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Beale Air Force Base

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Beale Air Force Base

Beale Air Force Base is located 50 miles from Sacramento International Airport and eight miles from Marysville, California. The base is roughly 23 thousand acres large, and is home to historic sites from World War Two as the area held German prisoners of war; the cells where these prisoners lived are still around today. Beale Air Force Base is in Yuba County, bordered by northern Butte County and Sutter County to the west/southwest.

Find information about Beale Air Force Base, California including the main commercial and DSN numbers for the base, information on basic services, base transportation, lodging for TDY and PSCing personnel, and inprocessing.

Beale Air Force Base Mission & Units

The Beale AFB mission is, according to DoD official sites, to deliver “high altitude Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and combat power in support of national objectives”.

And while that is a fairly simple statement, the actual mission is more complex since it is carried out through a “total force partnership” between active duty military, Reservists, and National Guard units. Beale AFB is home to “the nation’s only fleet of U-2’s” plus remote-operated reconnaissance aircraft and support units.

Major units and missions at Beale AFB include:

  • 12th Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 13th Intelligence Squadron
  • 1st Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 306th Intelligence Squadron
  • 427th Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 489th Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 48th Intelligence Squadron
  • 548th Intelligence Group
  • 548th Operations Support Squadron
  • 7th Space Warning Squadron
  • 940 Wing
  • 99th Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • 9th Civil Engineering Squadron
  • 9th Communications Squadron
  • 9th Comptroller Squadron
  • 9th Contracting Squadron
  • 9th Force Support Squadron
  • 9th Intelligence Squadron
  • 9th Logistics Readiness Squadron
  • 9th Maintenance Group
  • 9th Maintenance Operations Squadron
  • 9th Maintenance Squadron
  • 9th Medical Group
  • 9th Mission Support Group
  • 9th Munitions Squadron
  • 9th Operations Group
  • 9th Operations Support Squadron
  • 9th Physiological Support Squadron
  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing
  • 9th Security Forces Squadron

Beale Air Force Base History

Like many other Air Force bases in the United States, Beale AFB got its’ start as an Army installation thanks to the United States entry into the Second World War. Camp Beale was named after Edward Fitzgerald Beale, who served in the 1800s as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and later as a Brigadier General in the California Militia.

Camp Beale opened in 1942 as a training area for the Army’s armored and infantry divisions and also served as a prisoner of war camp for German POWs. The POW area is still in existence to this day, and even features graffitti left behind by Axis prisoners on the walls of the holding cells.

Shortly after the United States Air Force became a separate branch of military service, Camp Beale became Beale Air Force Base, home of bomber and navigator training, circa 1948. A few years later in 1951, the Beale Bombing and Gunnery Range became active to train aviation engineers.

Between 1959 until 1965, Beale Air Force Base supported three Titan I missile sites near Lincoln, Chico and an area known as Sutter Buttes. On July 1, 1979, the 7th Missile Warning Squadron brought the Phased Array Warning System radar site (known as PAVE PAWS) to Beale. This 10-story structure can detect possible attack by sea-launched ballistic missiles or track a global satellite.

The 1960s were a time of change for Beale; it was designated as the home of the supersonic SR-71 spy plane, and in 1966 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing began operations there. This type of mission would be augmented by the arrival of the first U-2 spy plane in 1976.

In 1990, defense budget issues resulted in the retirement of the SR-71, but watching from the air would still be an important part of the Beale AFB mission. The advent of Global Hawk-an unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle-brought Beale into one of the most modern of Air Force programs. In present times both the U-2 and Global Hawk are still operating at Beale along with air refueling missions and training.

