Best area perk? It has all the usual complaints of a remote base town with one notable difference: it is regularly ranked among the nations worst for air pollution.Most common escape: We could talk about the nearby cities of Visalia or Fresno, but who cares about that when the most beautiful place on earth is literally in your backyard? Learn more about Naval Air Station Key West here. Compliance, Terms of Use | Advertise | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Compliance. Again, the desert climate and dry heat make the location undesirable, and despite the name, there are no palm trees. The coastal military base provides that Florida weather with plenty of charm. But he estimated food and housing expenses there were easily three to four times as much as in the Scott area. Now that Halliburton has closed its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing. Eareckson sits 1200 miles from Anchorage Alaska but only 200 miles from Russia. Many stationed here have used the opportunity to find cheap flights to explore Australia, Korea, Thailand, and other Asian locations. Similar to Hampton Roads, the San Diego area has several installations near by which makes the possibility for a local PCS to extend your time there. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Scott Air Force Base, located in St. Clair County, Illinois, is a top spot for growing military families and single folk alike. Many will claim it is a paradise and a great place to live for a few years. Youll never regret a day at Lackland if you are single and looking to mingle. While optempo might be high with sea duty and European rotations, with all the various installations located there you could maneuver into a local PCS to extend your time. Submit an Article McGuire Air Force Base is part of joint base operations with the United States Air Force. Location: California. "Everything closes early on base and around town. Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. Related Article US Military Bases in Germany. Traffic is notorious for being some of the worst in the entire country. Located on the other side of the Mojave National Preserve in California sits this Marine Corps base which is home of the Air Ground Combat Center. Cost of living and housing prices are through the roof around Los Angeles Air Force Base, helping to land it at the bottom of our list of Air Force bases. The year-round sunny weather. Being that its the only active-duty base in the Northeast, housing on post is limited, forcing service members and their families to live elsewhere. Some 1,300 families call this place home and speak highly of its strong sense of community. Any time you want to participate in any outdoor activity, you can pretty much guarantee the weather will be ideal to spend time outside. A PDF version for printing on office printers is also available. The UK Royal air force is also referred to as the Royal Air Force and it boasts of over 890 aircraft and a large number of workers, making it Europe's largest air force. Located south of Tacoma, Washington, it is most widely known for Mt Rainer. 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. Wichita ranks as the worst city for veterans health care, largely because veterans make up just 0.03% of the city's population. Of course the National Museum of the United States Air Force is on Wright Patterson too with over 300 different aircraft, but none are flying. "That's more money I can spend on my daughter now, on after-school events," Vargas said. Off base, you can take to the mountains or surrounding regions for snowshoeing, hunting, camping, and fishing. California 9. A cool thing about Minot its less than 55 miles to the Canadian border. The military site hosts the Royal Air Force but also supports U.S. personnel including the 48th Fighter Wing. Military families working and living in San Antonio find that they have very little to complain about, other than the heat! And with Vegas, Palms Springs, Lake Havasu, Big Bear, and Los Angeles all within a two- to three-hour drive, there really are lot of places to get away. Dyess Air Force Base A static Curtiss P-40E Warhawk is displayed outside of the. Scores for the most important categories schools, cost of living, housing and commissaries were tripled. When the kids are not in school, families can pack up the car and be in Raleigh, Durham, Wilmington, or Myrtle Beach within just a few hours. Though Air Force bases are considered to be some of the best installations among all the services, the branch still has a number that fall below par. To compile our ranking of 68 Air Force bases, we collected and analyzed hundreds of pieces of information. When you view any duty station as your new home, youll be able to better embrace the local culture and unique base aspects. Compared to Pakistan Air Force's 2.5 pilots per aircraft, the IAF is at a ratio of 1.5. Jim Mowreader US Army veteran Author has 17K answers and 77.8M answer views 9 mo Related What is the smallest air force base? Related Article Air Force Bases in Florida. Kadena Air Base is another location in Asia to get lost in along with Guam. Correction: The original version of this article inadvertently reversed the order of the towns and ranked Fayetteville #1 instead of #10. Only downside mentioned has been the higher cost of living and the housing market. Base Operations at Scott AFB, Ill. Photo by Karen Petitt Air Force Image. The veteran poverty rate is 15.1%, the eighth highest in the nation, and VA expenditures are among the 10 lowest cities. 