Luke AFB is a major training facility for the military branch and has excellent amenities. At one point it was home for German POWs during World War II. Related Article List of Air Force Bases in the US. BestPlaces.net's crime statistics had low numbers for low crime rates and high numbers for high crime rates. Military's base-by-base suicide numbers reveal startling statistics at (tied) Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, formerly Bolling Air Force Base, ends up in our bottom five primarily due to the Washington area's abysmal traffic year after year, ranked the worst in the country and high cost of housing. It's a very depressed social and economic area. To come up with a school quality score, we used the website GreatSchools.com, a respected resource for ranking and comparing schools used by real estate agents and real estate websites such as Zillow and Realtor.com. For those that like to hunt and fish, there are plenty of outdoor activities. The 7 percent sales tax is higher than the nationwide average of 6 percent, and summer hits hard, averaging 92-degree temperatures in July. And it's hot, too. 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. These are the highest ranking Air Force bases for couples: Do you really need an excuse to live in Hawaii? In fact, one airman told us that he learned how to cook at Cannon since there werent any good restaurants. Some are devoid of entertainment, run by unfit staff, have horrible food, or offer horrible amenities. This is where NORAD and USAFA is located. 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??) "For such a small base, we do have quite a lot of amenities," Oakes said. We then assigned each category a score on a 10-point scale. This little city has it all:beautiful scenery, protected beaches, and historic sites all over. Whats your dream duty station and why? MacDill AFB is another prime location for the single crowd. On-base housing is privatized here and is open to active-duty families, DoD civilians, and active duty bachelors. At SOUTHCOM, you can expect to meet a lot of different people as its a joint base. Then look no further than the Sunshine State. 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. Florida. You have to shop using the Euro. We searched for all rated schools within a 10-mile radius of each base and averaged their scores to come up with an overall school score. While in the military, he spent time analyzing imagery from a variety of aircraft such as the SR-71. Learn more here and be sure to check out more great stories on our homepage. 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. It isnt technically an AFB, so they dont have the normal base facilities that you would typically see. Youll have occasional lockdowns and curfews imposed, but most people seem to enjoy their time spent here. The scenery is not only gorgeous but the weather is decent (by Alaska standards) and wildlife is abundant. Sometimes you end up drawing the short straw when it comes to military assignment locations. You can increase your odds of success by helping your family relocate to a place with affordable housing, family-friend amenities, good schools, and low crime rates. Keep in mind that you may not get anything on your list (my wife and I didn't). Eglin Air Force Base. It also may drain your bank account. Disappointing schools, higher-than-average crime rates, and high taxes combined to place McConnell Air Force Base, located near Wichita, Kansas, near the bottom of our list. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The weather is tropical and can become very humid in the summer. Its cheaper to live in the place you never wanted to! Learn more about Naval Air Station Key West here. The unassuming military base in small-town Illinois is a hidden gem based on those who have served at the location. Not like you typically have a choice, but this list might help anyway. And since that Canadian border is only 30 minutes away, youre never in short supply of maple syrup.Surprise silver lining: The way to survive Fort Drum is to bundle up, get outside, and start adding ice to the front of all your favorite activities: ice fishing, ice climbing, ice walking, ice dining. Besides the unique . Fort Carson, Colorado. Maybe your quirky office prank on the executive officer went horribly wrong. Angel Vargas, a group practice manager for the 375th Medical Group at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, who was previously stationed at L.A., said that he loved the near-constant 70-degree weather there, as well as all the social things to do. A ROKAF T-50 at the Singapore Air Show. Your email address will not be published. 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. It is minutes from downtown Tampa near the bay leading out to the Gulf of Mexico. 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. 