Alconbury, Molesworth and Upwood

RAF Molesworth is 14 miles west of RAF Alconbury and 11 miles northwest of Huntingdon. RAF Alconbury is three miles northeast of Huntingdon and RAF Upwood is about 14 miles from RAF Alconbury. RAF Alconbury began as a satellite base for RAF Upwood in 1938. Various American air units were tenants over the next five years. RAF Molesworth was established as a bomber base for the Royal Air Force and was first occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force. The airfield was extended in 1942 to accommodate U.S. heavy bombers and the first American unit arrived in July. The base was closed down in 1946 but reopened in 1951 for U.S. Air Force use. Huntingdon is less than an hour from London by train and a 30-minute drive from Cambridge and the cathedral cities of Peterborough and Ely. Essentially rural in character, Huntingdonshire is very pretty and picturesque and an ideal location for walkers.

For more information visit the werbsite at www.alconbury.af.mil.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Sports and Recreation

The Fitness and Sports Center at Alconbury has saunas, equipment checkout, four racquetball courts, two softball fields, four tennis courts, basketball court, shower rooms, free weight room, quarter-mile jogging track, football field, volleyball court and nautilus weight room. Sports offered include intramural basketball, golf, flag football, slow-pitch softball, volleyball, racquetball, badminton, tennis and soccer, plus varsity soccer, softball, volleyball and basketball.

The Outdoor Recreation Center

Services include canoeing, cycling, windsurfing, scuba diving, walking and rappelling. The Alconbury facility also offers skiing trips, continental cycling trips, horse riding tours, whitewater rafting trips, camping trips and golf tickets. The center also has a retail shop.

The Bowling Center

At Alconbury has 12 fully automatic bowling lanes, a fully stocked pro shop, birthday party specials, video gameroom, slots room and league bowling.

The Education Center

At Alconbury offers associate and bachelor's programs in a number of areas. Students can commute to RAFs Lakenheath/Mildenhall or take computer-based distance education courses in order to complete most bachelor degree programs.

DoDDS Schools

RAF Alconbury Elementary School offers classes K through 6, including special education, reading improvement, talented and gifted program, and compensatory education and reading recovery. RAF Alconbury High School offers grades 7-12.

Medical and Dental

Standard medical care is available at Upwood, but medical cases may be referred to RAF Lakenheath (approximately 48 miles east of RAF Alconbury) for care that is unavailable. An optometrist from RAF Lakenheath is available once a month for military members' exams.

Veterinary Services

A veterinarian visits Alconbury once a month.

Religious Activities

RAF Alconbury Chapel offers regular Protestant and Catholic services, and Jewish services as announced. Synagogues are in Peterborough and Cambridge.

The Community Relations Advisor

A British civil servant appointed to the staff of the base commander to promote friendship and understanding. She regularly visits both Molesworth and Alconbury to advise on life in Britain, from where to go and what to see to more individual concerns and queries.

Shopping

The exchange, commissary, concessionaires and theater are at Alconbury.

Television

Like other bases in the U.K., RAF Alconbury and Molesworth are receiving the Command Information Dissemination System (CIDS), a force protection measure designed to bring timely and accurate information to the military community. CIDS brings nearly 10 times the AFRTS programming previously available to base housing and dormitories at zero cost to the military member.

Cablecom offers additional entertainment subscription packages for a monthly fee. There is no need for converters or a multi-system television or VCR, because all of these services are provided in U.S. standards. CIDS also brings 12 radio stations to the homes - everything from country and adult rock to Fox Sports Talk and ESPN radio.

High-speed Internet access into the homes is also in the works. Housing areas outside the main bases will receive all of the AFRTS channels and radio channels by direct-to-home satellite broadcast. Equipping homes with DTH requires a satellite dish on the property.

Skills Development

(Arts and Crafts) at Alconbury has classes in brass rubbing, ceramics, glass painting, stained glass, picture matting, framing (self-help), heat sealing, drawing and painting, canvas mounting and fiber arts (macramé, cross stitch.)