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. McConnell's crime score was 3 out of a possible 10, lower than the nationwide average score of 6. Here, the commissary is one of the very best and most extensive in the country. Base: Cannon Air Force BaseUnlucky call sign: AfcannonstanWhy it's not great: Blame the fact that Clovis is more West Texas than New Mexico, that there are limited on-base amenities, or that its completely surrounded by cattle farms and dairies; but airmen know Clovis as a remote base town memorable for the wafting smell of cow manure and the downright biblical wave of pestilence known as fly season.Most common escape: Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas, are the two closest cities, but we cant bring ourselves to see how this is a good thing -- unless you enjoy taking down 72oz of free steak in an hour. Some will even complain about the optempo of the installation that limits family time. When looking at your options based on your position, think about what you love to do on your off-time. All rights reserved. Craig currently resides in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and runs his own business. Its a poo pond created from the open sewage of a water treatment facility.Most common escape: If you are the rugged sort that enjoys inhaling sand and spotting rattlesnakes, there are miles of desert to explore on a dirt bike or four-wheeler, along with the trails and famous rock climbing available at Joshua Tree National Park.Surprise silver lining:Although 120-degree heat brings out the best in no one, the high desert does bring out the stars in an unforgettable night sky. Read the article to learn more about the top Air Force bases in the country and overseas, along with specific demographics like best for singles or families. On-base housing is rumored to be nice and the post boasts a brand new commissary, PX, and a really good hospital. One of the many pros to Air Force employment is affordable living costs. ASVAB Scores For Air Force Jobs: All 130+ For 2022, How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, Best Air Force Bases in the U.S. Overall, #1 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, #1 Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas, #1 Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, #3 Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, #1 Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Best Army Bases for Families, Couples and Singles, Top 15 Military Schools For Boys And Girls, Air Force Jobs List:A List Of All 135 AFSCs In The Air Force (2022), Army Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Repairer (MOS 94P), Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM): 8 Things To Know, Army Achievement Medal (AAM): 6 Things To Know. Fort Carson, Colorado. The secludedness makes you feel like you have an island to yourself with phenomenal beaches and splendid weather. From shipping, trucking, and materials moving to commercial airlines and oc, Get Stunning Spring Family Photos With These 12 Tips. "A lot of people have to have roommates just to not live in a bad area, which Columbus, Mississippi, has many of," Do said. 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. So, if you are into warm weather, sunshine, and free time, there is nothing here for you. Nature enthusiasts want to spend their time hiking while they tour jungle land with numerous waterfalls. Just up the road from base youll find the beautiful Harborside Fountain Park with its waterside plaza where you can watch ferries depart to and from Seattle. While most residents acknowledge that it has nice, temperate weather, there isnt much else said about it. Team Little Rock Airmen help landscape the dormitory parking lot for Dorm Transform at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas July 17, 2020. 