Vance Air Force Base

Vance Air Force Base at a glance

Vance Air Force Base is an Air Force pilot training installation on the south side of Enid, Oklahoma. The 71st Flying Training Wing conducts undergraduate instruction for qualified U.S. military officers and international officers. Its publicly stated priorities combine pilot development with resilient airmen and families and readiness to deploy. The installation is therefore a schoolhouse community centered on flight training.

The training role has deep local roots. The base began in 1941 as the Air Corps Basic Flying School at Enid, became Enid Army Flying School in February 1942 and subsequently took the Enid Army Air Field name. In 1949 it was renamed for Lieutenant Colonel Leon Robert Vance Jr., a local World War II aviator and Medal of Honor recipient.

Also searched as: Vance AFB, Enid Army Air Field.

Sources: Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Mission and major activities

• Undergraduate pilot training through the 71st Flying Training Wing.
• Instruction for U.S. military and international officers.
• Readiness and support for airmen and families.

Sources: Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

History and identity

The installation received the Vance name on July 9, 1949, honoring an Enid aviator.

Sources: Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Location and community

Vance is in Garfield County, northern Oklahoma, near Enid.

Sources: Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Pilot education gives Vance its professional identity

The 71st Flying Training Wing conducts undergraduate pilot training for U.S. military and international officers. Students, instructors, aircraft maintainers and installation-support personnel contribute different parts of that education mission. A new student should use course-specific reporting and accommodation instructions; a permanent-party member should identify the assigned squadron or support organization.

The installation began as an Enid flying school in 1941 and adopted the Vance name in 1949 for Lieutenant Colonel Leon Robert Vance Jr., a local World War II Medal of Honor recipient. This continuity makes pilot training central to the base’s history as well as its current purpose. Vance is on Enid’s south side in Garfield County, Oklahoma. Enid is the local service community, separate from the larger Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Wichita metropolitan areas.

Official sources: Vance overview

Student officer housing has specific instructions

Hunt Companies manages Vance’s privatized family housing. The Military Housing Office provides official application and community-housing information. The Air Force page also describes a student-specific distinction: junior officers entering undergraduate pilot training are directed to dormitory arrangements on initial assignment. Confirm the current rule for the individual course and status before signing a community lease or shipping furniture.

For families, Eisenhower Elementary is identified within the privatized-housing area as part of the Enid school system. The page lists secondary-school destinations elsewhere in Enid and describes school transportation. Verify current boundaries and grade placement for the actual residence. A family-housing application, a student dormitory assignment and a temporary lodging reservation serve different purposes; clarify which one applies before connecting household travel or a child’s school start to the training schedule.

Official sources: Vance housing

Inpatient and emergency care use community facilities

The 71st Medical Group provides appointment-based clinic care, with pharmacy and other services described in the installation guide. The guide states that Vance does not provide inpatient or emergency care and identifies civilian hospitals in Enid for broader hospital services. Specialty needs beyond the clinic’s capability can involve civilian providers or military referral hospitals.

The guide also describes Exceptional Family Member Program assistance for medical and educational needs. A household with ongoing treatment or school supports should engage the relevant receiving contacts before the move, rather than assume every existing service is available locally. Base dental care is described as active-duty care, with dependent dental arrangements handled separately. A useful transfer plan identifies the primary-care team, specialty destination, prescription needs and family-support contact as distinct parts of the arrival.

Official sources: Vance 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: Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Resources for service members and families

Start with the official resources for Vance 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 Vance 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 Air Force housing page was reviewed through official indexed content; student accommodation and school assignments should be confirmed for the current course and residence.

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. Vance Air Force Base overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONSSupports: overview, mission, history, local context, planning note
2. Vance housingSupports: expanded guide and official services
3. Vance 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.