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.501csw.usafe.af.mil/units/alconbury.

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.

Outdoor Recreation Center

The Outdoor Recreation Center's 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.

Bowling Center

The Bowling Center at Alconbury has 12 fully automatic bowling lanes, a fully stocked pro shop, birthday party specials, video game room, slots room and league bowling.

Education Center

The Education Center at Alconbury offers associate, bachelor's and master'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. Both schools are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).

Housing

The limited number of existing quarters makes it impossible to house all military families on base. The lodging facilities on RAF Alconbury are equipped for a family of four and include a modern kitchenette with microwave, cooking and eating utensils, color television (cable TV), DVD and laundry facilities. The waiting list time for military family housing varies from 3-12 months or more. There is no housing directly on RAF Molesworth; the Molesworth housing area is in the village of Brington approximately one mile from RAF Molesworth. Before you begin your search for off base housing you should attend one of the twice-weekly housing briefings.

Medical and Dental

The Air Force's 423d Medical Squadron provides routine medical and dental care for all persons stationed at RAFs Molesworth, Alconbury and Upwood. A modern family practice clinic is located at RAF Upwood, staffed with two military family practice physicians, one PA, one OB/GYN nurse practitioner and three dentists. Specialty services are limited and require referral to either military or civilian facilities. In case of a true medical emergency, patients must be seen at the nearest civilian Accident and Emergency Room (A&E) or the US Air Force hospital at RAF Lakenheath.

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.

Community Relations Advisor

The Community Relations Advisor is 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. The shoppette at RAF Molesworth carries items of necessity such as milk, bread, sodas, pet supplies, and other groceries normally found in the commissary. There is also a variety of items normally found in the BX along with a frozen food department and DVD rental section. The Class Six store is included in the shoppette. There are gas stations at both Alconbury and Molesworth. The New York Pizza and Deli is the best place to eat at Molesworth.

It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

Club

The Consolidated Club facility offers a ballroom, function room, lounge, slot machines, video games, and bar areas for your convenience. The club has a rotating lunch and dinner buffet and a Sunday breakfast buffet.

Television

Like other bases in the U.K., RAF Alconbury and Molesworth are receiving the Command Information Dissemination System (CIDS), which carries a great variety of AFRTS programming plus accurate military information 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.

Skills Development

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).

Community Activities Center

The Community Activities Center at Alconbury has a commercial travel agency, party room rental, pool tables, ping pong and darts.

Library

The Library has six computers, wireless and printers, plus adult and children's books and A/V materials including books on CD, DVDs and CDs. Educational, job-related, enriching or recreational books for all ages are available. The facility includes reading areas and a children's area.

Information, Tickets and Travel (ITT)

Information, Tickets and Travel (ITT) offers full travel services to meet all your vacation needs including air fares, overseas travel, package tours, theater tickets, travel brochures and general information. There are weekly organized trips to local historical and family attractions.

Auto Hobby Shop

The Auto Hobby Shop at Alconbury has full time mechanics and a parts resale store to meet all of your automotive needs. Auto detailing service is also available.

Transient Lodging

The Britannia Inn offers affordable and comfortable alternatives to local hotels and pensions.

Banking

There are branches of the Community Bank and Keesler Federal Credit Union in the tri-base area.

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Croughton

RAF Croughton is located in a rural area near Brackley, Northamptonshire, about 25 miles north of Oxford and 52 miles northwest of London's Heathrow airport. Croughton 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.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Croughton Community

RAF Croughton community offers a comprehensive and balanced program of leisure and recreational activities, including a library, arts and crafts, 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, post office and an Information, Tickets and Tours office. There is an Airman & Family Readiness Center with a loan locker and community attic and a comprehensive education program.

Shopping

Croughton has a base exchange and commissary, a service station, shoppette, concession mall, beauty and barber shop, New Car Sales, Bookmark and video store, dry cleaners and tailor shop. There is also a food court with Anthony's Pizza, American Eatery and Subway. It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

Schools

The Croughton American School, operated through the Department of Defense Dependents Schools System, offers a comprehensive K-6 curriculum. Students attending 7th-12th grades need to be registered into the Non-DoDDS School Program, and probably will attend British schools.

Adult Education

The base education center provides a variety of undergraduate courses through the University of Maryland and Central Texas College.

Club

Dining is offered Tuesday to Thursday from 11 to 1:30, Friday from 6 to 8. The bar is open Wednesday and Thursday 4 to 7, Friday 4 to 1 a.m.

