The 5 Worst Duty Stations in the Air Force
Categories: Outdoor
Hello again everybody. We are back with day 3 of our look around the services at the places we all liked to be stationed the least. We have already covered the Army and the Marine Corps. Today, it’s the Air Force’s turn.
We spoke to the Air Force veterans of Grunt Style, and a few of our fans, and we have come up with the list of the 5 worst duty stations in the Air Force. What will be a shock to all of us Army and Marine veterans, not one place on the list is a hotel with poor room service 🙂 (just kidding zoomies).
#5 – Thule Air Base, Greenland
Thule is located 450 miles above the arctic circle. That’s really pretty much all you need to know about why Thule made this list.
#4 – Osan Air Base, South Korea
The consensus we got from Air Force veterans was that the amount of time you spend doing exercises at Osan is insane coupled with the fact that the place smelled badly gets this duty station on our list.
#3 – Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
Like other posts we have talked about from the Army and Marines, if you join the Air Force thinking you are going to see the world, you will probably get hit by a karma train and get sent to Dayton, OH. We are told also that civilians have been in control there since the F-4 was around and there is no changing that.
#2 – Edwards AFB, California
What is it about the military and desert installations? The Army and the Marines each have a post in the 5 worst duty stations that are located in the desert. The Air Force does too. Edwards is the famous base where they do all the testing of air craft. The reason why it’s at Edwards? Because it’s so out in the middle of no where, that if a test craft crashes, it won’t hit anything but scrub brush.
#1 – Minot AFB, North Dakota
Just like the Army and the Marines, the Air Force has a duty station that is pretty much universally despised. Getting sent to Minot seems to be more of a sentence rather than an assignment. The Air Force has bases literally all over the world. Some are unlucky enough to get sent to North Dakota.
Well, those are it. The 5 worst duty stations in the Air Force. There are so many Air Force bases all over the world and naming just 5 means we are sure to have left some pretty awful places off this list, so be sure to tell us which should be on here.
I spent 6 years in minot, and 3 months out of the year was nice, the other 9 most of contemplated suicide because of the cold
I did time at minot afb, f@$k that place!!!! When I got shipped to Iraq it was a nice vacation compared to why not minot, and thats saying a lot.
The only way you can complane if you have been stationed at Minot Air Force Base in 1997 there coldest winter on record -65 degrees below zero ambient temperature 107 degrees below zero wind chill and don’t mention the fact that January and February did not get above 0
Got a chuckle out of Minot. My father was stationed there fall of 1970 to fall of 1972 when I was in high school. I attended school in downtown Minot. My dad worked on the installation of the Minuteman III, and we transferred from March AFB outside of Riverside, CA. Not the most popular thought for a HS kid. I actually liked Minot, and yes,the winters were terrible where it snows sideways driving around with a colored styrofoam ball on the car antenna (big snow drifts). Schools were great, and so were the people. Funny thing we transferred to K.I. Sawyer just south of Lake Superior on the Michigan UP. It snowed a lot more there!! Dad retired in May, 1973.
You forgot whiteman afb Missouri. Worst base in the air force and possibly the military. Look it up.
I disagree. You just need to actually get out and do things. And there is plenty to do around Whiteman.
I spent 25 years at Minot AFB as a military brat and then a spouse before we PCSd to Alaska after my husband did a remote to Thule 🙂 We are now at Whiteman AFB, MO and are doing everything we can to get orders and PCS the heck out of here. Whiteman definitely is at the top of our worst base list 🙂
You’re an idiot
I was there 8 years… Now I’m at Cannon. Whiteman isn’t that bad at all, trust me!
If you think Whiteman is the worst, you haven’t been to Pope. You’ll RUN back to Whiteman. I know I was at both. Whiteman is actually nice but you gotta be a country person to enjoy it. Sure the long hours on the weekend suck, but at least youre not working 12’s in chem gear. And at least UCM has some hot girls. Go to Pope and the only girls you will find are either fat, have 5 kids by 4 baby’s daddy’s, are mentally unstable or all of the above PLUS they get to pick and choose. I won’t bother getting into the bad drivers, high crime, high taxes, etc. you will encounter at Pope/Bragg…and don’t forget the summers are hell too.
Spent 5years at Whiteman when the US Air Force was using the B47s as long range Bombers the year 1957—61 then Homestead Fla. KC135s . Whiteman was really not that bad in those days. Thanks guys for your service. Now Thule was not really good ran a close second to Goosebay. G.B. did have a nice 6 story barrack. The tunnels was not good at all from the barracks to the BX . Thanks again for your service.
how so
Came to Minot from Columbus, MS. Columbus AFB was FAR worse than Minot.
OMG, I was waiting for someone to mention Columbus. Terrible place to be stationed. At least I slaughtered my bachelors and most of my masters by staying at home…inside…away from the locals. I’m so thankful to be at DM now!
2 out of the 5? I must have really annoyed someone at AFPC!
OTOH, the exercise pace at OSAN seems to have eased, and it doesn’t smell nearly as bad as Kandahar! 🙂
Well when I arreved at k55 OSAN the smell was the first thing you noticed, and then the constant thumping of the base generator hit your ears. The cames the walk from the C 124 across to the terminal with about 5 inches of mud sticking to you shoes, should have worn boots. I was lucky and assigned to the MATS unit Det 55 Osan. The COl got me a ride to the Hooch, Tin bulding there were 13 guys running the whole passenger and combat cargo squanden. We did have a bowling alley and Movie and Airmans Club. If the temp was not 88 it was -0 and the mud was there under the snow. Best 12 months of my life, and then returned to the states to Dover where it smelled of swamp and the temps about the same.
