Home  »  Military Base   »   Vandenberg Space Force Base Guide

Vandenberg Space Force Base Guide

Joe Wallace & Michelle Nati

Long before Vandenberg Space Force Base was even a thought, this Lompoc, California, installation was known as Camp Cooke. Established in 1941, it was an Army training ground for WWII, a POW camp for German and Italian prisoners, and eventually a military prison. After a brief closure, the Korean War brought it back to life as a training site.

In 1957, the Air Force took over, and the DoD authorized the base as an ICBM launch site. In 1958, Cooke was redesignated Vandenberg AFB, named after the service’s second Chief of Staff. Eventually, it began supporting NASA space shuttle operations as an alternative landing site, and the installation transitioned to the Space Force in 2019.

Vandenberg Space Force Base Guide

• Location: Santa Barbara County, California
• Zip Code: 93437
• Branch: U.S. Space Force
• Main Mission/Notable units: West Coast spaceport, home to Space Launch Delta 30, Space Delta 5, and the 576th Flight Test Squadron
• Main Operator: 805-606-7662
• Population:  ~3,100 Military Personnel, ~4,200 Family Members, ~ 1300 DoD civilians/NAF, ~2800 Contractors/Private Business, ~20,000 Retirees and their dependents
• Official Website: Vandenberg SFB

Check-In & In-Processing

Upon arrival, head to your unit commander’s section, or wait until the next duty day if you arrive after hours. Your unit handles the scheduling for all in-processing appointments, and your sponsor should provide any specific unit details you need. It is also important to set up meetings with your commander, first sergeant, and section lead to get up to speed on unit policies and expectations.

Newcomer’s Briefing

Vandenberg’s history as a training ground for the Army and Navy means you might still encounter unexploded ammunition on base. This is a key topic at the Newcomers’ Orientation, and spouses are highly encouraged to attend.

Vandenberg Space Force Base Housing & Lodging

On-Base Housing

Housing on Vandenberg SFB is privatized and managed by Balfour Beatty Communities. On-base living consists of apartments, townhomes, and single-family units across several distinct neighborhoods.

• Military Housing Office (MHO): 805-606-3434
• Privatized Housing Partner: Balfour Beatty Communities | 805-734-1445

Off-Base Housing: Best Neighborhoods & Cities

Many service members and families live in the surrounding communities:

• Lompoc: Located less than 10 miles from the base, this city offers the shortest commute and a wide range of rental and purchase options, making it the most convenient choice.
• Orcutt: A favorite for families, Orcutt is known for its suburban atmosphere and highly-rated schools, and is approximately 13 miles from the installation.
• Santa Maria: A popular choice for those wanting a bigger city feel with more shopping and dining, situated about 20 miles north of the base.

Temporary Lodging (TLF) & On-Base Inn

The on-base inn is the Vandenberg Lodge. Reservations should be made as far in advance as possible, especially during peak PCS season. Pet-friendly units are limited; be sure to request one if needed.

• Reservations: 805-606-1844

Vandenberg Space Force Base BAH, Cost of Living, and Allowances

Your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based on your rank, dependent status, and the base’s zip code. The cost of living in Santa Barbara County, California, is higher than the national average.

-> See the 2026 BAH Rates for Vandenberg Space Force Base,93437

Schools & Child Care Near Vandenberg Space Force Base

On-Base Schools

If you’re living on-post, your kids will likely attend school via the Lompoc Unified School District. There is one elementary school right on the main base. There are no DoD schools on base.

Local School Districts

A middle school and a charter school are in the East Housing Area. High schoolers will attend school in Vandenberg Village.For those settling off-base, your school assignment is strictly tied to your zip code.

Children need to be five years old by December 2 to start kindergarten. Also, make sure their vaccines are up to date, as the state requires immunizations for Polio, MMR, DTP, Hep B, and Varicella before they can step into the classroom.

The School Liaison Office (SLO) is your primary resource for all questions regarding school registration, transfers, and local education options.

• School Liaison Office: 805-606-5698

Child Development Centers (CDC)

Vandenberg Space Force Base has one Child Development Center (CDC) that provides full-day, part-day, and hourly care for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. All registration is managed through the central MilitaryChildCare.com website. Family Child Care (FCC) homes are also available.

