MacDill Air Force Base Guide
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is an Air Mobility Command base home to two major commands: U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. The base’s mission is primarily air refueling and airlift support. MacDill AFB is less than 10 miles from Tampa, Florida, and serves over 50 tenant units.
MacDill Air Force Base Surrounding Area
Located roughly 10 miles from Tampa, MacDill AFB is uniquely situated in Tampa Bay as a large military community on the southwestern Interbay Peninsula.
Sports fans have much to love here between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Rays. You can also take in the local area by boat, with fishing and scenic boat tours. Try the Tampa Museum of Art, CASS Contemporary art museum, or the Hyde Park Art Center for a family-friendly destination.
MacDill AFB is an easy drive from Orlando, Florida, and approximately 70 miles to Disney World. If you are considering a trip there and have never done so, I would recommend that you make the trip an overnight stay.
In-Processing and Check-In at MacDill AFB
All new arrivals must contact their gaining unit during regular duty hours. Contact the MacDill Inn for check-in instructions if you arrive after 4:30 PM or on weekends or holidays.
Child Care at MacDill AFB
MacDill operates three Child Development Centers on-base, with care offered on a priority basis for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.
Due to high demand, expect waiting lists and be prepared to seek alternative options such as Family Child Care, offered by licensed and supervised private homes on base at MacDill.
MacDill CDCs participate in the Florida Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program for eligible children. Call the Child Development Center at 813-828-3332 or DSN 312-968-3332 for information about current waiting lists and sign-up requirements.
Read more: Military Child Care Options
MacDill Air Force Base Housing
Do you have PCS orders to MacDill AFB? Use the MacDill Government Housing official page to learn MacDill’s application procedures, waiting lists for on-post housing, etc.
You’ll use this site whether you are traveling with your family or if you are PCSing to MacDill unaccompanied or as a “geographic bachelor.” Unaccompanied troops E4 and below (with three years of service or less) may be required to live on base until they qualify for off-base housing options.
Read more: BAH Calculator
MacDill PCS and TDY Lodging
PCS and TDY seasons are both high-traffic times for MacDill AFB, and if you must travel here on orders, it is best to make reservations as far in advance as possible.
Those on orders for travel during May, June, July, and August should call the Traffic Management Flight in advance at 813-828-6722 or DSN 312-968-6722 or toll-free 1-800-432-7131.
MacDill Inn provides all Temporary Lodging services at MacDill. Make reservations by calling 813-828-4259 or DSN 312-968-4259. Pet-friendly rooms are limited; you should not assume you can bring your pet without prior authorization.
Transportation
The Tampa Bay area has a pair of major airports, Tampa International Airport (TPA) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.
While there are no dedicated “military shuttles” from these airports to the base, you will find the usual ride-sharing, taxis, and rental car options. It’s best to coordinate your arrival with your sponsor if you are unfamiliar with the area. Your travel times will be greatly affected by rush hour, tourist season, and weather factors.
Vehicle Registration and Driver’s License
Florida has strict car insurance laws; make sure you know your obligations if you must serve in Florida for over 90 days on official orders.
According to the DoD, “Car insurance rates in this area tend to be higher than other locations. Any person who has a vehicle in Florida for more than 90 days during one year must purchase personal injury protection and property damage liability insurance coverage.”
You do not need to register a vehicle on base to drive at MacDill AFB, but you must carry a current, valid military ID, plus:
- State Vehicle Registration
- State Driver’s License
- Insurance Certificate
- Armed Forces ID Card or Base Pass
- All Documents must be valid & current
Schools
There are six school districts in the MacDill AFB area to choose from. Your school choice may be affected by where you live (on-base or off) and other variables:
- Hillsborough County School District
- Pinellas County School District
- Pasco County School District
- Hernando County School District
- Manatee County District
- Polk County School District
Hillsborough County School District is where many who live at MacDill Air Force Base send their school-age children, including the following:
- Tinker Elementary School (813) 840-2043
- Monroe Middle School (813) 272-3020
- Robinson High School (813) 272-3006
On-post students attend Tinker, Monroe Middle School, or Robinson High School. Busing may be provided for Monroe Middle School and Robinson High School.
Contact the School Liaison Program Manager as soon as you receive orders to MacDill (call 813-828-0146) or visit the MacDill School Liaison Office official site.
Colleges and Universities
MacDill Air Force Base has much to offer those who want to attend college while serving, thanks to the Base Education and Training Center.
There is help for both active duty military and family members in terms of school choices, financial aid options, and help for those who want to explore their education options as they transition out of the military.