Osan was actually pretty awesome. The food and culture alone would beat out any exercise. I agree to put Whiteman on there, or a better replacement would be Cannon… Edwards AFB would probably my #1. This is a terrible base to be at for any AFSC lol
Osan…Really!?! Talk to anyone on Pen about which base has harder exercises and it’s Kunsan. Osan’s are a joke, period. Osan has families, Chilis, and Seoul…nuff said. The real remote assignment is the WOLF PACK!
i was in the Air Force for 25 years and have been stationed at Pope, Kunsan, and currently at Whiteman. All of which are not bad. Remember, its not the base, but what you make it. Osan, by the way is paradise compared to Kunsan.
To bad you did not serve in the old days….you missed a life changing event.
So true, I was at both & Kunsan was absolutely terrible as well as small with nothing to do. I hated that place.
You forgot about Cannon AFB. It’s in Clovis, NM. Just look it up…
Yeah, Cannon AFB is notoriously known for being one of the worst assignments in the AF. The stigma of that alone makes the general population of people stationed there have low morale and motivation. So you get a culture of gossip, alcohol abuse/ARIs, scandalous activities (infidelity, marriage/divorce to get orders somewhere else). Its also said to have the highest suicide rate in the AF(at least what I heard). I personally didn’t connect with my colleagues very much because their interests mainly consisted of getting drunk daily and going to bars every weekend in Lubbock (one guy admitted to being ruffied at a house party once); while I enjoyed online college courses, workouts, traveling, BJJ martial art, paying off debt, and hunting sometimes with those same guys (at least I used to early on). Theres nothing wrong with that if that if that’s how you want to live but don’t assume other people are boring because they don’t do it as much or at all.
With the above-mentioned. The way I see it… depending on your interests and how you click with your shop/colleagues you can enjoy your time there (at any base really). Cannon doesn’t have a major city for a couple hours drive. But, Lubbock, TX(1.5hour drive) is a college town for social butterflies/partiers. Ruidoso, NM(3hour drive) has mountain hiking trails, zip line, skiing. The food around here is average/ mediocre and nothing special. You do have to put in some effort to get a mate😏, if you’re into hook up culture use tinder, and find some base thots. If you do find it too miserable then do some self development take some college courses, join groups/clubs like Honor Guard. Just make the best of wherever you are.
Whitman is great compared to cannon.
I spent two tours at Osan and 2 and half years at Minot. I had a great time. The only people that bitch about Osan are the ones that complain about everything anyway and don’t get out and explore Korea. Minot was just like being in Korea, you have to make the best of it. I got in with good people and had a great time.
Cannon AFB. The loxation and the town. Both sucked so bad.
I’m at Osan now. It’s actually not a bad base it’s just in Korea and Korea is a dirty country. Living on base in severely outdated quarters, having to eat at one of the worst chowhalls in the Air Force, curfew, having to work 12 to 14hrs a day for no apparent reason, 1 outdated fitness center for the entire base, and not being allowed to drive all suck. The exercises aren’t that bad…. The base itself though is actually pretty nice.
I spent 2 years at Osan and I will disagree. Korea is actually a pretty clean country. You notice how they want you to recycle everything and there isn’t always a trash can anywhere? You can’t blame dirty ass songtan and say Korea as a whole is clean. Ever been to New York? That’s dirty.
You do know what the people put in the Rice paddies dont you?
Oops typo I meant you can’t judge Korea being dirty based on nasty songtan district.
I spent a year is Osan Korea. It was a great assignment if you get away from Songtan Alley, the immediate area outside the base. Cannon AFB New Mexico should be on the list as well as Altus AFB OK.
10 years at Minot…. and loved every one of them. Hated hubs horrible hours (GSC… think SAC), but the people, the things to do, the weather… wouldn’t trade it for the world! Beauty is most definately in the eye of the beholder! Just curious… how many haters actually were stationed there?
Shemya, AK…..pretty much the same as Thule.
I think it is all about attitude. There are good and not so good installations. My least favorite has to be Beale AFB, CA. Although close to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, one had to always come back to a depressing base and local area.
I had been very lucky in my Air Force career by getting stationed at some of the coolest bases in the AF. Hickam, AFB, Hi, Eglin AFB, Fla, Yokota AB, Japan. And lastly…..Beale AFB…. Such a sad and depressing place!!! Everyone I know that ends up at Beale either retires or gets out, no joke.
I had been very lucky in my Air Force career by getting stationed at some of the coolest bases in the AF. Hickam, AFB, Hi, Eglin AFB, Fla, Yokota AB, Japan. And lastly…..Beale AFB…. Such a sad and depressing place!!! Everyone I know that ends up at Beale either retires or gets out, no joke.
Darn who did you know or have something on…
Minot like any other base is what you make of it. I retired and stayed here because of the jobs and high income. You can either deal with it or cry like a little bitch and be miserable. Real men weather the storm, pussies cry and look for orders and make everyone around them just as miserable with their complaining. That’s ok we get it, your nuts have failed to drop yet.
No they dropped in Korea in 1956
I call BS to Osan and Minot. Osan was a blast, with all the exercises back in 2010-2012. And 7th AF did them more than just the base.
Also, Cannon is worse than Minot. We have had people come to Cannon from there and want to go back.
My First base was Cannon.By far the worst I’ve been to and Kunsan AB which makes Osan AB look like a resort. I am now stationed at WPAFB. It made # 3 on this list. Yes it may well be run by civilians buy it belongs nowhere near this list. It has been my second most favorite assignment only to Aviano. IMO.
I disagree about Osan Spent a bit of time there and enjoyed it. Beautiful country, great people, and the food was super.
K.I. Sawyer was also known as a “worst” assignment. I spent 5 1/2 years there, and aside from a divorce, I liked it a lot. If you’re an outdoor person that doesn’t mind a bit of snow, you’re in Heaven. Worst thing about it was the U.P. is run by Lansing.