Key Contacts: Vandenberg Space Force Base Directory

• Base Operator: 805-606-7662
• Housing Office (MHO): 805-606-3434
• Privatized Housing: 805-734-1445
• Temporary Lodging (Inn): 805-606-1844
• In-Processing/Welcome Center: 805- 606-7663
• School Liaison Office: 805-606-5698
• CDC Registration: MilitaryChildCare.com
• Medical Clinic / TRICARE: 805-606-2273
• Public Affairs Office: 805-606-3595

Vandenberg Space Force Base History

Long before it was redesignated as a Space Force base, this area was known as Camp Cooke in 1941 and later as Vandenberg Air Force Base. Camp Cooke began operations in October 1941. The camp wasn’t even fully constructed before the 5th Armored Division arrived there to train and deploy for World War Two.

Camp Cooke’s role in the war included serving as a POW camp as well as a military disciplinary facility for Americans who were sentenced by a military court to do time in a correctional environment. Camp Cooke wasn’t meant to last, apparently.

It closed shortly after the war in 1946. Just a few years later, the Korean War began, and the camp reopened to serve yet again as a training facility. It ran from 1950 to 1953, and by 1956, parts of the installation were placed under Air Force control. Cooke Air Force Base would be officially recognized in 1957.

That same year, the Department of Defense authorized the base as an ICBM launch site. Missile crews began training at Cooke AFB, the Cold War began ramping up, and in 1958, Cooke AFB was redesignated Vandenberg AFB, named after the service’s second Chief of Staff.

In the 1970s, Vandenberg AFB began supporting NASA space shuttle operations as an alternative landing site. It was never needed, but as a fallback, the site was a valuable part of the space program. In the 1990s, Vandenberg was put under the Air Force Space Command. That would turn out to be an indicator of things to come.

On 20 December 2019, the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act was passed; in part, it established the sixth uniformed military branch of the Department of Defense, the United States Space Force.

As the Vandenberg Space Force official site notes, “All mission sets and personnel assigned to the previous Air Force Space Command were reassigned to the United States Space Force,” including Vandenberg. Today, the base operates under the jurisdiction of Space Operations Command.

Surrounding Area

Vandenberg SFB is located on California’s central coast in Santa Barbara County, some nine miles away from Lompoc. There is plenty of wilderness in the area, including the San Rafael Wilderness and the Los Padres National Forest. The small town known as Vandenberg Village is a five-minute drive from Vandenberg SFB. It is a small town roughly five miles from the base.

Nearby Lompoc has plenty to offer in terms of sand and surf. You can visit Ocean Beach Park, Beattie Park, and Riverbend Park; all feature family-friendly fun in the sun.

Lompoc is a destination for those who love wine and golf; there are two facilities to choose from here: The Mission Club or La Purisima Golf Course, and you can also visit nearby Montemar Winery or Transcendence Winery after hitting the links.

Newcomers will be tempted to make the one-hour drive to Santa Barbara for its art studios, culture, whale watching, and shopping options. Paseo Nuevo and State Street Shopping are both retail destination sites you won’t want to miss.

Units

Vandenberg Space Force Base is home to Space Launch Delta 30, which manages Department of Defense space and missile testing and satellites, and provides support for the Minuteman III program. Important Vandenberg Space Force Base units and missions include, but may not be limited to:

• Combined Force Space Component Command
• Space Operations Command
• Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) / Space Delta 5
• Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) / Space Delta 1
• 576th Flight Test Squadron
• 21st Space Operations Squadron
• Office of Special Investigations Detachment 804
• 30th Comptroller Squadron (30 CPTS)
• 30th Civil Engineer Squadron (30 CES)
• 30th Contracting Squadron (30 CONS)
• 30th Force Support Squadron (30 FSS)
• 30th Logistics Readiness Squadron (30 LRS)
• 30th Security Forces Squadron (30 SFS)
• 30th Operations Support Squadron (30 OSS)
• 30th Space Communications Squadron (30 SCS)
• 2nd Range Operations Squadron (2 ROPS)
• 2nd Space Launch Squadron (2 SLS)
• Emergency Management
• History Office
• Inspector General
• Public Affairs Office
• Small Business Office
• Space & Missile Heritage Museum
• Staff Judge Advocate

Colleges and Universities

The Vandenberg Base Education Center offers on-base college programs, advice, and information. At press time, the following institutions are represented at the Education Center

• Allan Hancock College
• University of La Verne

Representatives from both institutions have regular office hours and are available by appointment. Other area schools (distance may vary) include:

• The University of Santa Barbara (1 hour away)
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Cooperative Extension-University Of California

Military Bases and VA Facilities in California

Find a listing of military bases, as well as VA resources and veteran facilities in the state of California.  If you are traveling to California on PCS orders, look up the BAH in your new duty location using our BAH Calculator.