Beale AFB Contacts

Main Base Address And Phone Number

Beale Air Force Base,
 17800 B Street
 Beale AFB, CA 95903
  • 530-634-2863
  • DSN 312-368-2863

Important Contact Phone Numbers At Beale AFB

  • Emergency –  911
  • Barracks/Single Service Member Housing – (530) 634-2794
  • Civilian Personnel Office – (530) 634-2255
  • Hospital/Medical Treatment Facility – (530) 634-4831
  • ID/CAC Card Processing – (530) 634-3187
  • Information and Referral Services – (530) 634-2863
  • Law Enforcement – (530) 634-2131
  • Legal Services/JAG – (530) 634-2928
  • Personnel Support Office – (530) 634-4005
  • VA Facilities – (530) 751-4500
  • Welcome/Visitors Center – (530) 634-2953
  • Base Operator – (530) 634-3000
  • Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-8255
  • Education Center – (530) 634-2525
  • Child Development Center – (530) 634-4717
  • Child and Youth Registration and Referral – (530) 634-4717
  • SNAIC-EFMP Enrollment – (530) 634-6268
  • EFMP Family Support – (530) 634-2863
  • Women Infants and Children (WIC& WIC-O) – (530) 749-4830
  • Family Advocacy Program – (530) 634-3424
  • Airman and Family Readiness Center – (530) 634-2863
  • Loan Closet at Family Readiness Center – (530) 634-2863
  • New Parents Program – (530) 634-3420
  • Housing Office – (530) 634-2794
  • Housing Office – (530) 634-2794
  • Gold Country Inn – (530) 634-2953
  • Civilian Personnel Office – (530) 634-2255
  • Military Personnel Flight – (530) 634-4005
  • (530) 634-2863
  • Victim Advocate/Sexual Assault Response – (530) 634-4400
  • Family Home Day Care Program – (530) 634-5655
  • School Age Care / Youth and Teen Center -(530) 634-4953
  • Joint Personal Property & Shipping Office – (800) 771-1819
  • Relocation Assistance Program – (530) 634-2863
  • Transition Assistance Program – (530) 634-2863

Surrounding Area

Beale AFB is ideally located for a variety of interests; there is much to explore in the surrounding and nearby communities of Sacramento, San Francisco, wine country, Lake Tahoe, and much more. Two and a half hours from the base is Sonoma County, which is famous for its wineries, rolling hills, parks, museums and much more.

Sonoma County is where the Charles Schultz Museum is located, paying tribute to the man who brought Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang to newspapers all across the country. Sonoma County is also home to the Armstrong Redwoods.

There are plenty of other places in the area including Nevada County, which has its share of gold rush history, and Grass Valley which is known for its’ “old town” style.

A great deal of the recreational opportunities closer to the base itself are outdoors in nature, including bike trails and an authentic Chinese temple (Bok Kai Temple in Marysville) open on weekends and full of history.

Inprocessing and Check-In

All new arrivals are directed to report to the gaining unit’s Commander Support Staff or CSS. There you will receive an appointment for one-stop inprocessing. New arrivals should expect to receive dental in-processing, Health Promotions, TRICARE and Patient Administration in-processing, Newcomer Orientation and First Term Airmen inprocessing where applicable.

Those arriving after normal duty hours will check in at the Beale AFB lodging office, the Gold Country Inn. If you are not able to get temporary lodging upon check-in due to a lack of rooms available on-base, you will be required to get a certificate of non-availability to file with your travel voucher; without this certificate you will not be reimbursed for lodging expenses off-base.

Beale AFB Services

Beale AFB has primary care only available via the clinic operated by the 9th Medical Group. There are no emergency room services or obstetrics care offered on base. All emergency and specialty services would need to be done via TRICARE and the in-network facilities in the Beale AFB local area.

Health Care

Beale AFB has primary care only available via the clinic operated by the 9th Medical Group. There are no emergency room services or obstetrics care offered on base. All emergency and specialty services would need to be done via TRICARE and the in-network facilities in the Beale AFB local area.

Child Care

Beale AFB is served by the Child Development Center, which has child care services available for a maximum of approximately 300 children. Full day care and hourly care are available, but hourly care must be scheduled in advance and the hours of availability are from 6:15 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.