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. The commissary isnt great and the types of food are limited. Outdoor activities are also abundant given all the natural features in the area. Ranked: The Best And Worst Airlines In America In 2021 - Forbes This city has one of the highest veteran populations in the U.S. and is home to . Oh and for the record, Lake Bandini isnt an actual lake. Bekah DiFelice is a writer, military spouse, and recovering addict to the word "literally." Members of the Air Force receive 30 days of vacation with pay each year. Additionally, the USAF maintains hundreds of military bases around the globe in more than 70 countries. South Korea's air force has come a long way in the same timeframe as China. *The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. The secludedness makes you feel like you have an island to yourself with phenomenal beaches and splendid weather. To help airmen mitigate the cost of living which Westervelt acknowledged can sometimes make it tough to make ends meet Hanscom offers an on-base fitness center, Olympic-size swimming pool, bowling alley, movie theater, community center, several playgrounds, and a bank, as well as a commissary and medical clinic. 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. The base is one of the oldest bases in the nation, and a portion of the homes on base are historic homes. Housing is affordable with high-quality schools and excellent features on the base. Travis is in Solano County, California. 4. Eglin Air Force Base is another excellent choice for military couples. Grand Forks Air Force Base is a hidden gem in North Dakota. We saw impoverished communities served by well water near that base. A enlisted thinktank brought to you by Task & Purpose. What are the best Air Force bases in the United States? This post is responsible for training all Air Force B-1 crews and is commonly referred to as the Home of the B-1. Residents report that the base is small and theres nothing to do in the area, unless you want to drive to Dallas or Houston. In addition to vacation days, known as leave, Air Force members also get a variety of paid holidays and family leave days. Joint Base San Antonio is in the suburb of Lackland, Texas. Related Article Best Army Bases for Families, Couples and Singles. Aircraft types considered include fighters (multirole, interceptors . If you love it, perhaps youll be lucky enough to get extended there. Depends on your AFSC honestly, generally speaking, Andersen AFB, Hickam AFB, Yokota AB, anywhere in England, and Germany is the best (Ramstein is the most American place in Germany) Avoid Ghedi, incerlick, and Eielson. Should you make a base of preference, that will be your assigned duty station for the next two years. What is the worst US Air Force base to be sent to? - Quora 6. Columbus is a career-ending base, where many have retired [or] separated due to just being stuck at the base.". From misplaced nuclear weapons to security forces losing grenades, this snowy wonderland has suck tattooed on its forehead. 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. Now that Halliburton has closed its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing. Best area perk? Base: Camp LejeuneUnlucky call sign: J-actionvilleWhy it's not great: The deal breaker here isnt the backwoods location or the fact that legitimate social functions are called pig pickins. No, the complaint we heard most often from Marines is that waaaaay too many Marines live here. Air force bases ranked best to worst 2020 - rmfb.soterik.de A nearby town or city with fun things to do. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Top 10 Worst Bases. Off base housing is nice, but expensive. The Panama Canal also falls under the protection of this base. Best area perk? But until that day of reckoning comes, feel free to bribe whoever is in charge of selecting assignments to avoid these locales and avoid hating the duration of your contract. Compared to the other bases on this list, Hanscom is in an area with good schools and low crime. Keep in mind its very competitive to get stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson but savor the opportunity if it presents itself. The overseas location is also instrumental to military operations on the Western Pacific. The base's commissary is small, its only medical facility is a clinic, and its small exchange is just a shoppette. The one that turned Matt Damon into a bad guy? For example, a staff sergeant without dependents in L.A. gets a monthly BAH of $1,704 and a chief master sergeant without dependents gets $2,373. Despite the astronomical costs of living in L.A., BAH rates are surprisingly low. The rest are civilian government employees and contractors. There are many small villages that are very friendly. They simply said, "Do not come here!" 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. While relocating to Las Vegas is maybe a good or bad thing its impossible to resist the urge for young singles of the USAF. On your days off duty, you can explore more than 40 of the areas museums or take a history and heritage tour to learn about the rich culture that is NOLA. It's a great base to live on whether you're single, married, or have kids, as there's a lot to do in your downtime. Ft Rucker/Ft McClellan, AL - These bases have long been on the BRAC closure list, not many gyms and mwr's on post. If youre bored around base, catch a flick at the theater, take a walk along a trail, or check out Afterburners, a rec facility with 36 TVs, pool tables, and an outdoor tiki bar. This is the lowest enlisted rank and includes airman basic (Air Force), private (Army and Marine Corps), seaman recruit (Coast Guard and Navy), fireman recruit, airman recruit or hospitalman recruit (Navy) and specialist 1 (Space Force). Creating a list of the best Air Force bases in the nation is not an easy task. Look at what matters most to you, and then research if those amenities and interests are present in the duty station location.