Blytheville AFB, AR while no longer open it was located in the middle of MILO fields with nothing around for miles. Oppressive heat in the summer and cold as a witches teat in the winter.
They obviously have never heard of Laughlin AFB.
You misspelled “Keesler” all 5 times. In 5 totally different ways. Weird.
Whether I agree with the Keesler or not, that was the first lol I did on this thread.
Yall forgot about the other hidden gem in North Dakota, Grand Forks AFB. No real mission, black hole base, paperwork for shit you wouldn’t even think they could give paperwork for , and like Minot , cold frozen wasteland in the middle of no where
I’m surprised Cannon AFB, NM didn’t make it. It’s 3 hours from Albuquerque and 2 hours from Lubbock. And even when you arrive at those two cities, it’s not like there’s anything that much better there.
How did Osan make this list and not Kunsan AB? I don’t know how many people you asked but they must have not been to Osan recently, and they sure as hell have not been to Kunsan.
Grissom was Gruesome.
When I was in Army, on a joint duty base in Germany the Air Force guys told me Minot was a penal base-F**ck up and that’s where you’re going. However, for some strange reason, I’ve heard good things about Grand Forks AFB, Also in ND and just as far north.
I can realize why the cops and people on the flight line would hate it. As a chaplain, my husband took hot chocolate out to folks who worked outside. From my point of view, however, it was one of our best assignments. Despite the cold, it was a great place for families. The cammeraderie almost felt like being overseas.
Anyone here ever heard of Shemya?? It is now called EARECKSON AFS. Now that is a tough tour.
yep been there, but only TDY, it was not too bad in the summer, but yeah it sucks.
The list hasn’t changed since I discharged in ’76.
Been stationed at Thule and Minot great bases and people, also been to Osan, Edwards and Wright-Pat enjoyed them you must’ve interviewed people who have never been there.
I lived in Dayton and would have loved that base. Trade it for Korea 55 anyday.
3 years in Minot almost killed me and my marriage. At the three year mark I told my husband to get us the hell out of there. We then spent 9 years in California at vandenberg afb. Why not Minot? It is the absolute worst place on earth.
Thule was the BEST assignment in my 20 year career. You missed the mark listing that assignment….ask 90% of the people stationed there!
Mike Birt, have you ever done a tour to Thule? Then how the hell would you know that it’s a bad assignment? My year spent there is one of the highlights of my career.
There are only two good bases; the one you’re going to and the one you just left. If you think these are the worst, you haven’t been around much.
Grand Forks was just as bad as Minot. I volunteered for Viet Nam to gt out of North Dakota!
I spent 11 yrs at Wright Patterson! LOVED IT!!!!!!!! Great area, lots of civilians but great atmosphere to work! Should def not be on the list…. Did you all forget about Sheppard AFB Texas! Can I say in the middle of nothing-2 hrs to get to civilization! Tornadoes and tumbleweeds and AiTs ohh my!
I like Sheppard AFB few a few girls from the College but got shipped to Korea 1955…
What? You don’t like the excitement of living in Knob Noster, MO.? I was at Kunsan AB Korea, and going up to Osan was what we did on our time off. So what does that tell you?
If you want to go to a place that’s a morale killer go to Shaw AFB, SC. People go to Korea to get away and end up being forced to come back because nobody wants to be there. I’ve seen people with 10+ years separate because of of how poorly the base is ran. The leadership usually gets sent there because they screwed up some where else, and only care about looking good to try to end their careers in a positive note. If I would have known it was as bad as it was, I would have spent the extra year at Osan.
Funny I heard the same story back in 1956 and got sent there out of training school, Must have been my Army Serial Number started with 23
It should have been Kunsan not Osan. At Osan, you can live off base, you’re only about 30 minutes from Souel, and lastly, they have a Chilli’s on base…
Nellis AFB Nevada and Altus AFB Oklahoma should definitely be on this list
We were stationed at Gila Bend Air Base, Arizona. No longer a base thank goodness but 75 miles from Luke AFB, Glendale AZ. It was always the hottest spot in the nation. And we had to put up with snakes, lizards, you name it in housing! Definitely out in the middle of nowhere.
Funny, I spent 7 years assigned to Minot and thought it was one of the highlights of my career. Perhaps the author should talk to people that were actually stationed there instead of listening to hear say. Sure the winters can be tough but every assignment location has its challenges. If you don’t try and get out to enjoy a location they are all bad. And if Minot is so terrible, why do so many service members retire and stay there? The people and mission make an assignment great, not the location.
Ignorant article. Thule? 99% of people there chose to go. Greatest assignment I ever had. Danish contractors are great to work with. I will always remember my year at Thule as a fun year. Yes, it is cold and either completely dark or 100% sunshine for 4 months. I would go back.
Osan? Really? Sounds like this list was written by bitching Airmen.
Right JR spend a year there in 1955 abd see how much of a puzzy you are.
Osan AB is really not that bad. Been there for 2 years, and been to Kunsan too. Kunsan AB is about 1.5 hours away, but it is much worse than Osan. At Osan, you might have your family there, and exercises are not nearly as bad as they once were (places are still open and once you’re off duty, you’re no longer playing). Kunsan is the real deal: No family, nothing is open during exercises, up until recently you couldn’t be stationed with your spouse there (mil-to-mil), exercise is 24hrs regardless of if you’re on duty or not.
Another thing of note: outside of Kunsan is farmland. To do anything fun, you gotta go into the city (20 minute cab ride). Osan has the Songtan district right outside of the base entrance. Of the two bases, I would much rather stay at Osan than at Kunsan.
