Contact Information
Base Contact Information
Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos Base Operations: 562-795-2151, DSN: 312-972-2000
Billeting: 562-795-2124
Base Police: 562-796-2100.
Geography and Area Information
Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, or Los Alamitos Army Airfield, is a jointly used military airfield located at 33°47′24″N 118°03′05″W, one mile south east of central Los Alamitos California. The facility is within the actual city limits of Los Alamitos and falls within Orange County. The Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base is surrounded by residential and commercial properties and three different golf courses. The northern border of the base is marked by Farquhar Avenue and the southern by Lampson Avenue and the Old Ranch Golf Course. The eastern border is marked by the Stanton Storm Channel and the Destroyer Golf Course. The western border of the base falls just short of Seal Beach Boulevard. The area around the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base is considered Mediterranean Climate, meaning it experiences consistent humidity with warm summers and mild winters. The base is less than seven miles for Seal Beach and the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
History
The Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base / Los Alamitos Army Airfield begin life in 1928 as a Naval Reserve Air Base located in Long Beach California. From 1928 to 1938 naval aviators were trained in ground and flight techniques under the guidance of Naval Air Primary Training Command, 11th Naval District. Squadron VN13RD11 was established to instruct, train and drill Naval Reserve aviation personnel and for the next 10 years the flight training continued as planned.
In 1938 relations between the City of Long Beach and the Department of The Navy began to sour. The Navy felt the City was taking a hostile approach and attitude to extending or expanding the Navy’s lease of the Naval Reserve Air Base Long Beach. Secretly, the Navy began shopping for new land and, in 1941 it purchased a tract of land from Mrs. Susanna Bixby Bryant in Los Alamitos for $300 per acre. On June 1 1941 all flight operations were moved from Long Beach to the new Naval Reserve Air Base Los Alamitos. In 1942 the Naval Reserve Air Base became a full-fledged operating facility with barracks, a sick bay, a dining facility and several hangers. In August 1943 the Naval Reserve Air Base Los Alamitos was used to station active duty carrier air groups and became Naval Air Station Los Alamitos. As an active duty Naval Air Station, the Los Alamitos airfield became one of the Navy’s most important aviation facilities in the World War II era.
On 23 August 1977, command of the base was transferred from the Department of The Navy to the Department of The Army and renamed Los Alamitos Army Airfield. The new Los Alamitos Army Airfield was classified as an operating station of the California Army National Guard and was home to both aviation and ground units. In 2000 the base was renamed as the Los Alamitos Armed Force Reserve Center to reflect its new joint training mission.
Primary and Ancillary functions
The primary mission of the Los Alamitos Armed Force Reserve Training Base is to provide a safe and up to Army standard operational airfield, storage and repair facility for use by all branches of the United States Armed Services. This includes both active duty and reserve components in addition to other Federal, State and City agencies.
The base has two runways, a 5,900ft (1,798 m) PEM nonskid surface and an 8,000ft (2,438m) concrete and asphalt runway. The base is one of the most active Department of Defense aviation operations in the Continental United States and is located in one of the most congested air spaces in the world. The runways at Los Alamitos Armed Force Reserve Training Base can handle almost every single aircraft in the United States inventory, regularly landing large cargo transports and has space for up to 10 C-5 Cargo plans to be parked simultaneously on the ramp area.
Currently several Army National Guard units call the base home including Headquarters 63rd Regional Support Command, California Army National Guard’s 40th Infantry division and the 40th Aviation Brigade. The 40th Aviation Brigade has over 60 helicopters at the facility including AH-1F Cobra Attack Helicopters, OH-58C Scouts, UH-60 Blackhawks and UH-1H Hueys. The Army Reserve has several C-12 airplanes at the base and the Department of Agriculture operates 12 aircraft out of the facility.
The Los Alamitos Armed Force Reserve Training Base features a full motion UH-1 Flight Simulator and a fully staffed Army Air Traffic contingent. This includes an Army Air Traffic Control Tower and staff, jet fuel farm with aviation refueling, crash rescue/fire department and an Army Aviation Weather Office.
Visitor Information
The Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Center is an active operating flight facility and is not open to the general public. Entry into the base requires a valid Common Access Card. Nonmilitary civilian visitors must first check in with the base security office at the main get. They will need a valid government issued identification, valid vehicle registration and valid insurance. More information on visiting the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Center can be found by contacting the base police department at 562-796-2100.
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