The Community Activities Center

At at Alconbury has a commercial travel agency, party room rental, pool tables, ping pong and darts.

The Library

At Alconbury offers fiction and nonfiction books, periodicals and newspapers, videos, records, tapes, and compact discs, maps and travel guides, Pentium computer systems and a copy machine.

The Auto Hobby Shop

At Alconbury has eight bays, three with lifts, plus car washes, storage facilities, a diagnostic engine analyzer, air-conditioning service and wheel alignment.

Banking

There is a branch of the Community Bank and two credit unions in the tri-base area.

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Croughton

RAF Croughton is located near Brackley, Northamptonshire, about 25 miles north of Oxford and 52 miles northwest of London's Heathrow airport. It is the home of the 422nd Air Base Group, the primary mission of which is to provide command, control, communications and computer (C4) support to DoD and civilian agencies across the European theater as well as base level functions and services for the RAF.

The 422nd is comprised of about 560 military, 100 US government service and 87 British Ministry of Defence (MOD) members. There is government housing for both officers and enlisted members, consisting of single and two story units with two to four bedrooms. Single members in the grade of TSgt or above are generally authorized to live off base in the local community.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Croughton Community

Offers a comprehensive and balanced program of leisure and recreational activities, including a library, outdoor recreation office, bowling center, auto skills center, recreation checkout facility, lodging facilities, consolidated club, Community Activities Center, Skills Development Center, Youth Activities Center, Child Development Center, Fitness Center, veterinary services, post office and an Information, Tickets and Tours office. There is an Airman & Family Readiness Center with a loan locker and airman's attic and a comprehensive education program. In addition to the base exchange and commissary.

Shopping

Croughton has a service station, shoppette, concession mall, beauty and barber shop, Bookmark and video store, dry cleaners and tailor shop and New Car Sales. There is also a food court restaurants that include Anthony's Pizza, American Eatery and Subway.

Schools

The Croughton American School, operated through the Department of Defense Dependents Schools System, offers a comprehensive K-6 curriculum. The base education center provides a variety of undergraduate courses through the University of Maryland and the City Colleges of Chicago.

Medical and Dental

There are some limitations in the conditions that can be handled at the Medical Aid Station (MAS). The Primary Care Clinic of the Medical Flight provides outpatient medical care. Two board-certified family physicians are available to evaluate and treat most common medical problems, simple emergencies and minor surgical procedures. Laboratory services are also available and radiology studies are provided by local national facilities or at RAF Lakenheath. A social worker is also available to provide counseling, stress management and behavioral services.

Comprehensive dental care is provided for all active duty members and their families. A broad range of specialty care is available for both the Primary Care and Dental Clinics through referrals to local national physicians or at RAF Lakenheath. External support is provided by the 48th Medical Group at RAF Lakenheath and by host nation medical facilities. The MAS is not staffed to support night or weekend care so personnel are asked to consider enrolling in the National Health Service (NHS) with a local general practitioner.

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Fairford

RAF Fairford is a USAF contingency base in the Cotswolds of Gloucestershire, a picturesque area of rolling countryside and limestone villages. The base, about 90 miles west of London, is located near two sizeable communities, Swindon and Cirencester, and the famed university city of Oxford is only 30 miles away.

Other places handy to the base include Stonehenge, with its celebrated Neolithic and Bronze Age monument; Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror; the elegant Georgian city of Bath, and Shakespeare's birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon. The area surrounding RAF Fairford is mostly rural and has many narrow, curved roads. Don't let this stop you from exploring the surrounding countryside, but consider taking along a "navigator" your first few times out.The base is the home of the 424th Air Base Squadron, the primary mission of which is to maintain a contingency base that supports deployments of various aircraft several times a year. It is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo that is usually held in July.

SERVICES and FACILITIES

Sports and Recreation

Base facilities include a fitness center, bowling center, Community Activities Center and library. The fitness center has saunas, a basketball court, cycling machines, treadmills, racquetball, handball and tennis courts, a weight room outfitted with free weights and a number of "state of the art" workout stations. The bowling center has ten lanes for open and league bowling, automatic Brunswick scoring and video games. There is also a lake on base with picnic areas, recreational areas and restrooms.