When I was there at Kunsan, it was standard for everyone to go to Osan the weekend after the base exercises finished (better BX, better shops, better everything).
Most are right, but Wright-Patterson? That’s probably one of the best, or at least upper half. No idea who told you it was bad but the place is great. Yeah it’s not “seeing the world,” but that’s every base in CONUS, and WP has everything you could want in a base plus it’s in a pretty nice location. Someone lied to you.
They called it “No hope” Pope for a reason. Pope AFB was one of the worst places I was stationed at. Located at the center of Ft. Bragg with no BX or commissary of it’s own. Pretty sad that we would hurrivac our jets to Wright Patterson and thought that it was a much nicer base.
I did my year tour, with the Air Force, at Camp Humphreys. I can’t speak for the people who lived at Osan, but it didn’t seem that bad to me. I’m sure Humphreys was worse, and I can say my year there was enjoyable. Not sure what veterans they polled.
I was stationed at Edwards, and pcs’d from there to Osan and I am from Dayton Oh, so I am intimately familiar with 3 of the 5 worst stations In The AF? But I don’t really agree with the list.
Minot, ND has the nicest people on earth and so many of those Air Force people that get stationed here choose to stay here after they get out. I think it’s the thought of being stationed here that got Minot the #1 spot. Only the best come north and only the strongest can survive it.
Ummmmm what about Cannon AFB??? Pretty sure I’d rather be at any of these bases rather than at Cannon…well except Minot lol
You obviously have never been to Laughlin AFB.
Feel like Dover AFB needs to be on this list. how did it not make the list? or it def needs to be in a top ten worst.
Was sentenced there after Korea, yep you have been there I can tell. The locals love you also I noticed.
CREECH!
I was wondering when someone was going to mention Creech. I did some testing for the Army out that way (Site Mercury) and Creech looked pretty bad to me!!
If you didnt enjoy Osan its because you never left your room. Never wanted to leave that place. WPAFB is nice, civilians do run this base. I would take both off and add Cannon and Gunter. Stationed at all of them so its not based on word of mouth.
I thought for sure Cannon AFB, NM would have been at least in the top two, if not tied for 1st. I spent almost five years there. It’s awful!
This is one I’m glad I didn’t get to experience.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eareckson_Air_Station
Wright-Patt should NOT be on this list. Well, unless you like airplanes that fly. There are no active duty flying squadrons there, just a USAFR C-17 Wing with eight planes.
I spent over 5 years at Mt. Home, ID in the 90’s. The base is 52 miles one way from Boise, which had nothing to do but the mall and BSU football. The town of MH was one large white trash ghetto with at that time, a Super K-Mart. No greenery within 100 miles. No rain, inevitable dust all over everything, black ice and crazy ice fog. And don’t forget the annual summer range fires that make the entire base smell like you’ve been sitting next to a camp fire around the clock. The fires could never mask the smell that came from the pig farms in Grandview. The best part was the dorms and DFAC. Memorable dorm parties and best food I had in 21 year career. Wait…how the heck isn’t Cannon on this list? Who da hell? POL!!!!
This list is horrible. Osan was one of the best times of my life. Partying, drinking, traveling, and a bunch of new friends. Yes the exercises sucked but that’s about it. If Cannon AFB isn’t number 1, then you know this list is way off.
Our family was stationed at Edwards from 1999-2002. It’s a great base with great community, and a 2-3 hour drive to Vegas, San Diego or LA. Best kept secret in the Air Force.
Cavalier AS, North Dakota. Look it up
We were stationed in Minot for four years, we loved it, we miss it and tried to stay! It’s cold, everyone knows this. But they have the most friendly people, the absolute best schools!!! Ever period. It’s what you make of it.
You’re completely wrong about Wright-Patterson AFB (have you even been there?) Low cost of living, a TON of things to do off-duty, beautiful area, interesting work at major national centers of the Air Force, right near four large U.S. cities and six hours or less from 60% of the U.S. population (look it up). It’s actually a hidden gem. I’ve also been to Osan and had a great time there, DESPITE the exercises. I can’t believe you left off Beale AFB, which is infamous and still universally despised in my career field and many others; and Creech AFB, which is not close to Las Vegas like people think and in fact is almost as much in the middle of nowhere as Edwards.
My husband would add Clovis NM, and Schriever AFB CO. to that list.
As a veteran of the Air Force, I think you got it mostly right. I didn’t think Osan was ALL that bad. But, you totally missed Galena AF Station, in the Aleutians. It should be ranked right up there with “Why Not Minot”.
I was stationed at Thule. I was stationed at the Pentagon. I’ll take Thule over the E Ring any day.
Disagree with Edwards AFB, CA being on this list. It is one of the most amazing bases in the AF. You will see every plane in the AF arsenal (tricked out); NASA shuttles gliding to earth; dune riding in the Mojave Desert; 30 mins from decent sized cities; 60 mins (+/-traffic) to Los Angeles; enjoy weekends on the Southern California beaches; go to the best dance clubs on Earth; be an extra on a Major Motion Picture; get on a game show; enjoy DisneyLand, Universal Studios etc; catch a Laker’s Game; and soooo much more. Edwards AFB, CALI is an amazing experience.
Horrible Bases: Ellsworth AFB, Minot AFB, Vance AFB, Altus, Laughlin AFB, Malstrom AFB.
C.C. I’d have to agree with you about Edwards (KEDW) I was there for only a brief time but loved the place and the surrounding area, not to forget one is eyebrow deep in AF and NASA history. One of the hangars used by Chuck Yeager is now on the register of National Historic Places. I am unfamiliar with your horrible list of bases but would be neutral on that.
