Known as the Joint Readiness Training Center and the National Training Center (respectively) both are locations that you will often find low on the list for servicemembers for various reasons. All Rights Reserved. Did you know that there are nearly 800 Air Force bases around the globe? Service members also have the choice of journeying north to Alburqurqe and many destinations in Colorado for extended leave vacations. U.S. Air Force contracting Airmen search for potential improvised explosive devices June 3, 2015. But he estimated food and housing expenses there were easily three to four times as much as in the Scott area. WA Eglin AFB, FL. American Airlines. If youre getting ready to pick your dream list for your very first duty station, you may be a little unsure of what locations to choose for your top choices. If you want to experience the culture, you will need to learn to drive on the opposite side of the road and cope with the narrow roadways. Base: Fort BlissUnlucky call sign: Fort Piss, Hell PasoWhy it's not great: The base with the most misleading name, Fort Bliss is located in the border town of El Paso, Texas. Southwest Airlines. Located in the middle of nowhere the Mojave Desert, 29 Palms is where tanks outnumber sedans and sunburns happen through car windows. The weather is tropical yet really pleasant in the winters if youre not a fan of the cold or snow. Single soldiers, in particular, will love Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers (BOSS), an organization where soldiers can volunteer and participate in leisure activities together. Perhaps you parked in the admin NCOs parking spot. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. Royal air force. It's so small that there is no chow hall. Now that Halliburton has closed its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing. Though the weather isnt terrific its still a fantastic place to get stationed if you have to go outside the United States. Sure, there are dozens of barbers that will give you a tight fade, but theres really nowhere to be off duty and allow your face to fade into a five oclock shadow. You can find her riding her Vespa around San Diego, on Facebook and Instagram at @bekahdifelice, or on her blog bekahdifelice.com. 2. The former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana was the most severely contaminated place we visited, with 10,970,000 parts per trillion of PFAS in the groundwater. Craig currently resides in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and runs his own business. (Army) Ok, now we're talking it's an outdoorsman's paradise. There is nothing like spending leisure time in the outdoors. Families also benefit from no state income or sales tax in the Anchorage area. Serving the United States Air Force could land you in one of these premium locations depending on what you are seeking during service. Luke Air Force Base has an excellent location west of Glendale and the greater Phoenix metro area. When you arent working, swing by MWR to snag clearance tickets to Miami Dolphins games and other attractions like concerts, shows, and sports events in Miami. Unlike many other military bases, this one has a great cost of living its actually 18% lower than the U.S. national average. Its like the North Pole in a world where Santa doesnt exist. "It's hard to find anything that'll fit, and there isn't much selection" at the exchange, Do said. So, its like Aladdin, except without a genie to help you.Most common escape: Ruidoso, New Mexico offers all sorts of outdoor activities plus a casino and horse racetrack. The massive base serves 20,000 American service members and families so youll never feel alone. In the case of Cannon AFB, solid relationships here are built not on entertainment or flashy dining options, but on good ol fashioned beer, football, and common commiseration. Were sorry, Fayetteville -- you didnt deserve that. Part of the reason Lackland ranks so high is because of its superior medical facilities which are important to a lot of military families. Near Washington, D.C., Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is unpopular among airmen. Traffic is notorious for being some of the worst in the entire country. The U.S.s northern fortress of military strategic solitude, Minot Air Force Base, has long been a prime destination for career-ending mishaps. Key West the very last Key on the string is the dream station for anyone who loves warm weather and blue coastal waters and is one of the nicest military bases in Florida. The base often runs out of supplies at the PX and has been considered not family-friendly. The perk? Everyone has interests based on where they are in life. Not like you typically have a choice, but this list might help anyway. Overall, it seems that everyone enjoyed their time at Kadena, despite some of the drawbacks. Grand Forks AFB continuously ranks among the top 10 USAF bases in the United States. RAF Lakenheath is located in Suffolk County in East Anglia. Below, we rounded up the best military bases categorized by interests. A new report of the 100 U.S. cities with the highest rates of sexually transmitted disease lists seven military towns in the top 20, all Air Force and Army installations.. A study published . No more Tattoo Taboo: Air Force and Space Force to allow neck and hand tats, How will I do when that time comes? Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Despite the astronomical costs of living in L.A., BAH rates are surprisingly low. There are at least a dozen other locations where airmen receive more not just places like New York City and Honolulu, but also West Point, New York; Oakland, California; Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut. If you can't fit in smaller sized clothing, you will be forced to order online. What I am seeing from the majority of reviews indicates that Ramstein is very unsanitary. This is a USAF KC-10 refueling a Navy FA-18 Hornet. Therefore, its plausible that you will get to spend time at Nellis and ideally when you are young and single. This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isaiah Miller). Related Article Pros and Cons of joining the Air Force. Oh, and theres also that small thing about the contaminated drinking water.Most common escape: Although theres basically nothing to do in Jacksonville except get a fresh tattoo or payday