Joint Base Charleston

Joint Base Charleston (IATA: CHS, ICAO: KCHS, FAA LID: CHS) is a United States military facility located partly in the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, and partly in the city of Goose Creek, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force's 628th Air Base Wing of the Air Mobility Command (AMC).

The facility is an amalgamation of the United States Air Force's Charleston Air Force Base and the United States Navy's Naval Support Activity Charleston which were merged on 1 October 2010. Of the three Naval Weapons Stations on the U.S. East Coast, the Charleston facility is the largest. ^{[citation needed]}

A joint civil-military airport, Joint Base Charleston shares runways with Charleston International Airport for commercial airline operations on the south side of the airfield and general aviation aircraft operations on the east side.

Joint Base Charleston was established in accordance with congressional legislation, implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The legislation ordered the consolidation of adjoining military installations into a single joint base, there being 12 joint bases established under the law. ^{[citation needed]}

Today, Joint Base Charleston, covering over 20,877 acres (8,449 ha), supports 67 Military Commands and Federal Agencies and provides services to over 79,000 airmen, sailors, soldiers, Marines, coast guardsmen, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, dependents, and retirees.^{[citation needed]} To support Joint Base Charleston, the former Charleston Naval Base was transformed into a 231-acre (93 ha) multi-use federal complex with 17 government and military tenants.^{[citation needed]}

A 21 December 2009, an Air Force Times article announced the activation of the 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW) to "take over administrative duties for a number of military commands" in January 2010. The 628th "will essentially serve as the 'landlord' for Charleston Air Force Base, the Charleston Naval Consolidated Brig and about 50 other military commands. The unit will handle items such as building and grounds services, supply and civil engineering and public works." On 8 January 2010, the (628 ABW) achieved its initial operating capability (IOC). The wing maintains $2 billion worth of physical infrastructure on the base. Additionally, the wing also provides mission-ready expeditionary airmen to combatant commanders in support of joint and combined operations. The 628 ABW attained full operating capability (FOC) on 1 October 2010, with an event taking place at Marrington Plantation at the Naval Weapons Station.^{[citation needed]}

The 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW) is the host wing for installation support. The 628 ABW's primary duties are to provide installation support to 53 DoD and Federal agencies, attendant personnel, dependents, and retirees on Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Weapons Station Charleston (NWS Charleston). Additionally, the 628 ABW also provides expeditionary airmen to combatant commanders in support of joint and combined operations.^{[citation needed]}

The 437th Airlift Wing (437 AW) operates the C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft in support of its mission to provide airlift of troops and passengers, military equipment, cargo, and aeromedical equipment and supplies worldwide in accordance with tasking by Air Mobility Command and unified combatant commanders.^{[citation needed]}