2002-2023 LoveToKnow Media. If youre traveling near the Delta Junction area, keep your eye out for rare sightings of wild buffalo. Do you enjoy the indoors or outdoors more? While families may find Hawaii expensive and difficult to spend time with extended family, most military couples love getting stationed on one of the islands. 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. The hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque is also within reach, but it will take you at least eleven attempts to spell Albuquerque correctly before your GPS will be any help.Surprise silver lining: From what we can tell, Fort Bliss has the best on-base amenities of any military installation ANYWHERE. Most of these assignments do not yield your normal military installation and community, and everything is on the economy. Related Article Air Force Bases in Florida. There is nothing like spending leisure time in the outdoors. The base, located near Dayton, Ohio, has everything that growing families need to make their living experience comfortable and enjoyable. Look at what matters most to you, and then research if those amenities and interests are present in the duty station location. 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. Florida 3. Nevada 3. Related Article US Military Bases in Germany. Alaska 7. 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. The cost of living here hovers slightly below the national average, and the schools are well ranked. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. JBLM and the surrounding community places great importance on family life and community. 6. Here are the five worst Air Force installations where you can be stationed, according to their responses. Many love the beach and surf life, and the location puts you near several things to visit and see. On base, youll find dental care, vet services, dining, and other recreational activities for a low-key day off. Grand Forks Air Force Base is a hidden gem in North Dakota. You can find her riding her Vespa around San Diego, on Facebook and Instagram at @bekahdifelice, or on her blog bekahdifelice.com. Base: Minot Air Force BaseUnlucky call sign: Why Not Minot? It seems like a rhetorical question, but: Freezins the reason.Why it's not great: Remember the ice planet in Intersteller? Fort Carson, Colorado. The historic Army base is one of the largest in the world with 50,000 active-duty soldiers calling it home. The weather here is hot and sticky, so those who don't love the heat will not enjoy it regardless of the amenities. When you view any duty station as your new home, youll be able to better embrace the local culture and unique base aspects. Kids can freely run and play without parents worrying much. GreatSchools evaluates schools on a 10-point scale based on a combination of their standardized test scores, whether students are improving from year to year, and college readiness, defined as how well students take and score on SAT and ACT tests, and their graduation rates. And it's hot, too. The southern station is where families hope to be if they value vibrance, diversity, and culture. 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. District of Columbia 4. In the summertime, you can even hit the beach on the shores of Lake Ontario for some exciting ice swimming!!! 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. Terms of Use Population: 22,000. Mississippi 8. reviewers. Joint Base San Antonio Lackland is such a great place to get stationed that it makes the list twice. What are the best Air Force bases in the United States? Copyright 2023 www.OperationMilitaryKids.org. The area, along with many parts of Colorado, is rapidly growing and forecasts to eventually replace Denver in terms of population. Located in the southern part of Colorado Springs, this mountainous area is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Theres skiing at Dry Hill, tubing at Maple Ridge Snow Park, and plenty to explore in the Adirondack Mountains. 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. Holloman AFB is between White Sands National Park and Lincoln National Forest. With nearly 13,000 active duty members across the areas bases, youll meet people from all over the country if you get stationed here. Related Article Best Army Bases for Families, Couples and Singles. Matthew Robins assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, is ready to go at the skijoring event at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. 