I think if Griffiss AFB in NY hadn’t of closed, it would of made it on the list. I was stationed there for almost 4 years and was not happy… only good thing was I was close to home…
Minot gets my vote, spent 4 years and 10 months there and absolutely worse than my year spent in Alaska.
Also I re-enlisted while at Minot thinking I would get orders for another assignment and a base of choice! Got my base of choice but soon after I got it, it was cancelled:(. Spent my entire second hitch at Minot. Volunteered for the Nam hoping to get away from Minot, didn’t get that either :(. I joined the Air Force hoping to make it a career but after Alaska and Minot that idea was ruined. Spent 8 years and 4 months and all but one tour was bad and the kicker is King Salmon AFS in Alaska was 100% better than Minot, made E-4 in Alaska and almost lost it at Minot.
I spent 2 years at Edwards. You will see a lot of cool stuff out there and if you dirt bike they have a track on base and trails throughout the base. I would just take off straight from the dorm. The downside. Bx so small that they never carried anything. If you needed to go to Walmart it was a 70 mile round trip adventure. 14 miles from North gate to Rosemond. It was bad. One thing I will say though. You got close to your friends on base. You always hung out to keep the sanity.
Edwards??? Really??? I loved that place an everyone I know who was stationed feel the same!
Sure, the nearest town is a ways away, but Edwards is so close to so many great places it’s insane!
The base itself was pretty cool for an Air Force Base, and I believe it is even better now (2015 – I was there from 1978-1982 and back a few times in the mid 80s).
I spent 4 years at Chanute AFB in Rantoul IL… They got put on the base closure list back in the early 90’s.
The winters were horrid, and cornfields as far as you could see during spring.
It was a good closure
Whoever came up with this JV-Busch League list and didn’t place Cannon AFB, NM the absolute worst place to be stationed in the Air Force is clueless and has never really been stationed anywhere remotely bad – and that includes deployments.
Replace Osan with Pope.
Osan is absolutely awesome, ok, not all of it. Yes, exercises are plenty, but anywhere in the Pacific is. Osan is party town and the majority of everyone LOVE it. Food is great, Seoul is minutes away, work load is easy, and you are hardly sober.
“No hope Pope” is horrible. It was taken over by Ft Bragg, need I say more? The Army runs it now. It’s run down, dirty, no mission whatsoever, and it’s nestled in the least interesting city in NC, but has the highest crime. There is no other base where you get a feeling of worthlessness than you get at Pope.
Guess you have never been to Mountain Home, Idaho! This place is the worst base in the world! We are in the middle of a desert with nothing for miles. The closest town is 10 miles away and it has more thrift stores than restaurants. We are an hour from Boise which is a small city but nowhere I would care to live. I can save the DOD a whole bunch of money with one simple idea, close Mtn. Home AFB, ID because it’s a waste of space.
Kunsan should be on this list and not Osan….
What the….I was in TWO of these. (in addition to Shemya AFB)
Although…Minot had the best people around to count on because we all had a common goal (….to find a way out of there)
How the hell did Cannon AFB not make this list? Easily worse than Wright Pat.
I have to vote for Mountain Home fab, ID. There is a girl behind every tree, but there ain’t no trees. If the first line for the intro is , “If you like hunting and fishing”, you know it isolated.
What happened to Osan Air Base( K-55) ? It was not the best base in USAF but it surely was not the worst including the other Air Bases in South Korea back in 1968-69. Although I have no desire to go back to any base in Korea.
From what I can see they must have blew K55 Osan up and rebuilt it. since 1955, I remember they found two AP who had been killed in the Basement of the Old Pass Ter
and it was drink yourself stupid and go to bed type of base.
Cannon should be one of the top 3. Osan should never be on this list. Clovis, NM is a joke ran by the churchs and a guy who owns a chain of gas stations which hold all the liquor licenses. One bar in town thats closed on sundays and closes by 10 on weekdays. Many people would gladly go back to minot after being here. And it’s an AFSOC base which doesnt need explaining.
In Korea rule 1: Do not fall in to a rice paddie, you will get sick and die.
I highly disagree with #2. My dad was stationed there for about 15 years, so essentially I grew up there! Great base-yeah every place has its down side- but still love and call Edwards home.
Try Laughlin AFB, might as well be stationed in Mexico.
Are you kidding me? No Eielson? I know people who were stationed at Minot and Eielson and Eielson takes the cake for worst base. We were at Eielson for 3 years, which was exactly 3 years too long.
If you’ve been to any of these places, why do people hate them so much, and are they really that bad? Worst duty stations — what s your Bottom 3 list?
Easy Homestead in Fla, Elgin in Fla, Lackland tex
OK…
1. I’m surprised to see that Pope didn’t make the list. Everything from high crime, to being the last base on the list to get anything. Plus the AF is not acknowledged. But at Pope and in the town of FayetteHELL, they have strip clubs, tattoo parlors, loan sharks, car lots, bars and WalMarts on the same strip. And if you’re single male and looking for a woman, the only ones you will find are fat, have multiple kids by multiple baby daddies, are on government assistance, are crazy….but because the men to women ratio is 25;1, even the fat girls get to pick and choose who they take home. Oh…and the summers are brutal as hell and the only things to do are eat as they have every restaurant avaliable. But the mountains are 2.5 hrs one way while the ocean is 2.5 hrs the other way.
2. How did Wright Patt make the list? That is a base that is hard to get into. I know. I tried. I worked with a guy that confirmed this. He even went on to say it was a desired base, and they don’t just take anyone.
3. Cannon. I’ve never been there but everyone I have talked to will tell war stories on how bad it was. I’m not surprised Minot is on the list.
