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Altus is a city located in Jackson County Oklahoma.
Altus has a 2025 population of 18,590.
The population of Altus is currently declining at a rate of -0.12% annually and has decreased by -0.6% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 18,677 in 2020.
The average household income in Altus is $72,500 with a poverty rate of 17.33%.
Altus, OK Cost of Living Scores
Living Expense - Altus - Oklahoma - National Average:
Altus, OK Housing Cost Breakdown
Statistic: Altus - Oklahoma - United States:
Passports and Visas
Ensure member and/or dependents have the required passports and/or visa prior to final out-processing. Member and/or dependents are not allowed to final out-process without the required passports/visas in hand for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents. Members electing the accompanied tour will not be permitted to out-process without having the required passports/visas in hand for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents.
Passports are only required for dependents unless specifically stated in your Personnel Processing Codes (PPC)
Apply for Official / No-Fee passports upon receipt of PCS orders. Passport processing time can take 6-8 weeks from the date submitted to the Department of State. Tourist Passports are NOT acceptable for Military PCS moves.
These actions are necessary to prevent unforeseen hardships to the military members and their families. Therefore, as a last reiteration, it is essential, members do not out-process without having the appropriate passports/visas for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents.
Required Documents Needed for your Passport Appointment:
1. Completed Passport Application (DS11 for NEW Passports/DS82 for RENEWALS): https://pptform.state.gov/PassportWizardMain.aspx#%7B%22__s%22%3A%22rp2qMfr0lzQSbtImPFkzMJt%2FYVX92R9vqXAgq8RHl%2Bq0S9rnSM1kjgBE83gG1Sz%2FiOIpceXXQcs4waipWJSd8pAxQTQ7WJFiNT5bkmioIIsBBNRpKw6lr5QZsTQ%3D%22%7D
2. Proof of citizenship: (Only one is needed) Note: Proof of Citizenship will be mailed out with application
3. Photo Identification: Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card (Only one needed below)
4. Two 2x2 Photos:
5. PCS or TDY orders
6. Exception to policy Letter (If you DO NOT have PCS/TDY orders) (Received by UDM, signed by Commander)
Defense Service Network (DSN) Dialing Instructions
The DSN is the provider of long-distance communications service for the Department of Defense (DoD).
Every installation has a special DSN number and the numbers vary by world-wide location. The DSN for Altus AFB is 866.
In order to place a call using DSN, the caller must be using a military phone on an installation. Cell phones cannot dial DSN numbers.
When dialing a DSN number from a United States installation to another United States installation, it is unnecessary to dial the DSN 312 area code.
When dialing a DSN number to/from overseas locations, the DSN area code must be included.
For the Base Most Commonly used Numbers, please call the Military & Family Readiness Center at 580-481-6761 (DSN: 866-6761).
Please note that long distance charges may be incurred.
Since its activation as a multi-engine flight training school in 1943, Altus Air Force Base has been the cornerstone of southwestern Oklahoma for 80 years. With an average of more than 300 days of weather conducive flying each year and a generally flat landscape with few obstructions, the 97th Air Mobility Wing is the ideal location to carry out its mission: "To develop the decisive Mobility Force of the Future," also referred to as "Mobility’s Hometown". The 97th AMW trains over 2,000 air mobility students annually including students from 16 different foreign nations. Our vision is we continue to execute "Victory Begins Here!"
Altus Air Force Base is comprised of four groups and 18 squadrons of airmen (Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, and Civilian). The wing is also an award-winning installation, winning the Commander in Chief’s Award for Installation Excellence, Major General Eubank Award, Air Force Food Service Excellence Award, Air Force’s Best Patient Safety Program Award, the Department of Defense’s Patient Engagement Award, the AETC Medical Home of the Year, three AETC Safety Awards, 19th Air Force's Top Gray Tail of the Year, Outstanding Weather Organization Award and the Aircrew Flight Equipment Large Program of the Year.