loan, Wilmington is just an hour away, Myrtle Beach is a little over two, and Nicholas Sparks lives nearby where he pens novels for your romantic escapism, I mean, for your reading pleasure. The area, along with many parts of Colorado, is rapidly growing and forecasts to eventually replace Denver in terms of population. Base: Fort Irwin National Training CenterUnlucky call sign: A string of expletives that we cannot repeatWhy it's not great: Fort Irwin is the vast desert training area for the Army, a severe and remote landscape that could easily double as the Mad Max set. This is a large base that does not have a lot of Westernized shopping. It isn't the base itself that was the problem from what I was told, but the airmen at the base that was t. As cold as Minot, but without the nukes; perhaps this place could use a little radiation. Population: 448,759 Veteran Population: 94,938 Median Home Price: $222,100 Unemployment Rate: 4.8% Crime Rate: Safer than 10% of U.S. cities Military Bases Near Colorado Springs: Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base; Colorado Springs is one of the best places for military retirement! This on-base perk also has beach volleyball courts, cabanas with grills, and a full bathhouse. Naval Base Kitsap . The secludedness makes you feel like you have an island to yourself with phenomenal beaches and splendid weather. Bekah DiFelice is a writer, military spouse, and recovering addict to the word "literally." Or towns that led otherwise supportive military spouses to casually be, like, Heeeey, just an idea here, but maaaaaaybe -- now hear me out -- maybe we do the long distance thing until your next assignment, when they got their orders. They have a DOD school that serves 9th-12th grade and recently built a new BX. Keep in mind its very competitive to get stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson but savor the opportunity if it presents itself. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Sperling's Best Places also provided data it collected on the size and type of on-base commissaries, exchanges and health care facilities, and rankings on a 10-point scale. We used formulas to convert the raw data from each category into a 10-point scale. Having an open mind and a willingness to explore on and off base will make your duty station experience all the better. Marine Crops photo by Cpl. Off base, youll find nearby volcanoes to hike, waterfalls to swim in, and beach shores to surf along. New Mexico is underrated when it comes to its outdoors. Average winter temps hover in the low teens in a place where cows outnumber people three to one.Most common escape: Only ninety minutes away is the Worlds Largest Buffalo monument, in case your version of escape is looking at a larger version of your natural surroundings.Surprise silver lining:For a while Minot was at the center of the North Dakota oil boom, jolting the local economy into overdrive, providing loads of jobs for military dependents, and causing rent prices to soar. Learn more about Marine Corps Base Hawaii here. To enjoy all that the area has to offer, dress accordingly on and off base to explore the best parts of this beautiful region. The number remains high and far above any other country in the world despite closing down hundreds of bases recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. The base is rural yet only about an hour from London as well as other countries in the area like Scotland. Langley AFB is near Hampton, Virginia. And the last four categories pollution levels, climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting. On base, youll find everything from medical care to housing to take care of your daily needs, and off base youll discover a world rich in music, French culture, and history that cant be found elsewhere. Top 10 Largest Air Forces in the World (by number of Military Aircraft) - Flight International 2022: United States Air Force - 5,217. Joint Base San Antonio is in the suburb of Lackland, Texas. Whats your dream duty station and why? Typically, nothing is open in the city from noon to three. reviewers. Fort Carson main gate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Craig spent many years on active duty service in the Air Force stationed in such places as Okinawa, Japan and SAC Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Base: Fort PolkUnlucky call sign: Fort PukeWhy it's not great: The Army has some pretty terrible duty locations, but they were more unanimous than any other branch of the service on which post qualified as THE WORST. Besides the unique . "I'm realizing more and more that it is just a black hole for enlisted members," Do said. And if you like to unwind from desert combat training by driving into more desert to shoot more guns and drive more off-road vehicles, then Fort Irwin is your paradise.Surprise silver lining: The Barstow Tanger Outlets offer soldiers the chance to buy their Air Jordans on discount so they can wear them to Shock Wave, the on-base night club that shows UFC fights without cover and serves food that is not half bad, hit or miss, and meh, according to Yelp! In alphabetical order-. After much consideration, these are the five bases that should count as a deployment if they manage to survive the next round of base closures. Everything on base is within walking distance, which is perfect for those who dont have transportation, including the commissary, barber shop, automotive shop, chapels, and a fitness center. The unassuming military base in small-town Illinois is a hidden gem based on those who have served at the location. After taking into consideration weather, morale, base amenities, stuff to do, and accessibility to major cities, it seems that some of our militarys most heroic acts of service might not be fighting battles abroad, but bravely conquering these 10 towns at home. McGuire Air Force Base, on the other hand, is very close to NYC, Philadelphia, and New Jersey for nightlife. When looking at your options based on your position, think about what you love to do on your off-time. Schriever AFB is among several USAF bases in the Colorado Springs metropolitan. Do warm days and sunny skies year-round sound appealing? Here are the top Air Force bases in the nation: Located in St. Clair County, Illinois, Scott Air Force Base tops the list of the best Air Force Bases in the U.S. overall.