Heard the same story from several friends. about Pope
Osan? I was stationed there for over 7 years over three tours…not the best in the Air Force, but certainly not one of the top 5 worst. And how did Cannon AFB, in Clovis, NM not make this list? That IS the worst assignment in the USAF. I’d rather do a 4-year tour to FOB Shank than spend a year at Cannon/Clovis.
While it is no longer a base, Johnston Atoll (aka Johnston Island) in the Pacific would have qualified. The main island (read biggest by far) is ~1/2 mile wide and ~2-1/2 miles long, there were no cars, no bars, no women and not much of anything, save for the chemical weapons that the Army had stored there at the time.
Wait… why isn’t Cannon AFB #1???? over 3 years spent stationed there and it sucked… That place is a career/marriage/life killer!!!
Who da hell POL!!!
Minot is not as bad as what its made out to be unless you are in the missile fields. Most of the complaints about minot come from people who have never been here. I have heard stories far worse coming from people stationed at Cannon AFB, Vandenburg AFB and the worst came from Los Angeles AS. All the guys I am stationed with here actually like it same with my former Commander he didn’t want to leave after he adjusted to it. Different story from when he got his orders here. The only guys now wanting to leave are those who have been here forever or are apart of the 91st.
I was at Cannon AFB, Holloman AFB, Edwards AFB, Kunsan and Osan.
When I was in, Cannon had the highest suicide rate in the AF and I’m thinking Holloman was a tad close.
I was at Osan a year and a half, with another 6 months in Singapore TDY. I can promise you Osan is a great place to be — you work hard and you play hard. EZ-Mart, Trains with arcades and massage chairs/karoke, rock climbing, mountain climbing, parasailing, festivals on the beaches a few hours east, paragliding, renting ATV’s to go out to the dunes and ride, etc.
Whoever made this list has no idea what Osan is like and should stop writing articles. They even said “from what we heard”, 2nd-hand article writing is ridiculously lousy. You should be ashamed.
What you should have replaced it with was Holloman/Cannon AFB in New Mexico. Now that’s like living in an armpit.
Osan?! Wrong. Just wrong. Osan is a great place if you get out and see the country. Lots of culture, scenary, and delicious food to eat! Now Thule on the other hand…. That one deserves a higher place on this list. At least the crappy bases stateside have some type of escape. Good luck trying to explore something else in Thule other than more rocks….
You all have different opinions on what is and isn’t a bad base and what does or doesn’t constitute a base. But!! EVERY base is exactly what you make of it. The old saying goes that the worst base is was ever at is the one I’m leaving and the best base ever is the one I’m going to. After 20 years, I’ve been to Columbus, Ms, London, England, Grand Forks, ND, Thule, Greenland and retired from and now live near Robins AFB, Georgia. Each has it’s good and bad points. But to rely on one person’s assessment of a good or bad base is about as informative as what comes first, the chicken or the egg. One without the other is stupid. If you are going to define a base as good or bad, then show both sides of the equation. Thule may be 450 above the arctic circle and 600 miles from the north pole, but the duty there is good. It gives you a chance to further your education, study for your next promotion or lets you settle down and relax. Columbus and Grand Forks allowed for anyone to enjoy the culture that they may not have had a chance to experience growing up. I certainly didn’t know the southern way of life or get a chance to meet a few Canadian’s that I still consider to be very good people.
See? You don’t just come out and say that this base is bad or the best kept secret. Every base, regardless of Marine, Army, Navy or Air Force, has it’s good points and it’s bad….but trust me when I say that YOUR attitude and your preconceived notions will make or break a base.
And one last and most important thing……any base, anywhere in the world will been seen as a direct reflection of the commander and his support staff/agencies. As a retired NCO, I can say without any reservations what so ever that if you have a good commander that takes care of the people, your time at the base will be enjoyable….but if you get a ring knocker that only thinks of himself and his next step to be the chairman of the joint chiefs….RUN…this type of person will bring down everyone and your assignment will suck..
Nuff said…MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my brothers and sisters in arms…here and overseas….may god bless you and keep you safe….until Clinton gets elected, then we all are in trouble……..
Obviously a former 1st shirt. 😉
39 year man. I was glad to get the hell out. I became a Deputy Sheriff in Ft Lauderdale and never was more happy in my life. Guess I was not cut out to be in the Service. Altho I was first Sgt of the Sheriffs Dept. LOL No transfers out of state .
Oman shouldn’t be there, spent two tours there. Replace it with Cannon A FB in Clovis, NM. Minot #1, Cannon #2, the armpit and butt hole of the AF. lol
Meant Osan, not Oman.
you forgot about Keesler in MS.
the first night I was there I froze my big harry nuts off, I had my fetuges on and an overcoat 2 wool blankets and I was still freezing. the next year and a half was nice if you like a tour in hell it was so hat and humid you would look for shade some place but there were 20 guy’s huddled under that same tree, Osan wasn’t so bad if you like the constant smell of shit coming through your window 24/7
If you are not from the South it can get to you.
Army puke writing about AF bases. Clueless. All Army bases suck. Spent 10 years at Edwards. Best time ever. WPAFB, was System Command, that says a lot. Thule, depends whatyou did. If you’re a NORAD type, wasn’t bad. Support, yeah could hate it. korea is, well korea, get ready for culture shock.
I was Active Army National Guard, and Reg Air Force…Got surprised by both Services. Short Story, While station in Korea the Co took everyone to shoot the M2 in the shooting range…(rock pit more or less). I was the only one who knew how to field strip them and clean them. I did not believe it.made my mind up I was going AOWL and join the 8th Army up on Hill 180 because these guys were going to die if North Korea came South.
Osan, 1964…….one of the highlights of my career, changed my future completely. Cannon 1982: the worst year of that career!