Medical and Dental

Services provided include Family Practice, Immunizations, Laboratory, General Dentistry, Life Skills, Family Advocacy, and Public Health in an ambulatory care setting. The clinic also offers a vast network of Host Nation providers within the local area if specialty care referrals are required. Radiology studies are provided by local national facilities or at RAF Lakenheath.

Religious Activities

The Base Chapel offers regular Catholic and Protestant services, plus a Christian Men's Luncheon, Ecumenical Youth Meeting and a ladies group. 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.

Housing

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. Average waiting times for government housing are subject to change. It is essential to check waiting times and your status on the housing waiting list at the Housing Management Office on arrival.

Banking

There are branches of the Community Bank and Keesler Federal Credit Union on base, plus a number of ATMs.

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Fairford

RAF Fairford is a USAF contingency base in the Cotswolds of Gloucestershire. It's the home of the 424th Air Base Squadron, the primary mission of which is to maintain a base that supports deployments of various aircraft several times a year. Its core of 200 airmen and 250 Ministry of Defense employees would be able to handle an influx of 2,000 to 3,000 people if it became necessary.

RAF Fairford was built during World War II. Horsa gliders were launched from it on D-Day, in June 1944. After the war it traded hands many times between the United States and United Kingdom until December 2000, when the Royal Air Force pulled out.

The base, about 90 miles west of London, is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo that is usually held in July. The RIAT draws some 165,000 spectators each year, and usually has about 300 aircraft from around the world on display or up in the air. It was cancelled in 2008 because of flooding, but definitely will continue.

The area around Fairford is a picturesque one of rolling countryside and limestone villages. The base is near two sizeable communities, Swindon and Cirencester, and the famed university city of Oxford is only 30 miles away. Places handy to the base include the Stonehenge Neolithic and Bronze Age monument, Warwick Castle, the elegant Georgian city of Bath, and Shakespeare's birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon. Other historical places are within easy driving distance of the base.

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. You might consider taking along a "navigator" your first few times out.

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, cross trainer, cardio theater, 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.

Community Activities Center

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 computers are available free of charge at the coffee shop.

Library

A small but comprehensive library has a children's section as well as a private study area and computer lab. DVDs, CDs and videos are available for loan. The adult section is quite varied with a rotating selection of books coming from other military libraries.

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.

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 traditional classroom setting. The University of Maryland and Central Texas College both have offices at Croughton that also serve Fairford, but regular classroom teaching is limited. The academic advising staffs are always available to assist you in developing a personalized plan of study, and offer placement tests for English and math courses. In the realm of distance education (either on-line or correspondence) 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!

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 dental care. Referrals are made to either RAF Lakenheath or the local economy.

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 1000. It also has a Catholic Mass and CCD classes for school-agers at 1700 Saturdays. The Chapel also has access to all other faiths in and around RAF Fairford.

Military Family Life Consultant Program

The Military Family Life Consultant Program is a new Air Force service meant to help stressed-out airmen, family members and civilians. One consultant serves both the Fairford and Croughton communities. The Department of Defense-sponsored initiative gives people access to certified behavioral health professionals without the visits being documented in their official military health records. The only exceptions to the confidentiality policy are cases of suspected child or spousal abuse, sexual assault or the possibility of an individual harming himself or others.

Shopping

The AAFES specialty store has a limited stock of electronic equipment, toys and some clothing. The staff will special order items customers wish There is also a Subway Sandwich Shop, a concession mall, a barber/beauty shop and a souvenir gift shop.

Defense Commissary Agency

The Defense Commissary Agency 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. The commissary is open late on Wednesday to meet the needs of the community.

Base Service Station

The base service station, which does business in dollars at American prices, offers unleaded and leaded gasoline but no diesel fuel. There is also a movie theater on base with shows generally on Thursday and Saturday. It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

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.

Community Relations Advisor

The Community Relations Advisor is 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. It's the home of the 48th Fighter Wing, a unit that 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. The area is called East Anglia, the name given to the four counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Instead of jam-packed, high-rise cities, East Anglia boasts quiet towns and villages, farms and forests, and many historical points of interest. It's about 70 miles from London, close enough to make big city life available when it's wanted.

During the Middle Ages, East Anglia was one of the wealthiest areas of England. Sheep raising, wool and manufactured clothes were the basis of a very profitable trade with Europe, and the remaining churches, castles and abbey ruins attest to the wealth that was accumulated. But 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 25 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.

For more information check the Lakenheath website at www.lakenheath.af.mil.