The Community Activities Center

Has a dining room, bar, slot machines, pool and snooker tables and a TV lounge. Special Events can be organized or catered as needed. Broadband internet compters are available free of charge at the coffee shop.

Family Services

RAF Fairford has a Child Development Center capable of caring for up to 25 children. Sometimes there is a waiting list (especially for children under 2 years of age) but the center carries a list of accredited childcare services in the local community. RAF Fairford also has a youth program which offers a school age summer care program five days a week for ages 5 to 12 and a before and after school age program during the school year. Activities for ages 9-18 are provided by the Youth Center. There is a fee for these programs.

Schools

Several options are available for education in the RAF Fairford area. Playgroups for pre-school children are conducted at Kempsford Village Hall, about two miles from the base. This program is also offered in Fairford village, next to the Fairford Primary School.

For kindergarten and elementary schoolchildren, the nearest American School is the Department of Defense schools (DoDDS) facility at RAF Croughton. Aside from the standard curriculum, the Croughton school provides special subject teachers in physical education, music, health, art and computers. Extracurricular activities provided include volleyball, track, soccer, drama, yearbook, literary magazine and math count.

Older students used to commute an hour and a half to attend the DoDDS high school in London, but this has now closed and students need to find alternative educational opportunities.

Local area schools provide educational opportunities for children aged 5 through 18, and about a half of the base elementary school children attend British schools. The local Primary British schools are Kempsford Primary, Fairford Primary, Meysey Hampton Primary, and Down Ampney Primary, which are all Church of England schools.

Adult Education

It's possible to work for a degree at RAF Fairford, though not always in a traditonal classroom setting. Formalized classes are limited to core curriculum (Math 101, English 101, Speech 100, etc.) offered (typically only one class per term) currently by the University of Maryland, University College. In the realm of distance education (either on-line or correspondence courses) the possibilities are virtually unlimited. The Education & Training Center can administer distance education exams (midterm, final etc.) for just about any college or university on the planet! Spouses wishing to use the General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) are limited to schools that are on the European Tri-Service Contract (currently University of Phoenix, University of Maryland and Central Texas College). Application forms can be found at the Education & Training Center. CLEP and DANTES tests are also available for college credits. Free to active duty military, they are a great way to shorten you path to a degree.

Health Services

A small medical aid station with limited hours is staffed with two independent duty medical technicians. Medical care is for active duty personnel only. There are many options for adequate medical coverage in the local area. There are physicians and specialists in Fairford town and hospitals in Cirencester and Swindon, which are, respectively, 20 and 30 minutes away. The nearest USAFE medical facility, a clinic, is located at RAF Croughton. It has a health benefits advisor and can provide limited optometry and dental care and referrals to either RAF Lakenheath or the local economy. Dependents are encouraged to sign up with the local National Health System (NHS) in England.

Religious Activities

The RAF Fairford Chapel has a Contemporary Worship Service on Sundays at 1100, along with a Sunday School program for all age groups starting at 1100. It also has Catholic Services once a month at 1630 on Sunday, and provides CCD on Thursdays at 1700. The Chapel also has access to all other faiths in and around RAF Fairford. There are also Baptist, Methodist, Jewish, Catholic and Muslim, and Church of England congregations in Swindon and the surrounding villages.

Airman & Family Readiness Center

RAF Fairford has a Family Services Center that offers many of the same services that the Family Support Center offers on a smaller scale. Some of the services available are the Loan Closet, Relocation Assistance Program, the Community Closet, Information and Referral program, and the Parent Toddler Playgroup.

Shopping

The base exchange is a limited stock store with supplies of electronic equipment such as TVs, VCRs and computers; a small selection of videos and CDs; toys, and some clothing. The staff will special order items or customers may choose to have items transferred from other exchanges. Layaways are available, as is deferred payment. The concession mall includes a beauty shop, a barbershop and a souvenir gift shop. The base service station, which does business in dollars at American prices, offers unleaded gasoline but no diesel fuel. There is also a movie theater on base that shows movies generally on Thursday and Saturday.

