Welcome

Welcome to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The joint base, which began operation in January 2010 from the consolidation of Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, is one of 12 new joint bases created by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing Commission. The new joint base begins service with 93 years of history as the oldest military installation in the Pacific Northwest. Fort Lewis was established in 1917 and McChord Air Force Base was established in 1947, the same year the U.S. Air Force became a separate branch of the armed forces.

Army units on the base are I Corps; 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division; 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division; 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division; 17th Fires Brigade; and resident units such as the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne); the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment; 8th Brigade, U.S. Army Cadet Command; Western Regional Medical Command; Madigan Army Medical Center; and a number of other nondivisional support units.

Air Force units on the base are the 62nd Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command; Air Force Special Operations Command; 446th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command; Western Air Defense Sector and 242nd Information Warfare Aggressor Squadron, Washington Air National Guard and 22nd Special Tactics Squadron.

First Corps is one of the four corps in the Army and is called America's Corps because it has active, Reserve and National Guard units dispersed through the United States. I Corps headquarters also serves as a United States Pacific Command joint task force headquarters.

Joint Base Lewis-McCord is a training and mobilization center for all services and is the only Army power-projection platform west of the Rockies. Its key geographic location provides rapid access to the deep water ports of Tacoma, Olympia and Seattle for deploying equipment. Units can be deployed from McChord Field, and individuals and small groups can also use nearby Sea-Tac Airport. The strategic location of the base provides Air Force units with the ability to conduct combat and humanitarian airlift to any location in the world with the C-17A Globemaster III, the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft in the airlift force.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord has a sub-installation at Yakima Training Center in eastern Washington. The joint base is 647 square miles with 142 square miles for the main base in western Washington and 505 square miles for the Yakima Training Center. The projected population of the joint base in 2010 is 101,600: 32,700 active duty, 4,900 Reserve and National Guard, 49,500 family members, and 14,500 civilian and contract employees.

Although the Army and Air Force missions have changed over the years, one thing has not changed — the natural setting of the base. On a clear day, majestic Mount Rainier looms on the horizon, towering over the other peaks of the Cascade Range. From the mountains to the deep waters of Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean, the local area abounds in natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating and snow sports are a way of life in Washington.

Tacoma, Olympia and Seattle offer entertainment, restaurants, shopping and cultural events that celebrate Northwest life. Whether you come to Joint Base Lewis-McChord for a day's visit, TDY or a permanent move, you will soon see why the base is a popular assignment and many people choose to live their retirement here.

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