The State of California provides a large number of veteran benefit programs. The state also provides veteran service officers across a wide range of California counties; these officers can help you file claims for VA benefits, compensation, and housing.  You can also look up veteran benefits in the State of California.

Air Force Bases in California

• Beale Air Force Base 
• Edwards Air Force Base
• March Air Force Reserve Base
• Travis Air Force Base

Did you know? The State of California offers military family members a benefit known as the California College Fee Waivers Program for Veterans’ Dependents. It waives tuition and mandatory fees for classes at any California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. The payment is limited to tuition and fees and does not cover books or lodging.

Defense Logistics Agency Centers in California

• Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin

Space Force Bases in California

• Vandenberg Space Force Base
• Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB is part of Space Force, but at press time, the base is still designated as an Air Force base, not a Space Force base.)

Army Bases in California

• Fort Irwin
• U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey
• USAREC Los Angeles Battalion
• USAREC Southern California Battalion

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.

Marine Corps Bases in California

• Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
• Marine Corps Air Station Miramar 
• Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton 
• Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
• Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center
• Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

Navy Bases in California

• Naval Air Facility El Centro
• Naval Base Coronado
• Naval Air Station Lemoore
• Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
• Naval Base Point Loma
• Naval Base San Diego
• Naval Base Ventura County
• Naval Support Activity, Monterey/Naval Postgraduate School
• Naval Information Warfare Systems Command
• Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach
• Naval Base Coronado (eight Navy installations including Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado; Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado; Naval Outlying Landing Field, Imperial Beach; Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, San Clemente Island; and Silver Strand Training Complex, Coronado.)

Reserve and National Guard Bases in California

• Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
• Fort Hunter Liggett

Did you know? The State of California has been helping veterans and families get into affordable veteran home loans for 100 years. CalVets offers 30-year fixed-rate mortgages for veterans and their families through a network of participating lenders. This California state government program is just one of the many options for veterans who live in Orange County or anywhere else in the state.

Department of Veterans Affairs Locations In California

The Department of Veterans Affairs facility locator on the VA official site does NOT list all VA facilities in the state at press time. What follows is the VA’s current list of facilities based on the locator found on the VA official site:

VA Clinics In California

Oakhurst VA Clinic

40597 Westlake Drive
Oakhurst, CA 93644-9024
559-683-5300
Mental health: 559-683-5300

Fresno VA Medical Center

2615 East Clinton Avenue
Fresno, CA 93703-2223
559-225-6100
Mental health: 559-228-5336

VA Benefits Centers

VA Regional Benefit Satellite Office at Fresno

855 M. Street
Suites 150 and 155
Fresno, CA 93721
559-443-1491

Pre-Discharge Site at Naval Airstation Lemoore

937 W Franklin Ave
Lemoore, CA 93246
800-827-1000

VA Cemeteries

Big Sandy Rancheria Veterans Cemetery

37387 Auberry Mission Rd.
Auberry, CA 93602
559-374-0066

VA Vet Centers

Fresno Vet Center

1320 East Shaw Avenue
Suite 125
Fresno, CA 93710
559-487-5660

Other Military Bases in the Continental United States:

• Fort Novosel, Alabama
• Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
• Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
• Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
• Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado

Please review our complete list of Military Bases by State.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Vandenberg Space Force Base

What is Vandenberg Space Force Base famous for?

Vandenberg is famous for being the West Coast launch site for polar-orbiting satellites and the only location for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). It also serves as a premier spaceport for the U.S. Space Force.

What is the zip code for Vandenberg Space Force Base?

The zip code for Vandenberg SFB is 93437.

Can civilians visit Vandenberg Space Force Base?

The Visitor’s Center is restricted to official business and does not provide launch schedules, merchandise, or base tours, though museum requests can be submitted online. All visitors must present a REAL ID, a valid U.S. Passport, or a certified birth certificate and Social Security card in addition to their standard driver’s license.

What is the closest major airport to Vandenberg Space Force Base?

The closest major airport is Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), located approximately an hour south in Santa Barbara. While Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is much closer, it has limited regional flights.