Colleges at MacDill AFB include:
- Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
- Hillsborough Community College
- Saint Leo University
- Troy State University
Related: Military Tuition Assistance
MacDill AFB Contacts
MacDill Air Force Base
6801 S. Dale Mabry Hwy
MacDill AFB, FL 33621- 5313
813-828-1110
DSN 312-968-1110
Important MacDill AFB Contact Phone Numbers
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- Airman & Family Readiness Center (813) 828-0145
- Airman & Family Readiness Center (Brandon) (813) 655-9281
- Beneficiary Counseling Assistance Coordinator (813) 827-9900
- Customer Service (ID/CAC) (813) 827-9400
- Lodging Office (813) 828-4259
- MacDill Family Housing (813) 840-2600
- Military Crisis Line and Suicide Prevention Hotline (800) 273-8255
- School Liaison Office (813) 828-0146
- Child Development Center 1 (813) 828-3332
- Child Development Center 2 (813) 828-2244
- Child and Youth Registration and Referral (813) 828-3332
- Family Child Care/Child Development Homes (813) 828-7760
- Youth Center – School Age Care (813) 828-5971
- SNAIC – EFMP Enrollment (813) 827-9487
- Family Advocacy (813) 827-9172
- Family Advocacy – New Parent Support Program (813) 827-9172
- U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) (1-800) 375-5283
- Victim Advocate (813) 935-2015
- Brandon Medical Clinic (813) 828-2273
- MacDill Medical Group (813) 828-2273
- Bay Pines Healthcare System (727) 398-6661
- James M Haley Veterans Hospital (813) 972-2000
- Housing Management Office (813) 828-5404
- Billeting/ Lodging Office (813) 828-4259
- DEERS Enrollment (813) 828-2252
- Airman & Family Readiness Center – School Liaison Office (813) 828-0146
- Household Goods/Transportation Office (813) 828-6722
Read more: Ultimate GI Bill Benefits Guide
MacDill AFB Mission and Units
MacDill AFB, home of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, has a dual mission. As an Air Mobility Command (AMC) base, its job includes what the DoD describes as “…rapidly projecting air-refueling power anywhere in the world” and providing airlift support to Central Command and Special Operations Command.
Important missions and units at the base have included:
290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (FL Air and Army National Guard)
310th Airlift Squadron
45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (Air Force Reserve)
6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Bioenvironmental Engineering
6th Air Mobility Wing
6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
6th Civil Engineering Squadron
6th Communication Squadron
6th Comptroller Squadron
6th Contracting Squadron
6th Dental Squadron
6th Force Support Squadron
6th Logistics Readiness Squadron
6th Maint Operation Squadron
6th Maint Squadron
6th Maintenance Group
6th Medical Group
6th Medical Operations Squadron
6th Medical Support Squadron
6th Mission Support Group
6th Operation Group
6th Operation Support Squadron
6th Security Forces Squadron
91st Air Refueling Squadron
927th ARW(Air Force Reserve)
MacDill Air Force Base History
What we know today as MacDill AFB started as Southeast Air Base in 1939, later designated MacDill Field in 1941. This base was named after Colonel Leslie MacDill, a World War One pilot killed in an air mishap in 1938.
MacDill played an important World War Two training role for bomber crews, but after the war, these operations would be reduced until the base was realigned under Strategic Air Command in 1946, and the base began training Air Force crews in anti-sub warfare.
By the 1960s, MacDill’s future was uncertain; the Air Force had started phasing out B-47 bombers, and what mission remained was transferred to McCoy Air Force Base in 1962.
For a time, MacDill AFB may have been thought of as “surplus,” but changes would come in the 1980s; United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) opened at MacDill, and with hindsight, we note the earliest glimpses of what the base is known for today.
MacDill survived a round of base closures in the 1980s, and in 2001 the 310th Airlift Squadron was activated here to support United States Southern Command and Central Command.
Today, MacDill Air Force Base serves as an Air Mobility Command base. Its mission is to support global airlift and air refueling missions anywhere in the world.
Military Bases in Florida
The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there are more than a million and a half veterans living in the state. Florida has the third largest veteran population in the nation, second only to California and Texas. This state has more than 20 military bases, with Pensacola, Florida being recognized by some as the “cradle of Navy aviation.”
If you are traveling to Florida on PCS orders, look up the BAH in your new duty location using our BAH Calculator. You can also find veterans benefits offered in Florida.