9. To compile our ranking of 68 Air Force bases, we collected and analyzed hundreds of pieces of information. The base houses family-friendly amenities like bowling, swimming, movies, parks, and other family events to create a community sense. The winter weather in the area can be pretty brutal as well. "That's more money I can spend on my daughter now, on after-school events," Vargas said. At Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Air Force and Army installations that merged in 2010 to form a single post, Task Force True North was recently created to address suicide, Air Force Col. Gregory . Surfing, hiking, ziplining the list is endless. Because its an island, the cost of living is high but can be offset if you live with roommates or use base housing and budget wisely. Those that prefer a small town or rural lifestyle can find plenty of housing in the area for their families. ), and Kings Canyon is the same distance east. "For such a small base, we do have quite a lot of amenities," Oakes said. Compliance, Terms of Use | Advertise | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Compliance. The military base is also close to the Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree National Park for family vacations when the time allows. If you love the water, youll love it here. No matter which Air Force Base tickles your fancy, they all have a few essential commonalities that families tend to put at the top of their checklists. Best Air Force Bases Overseas Here are some of the best bases you will find overseas. Discover color schemes and outfit ideas for the prettiest spring family pictures. Freezin's the reason. The median home value here is around $150,000 and has historical roots. You wont want to miss a minute of taking in the natural beauty of Hawaiis third-largest island. 8. The overseas USAF base is top-notch even if it lacks modernized shopping. Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. Learn more about Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort here. Fayetteville is one of the few bases on our list thats located in an actual town, or as a Marine spouse in neighboring Camp Lejeune put it, at least they have a mall and a Discount Tire. Still, soldiers insist that the place reminds them of every combat zone the US has visited in the past four decades.Most common escape: Charleston, Wilmington, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Myrtle Beach are all within a couples of hours drive. According to some respondents, its an overly religious area with a high number of evangelical Christian churches. Everyone has to settle down eventually, right? And if your spouse hopes to find a job in the local community, that's going to be tough Columbus' unemployment rate is a staggering 12.9 percent, more than double the nationwide rate. 5/10/2021 Air Force 1st Lt. Katelyn . Nellis Air Force Base is right outside North Las Vegas need we say more? Some 1,300 families call this place home and speak highly of its strong sense of community. California 9. Bolling's crime score was 3 out of 10, much lower than the nationwide average of 6. Most blame the misery on the humidity, the bugs, or the fact that chain gangs are not at all uncommon in this swampy, far-from-everything town.Most common escape: Lake Charles and Alexandria, both proper towns, are about an hour away. Though the weather isnt terrific its still a fantastic place to get stationed if you have to go outside the United States. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. However, what helps Guam is that its a territory of the United States with English as the predominant language. Sweltering summers the average high temperature in July hits an always-muggy 89 degrees and high crime rates in the District of Columbia also dragged Bolling's score down. However, couples will love everything millions of vacationers find a reason to visit Hawaii each year including spectacular scenery and fantastic weather. DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- On Nov. 24, 2021 the news outlet Task and Purpose re-released a commentary written by Sarah Sicard titled, "5 Air Force Bases You Want to Avoid" originally published in March of 2016. Location: Bremerton, Bangor, and Keyport, Washington. Yet these are the top Air Force bases overseas relying on the same factors as the top-rated in the U.S.: Anderson AFB also serves as naval headquarters yet is largely considered the premier place to live and serve overseas in the USAF. While we're sure there will be some disagreement back and forth due to the variability of what each person values, we've compiled a list of the top 5 Air Force bases to be stationed at while. The site has roots dating back to the Revolutionary War, and now hosts more than 700 Marines, sailors, and civilians. In other words, Fayetteville is the awkward neighborhood kid surrounded by cooler, more beautiful neighbors in every direction (yes, even Myrtle Beach. He was also one of the first enlisted members in the Air Force to experience working with near real time satellite imagery. On your off-duty days, you can do everything from tasting the best key lime pie around to snorkeling, diving, or fishing off the coastline. The unique wildlife that calls Alaska home. Washington 6. 7. San Antonio is rapidly growing into the new Austin, so families will never be short on cultural activities involving outdoor recreation, music, and food. The median home cost there is a whopping $766,000. Thankfully, many of the USAF bases in the United States have quick access to the outdoors and are in rural locations. Base Operations at Scott AFB, Ill. Photo by Karen Petitt Air Force Image. An island, Okinawa is just about 70 miles long and an average of seven miles wide. Hanscom has a total workforce of 5,828, including 922 active duty service members and 92 reservists. At Maple Ridge Snow Park, and Kings Canyon is the same distance.. 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