Westover Air Reserve Base

Westover Air Reserve Base at a glance

Westover Air Reserve Base is the Massachusetts home of the Air Force Reserve's 439th Airlift Wing. The wing flies the C-5M Super Galaxy, with the 337th Airlift Squadron as its flying unit. Its airlift mission moves personnel, equipment, supplies and medical patients worldwide. Communications, engineering, logistics and medical organizations support that work alongside aircraft maintenance and installation management.

Westover's history reaches back to its opening as an Army airfield in 1940. It subsequently served through World War II, the Berlin Airlift and the Strategic Air Command era before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in 1974. The present reserve mission therefore occupies an installation built through several different periods of American military aviation.

Also searched as: Westover ARB, 439th Airlift Wing.

Sources: 439th Airlift Wing fact sheet; Westover history and present mission

Mission and major activities

• The 439th Airlift Wing provides worldwide C-5M airlift.
• The 337th Airlift Squadron conducts the wing's flying mission.
• Support organizations sustain personnel readiness, aircraft and installation facilities.

Sources: 439th Airlift Wing fact sheet

History and identity

Westover opened on April 6, 1940. After Army aviation and Strategic Air Command eras, the installation transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 1974.

Sources: Westover history and present mission; Westover's founding figure

Location and community

Westover is in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and is part of the military community of western Massachusetts.

Sources: 439th Airlift Wing fact sheet; Westover's founding figure

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: 439th Airlift Wing fact sheet

Resources for service members and families

Start with the official resources for Westover Air Reserve 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 Westover Air Reserve 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

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. 439th Airlift Wing fact sheetSupports: overview, mission, local context, planning note
2. Westover history and present missionSupports: overview, history
3. Westover's founding figureSupports: history, local context

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.