Military Wife Confessions

MacDill AFB Official Site

LOCATION:

MacDill Air Force Base is located eight miles south of Tampa, Florida on the Southwestern tip of the Interbay Peninsula in Hillsborough County. The region is often referred to as" Tampa Bay " which is a seven-county region on Florida's west coast offering a diversity of communities. The counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota come together to shape a vibrant market where lifestyle options reflect all the best Florida offers. Whether you seek big city downtown living, quiet golf course communities, a waterfront lifestyle, majestic horse farms or historic neighborhoods - the communities of Tampa Bay provide a mix like no where else in the country.

HISTORY:

MacDill was named after Colonel Leslie MacDill. MacDill Army Base was officially activated on Aril 16, 1941. The first mission was training airmen in the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-26 Marauder aircraft. Increasing tensions in 1961 led to the activation of the U.S. Strike Command, headquartered at MacDill. MacDill became a Tactical Air Command Training Base with the F-4s and then F-16s. The last F-16s left the base in 1994; the base had no active duty aircraft for the first time. The 6th Air Mobility Wing was activated October 1, 1996 with the arrival of 12 KC-135 Stratotankers. MacDill was a strategic center for such military operations as Just Cause in Panama, Desert Shield and Storm in the Persian Gulf and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.

MISSION:

The MacDill is an Air Mobility Command (AMC) base capable of rapidly projecting air-refueling power anywhere in the world. Organized into four groups to carry out a two-fold mission of air refueling and airlift support to the two Unified Commands based at MacDill. MacDill is home of United States Central Command and United States Special Operations Command and 51 other tenant units.

POPULATION SERVED:

MacDill - One Team - One Family - One Community encompasses everyone; active duty members from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard and their families. DoD civilian employees, contractors, guard and reserve, retirees and volunteers. Tenant units include the United States Central Command, United States Special Operations Command, Joint Communications Support Element and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

SPONSORSHIP:

Each time you move you should request a sponsor prior to your arrival. You may contact your Commander's Support Staff at your current base, the Military Personnel Flight or the Airman & Family Readiness Center. Your sponsor will provide you and your family with installation and community information. Your sponsor will assist with pre-arrival arrangements, answer questions, meet you personally upon arrival, and ensure your move to MacDill goes smoothly and all your in processing needs are met.

All active duty personnel should report to their unit commander's support staff for in processing. For a list of units with location and telephone numbers see the Major Unit Listing section.

Department of Defense civilians - contact your selecting official or personnel office for a sponsor. If you still do not receive a sponsor, contact the MacDill Civilian Personnel Office for assistance.

TEMPORARY QUARTERS:

Reservations can be made in advance by contacting the MacDill Inn at (813) 828-4259 or DSN 968-4259. There are ten pet-friendly TLFs available for an additional fee. Upon arrival, if you are given a non-availability statement, the Lodging office will provide you with a list of government contracted hotels. There are many affordable motels and hotels in the local area. For more information see the Temporary Lodging section

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE:

The Airman & Family Readiness Center has many resources and services to help you make a successful transition to MacDill. If you need household items while awaiting your shipment of household goods, the loan closet has items available for check-out until yours arrive. Free child care is available through the Child Care for PCS program for 20 hours per child within 60 days of your arrival. Individual assistance with family member employment and educational opportunities is also available. There is also a resource center containing computers with internet access for your convenience. Individual financial planning is offered for unexpected expenses associated with relocation. Air Force Aid Society, Army Emergency Relief Society and Navy/Marine Relief Society is available to assist with financial emergencies that may occur. For more detailed information on the Airman &Family Readiness Center and other base agencies call (813) 828-2721 or DSN 968-2721.

CRITICAL INSTALLATION INFORMATION:

Upon receiving PCS orders, contact the local base Postal Service Center (PSC) and complete an Air Force Form 624 for change of address. The temporary mailing address at MacDill AFB is:

8106 Condor Place

PSC 3500

Tampa, FL 33621.

The Postal Service Center can be reached at (813) 828-4430 or DSN 968-4430.

Car insurance rates in this area tend to be higher than what most people are accustomed to. Be sure to check with your insurance company. May, June, July and August are extremely high PCS months for MacDill.

It is very important inbound personnel arriving during these months call the MacDill Traffic Management Flight in advance at (813)828-2600 / DSN 968-2600 or toll free 1-800-432-7131 to provide contact information.

On-base child care through the Child Development Center usually has a waiting list for infants six months and older.

Another major concern in Central Florida is HURRICANE SEASON, from June to November. Call ahead if you are arriving at MacDill and a hurricane is predicted to hit this area. Watch the Weather Channel and contact your sponsor as MacDill AFB may be evacuated and the surrounding roads will be congested with people leaving the area. Make it a practice to use sunscreen (especially children). Be alert for snakes and alligators when you walk in wooded or marshy areas.

via Military.com

the waiting list at the CDC's is insanely long!  Use an FCC provider if at all possible.  New housing is being built right now...the old housing is pretty crummy, but the new ones are fantastic.  The Spouses Clubs there are great as well!  The Commissary is HUGE and they can get you pretty much anything you want.  The BX is nice as well...there is a LOT to do at MacDill.  I miss it there!!!

My father was stationed at MacDill back in 2000. We were there until approximately June of 2003.

The BX, commissary, and food court are all really nice in my opinion. My family was not approved for on-base housing, so we ended up living in 2 different homes throughout our stay. We lived in Brandon, FL as well a Riverview, FL - both are about an hour away from the base, and we rarely made the trip up. Both towns are also really nice areas, but the schools are quite crowded. They opened a new high school down the road from Riverview High back in 2003 to help with the large student body, but I believe they are planning on opening another because the community has expanded yet again. The elementary school in Riverview is on a year-round schedule; I'm unsure about the Brandon or Tampa schools, though they are all apart of Hillsborough County.

My father (who is Army) did intel while he was at MacDill and he really loved his job. He always had nice things to say about the leadership, he liked working with individuals from every branch, and he really appreciated their organization and ability to get things done on time. They had tons of activities going on, plus it's Tampa so you know there's something to do almost anytime of the year. Between the beaches, gasparilla, Ybor City, Buccaneer football, and concerts there's plenty to do for couples. The aquarium, Busch Gardens, and the zoo are awesome family outings!

Pcsing to MAcDill in August!

Hey I have lived at Macdill since July of '07. I love it here!