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 the Liberty Lanes Bowling Center, with 24 lanes, a pro shop and a snack bar. The on-base Breckland Pines Golf Course is a nine-hole facility with 18 different tee positions, and Lakenheath has the only U.S. military skating rink in the United Kingdom.

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. The hospital facilities 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. There is also a veterinary clinic.

Schools

The Lakenheath-Mildenhall-Feltwell complex has a total of five DoDDS schools for dependents of the military, government employees and civilians from private American firms. The Lakenheath and Feltwell Elementary Schools are for children in grades K-3. The Liberty Intermediate School is for grades 4-5. The Middle School at RAF Feltwell is for grades 6-8 and Lakenheath High School is for 9-12.

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.

Colleges and Universities

Degree programs are offered by the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Central Texas College, University of Maryland, University of Phoenix and University of Oklahoma.

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.

Airman and Family Readiness Center

The Airman and Family Readiness Center offers an array of specialized programs and services aimed at improving the quality of life for military members and their families.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross 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.

Community Relations Advisor

A Community Relations Advisor is appointed by 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, which also serves Mildenhall, is large, modern and equipped with a Pasta Café and 15 cash registers to facilitate a quick check out. It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

Clubs

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

Movies

The Pineview Theater shows recent releases from the states.

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.

Woodcrafts Center

The Woodcrafts Center offers a wide range of machinery and hand held tools for woodworking.

Auto Hobby Complex

The Auto Hobby Complex has a friendly, professional atmosphere and an extensive range of tools to get your car back on the road.

Banking

There is a Community Bank and a branch of the Keesler Federal Credit Union on base, and ATMs at numerous locations.

Liberty Lodge

Liberty Lodge is 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, along with nearby RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell, is part of the largest U.S. military community in England.

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. The base now conducts air refueling, force reception, force deployment and support operations for the United States Forces and NATO.

East Anglia is the name given to the four counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, which together form the most easterly portion of central England. RAF Mildenhall lies in the northwest corner of Suffolk. 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 aircraft in Britain.

For more information check the Mildenhall website at www.mildenhall.af.mil.

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 fitness centers offer a variety of activities to include basketball, softball and flag football, and a wide variety of exercise options to include step class, Pilates, circuit training, cycling, cardio kickboxing and Yoga.

Golf

The Breckland Pines Golf Course at Lakenheath is a nine-hole course with 18 tee boxes, driving range, lessons, monthly tournament and a wide range of golf equipment and accessories. RAF Mildenhall is about five miles from RAF Lakenheath.

Schools

The Lakenheath-Mildenhall-Feltwell complex has a total of five DoDDS schools for dependents of the military, government employees and civilians from private American firms. The Lakenheath and Feltwell Elementary Schools are for children in grades K-3. The Liberty Intermediate School is for grades 4-5. The Middle School at RAF Feltwell is for grades 6-8 and Lakenheath High School is for 9-12. There are no schools at RAF Mildenhall.

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.

Health Care

The 48th Medical Group (48 MDG) at RAF Lakenheath provides general and specialized medical services to active duty and retired military, their family members and US civilians employed in the area. The 48 MDG is the referral medical facility for the US Air Force, Navy and Army personnel assigned to the United Kingdom, and is a referral facility for all of USAFE. Flight Surgeons' offices are located at both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath and provide limited care for flyers, active duty and some flyers' family members. Dental Clinics are located at both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. Family member services are provided at the RAF Lakenheath facility.

Veterinary Services

The U.S. Army Veterinary Clinic located at RAF Feltwell, about seven miles from both bases, provides routine immunizations, health certificates, routine exams, de-worming 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

Red Cross 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.

Youth Center

The Youth Center at 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 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 U.S.A.

Mildenhall also has a small commissary, which sells grocery essentials. A large commissary is located on Lakenheath. It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

Government Housing

There are 2,735 military family housing units at 17 different locations that are available for assignment to active-duty military who have command sponsored dependents. All units are supplied with a refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer. In addition, most of the houses have 110-volt electrical outlets.

Radio and TV

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 three eating facilities; New York Pizza and Deli, the main dining room and the Roadhouse Grill. It also has a large ballroom and a Sports Lounge.

