hosts training for not just Army brigades but also Air Force, Marine, and special-operations elements. The training population is genuinely cross-service, and federal cannabis rules apply to all of them under their respective service-specific provisions.
Fort Johnson Economic Reality
- Vernon Parish economy is structurally tied to the post; cannabis-related federal restrictions ripple into the civilian economy.
- Off-post landlords, contractors, and service businesses often perform their own drug screening to maintain post access.
- The Leesville Marijuana Pharmacy serves the civilian population that can participate in the medical program.
Active-Duty Soldiers on Leave
Active-duty soldiers leaving Fort Johnson on weekend leave to Houston, New Orleans, or Lafayette face the same UCMJ 112a exposure regardless of where consumption happens. Texas low-THC products, Louisiana medical-cannabis, even legal Colorado cannabis if a soldier travels there — all are court-martial-exposed if use is detected through random urinalysis or self-disclosure.
Reading the Statutes
- UCMJ Article 112a — Wrongful use of controlled substances.
- Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (federal contractors).
- Executive Order 12564 (1986) — federal-workforce drug-free policy.
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org