The Defense Commissary Agency

Operates operates a sales store that is remarkably good considering the size of the base. It has a selection of frozen foods, produce, dairy products, frozen meats and canned goods, plus a deli counter and a meat department. Meat and cheese and fruit and vegetable trays are available by special order. The Commissary is open late on Wednesday to meet the needs of the community.

Banking

The Community Bank branch on base has an automatic teller machine and offers checking accounts in dollars and pound sterling, signature and personal car loans, certificates of deposit, travelers checks and international money orders. It provides currency exchange and check cashing services to non-depositors as well as to depositors.

The Community Relations Advisor

A part time host nation citizen that offers information on the practicalities of living in the area.

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Lakenheath

RAF Lakenheath is, along with nearby RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell, part of the largest U.S. military community in England and home of the only F-15 fighter wing in U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). The wing has supported Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom with aircraft and personnel.

The base is located in a rural area of Suffolk made up of small towns and villages. Personnel live in these villages if they are not in base housing. Plans are afoot to build about 70 new on-base homes in Feltwell to ease the housing deficit for airmen and their families.

The area is called East Anglia, the name given to the four counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Instead of jampacked, high rise cities, East Anglia boasts quiet towns and villages, farms and forests, and many historical points of interest. It's about 80 miles from London.

During the Middle Ages, East Anglia was a wealthy area. Sheep raising, wool and manufactured clothes were the basis of a very profitable trade with Europe. In the 1500s, the wool trade declined and at the same time England was turning her attention away from Europe. As the nation concentrated on colonizing America and other places around the world, East Anglia remained predominantly rural.

Probably the best known city in the area, Cambridge (population 109,000) is about 35 miles southwest of the base. The city has one of England's most prestigious universities and attracts students from around the world. The climate in the area is cool in summer and mild damp in winter.

Sites of military interest in the area include the American Cemetery at Madingley, near Cambridge, for those who fell in World War II, and the Duxford Air Museum, the finest collection of civil and military aircraft in Britain.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Sports & Recreation

The Sport and Fitness Center has a cardiovascular room, nautilus room, free weight room, racquetball courts and a full size gymnasium. The Rod and Gun Club, which is operated privately, offers a wide variety of activities like hunting, archery, skeet and trap shooting, organized shoots and darts. There is live entertainment on weekends. Other sports facilities include a Bowling Center, with 24 lanes, a pro shop and a snack bar; a nine-hole golf course with 18 different tee positions, and a skating rink.

Health Services

The Lakenheath hospital and clinic provide high-quality medical and dental care to all patients. It features over 20 different specialty clinics including a pharmacy and a lab.

Health Care

The hospital facilities at RAF Lakenheath are the largest Air Force facilities in Europe. They provide general and specialized medical services, including obstetrics, to active duty and retired military, their family members and U.S. civilians employed in the area. It is the referral medical facility for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army personnel assigned to the United Kingdom, and is a referral facility for all of USAFE.

Schools

Lakenheath Elementary School, with an enrollment of over 750 is for children in grades K-3. The Elementary School at RAF Feltwell (10 miles from RAF Lakenheath) is smaller with grades K-5. Lakenheath Intermediate School is for grades 4-5. Lakenheath American Middle School at RAF Feltwell has more than 600 students. Lakenheath High School is for dependents of the military, government employees and civilians from private American firms.

American children can attend British schools. Contact with them is best done through education officials on the base. School terms (three per year) usually run from the second week in September to mid-July, with breaks between terms. A few nursery classes are attached to primary schools in the West Suffolk area, but there are seldom enough places to go around. There are, however, several privately run nursery schools and informal pre-school playgroups. American holidays are not observed at British schools.

Religious Activities

The Base Chapel is conveniently located near the Base Exchange and the Base Hospital. A modern annex with kitchen facilities supports many social and fellowship events. Almost every village has a Church of England parish which generally will be in an old historical setting. Services are often liturgical with some special services periodically scheduled.

