Ellsworth Air Force Base

Ellsworth Air Force Base at a glance

Ellsworth Air Force Base is a South Dakota bomber installation whose host organization is the 28th Bomb Wing. Its public overview describes the wing's B-1B association and the supporting operations, maintenance, mission-support and medical groups. Those groups combine aircraft work with logistics, engineering, communications and the services needed by the installation's military community.

The site opened in 1942 as Rapid City Army Air Base for B-17 training and was renamed for Brigadier General Richard Ellsworth in 1953. The Air Force selected Ellsworth as the first main operating base for the B-21 and its formal training unit. Official reporting in September 2026 describes a dedicated integration organization coordinating that transition, rather than treating the new bomber's arrival as a completed fleet change.

Also searched as: Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City Army Air Base.

Sources: Ellsworth Air Force Base: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview; Ellsworth selected as first B-21 main operating base; Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1

Mission and major activities

• Supports bomber aviation and maintenance.
• Provides logistics, engineering, communications and medical support.
• Prepares for B-21 integration and associated training.

Sources: Ellsworth Air Force Base: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview; Ellsworth selected as first B-21 main operating base; Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1

Location and community

Ellsworth is just outside Box Elder in western South Dakota, near Rapid City and the wider Black Hills community.

Sources: Ellsworth Air Force Base: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

A bomber base preparing for a new aircraft

The 28th Bomb Wing anchors Ellsworth’s bomber mission, with operations, maintenance, mission-support and medical organizations contributing different parts of the installation’s work. The base opened in 1942 as Rapid City Army Air Base for B-17 training. Its 1953 renaming honored Brigadier General Richard Ellsworth, connecting the current installation to an earlier generation of bomber aviation.

Ellsworth’s B-21 role is a transition in progress. An official September 2026 report describes the activation of B-21 Integration Detachment 1 to coordinate beddown work while the 28th Bomb Wing continues its B-1 mission. Facilities, communications and training preparation are part of that effort. Prospective arrivals should distinguish an assigned B-1 organization, installation support activity or B-21 preparation role, and should not interpret selection for the future aircraft as evidence that every new mission element is already operating.

Official sources: Ellsworth AFB overview; Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1

Housing applications and Black Hills travel demand

The official housing page identifies Balfour Beatty Communities as Ellsworth’s privatized family-housing manager. The Military Housing Office reviews the application package and provides the referral used for the manager’s waiting list. The published process calls for assignment and dependency documentation; preparing that paperwork early is more useful than treating a submitted application as a guaranteed move-in date.

Ellsworth is near Box Elder and Rapid City, with the Black Hills shaping the surrounding community. The official installation profile specifically warns that tourism, the Sturgis rally and the Central States Fair can affect hotel availability. Temporary lodging and an off-base backup therefore deserve attention even when the permanent housing decision is still open. Use the school liaison and verified school-assignment information when comparing addresses, particularly where the desired home and the available home differ.

Official sources: Ellsworth housing; Ellsworth installation profile

Know what the medical group provides

The 28th Medical Group provides outpatient care, including family health, women’s health, optometry, dental, physical therapy and behavioral-health functions described in the installation’s medical guide. The guide distinguishes those services from emergency hospital care and identifies community hospital support in Rapid City.

For a household with ongoing specialty treatment, a useful preparation task is to identify the receiving primary-care team, obtain records and clarify referral arrangements before existing care ends. The base clinic’s presence does not mean that every treatment is available on the installation. The location of a community appointment can also affect housing and transportation choices, so health needs should be considered alongside the daily journey to the assigned workplace.

Official sources: Ellsworth health care

Published addresses and access

Use the destination label below to distinguish visitor access, a service office and postal mail. A published address does not authorize entry. Confirm current access, sponsorship, appointments and reporting instructions with the official office before travelling.

Before you arrive

Use these questions with your sponsor or gaining organization. They are a starting point for planning, including assignments, courses and training periods that differ from a routine permanent change of station.

1. Confirm the organization, duration and reporting instructions shown on your orders. Ask which office handles your arrival.
2. Clarify lodging and housing arrangements before booking. Ask about availability, required approvals and how to handle a late arrival.
3. Before choosing a home, compare the commute, lease terms, school needs and your household budget. Ask the housing office about the options that apply to your situation.
4. Coordinate household goods and personal travel with the appropriate transportation office. Keep orders, receipts and important family records together.
5. Make a short list of contacts for medical care, schools, childcare and family support, where applicable to your assignment.

Official PCS planning resources   Housing allowance information

Sources: Ellsworth Air Force Base: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview; Ellsworth selected as first B-21 main operating base; Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1

Resources for service members and families

Start with the official resources for Ellsworth Air Force Base and ask which services your household can use. For a training site, rotational location or Reserve component assignment, confirm arrangements with your unit rather than assuming the services of a large residential installation are available.

From this mission to your next career

The mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base suggests the following areas to consider when describing your experience. These are LockLeed career suggestions based on the public mission, not a list of vacancies or qualifications held by everyone assigned here.

Write down the equipment, systems, processes and teams you personally supported. Add a specific result you can discuss publicly, then match that evidence to the civilian role you want. Keep operational details and sensitive information out of your application.

Official transition resources   Explore SkillBridge programs

Official contacts and installation services

Use the named official resource for this installation or its support community. A directory link does not establish service eligibility, availability or a reporting location. Confirm arrangements with the office or your gaining organization.

Research note: The overview and Air Force housing pages blocked direct retrieval; their official indexed content was reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and editorial notes

Installation facts above are drawn from the official sources below. Career suggestions and planning questions are LockLeed editorial guidance. Use official offices for current policies, eligibility and arrangements.

1. Ellsworth Air Force Base: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overviewSupports: overview, mission, local context, planning note
2. Ellsworth selected as first B-21 main operating baseSupports: overview, mission, planning note
3. Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1Supports: overview, mission, planning note
4. Eighth Air Force activates B-21 Integration Detachment 1Supports: expanded guide and official services
5. Ellsworth housingSupports: expanded guide and official services
6. Ellsworth installation profileSupports: expanded guide and official services
7. Ellsworth health careSupports: expanded guide and official services

Reviewed 2026-09-30. This independent guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense. Map points are approximate and are not routing or reporting instructions.