Air Force Bases in Florida
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- Eglin Air Force Base
- Hurlburt Field
- MacDill Air Force Base
- Tyndall Air Force Base
- Arnold Air Force Base
Space Force Bases in Florida
Did you know? The State of Florida offers qualifying members of the Florida National Guard a program called Educational Dollars for Duty. This program pays public tuition in state-supported Florida colleges “for the period of the Guard member’s service,” according to the official site. You can use the program to earn a Technical Certificate, Associate’s, Baccalaureate, or Master’s Degree.
Navy Bases in Florida
Army Bases in Florida
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- USSOUTHCOM/U.S. Army Garrison-Miami
- USAREC, Jacksonville Battalion
- USAREC, Miami Battalion
- USAREC, Tampa Battalion
Coast Guard Bases in Florida
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- USCG Base Miami Beach
Get more info on VA benefits for veterans, retirees, separating service members, spouses, dependents, and disabled veterans. Learn more about the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon program, monthly housing allowances, VA loans, and TRICARE.
VA Centers in Florida
The Villages VA Clinic
8900 Southeast 165th Mulberry Lane
The Villages, FL 32162-5884
352-674-5000
Mental health: 352-674-5166 x305166
Ocala VA Clinic
4826 Southwest 49th Road
Ocala, FL 34474-6299
352-369-3320
Mental health: 352-547-1583
Tavares VA Clinic
1390 East Burleigh Boulevard
Tavares, FL 32778-4305
352-253-2900
Mental health: 352-235-2900
Lecanto VA Clinic
2804 West Marc Knighton Court
Suite A
Lecanto, FL 34461
352-746-8000
Clermont VA Clinic
3200 Citrus Tower Boulevard
Clermont, FL 34711-7012
352-536-8200
Mental health: 352-536-8200
Brooksville VA Clinic
14540 Cortez Boulevard
Suite 108
Brooksville, FL 34613-6001
352-597-8287
Mental health: 352-597-8287 x4140
Medical View Lane VA Clinic
6938 Medical View Lane
Daughterly Road Professional Center
Building 7, Suite 7
Zephyrhills, FL 33542-6848
813-780-2550
Zephyrhills VA Clinic
37827 Eiland Boulevard
Zephyrhills, FL 33542-1857
813-780-2550
Mental health: 813-780-2550 x3119
Gainesville VA Clinic
5469 SW 34th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608-5032
352-548-6000
Gainesville 1 VA Clinic
5465 SW 34th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608-5032
352-384-3560
Lake Baldwin VA Clinic
5201 Raymond Street
Orlando, FL 32803-8208
407-646-5500
Mental health: 407-646-5400
Gainesville Sixty-Fourth Street 3 VA Clinic
5571 Southwest 64th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608-9608
352-337-4900
Gainesville Sixty-Fourth Street 2 VA Clinic
5533 Southwest 64th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608-9608
352-271-5967
Gainesville Sixty-Fourth Street 1 VA Clinic
5415 Southwest 64th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608-9605
352-338-4900 x161200
Gainesville VA Domiciliary
1604 Southeast 3rd Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32641-7346
352-548-1800
Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
1601 Southwest Archer Road
Gainesville, FL 32608-1135
352-376-1611
Mental health: 352-384-3560
Palatka VA Clinic
400 North State Road 19
Suite 48
Palatka, FL 32177-2449
386-329-8800
Mental health: 386-329-8800
Gainesville Ninety-Eighth Street VA Clinic
3401 Northwest 98th Street
Gainesville, FL 32606-5010
352-376-1611 x137090
Kissimmee VA Clinic
701 Union Street
Kissimmee, FL 34741-5007
407-518-5004
Mental health: 407-518-5004
New Port Richey VA Clinic
7900 Little Road
New Port Richey, FL 34654-5405
877-741-3400
Mental health: 727-869-4100 x4350
Deer Park VA Clinic
5138 Deer Park Boulevard
Suites 101 and 102
New Port Richey, FL 34653-7027
727-372-1481
VA Vet Centers In Florida
Ocala Vet Center
3300 Southwest 34th Avenue
Suite 140
Ocala, FL 34474
352-237-1947
Clermont Vet Center
1655 East Highway 50
Suite 102
Clermont, FL 34711
352-536-6701
Gainesville Vet Center
105 NW 75th Street
Suite 2
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-331-1408
Orlando Vet Center
5575 South Semoran Boulevard
Suite 30
Orlando, FL 32822
407-857-2800
Pasco County Vet Center
5139 Deer Park Drive
New Port Richey, FL 34653
727-372-1854
Other Military Bases in the Continental United States
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
- Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
- Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
- Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado
- Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia
Look up the BAH in your new duty location by searching for your zip code’s housing allowance using our BAH Calculator. You can also review our complete list of Military Bases by State.
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
