Location: Los Angeles Air Force Base (LA AFB) is located just south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and less than a mile west of the San Diego Freeway (I-405) in the city of El Segundo, a part of Los Angeles County. No place else is quite like Los Angeles! Beach, mountain, and desert recreation opportunities are just a short drive away. World renowned theme parks and the glamour of Hollywood are right here!
The base is divided into two areas. The everyday workings of the base take place at the El Segundo area of the LA AFB installation. Fort MacArthur, which part of the LA AFB installation is located 20 miles south in San Pedro, and is one of the locations of base housing. Pacific Heights and Pacific Crest in San Pedro are also areas of LA AFB installation that house military families.
HISTORY: LA AFB traces its history back to the Air Research and Development Command's Western Development Division, which was activated July 1, 1954 in Inglewood, CA., not far from our current location. The activities of the Space Systems Division moved to the intersection of Aviation and El Segundo Boulevards in the early 60's and the property was designated Los Angeles Air Force Station on April 10, 1964. The Space and Missile Sysems Command's predecessors have remained at Los Angeles Air Force Station, which was redesignated as Los Angeles Air Force Base in September 1987.
MISSION: LA AFB is headquarters to the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), part of Air Force Space Command. SMC is responsible for research, development, acquisition, on-orbit testing and sustainment of military space and missile systems. In addition to managing Air Force space and missile programs, SMC participates in space programs conducted by other U.S. military services, government agencies and North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. SMC responds to users needs by developing and acquiring space systems. After launch and check-out, SMC turns these systems over to the appropriate operating command. SMC also serves as the integrating center for the Strategic Defense Initiative within AFMC. It monitors progress in more than 70 Space Defense Initiative efforts throughout AFMC. SMC itself has direct management responsibility for more than half of these efforts.
POPULATION SERVED: LA AFB is the only active duty installation in Los Angeles county. In addition to persons assigned to SMC and the 61st Air Base Group, LA AFB serves all Air Force personnel in the Greater Los Angeles area. We also serve Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who are stationed in this area.
SPONSORSHIP: When you first learn of your assignment, contact the Military Personnel Flight at your losing base to request a sponsor. This may be an automated process, whereby Los Angeles AFB will be contacted electronically to assign a sponsor for you. Or you may call your Orderly Room to request a sponsor assignment. Your sponsor will answer many of your questions by telephone, e-mail, or personal contact. He/she will send you a sponsor packet that contains maps of the area and the base as well as other information that will assist you and your family members with your relocation.
To set up a forwarding address, call the Base Distribution Office, 61 CS/SCBA, (310) 653-3079, DSN 633-3079, and discuss your "Report No Later Than Date" (RNLTD). Upon arrival you may pick up the mail in Building 271, 1st Floor, Room C1-401. The office is open Monday thru Friday, 7:30am to 3:15pm. The forwarding address is:
Your Name
Newcomer's Mail
2420 Vela Way, Suite 1866
Los Angeles Air Force Base
El Segundo, CA 90245-4659
To establish a Post Office Box before arriving at Los Angeles Air Force Base, pick up an application at your local Post Office. Call the U.S. Postal Service at (800) 275-8777 for prices on the size of box you want. Send the application and a copy of your orders to either of these addresses:
U.S. Post Office, 200 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
U.S. Post Office, 839 S. Beacon Street, San Pedro, CA 90731