", 3. Then look no further than the Sunshine State. Langley AFB is near Hampton, Virginia. From mountain climbing to whitewater rafting, youll find some of the best outdoor adventures here. The majority of the reviews do indicate their dislike for this assignment. Yeah, most havent. Korean People's Army Air Force ( North Korea) - 946. Luke AFB is a major training facility for the military branch and has excellent amenities. Families also benefit from no state income or sales tax in the Anchorage area. Nevertheless, it is great during the winter. Therefore, if you really like city life then youll find many of the USAF bases on the list problematic for their rural settings. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Men in combat. He was also one of the first enlisted members in the Air Force to experience working with near real time satellite imagery. Bolling's crime score was 3 out of 10, much lower than the nationwide average of 6. Minot is a missile base located in a desolate region of the least-populated, most-rural, least-visited state in America, so its pretty similar, dontchaknow. Besides the unique . These are the highest ranking Air Force bases for couples: Do you really need an excuse to live in Hawaii? 4. We then assigned each category a score on a 10-point scale. 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 winter weather in the area can be pretty brutal as well. The unique wildlife that calls Alaska home. The purpose of any great military base is to serve the country yet the location should also boost morale by offering amenities and other perks. The current version has been updated to reflect the change. A nearby town or city with fun things to do. If you can't fit in smaller sized clothing, you will be forced to order online. And the schools are middling, with average ranking of 5 within 10 miles. 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. Nature enthusiasts want to spend their time hiking while they tour jungle land with numerous waterfalls. If you drive to the middle of nowhere, then keep driving a little farther, youll hit Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma, considered by many airmen to be one of the least desired military bases in the nations vast expanse. 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. The next most important categories crime, health care facilities, commute times and exchanges were doubled in value. The veteran poverty rate is 15.1%, the eighth highest in the nation, and VA expenditures are among the 10 lowest cities. 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! Altus, Oklahoma Cannon, New Mexico Dyess, Texas (to replace with Grand Forks) Eielson, Alaska Ellsworth, South Dakota (convinced-removed) Ft.Polk, Louisiana Holloman, New Mexico Malmstrom, Montana Minot, North Dakota (edit-How did I forget??) What are your hobbies? Oh and for the record, Lake Bandini isnt an actual lake. We'd wager school quality, for example, is a greater concern than the sales tax rate. By The Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns National Park are also within reason. Single soldiers, in particular, will love Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers (BOSS), an organization where soldiers can volunteer and participate in leisure activities together. According to the Military Family Advisory Network, 78% of surveyed military personnel still live off base and in the surrounding cities. Fort Greely is also considered a remote duty station as the next closest large city Fairbanks is 100 miles away. Look at what matters most to you, and then research if those amenities and interests are present in the duty station location. Vacation. But whatever the reason, you are going to be PCSing to one of these horrible hotspots, which are all so bad youll wish you were in Kuwait. This accrues at 2.5 days per month. With nearly 13,000 active duty members across the areas bases, youll meet people from all over the country if you get stationed here. 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. The program will embed 16 mental health providers with units across the base. Combining Fort Sam Houston the Lackland and Randolph Air Force Bases, Joint Base San Antonio is home to some of the best and brightest service members in the country, including the 5th Army, 25th Air Force and 37th Training Wing. Grand Forks Air Force Base is a hidden gem in North Dakota. Some residents have taken to calling the area Smell Segundo. The main issue, however, is really the money. Correction: The original version of this article inadvertently reversed the order of the towns and ranked Fayetteville #1 instead of #10. (tied) Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. If youve always wanted to have the island experience without feeling trapped on the actual island, living in the Keys is the closest you can get to that opportunity. The median home value here is around $150,000 and has historical roots. For those that like to hunt and fish, there are plenty of outdoor activities. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Hurlburt Field. Most families report that the base is a black hole that you never leave. Very cold and very sad.Most common escape: Syracuse is the closest town, although Lake Placid, Niagara Falls, and Montreal are a little over three hours away. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) Based on Air Force Times research, these are the five least-popular . There is nothing like spending leisure time in the outdoors. 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. While in the military, he spent time analyzing imagery from a variety of aircraft such as the SR-71. They say there are two kinds of military towns: those that come ready-made and those you "make the most of." United States Southern Command. If you love the great outdoors and dont mind a little rain, Naval Base Kitsap is one of the prettiest places to be stationed. While relocating to Las Vegas is maybe a good or bad thing its impossible to resist the urge for young singles of the USAF. Welcome to Fort Drum. You also wont be far from beautiful natural attractions like the Florida Keys and the Everglades. So even though the base may be a bust, it might just prompt enough personal growth to make a really excellent online dating profile. If that is not enough, consider that Elmendorf-Richardson has its own ski area. After McChord Air Force Base joined Fort Lewis in 2010, the military base has become one of the most sought after for both branches, especially singles. You may or may not like the summers, but the rest of the year offers some of the best mild temperatures in the United States. "A lot of people have to have roommates just to not live in a bad area, which Columbus, Mississippi, has many of," Do said. From sweltering hot weather to a distinct lack of nightlife, it almost makes you forget that there are literal lakes of human waste in this godforsaken hellhole. 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. Base pay starts at $1,650 per month and will increase to $1,785 per month after four months. *The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. reviewers. Housing on post often has long waitlists and living off base means more crime. They also said that traveling was easy. Ft Greely, AK - 4 hours . Finally the farther distance between 2 bases is about 219 miles which is well under most air force planes range capacity. To compile our ranking of 68 Air Force bases, we collected and analyzed hundreds of pieces of information. 1. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The U.S.'s northern fortress of military strategic solitude, Minot Air Force Base, has long been a prime destination for career-ending mishaps. Off base, youll find nearby volcanoes to hike, waterfalls to swim in, and beach shores to surf along. The overseas location is also instrumental to military operations on the Western Pacific. When you view any duty station as your new home, youll be able to better embrace the local culture and unique base aspects. 5. 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. Air Force BMT Prep Guide eBook available NOW: https://www.airmanvision.com/store/air-force-bmt-prep-guide What are the top 5 stateside Air Force bases in you. Do you enjoy the indoors or outdoors more? Apra Harbor, Guam. Here are some of the best bases you will find overseas. Whether you take a trolley tour or explore on foot, the minute you step off Naval Air Station Key West, youll be greeted by colorful old Florida culture that cant be missed. Also, according to residents, the smell from a nearby water treatment plant makes the area very undesirable, especially during the hot and humid summers. Overall, it seems that everyone enjoyed their time at Kadena, despite some of the drawbacks. Now that Halliburton has closed its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing. Want to keep your sharp shooter status? 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. 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. Typically, nothing is open in the city from noon to three. Pikes Peak, among the many 14ers in the state of Colorado, is right in your backyard. The Panama Canal also falls under the protection of this base. Delta Air Lines.