Information, Tickets and Travel

Information, Tickets and Travel offers 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

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

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Menwith Hill

RAF Menwith Hill, a Royal Air Force station, is located in Northern England in North Yorkshire, approximately 200 miles north of London, and about eight miles west of Harrogate. It houses the multinational 421st Air Base Group, the mission of which is to ensure a full range of base support services for an installation populace that includes, military personnel, civilians, contractors and their families. Menwith Hill Station serves as an integral part of the Department of Defense (DoD) worldwide defense communications network and provides intelligence support for U.K., U.S. and other allied interests. Menwith Hill Station was opened on 545 acres of land acquired by the British War Office in 1954 and leased to the United States. In addition to the Army personnel, the United States Air Force451st Information Operations Squadron (451 IOS) has an integral part of the station. Menwith Hill is highly recognizable by its several dozen radomes, usually referred to as Ògolf ballsÓ, and each containing a satellite dish.

More than 70 percent of the families live in local towns and villages and participate fully in community life, supporting local church and resident associations as well as volunteering with community and charity groups. The site has expanded so much in recent years that it has its own internal roads, houses, shops, bank, post office, school, church, sports center, bowling alley, hairdresser, beauty salon, garage and power supply.

SERVICES and FACILITIES

Sports and Recreation

There is an extensive sports program. The Fitness and Sports Center has lots of state of the art equipment, and the Outdoor Recreation Center carries a wide variety of items for checkout. The Strike Zone Bowling Center features automatic bumpers, state of the art scoring systems and programs to meet the needs of every bowler, whether a complete novice or a seasoned bowler. Check out the bowling leagues and tournaments. There is also a library and an arts and crafts facility.

Religious Activities

The Chapel offers Protestant, Gospel, Lutheran and Catholic worship services. It also has a Protestant and Catholic Religious Education programs, a "Club Beyond" youth group, Protestant Women of the Chapel, Catholic Women of the Chapel, and a wide variety of fellowship as well as spiritual growth opportunities. Because the UK is an English speaking country a variety of worship and religious services exist in the surrounding communities.

Schools

The Menwith Hill Elementary/High School is part of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) and the Department of Defense Schools Isles District (DODDS-Isles). It's a small, coeducational school with students in grades Kindergarten to twelve. American children also attend British Schools. College level courses are offered through the University of Maryland, the University of Oklahoma, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Central Texas College and the University of Phoenix.

Health Services

The Occupational Health Clinic is staffed by two U.K. general practitioners (GPs), two U.K. nurses, one medical nurse, and a receptionist, all of whom are under contract with the U.S. government. A certified occupational health nurse manages the clinic and is the patient advocate for any issues or concerns relating to health care. Patients requiring special care beyond local professional capabilities are usually referred to the Lakenheath Hospital. General dentistry services, examinations, cleanings, fillings, root canal treatment and periodontal treatment are provided for all eligible beneficiaries.

Shopping

The main AAFES store contains clothing, home supplies, cosmetics, linens and jewelry departments. The complex also includes a shopette, barber/beauty shop, car care center, car rental facility and a Waterford/Wedgewood concessionaire. The main store is closed Sunday. Besides the grocery department the commissary offers a bakery, deli, fresh sandwiches to go, rotisserie chicken and hot foods. You can also get party cakes and plants there. The commissary is closed Sunday and Monday. It's important to note that shopping in the exchange or commissary is only authorized for military personnel and retirees who are assigned to, or resident in, the United Kingdom. Visiting military personnel and retirees are not authorized.

Food and Drink

The Strike Zone bowling alley offers a variety of quick-serve food items for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus those any time snacks. The menu features more salad and healthy options than previously, plus draft beer, buffalo chicken tenders and French fries.

Banking

A branch of Community Bank is located on-base. You can get a pound sterling account there or use one of the off-base banks in many of the local towns and villages. Personal checks can be cashed at the Base Exchange and the club. Additionally, money order service is available at the Base Exchange and the Post Office.

Club

The club caters to both officer and enlisted personnel, offering typical club activities to them, their families and some civilians.

Library

The Menwith Hill Station Library offers leisure and professional reading material, computers, photocopiers and more.

Government Housing

Government Housing consists of 111 on-station housing units reserved for enlisted personnel, key and essential personnel and DoD civilians in the grade of GS-6 and below. These two-story units are equipped with appliances, and are fully carpeted. Additionally, there are 144 housing units located within a 25-mile radius of the station. They are available to all accompanied military personnel as well as accompanied DoD civilians in the grade of GS 13 and below. Personnel eligible for government housing will not be allowed to lease private housing if adequate government housing is available.

Scouting

There is a scouting program on station for both boys and girls. It is active within the British community, and offers a rare opportunity to enjoy scouting at an international level.

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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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