The American Red Cross

Provides provides social welfare casework services including emergency communications and financial assistance. Health and safety courses and volunteer opportunities are provided.

Community Youth Program

The vast majority of programs for youth engaged in by RAF Lakenheath family members are through the base American Youth Activities program. There are Boy and Girl Scouts, an in-line skating rink and chapel programs.

A Community Relations Advisor

Appointed by the the British Ministry of Defense, with the job of acting as a liaison between base personnel and the local community, and to help service members and their families enjoy their stay in Britain.

Shopping

The BX is the largest in the UK providing a wide variety of consumer items, ranging from clothing, electronics and household goods to stationary, appliances and health items. Contracted services provided through AAFES include beauty and barber shops, car rentals, flowers, dry cleaning, alterations, tailor shop, engraving and various china and giftware services.

The Commissary

Also serves Mildenhall, is large, modern and equipped with a Pasta Café and 15 cash registers to facilitate a quick check out.

Clubs

The Eagle's Landing and Liberty Clubs provide a lunch service, evening dining, informal pub snacks, and excel at special functions. There is also an NCO club. Check cashing and currency exchange services are also available at both clubs.

Library

Leisure and professional reading material are available as well as computers with CD-ROM, photocopiers, an audio-visual center, microfilm, books on tape, videos and more.

The Woodcrafts Center

Offers a wide range of machinery and hand held tools for woodworking.

Banking

There is a Credit Union and bank on base.

Liberty Lodge

A temporary lodging facility for all ranks, whether on official duty or (if space is available) on leave. It has 80 temporary living facilities which include a kitchen complete with utensils, maid service and free washer/dryer. The facility also has 95 visiting quarters with private bathrooms and kitchenettes and 23 Airmen quarters with a shared bath.

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Mildenhall

RAF Mildenhall is about 70 miles north of London, 26 miles northeast of Cambridge, and 13 miles northwest of Bury St. Edmunds. It conducts air refueling, force reception, force deployment and support operations for the United States Forces and NATO.

The base is in East Anglia, in the northwest corner of Suffolk county.

Since October 16, 1934, when it officially opened, RAF Mildenhall has been at the center of aviation for the air forces of the United Kingdom and the United States.

SERVICES and FACILITIES

Sports and Recreation

The Outdoor Recreation Center offers deep sea and fresh water fishing trips, ice skating, skiing trips, pony trekking, war games, spelunking, camping, rafting, sailing and sail boarding. Outdoor Recreation & Recreation Rental provides the needs for camping and sports, plus tools, lawn and garden implements, TVs, VCRs, camcorders, trailers, carpet cleaners, and much more. The Sports and Fitness Center's services include a sauna, basketball court, weight room outfitted with free weights and universal gym set, racquetball courts, handball, tennis courts, cycling machines and treadmill. The Hardstand Fitness Center, Mildenhall's second fitness facility, is located near the flight line and boasts an indoor track, gym, weights and cardio equipment. The Health and Wellness Center is also located here.

Golf

There is a nine-hole course with 18 tee boxes, driving range, lessons, monthly tournament and a wide range of golf equipment and accessories. The golf course is located at RAF Lakenheath about 5 Miles from RAF Mildenhall.

Health Care

The hospital facilities at RAF Lakenheath provide general and specialized medical services to active-duty and retired military, their family members and U.S. civilians employed in the area. It is the referral medical facility for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army personnel assigned to the U.K., and is a referral facility for all of USAFE. Some 733 personnel serve your medical needs. It averages 16,000 patient visits, 272 admissions, 267 surgical procedures and 49 births per month.

Flight Surgeon's offices are located at RAFs Mildenhall and Lakenheath and provide limited care for active-duty flyers and some flyers' family members. Dental Clinics are also located at both RAFs. Family member services are provided at Lakenheath.

Under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), all US military or DoD members and family members residing in the UK are entitled to care through the National Health Service, free of charge. In general, if services cannot be provided to you through the resources of the military you may be referred (or refer yourself) to NHS resources.

