Location
Joint Base Charleston is located in North Charleston, South Carolina.
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History
The history of Charleston Air Force Base began in 1919 when U.S. Army Col Herbert A. Dargue, then Chief of the Air Service visited the area looking for a suitable landing field for “aeroplanes.” But it was Charles Linberge’s nonstop solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 that heightened city officials’ interest to establish air operations in Charleston.
1928, the city of Charleston rented land and began operating a simple airfield about ten miles north of city limits. Foreseeing a commercial future in air travel, the city formed the Charleston Aircraft Corporation to acquire the land for a municipal airport. In May 1931, the corporation purchased 432 acres (175 ha) for $25,000 from the South Carolina Mining and Manufacturing Company. Later in the year, the city acquired the airport facility for $60,000 and immediately began improvements.
Mission
The goal of creating JB Charleston is to combine support functions of the Air Force and the Navy to eliminate redundancy in positions, in order to save funds and create a higher level of efficiency.
Population Served
The Joint Base Charleston community encompasses more than 20,000 active-duty, Reserve and civilian personnel, spanning across its Air Base and Weapons Station.
Critical Installation Information
Transportation
Charleston International Airport services the tri-county area and is in close proximity to Joint Base Charleston. In fact, the base and airport share runways.
• There are no military shuttles or mass transit that runs from the airport to the base.
• Rental cars are available on-site.
• Commercial transportation is available from the airport to the base via taxi.
• Yellow Cab is the only taxi service authorized to pick people up from off base and drop them off on base. Call Yellow Cab at (843) 577-6565.
Critical Installation Information
All vehicles entering or leaving JB Charles-ton (AB) are subject to search. A 100 percent ID check currently in effect.
Airman and Family Readiness Center
104 E. Simpson St., Building 500
Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404-4913
Phone (843) 963-4406
DSN (312) 673-4406
Fax (843) 963-5781
Fax DSN (312) 673-5781
Commissary
Joint Base Charleston – Air Base
103 Lawson Drive
Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404
(843) 963-7469
DSN 673-7469
Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday, closed; Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In addition to general grocery items, the commissary features a bakery, deli, fresh sandwiches to go, plants, rotisserie chicken, sushi and a specialty butcher shop.
Joint Base Charleston –
Weapons Station
1797 Redbank Road, Building 764
Goose Creek, SC 29445
(843) 764-2020
DSN 794-2020
Hours: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, closed; Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The commissary prides itself on providing customers with the best selections in fresh fruits and vegetables, USDA-choice meats, dairy products, can goods, health and beauty care, beverages, cleaning supplies and varieties of special category line items such as Mexican, German, Asian and gourmet foods. It also offers a deli, bakery, Grab and Go and sushi bar.
Base/Navy Exchange
Joint Base Charleston – Air Base
Building 1990
Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404
(843) 552-5000
DSN 673-5679
Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed holidays. Located on the corner of O’Neal and Lawson Drive, the Base Exchange features a large retail store, concession area and exchange restaurants, giving it a mall-like feel. Adjacent to the exchange is the Express/Class Six, a convenience store complete with snacks, soft drinks and other convenience needs, as well as gasoline, video rentals and alcoholic beverages. The Military Clothing Store, in the shopping center complex, is headquarters for all uniform needs. Movies are shown on Friday and Saturday evenings at the base theater in Building 219.
Services provided in the BX and adjacent complex include:
Alterations (843) 760-6635
Barber Shop (843) 552-4880
Beauty Shop (843) 552-0812
CHA Trophy & Plaque (843) 552-8880
Express/Gas/Class Six Building 1951 (843) 207-0615
DSN 673-3979
GNC (843) 552-0893
Hertz Car Rental (843) 760-6312
Laundry/Dry Clean (843) 408-0441
Military Clothing Store, Building 411 (843) 552-8606
DSN 673-4259
Pack & Mail (843) 552-5477
Theater (843) 963-3333
Joint Base Charleston – Weapons Station
Navy Exchange
Building 706 (843) 764-7042
Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Navy Exchange offers everything from clothing to jewelry to computers and TVs to school supplies and everything in between. Professional services provided in the NEX and nearby retail/services areas include beauty and barber shops, the package store, the flower shop, uniform center, tailor shop, and dry cleaning and laundry.
Beauty Shop
(843) 764-7755
Barber Shop
Main NEX
(843) 764-7755
NNPTC (Building 206, Monday through
Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
(843) 764-7116
Package Store
(843) 764-7042 ext. 30
Flower Shop
(843) 764-7042 ext. 36
Autoport/Gas Station
(843) 764-7573
The Uniform Center/Tailor Shop
and Laundry & Dry Cleaning
Fletcher Street, Building 1700
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(843) 764-2113
Mini Mart
Fletcher Street, Building 771
9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week
(843) 764-7735
Housing
Joint Base Charleston-
Air Base Housing Office
101 N. Davis Dr., Building 323
Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404
(843) 963-3858/3859
or DSN (312) 673-3858/3859