Military Bases

Mississippi is home to five major military installations - Keesler Air Force Base, Columbus Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Meridian, Naval Station Pascagoula and the Naval Construction Battalion Center. These bases offer a wide range of services to active and retired military personnel. Medical facilities, fitness centers, golf courses, theaters, officers and enlisted clubs, base exchanges and commissaries are some of the amenities retired military personnel can utilize.

Keesler Air Force Base is located in Biloxi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The 81st Medical Group is stationed at Keesler and is the second-largest medical center in the Air Force. Over 26,500 military personnel, dependents and civilians live and work on the base.

Columbus Air Force Base was originally an Army Air Force flying school and then home of the Strategic Air Command's B-52s. Now the base trains over 25% of Air Force pilots and provides a home and workplace for over 6,200 military personnel, dependents and civilians.

Naval Air Station Meridian provides operational support for Training Air Wings ONE, with homes and jobs for more than 4,000 military personnel and civilians. This is the first such unit to use the "single base" concept to train jet aviators.

Naval Station Pascagoula is the homeport for six Navy ships and employs and houses over 1,800 military personnel, dependents and civilians.

The Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, "Home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees," is one of two Seabee bases in the U.S. The base has 4,000 military assigned and nearly 800 civilian employees.