8. Fort Polk resides in Louisiana where the hot summers and mosquito problems can make the area unpleasant. In the surrounding areas, you can see everything from pre-Civil War forts to the southernmost point of the continental U.S. While many enjoy the mission of the installation (bombers and missiles), many dislike the location being in such a remote area without a bigger city nearby. Or read on to see the results of the overall list, ranked from best to worst. As the second-oldest city in South Carolina, history lovers will adore Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort located 70 miles southwest of Charleston. But the area's high cost of living and housing prices partly because it is about a 25-mile drive from Boston landed Hanscom in the bottom five. There are dozens of excellent schools to choose from in the Goldsboro district, including two high schools rating 9/10 on the GreatSchools index. Travis is in Solano County, California. Some 20,000 military families call this rustic and scenic environment home. Still, Scott makes the transition easier with its affordable housing options, low crime rate, top-notch hospital, and on-base amenities like a mini-mall and shopping center. Joint Base San Antonio is in the suburb of Lackland, Texas. Military personnel get a discount, too. By Best area perk? Based on Air Force Times research, these are the five least-popular bases from fifth worst to worst to be stationed in the Air Force: 5. 20 Reasons to Join the Military (and 7 reasons not to), Your email address will not be published. Keep in mind its very competitive to get stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson but savor the opportunity if it presents itself. | However, couples will love everything millions of vacationers find a reason to visit Hawaii each year including spectacular scenery and fantastic weather. So even though the base may be a bust, it might just prompt enough personal growth to make a really excellent online dating profile. Most families report that the base is a black hole that you never leave. While in the military, he spent time analyzing imagery from a variety of aircraft such as the SR-71. Washington DC. Many of its products are locally-sourced thanks to the U.S.'s massive industrial base. Pikes Peak, among the many 14ers in the state of Colorado, is right in your backyard. Pick any location in Florida and you will find that service members love it. And for how close it is to the water, youll probably be surprised by the low rates of living. The nonprofit group America's Promise Alliance, which was founded by Colin Powell, has listed Bedford as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People five times. It is one of the finest Air Force bases in the country similar to Scott Air Force Base and Joint Base San Antonio Lackland because of low housing, superb medical facilities, and a large commissary. Tips for generals: how to navigate politics without partisanship, Pearl Harbor survivor Jack Holder dies in Arizona at age 101, House Republicans tout Ukraine oversight, brace for funding fight, Troops discharged after refusing COVID vaccine can now rejoin, Troops who refused COVID vaccines still could face punishment, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Space Force wants launch ranges to be more resilient, Six leaders fired from Air Force nuclear base in North Dakota, Pentagon sets deadline for services to stop enforcing vaccine mandate, Pentagon approves F-35 engine deliveries after vibration fix, Tears, defiance and new tanks in Ukraine for war anniversary. Population: 22,000. 10 Best Finger Lakes Wineries Worth Visiting (With Map), The Finger Lakes region in New York is home to more than a handful of small-scale wineries. The base, located near Dayton, Ohio, has everything that growing families need to make their living experience comfortable and enjoyable. But Westervelt said if someone really wants an off-base home, her office can usually find something for them within 20 or 30 minutes of Hanscom. This map is available up to 18x24 inches @ 300 ppi. Best Military Bases for Outdoor Enthusiasts 1. Most of these assignments do not yield your normal military installation and community, and everything is on the economy. You can find her riding her Vespa around San Diego, on Facebook and Instagram at @bekahdifelice, or on her blog bekahdifelice.com. 2. Its like the North Pole in a world where Santa doesnt exist. It also maintains dedicated strategic-level bombers, CAS . Consequently, narrowing down a list of hundreds of overseas USAF bases is not a simple matter. So yeah, Lemoore might not be much to look at, but you are just down the road from some spectacular #nofilter #views.Surprise silver lining: Another perk of living in the agriculture-heavy Central Valley of California is access to fresh, local eggs and produce through farm co-ops. New Hampshire 6. The base is on the smaller side, so youll get a chance to know your fellow service members and their families well. As far as Navy bases in Florida go, its tough to beat that. Maryland 5. This map is 10x7.5 inches @ 300 ppi and was created by Steve Ingram of the Air Force News Agency. And the last four categories pollution levels, climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Your email address will not be published. Bedford is a great place to raise children, said Lisa Pizarro, the school liaison officer at Hanscom. 9. Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun. Junior sailors, geographical bachelors, and families can all find base housing here, too.