Some people have to bash things. Make the best of what you have and enjoy the experience. It is so wonderful to find a post about all the bad bases out there. One young new Airman to the Air Force will read this and base their opinion off this article, how terrible these bases are. I spent 5 years at Edwards and by far it was the best assignment I ever had. Indeed it is in the middle of nowhere, but there are great people working out there and fail not to mention it’s location. The location is great as it is the center of southern California. Just east a few hours is Las Vegas. Edwards is the Flight Test Center of the Air Force. I saw things there that the rest of the Air Force wouldn’t see operationally for years.
I spent close to 11 of my 20 years at Osan between 1979 and 1991. Best time of my life. That was before the “Americanization” came through. Korea and the Koreans are some of the greatest people on earth. If you hated your assignment chances are you stayed in your dorm room whining about not enough channels on tv.
Wow Dorms, Channels, TV. You were in heaven. from: 1955
Whoever voted Osan onto this list is crazy. Best assignment in the Air Force. If I had to pick an Air Base in Korea to be on this list, it’d be Kunsan, not Osan. But if I had to vote on my worst assignment base, it’d be Bolling AFB in Southeast Washington, DC. Gunshots at night, followed by shooting reports on the 6AM news every morning.
If you want to be correct Sowon base or Osan Air Field, or K 55 is ok with me.
When my civilian friends ask me what was my favorite base, I have to say, “For what?” Westover for the area activities, Lowry for the mountains, U-Tapao for the foreign travel, Minot for the work purpose and people I worked with, AFROTC Det 305, Ruston, LA for the civilian interaction. Each base has good and bad points. Westover was expensive, U-Tapao was remote, Minot was cold. It is hard to say which was worst.
Minot was a great assignment! Purposely spent 5 1/2 years there and held several great positions along the way. Some would also call Altus AFB a hell hole but it too was a great place to cool your heels two separate tours… Whiteman was good also but Knob definitely left much to be desired and was a pain to have to travel to hit any stores but the base and the housing was good. Now Hickam… great Base but Hawaii is truly America’s piece of the third world and for that it ranks high on my list of crap assignments…
This post obviously has no idea what he is talking about. For example Osan. If people bi**hed about the smell it’s because they were stupid enough to get off base housing in a rice field fertilized by cow shit. City sewers isn’t any better in any country. Kunsan should have been there, it’s only benefit is the alcohol. Alcohol as a soul perk is a good reason.
Osan, you have been there and done it.
I disagree #4 shouldn’t be Osan. It should be Kunsan…. I was at the Kun… and visited Osan for my rec time (that should tell you enough there)… we had all the same exercises as they did… they had a McDonald’s and a KFC on the base they where aloud to bring their families and live on base how can that be worse than the Kun.
I find it interesting that those in our military are suppose to be the strongest and valiant individuals our country has to offer, yet as I was reading these posts I found most to be whiny and infantile. I live in North Dakota and I have to say that if you are not strong and hardy enough may be you should not only not come to North Dakota and retire from the military because you do not have what it takes to be a mature individual. The military is not a vacation it is a job and a life in which hardship does not out weigh the rewards of being an American. This is just my opinion and you can disagree if you’d like.
Obviously no one the author spoke to had/has ever been to cannon afb! I know more than 20 active duty members who separated rather than accept orders to cannon!!
Spent 2 1/2 years at Malmstrom, MT. 24 years active duty both in USAF and Army. Fort Hood was a close second.
It saddens me about peoples expectations and inability to adapt. I spent 5 yrs at Pope (92-97) and loved it. I didn’t see much crime while there except when an Army person would go nuts and shoot someone. But it had gotten the moniker of Fayettenam. Raleigh was only about an hour north as well as awesome beaches about an hour east. I had heard though things had gotten worse after I left in 97 and the A10s left.
I grew up about an hour south of Whiteman and I don’t get the complaints. Winters aren’t too bad but summers can be if you aren’t used to it as they can be over 100 with 100% humidity. While there may not be much to do in Knob Noster there is a lot to do in KC and St Louis. Both have sports teams of just about every sport. Both have amusement parts. Both have great food. There is hunting, fishing and lakes to swim, ski, boat etc in. Pretty much anything you can do other places you can do within a very short drive except surf or snow ski. Because KC and St Louis are so close its probably one of the best locations there is for a base compare to many others.
I spent 5 yrs at England AFB. I loved my entire time there. But beyond some good (few) clubs, food and movies there was really only fishing and lakes there. New Orleans was still doable but a bit of a drive. Even made weekend trips to Florida. But still Pope AFB and Whiteman AFB has a hell of a lot more to do close by compared to what England AFB had.
Having been to all 3 bases they were all great bases in themselves. I do speak in terms of when I was there and not before or after I was there though.
Its annoying when I see people complain about places that have pretty much everything that the places they love do. I have noticed the same where I am currently at. One complaint is food options. We have at least 1 of just about every culture food types there are but because there aren’t 20 of each type people complain.
Closed many years ago, but I would have put Amarillo AFB on the list. For many of the same reasons that Cannon is on the list.
Have you even been to Wright-Patt? You could drive to different cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, Louiseville, Pittsburgh, etc) on weekends on just a full tank. Yes, the base is civilian based but it’s pretty chill there. A lot of stuff to do around there (Casinos, Cedar Point, Movies, Clubs). Sounds like you spoke to someone who stayed on base a lot. That’s your biggest mistake right there.
Back in 64-66, I had to drive 160 miles south and east from Fortuna AFS, ND just to get to Minot AFB as it was our support base for their Hospital, BX and Commissary, etc. The village I lived in 10 miles west of the radar site, Westby, MT had a population of 300. Minot had a population of 30,000 in those days, and I am supposed to believe Minot is one of the 5 worst assignments. Just for good measure, I also had the pleasure of a year tour on Shemya Island 68-69.
