Clear Air Force Station is located 72 miles southwest of
Fairbanks and 285 miles north of Anchorage on the Parks Highway (Highway
3). The nearest settlement to the north is Anderson, which is
approximately six miles from the station. Anderson is home for most
of our government and contractor personnel. The town of Nenana is
approximately 20 miles north and Healy is about 35 miles south of
Clear. Mount McKinley lies 100 miles to the southwest and is visible
from the site on a clear day.
GETTING TO CLEAR
You can either drive to
Clear or travel via commercial air to Fairbanks. As soon as you
receive your orders, notify your sponsor and/or our transportation office at DSN
317-585-6364. Important: Your travel to Clear (unless driving the
Alaskan highway or using the Alaskan Marine Highway System) will be category "Z"
to Fairbanks.
Recent changes in Air Force policy allow you to drive or
ship your POV to Clear without losing your follow-on assignment. If
you are driving, call DSN: 585-6254 and let Traffic Management Office
know when you expect to arrive at Clear AFS. (More info on driving to
Clear can be found in the Travel Planning listing under Survival Tips for First
Termers.)
If you are flying, do not let your Transportation office book
you to Elmendorf AFB (Anchorage). You should take a commercial flight
via Seattle WA to Fairbanks. If you have any difficulty with travel
arrangements call us immediately at DSN 317-585-6209 or 907-585-6209 for
assistance. Ensure your sponsor knows of your arrival time into
Fairbanks well in advance (minimum of 2 duty days) to ensure a vehicle is
available to pick you up. A taxi to Clear will cost over
$100.
No matter how you plan to travel, it is essential that you contact
your sponsor and let them know the details of your arrival. If you
cannot get in touch with your sponsor, contact the Intro monitor at DSN
317-585-6209 or 907-585-6209 or first sergeant at DSN 317-585-6509 or 907
585-6509.
DRIVING THE ALCAN HIGHWAY: Travel via the Alaskan
Highway is permitted if this mode of travel does not interfere with reporting
date. Airmen who perform PCS travel by POV (and PCS is not a COT)
should make their travel plans so that they do not cross the US-Canadian border
in a PCS travel status before the first day of their RNLTD
Month. When travel is by POV, you must complete the following
statement at your losing MPF: "I understand that if PCS travel to my
permanent duty station in Alaska is by POV and I depart the CONUS on PCS before
the first day of my RNLTD month, my OS tour date will be determined by adding
the prescribed OS tour length to the (day, month, and year) of my
RNLTD."
PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE
A vehicle must be in good working
order to function properly during the winter months. If possible, you
should winterize your vehicle prior to departure. Some items to
consider installing are a heavy-duty battery, battery blanket, and block heater.
You may also want to consider using synthetic oil, as it handles the extreme
cold weather much better than regular oil. Your antifreeze should be
good to -60 below zero. There are no indoor parking facilities available for
privately owned vehicles at Clear.
If you plan to bring an automobile, it
is advisable to get it in the best condition possible prior to departing from
your present duty station. Most major maintenance that you may be required will
have to be accomplished in Fairbanks, which is 80 miles away.
You may
contact our Transportation QAE at 907-585-6518 or DSN 317-585-6518 with specific
questions or concerns.