Waiting lists for child care at Beale AFB are common, active duty military and DoD civilian employees at Beale may be given priority and single parents and dual military may receive even higher priority. It is best to contact the CDC far in advance to discuss waiting list requirements and wait times.

There is also child care available in private homes on Beale AFB through the Family Child Care (FCC) program. The FCC program certifies the on-base providers and requires compliance with DoD standards. FCC care includes hourly, full-day, weekend care and more.

Household Goods

Inbound military members should track and manage their household goods shipments via the Defense Personal Property System at Move.mil. You can also call the Beale AFB Joint Personal Property & Shipping Office at (800) 771-1819 for further assistance.

Dependent and Retiree ID Card Renewal, Replacement, And New Issue

Schedule appointments to renew, replace, or get new ID cards, Common Access Cards (CAC) and related services via the Beale AFB RAPIDS appointment scheduler. You may find contradictory policies posted about walk-in appointments; due to high demand it is best to avoid walk-ins and schedule in advance.

Two forms of unexpired ID are required for all services. All patrons are advised, “We are not the Main DEERS Office. We are only an ID Card Issuing Facility, also known as RAPIDS. We cannot see your DEERS history, education benefits or any more than what is current and necessary to issue an ID CARD”.

Schools

Beale AFB has an on-base elementary school for school age children between Kindergarten and 5th grade. All other students and elementary-age children who will attend school off-base will do so based on zip code. However, parents can apply for an interdistrict transfer to allow children to attend a closer school or attend a different facility based on a variety of other factors. Transfer requirements will depend greatly on the school district. Those living on base or close by may attend Bear River Middle School (grades six through eight) or Wheatland High School (grades 9-12).

Housing

Government housing at Beale AFB is privatized and is operated by Balfour Beatty Communities. There are five neighborhoods and location may depend on rank and family size. However, there are less than 500 units on-base, and waiting lists may apply. If you are PCSing to Beale AFB, there are some guidelines you should know, as printed on the Balfour Beatty Communities official site about wait lists and eligibility:

  • If you are PCSing and are within the 30 day window, your eligibility date is the day you left your previous station (as verified by clearing papers).
  • If you are PCSing and do not apply within the 30-day window, your eligibility date is the date of your application.
  • If you are coming from an unaccompanied tour (e.g. Korea), your eligibility date is the date you departed your previous duty station for the unaccompanied tour, with a maximum credit of 14 months.
  • If this is your first duty station and you are married, your eligibility date is your date of entry into the military. If you were married after the date of entry, your eligibility date is the date of the marriage.

Unaccompanied/single military members assigned to Beale AFB between the ranks of E1 and E4 will reside on base in dormitories.

Beale Air Force Base PCS and TDY Lodging

Beale AFB temporary lodging is available at the Gold Country Inn, which features a limited number of pet-friendly units. Reservations are strongly encouraged-call 530-634-2953/3662 or DSN 312-368-2953/3662. Those who arrive and find there is no room at the Gold Country Inn should expect a half-hour commute from available off-base hotels or other temporary lodging options; be sure to get a certificate of non-availability from the Gold Country Inn before you find off-base lodging.

Transportation

All new arrivals should make arrangements with their sponsor if travel assistance from Sacramento Airport is required. The usual commercial services and ride sharing options are available, but if you need further assistance you will need to make arrangements with the sponsor assigned to you from the gaining unit.

Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License

Privately owned vehicles (POVs) operating on Beale AFB are expected to be compliant with California state law regarding insurance, emissions, and other requirements. All POVs must be registered with the following paperwork required at registration time:

  • Current military I.D. card;
  • Current vehicle registration;
  • Current driver’s license from any state;
  • A smog certificate.

Motorcycle riders may have special requirements including:

  • Current driver’s license;
  • Proof of insurance;
  • Motorcycle card from required on-base safety class;
  • Current vehicle registration;
  • ID card;
  • Any required emissions certificates.

Regulations for smog checks include any vehicle operated at Travis AFB no matter where that vehicle is registered. This applies for both in-state registration and out-of-state registered vehicles alike.