Veterinary Services

The U.S. Army Veterinary Clinic located at RAF Feltwell about 7 Miles from both bases provides routine immunizations, health certificates, routine exams, deworming and treatment of minor illnesses. Most other non-basic surgery is referred out. A variety of flea control and health care products are also available. You must sign an acknowledgement form when in-processing with the Commander's Support Staff that you understand the responsibilities of caring for an animal in case you choose to bring one here, or get a pet during your assignment. All cats and dogs must be registered with the Veterinary Clinic within 15 days of acquisition, or within 15 days of your arrival.

Red Cross

Services services include verification of death or sudden illness, birth announcements, health and welfare reports, babysitting classes, CPR classes, basic first aid and a variety of volunteer and training programs.

The Youth Center

Mildenhall offers a before/after-school care programs, a preschool program, summer camp and gymnastics, karate, ballet, drill team, performing arts, tennis and an active sports program. There is also a large Youth Center at nearby Lakenheath.

Shopping

The BX at Lakenheath, five miles away, is the largest in the UK. It sells everything from clothing, electronics and household goods to stationery, appliances and health items. The BXtra at Mildenhall sells household items such as towels, linens, sheets, rugs, outdoor equipment, tools games, plants, toys and pet items. Other facilities at Mildenhall include a barber shop, alteration shop, 24-hour Shoppette and Gas Station, and several concessions for your convenience. The Food Court includes Cinnabun, Baskin Robbins, Taco Bell, Anthony's Pizza and Burger King. The Bookmark store is the largest in Europe. It sells a wide variety of books, magazines, calendars, maps, postcards and regional interest books, and you can place orders for other books that are available in the USA.

Mildenhall also has a small commissary which sells grocery essentials. A large commissary is located on Lakenheath.

Radio and TV

Programming is provided by cable. AFN is free and receivable in on-base housing and available to off base residents if they wish to rent or purchase an AFN decoder box at the BX. Various cable packages are available through British cable companies for a fee. They offer Country Music, Sky One, Sky Movies Plus, TNT Cartoon, UK Gold, Nickelodeon, MTV, Children Channel, Discovery, CNN, Sky Movies Gold, Sky Sports and the Movie Channel. American television sets are not compatible with British broadcasting transmitting systems and cannot be converted. If you have a television capable of receiving any signal, you must pay a TV licensing fee. The current fine for not having a TV license is 1,000 pounds.

Club

Whether it's fine dining, a spectacular entertainment show or a night out at the theater, you'll find it at the Galaxy Complex. It's open to all ranks and has two eating facilities; New York Pizza and Deli and the Roadhouse Grill. It also has a large ballroom and a Sports Lounge.

Tickets and Tours

Offer full commercial travel services to include airfares, overseas travel, package tours, theater tickets, travel brochures and general information.

Banking

A branch of Community Bank is located on-base and you can get a pound sterling aacount here or use an off-base bank which can be found in many of the local towns and villages. There is also a branch of the Keesler Credit Union with banking services for members.

Religious Activities

RAF Mildenhall Chapel delivers spiritual fitness to the war-fighters and family members of Team Mildenhall. The Chapel provides confidential counseling to individuals, and offers Jewish, Protestant and Catholic services, Sunday school programs and confirmation classes. Additional services include: Mothers of Preschoolers, Children's Bible program, Couple's studies, military marriage conference, Protestant and Catholic Club Beyond, and the Single Airman Ministry (SAM). The SAM is open to everyone, and provides group activities and trips which are arranged with Bob Hope Community Center and Outdoor Recreation. The Chapel participates in community activities including Remembrance Sunday and Thanksgiving services at Ely Cathedral. It also offers Protestant Youth of the Chapel (PYOC) for students.

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TIME/MILEAGE CHART

The Chart below shows trip length in miles/time(hours:minutes) between major bases and nearby cities in England. Distances / times are for travel from city center to city center. Distances / times reflect the shortest / quickest route from one place to another assuming the following average speeds:

Miles/Kilometers Conversion Chart

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