Special Report
This Is the Largest Military Base in South Dakota
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The U.S. defense budget – by far the largest of any country in the world – is the subject of regular controversy. But while multi-billion dollar weapons development programs that blow past budgets and deadlines will always be subject to political scrutiny, much of America’s annual military spending is less controversial. Nearly one-quarter of the $718 billion in U.S. military spending in fiscal 2021 went to pay and retirement benefits of service members. (Here is a look at the failed weapons the U.S. wasted the most money on.)
Though there are thousands of active-duty U.S. military personnel deployed abroad and on ships at sea, the vast majority of American troops are stationed at bases within the United States. Across the country, there are hundreds of military bases that are collectively home to over 1 million active-duty service members and their families. These domestic military installations vary considerably in personnel capacity, and many of them have populations equivalent to that of a mid-size city.
According to the Department of Defense’s report Demographics Profile of the Military Community for 2019 – the most recent year of comprehensive data by base – Ellsworth Air Force Base, located three miles from Rapid City, ranks as the largest military base in South Dakota by troop count.
The base, run by the Air Force, is home to 3,348 active-duty service members. Including military family members and other dependents, there are a total of 7,118 people at the base.
State | Largest base | Service Branch | Nearest major city | Total active-duty troops | All personnel, including dependents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Fort Rucker | Army | Dothan | 3,860 | 9,805 |
Alaska | Fort Jonathan Wainwright | Army | Fairbanks | 6,117 | 13,112 |
Arizona | Davis-Monthan AFB | Air Force | Tucson | 5,995 | 12,919 |
Arkansas | Little Rock AFB | Air Force | Little Rock | 3,536 | 8,108 |
California | Camp Pendleton | Marine Corps | San Diego | 39,690 | 70,700 |
Colorado | Fort Carson | Army | Colorado Springs | 24,520 | 57,473 |
Connecticut | New London NAVSUBBASE | Navy | Hartford | 6,385 | 13,856 |
Delaware | Dover AFB | Air Force | Dover | 3,484 | 7,718 |
Florida | Mayport NAVSTA | Navy | Jacksonville | 10,442 | 25,013 |
Georgia | Fort Benning | Army | Columbus | 24,305 | 46,785 |
Hawaii | Schofield Barracks | Army | Honolulu | 15,057 | 34,022 |
Idaho | Mountain Home AFB | Air Force | Boise | 3,387 | 7,171 |
Illinois | Naval Station Great Lakes | Navy | Chicago | 15,726 | 21,875 |
Indiana | DFAS Indianapolis Center | DoD | Indianapolis | 149 | 450 |
Iowa | No base with over 100 troops | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Kansas | Fort Riley | Army | Topeka | 15,214 | 33,295 |
Kentucky | Fort Campbell | Army | Nashville | 26,824 | 62,977 |
Louisiana | Fort Polk | Army | Alexandria | 7,783 | 17,384 |
Maine | Brunswhick NAS | Navy | Portland | 404 | 1,011 |
Maryland | Fort George G. Meade | Army | Baltimore | 11,140 | 26,041 |
Massachusetts | Hanscom AFB | Air Force | Boston | 833 | 1,957 |
Michigan | Detroit Arsenal | Army | Warren | 127 | 480 |
Minnesota | Fort Snelling | Army | Minneapolis | 262 | 799 |
Mississippi | Keesler AFB | Air Force | Biloxi | 5,162 | 9,587 |
Missouri | Fort Leonard Wood | Army | Springfield | 12,218 | 23,479 |
Montana | Malmstrom AFB | Air Force | Great Falls | 3,242 | 6,792 |
Nebraska | Offutt AFB | Air Force | Omaha | 6,012 | 14,379 |
Nevada | Nellis AFB | Air Force | Las Vegas | 10,168 | 21,937 |
New Hampshire | Portsmouth Naval Shipyard | Navy | Portsmouth | 959 | 2,064 |
New Jersey | McGuire AFB | Air Force | Trenton | 4,510 | 9,755 |
New Mexico | Cannon AFB | Air Force | Clovis | 4,633 | 8,986 |
New York | Fort Drum | Army | Watertown | 15,195 | 32,011 |
North Carolina | Fort Bragg | Army | Fayetteville | 45,055 | 109,101 |
North Dakota | Minot AFB | Air Force | Minot | 5,625 | 11,031 |
Ohio | Wright-Patterson AFB | Air Force | Dayton | 5,401 | 13,914 |
Oklahoma | Fort Sill | Army | Oklahoma City | 13,310 | 26,189 |
Oregon | No base with over 100 troops | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Pennsylvania | Carlisle Barracks | Army | Harrisburg | 503 | 1,903 |
Rhode Island | Naval Station Newport | Navy | Newport | 3,269 | 7,191 |
South Carolina | Fort Jackson | Army | Columbia | 11,545 | 20,589 |
South Dakota | Ellsworth AFB | Air Force | Rapid City | 3,348 | 7,118 |
Tennessee | Naval Support Activity Mid-South | Navy | Memphis | 676 | 2,014 |
Texas | Fort Hood | Army | Killeen | 36,697 | 83,815 |
Utah | Hill AFB | Air Force | Ogden | 4,201 | 9,985 |
Vermont | Burlington IAP-AGS | Air Force | Albany | 113 | 266 |
Virginia | Norfolk Naval Base | Navy | Norfolk | 47,368 | 100,893 |
Washington | Fort Lewis | Army | Tacoma | 26,512 | 62,831 |
West Virginia | No base with over 100 troops | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Wisconsin | Fort McCoy | Army | La Crosse | 290 | 1,072 |
Wyoming | Francis E Warren AFB | Air Force | Cheyenne | 3,066 | 6,716 |
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