I enjoyed my 30 years in the USAF and would not change it if I could, just my thoughts on this article which what is good and bad assignments are what one makes of it.
Found definitely forgot Eielson AFB!
Um Offutt AFB, winters were meh, summers the smell of the dog food factory just off base was a throw up in your mouth every day type of hell.
I don’t care what anyone says, I loved Thule. Like any other place, it is what you make of it. If you go there thinking it’s going to suck, you’ll be right. But if you get out of the stinking dorms and choose to EXPERIENCE Thule, you can have the time if your life.
Are u for real.
We are living in Minot for only a month and hate it!!! There’s nothing to do here! The only good thing is that I got a job that pays very well.
Before here my husband was stationed in Thule for a year and he got depressed there! He hated it and said it was like a prision…
I guess we are very “lucky” .
Hanscom AFB.. Made up of Civilians, Contractors, new Officers, and no planes…… There is however a flight line but it’s owned by the state and holds corporate or private planes…..
Osan??? Yes it could be bad if you don’t get out and do things. I loved it there. I took tours and even saw a ballet there. So much to do, so much culture. I was there from 01-02. It’s gotten even better I hear. Sure you didn’t mean Kunsan???
I talked to one Vet who said there are two Osan Ni bases. One that was Osan is now ROK Air Base where as the Osan of this day is a new or almost new base. Bet it still stinks. Note: Don’t fall drunk in to one of them.
Nope I guess it is just the same base, it has changed very much over 60 some years.
Well I don’t know who mentioned Whiteman AFB, Mo but your obviously way off the mark, Whiteman while no paradise is definitely with the surrounding area one of the best bases to be at as their is a lot to do off base with all the landmarks, lakes, mountain areas and entertainment festivals just hours south of their in the Branson area, but some people just can’t see beyond their noses. Thule AB should be #1 as the others you can get someplace within a fews hours, Thule is isolated, you can’t get anywhere.
I dumped Big Macs on Thule from a C-130 during ‘Operation Mc DOnalds” IN the ’80’s to give those stationed there a treat they hadn’t had in a while..
Apparently no one has acquired the McGuire desire (McGuire/Dix Wrightstown, NJ) It ain’t the ass of the Earth, but you can see it on a clear day… Wasn’t too fond of Luke or Clark Field either.
How in seven hells is Goodfellow not on this list?
Probably because no one even knows it exists. I spent about 8 months there for training. I remember it was about 6 hours to get to where ever you wanted to go. Being lower enlisted and with no vehicle limited your options greatly.
Because you’re not at Edwards
Except for the sunless months that can be a bit depressing, I enjoyed my year at Thule. I met some great people and what a great place to explore especially if you are into photography. Also some of the best food of any base I served at thanks to those competent Danish chefs.
Thule AB, Greenland was a great time.
Raf Croughton should be on this list.
I spent 4 years at Osan, 76-77, 80-83, i loved it! Then TDY from Clark a few times.
Arrived in Kunsan fron Seymour almost exactly 50 years ago on Pueblo deployment, left in July. Work took me up to Osan several times. It was a paradise compared to K-8.
K 8 was not a great place in 1957 Some of the buildings were still tents. The Airmans Club was not very big. Osan was better I agree.
I was looking in my Korea book and I should add we were still shipping our bodies back to the Main land a Sgt who fought there said he was on details on recovery. The found three APs in K 14 shot in the head, hands tied behind their backs. That bothered me since that happened a lot during the war.
At Edwards right now…this place sucks balls. Everyone here is an alcoholic because it’s the only thing to do. Movie theater and Walmart are 45 minutes away. You’d think they would build an indoor track because it’s always windy. But no. Seriously fuck this place, trying to get out of here
I guess back in the 70s Edwards was coo. My sister was born there in 72 then we went to Bitburg Germany for 4 yrs back to edwards seem like just mere months then back to Bitburg another 4 yrs. I loved bith bases. Even though in bitburg we lived off base both times. Offutt was next n last. Hated it. Dad retired back to Maine in 85
Lol MY SISTER WAS BORN AT EDWARDS . AND WE WERE THERE TWICE. BUT SEEMED NOT TO BE VERY LONG. 71-72 76-77.
don’t bend over, get it or you will!!
Beale was the worst, an isolated, depressing collection of WWII era crap in habited by the biggest collection of nincompoops ever in uniform. When I think of the place I could vomit.
Robert F. Royce
Wow, whoever told you Osan sucks was lying to you. Yeah, it must truly suck being in the middle of East Asia and about 1 to 4 hours from places like Japan, China, Malaysia, Guam and Thailand. Must suck having some of the highest speed internet in the world and one of the most efficient transportation systems ever in history. Too bad that there’s hundreds of food to try out. Oh yeah that clubbing culture in the super modern city of Seoul is awful! It runs 24/7 with foreigners from every corner in the world – what the hell?! And screw that oversized electronics market with any type of electronic device you could think of! Man I wish I was more like the guys who told you this – sitting in their dorm rooms all day, hanging out at the front gate and not even bothering to see the country and not picking up a single word of Korean – those guys are awesome! Nice current picture of the base too – looks like it was taken in the early 2000’s. Bye!
I could upload some but I don’t see any place to do so.
I was stationed at Osan 1955, and I will vote for that hole in the gound.
I have pix…
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We were stationed at Wright Patt for 7 years and it shouldnt be on this list. There is a ton of stuff to do. Its located right next to Wright state university and 5-10 mins away from the oregon district. The schools are great and they also have the best gyms ive ever seen at a base. Housing is the only down side but there are a lot of quality places to live near by.
In Minot there ees no poossee
Yoo moost jack off under dee covers or watch porno flicks and jack off or get some oil and bang a moose