The 97th Operations Group oversees the three squadrons directly supporting the wing's flying-training mission. The 58th Airlift Squadron is comprised of instructor pilots and loadmasters who train airmen on the C-17 Globemaster III. The 54th Air Refueling Squadron trains pilots and boom operators on the KC-135 Stratotanker. Finally, the 56th Air Refueling Squadron is home to the formal training unit for pilots and boom operators on the Air Force’s newest addition to air mobility, the KC-46 Pegasus. These three air mobility schoolhouses conduct initial and advanced specialty training programs for airland, airdrop and air refueling mobility forces, providing global reach for combat and contingency operations as well as relief operations.
The Mission Support Group provides direct mission support to the three mobility aircraft along with base-wide infrastructure to include communications, civil engineering, law enforcement, force/fire protection, contracting, disaster response and other agencies to support the mission of the base.
The Wing’s Medical Group ensures maximum wartime readiness and combat capability by promoting the health, safety and morale of active-duty personnel, increasing the overall wellness of the base and local community.
The 97th Air Mobility Wing is also home to the unique all-civilian maintenance group responsible for all aircraft maintenance, sortie generation and maintenance support for the Air Force’s sole C-17, KC-135 and KC-46 formal aircrew training schools.
The Wing Commander’s priorities are:
The Wing continues to perform the same basic mission that it started back in 1943, providing a safe and comfortable location to train airmen on the intricacies of operating multi-engine aircraft.
See: https://www.altus.af.mil/About-Us/
Altus Army Airfield began training pilots to fly twin-engine aircraft in 1943. Most of the 5,377 graduates served in Europe in World War II. The Army stopped using the field in 1945.
The Air Force activated Altus Air Force Base in 1953. A Tactical Air Command troop carrier wing operated from Altus for ten months, and then the Strategic Air Command assumed control of the base. It operated bomber and tanker aircraft and maintained 12 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile sites around southwestern Oklahoma.
Military Airlift Command assumed operations in 1968, making Altus the formal training base for C-5s and C-141s. These large airplanes necessitated a major construction effort including a fuel doc, avionic repair shops, a flight simulator, and alteration of the hangers. The 443rd Military Airlift Wing trained crews at Altus until 1992. Then the Air Force inactivated the 443rd and activated the 97th Air Mobility Wing.
In 1993, Military Airlift Command turned the wing and base over to Air Education and Training Command. Soon after that the KC-135 Combat Crew Training School moved to Altus from Castle AFB, California.
In 2014, the Air Force announced that Altus AFB is the Air Force's KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit. The 97th Air Mobility Wing is new to the airlift mission but has a long bomber/tanker history.
The Wing dates back to 1947, when the Air Force activated Mile 26 Airfield, later Eielson AFB, Alaska. The 97th has operated several B-29 and B-47 variants but flew B-52s for over 30 years. It also pioneered the use of boom-equipped tanker aircraft for the air refueling mission. The Wing has participated in many contingencies and wartime operations. A B-52 from the 97th flew the last bombing mission over Cambodia during the Southeast Asia Conflict. Members of the 97th formed a provisional wing in England in 1991 and flew bombing missions during Desert Storm.
Today, the 97th Air Mobility Wing is home to the Air Force’s sole C-17, KC-135, and KC-46 Formal Training Units.
For more on the history of Altus, visit the installation's homepage.
The Air Force community in Altus, Oklahoma is comprised of approximately 5,000 service members, family members, civilians and retirees.
Altus Air Force Base supports about 2,000 permanent military personnel and trains over 2,000 air mobility students annually, including students from 23 different foreign nations. Furthermore, about 3,000 military personnel and their families live on base and a large number of military personnel and their families live in the community. The surrounding community has about 1,000 military retirees who depend on base facilities. The base provides direct employment for about 2,000 civilian personnel.
Altus AFB makes up approximately 28% of the local community and has an economic impact of around $773.6 million annually.
Altus is a city located in Jackson County, Oklahoma. In 2025, Altus has a population of 18,590.
Altus AFB serves Active Duty Military, DoD Civilians, NAF Civilians, Military Families, Retirees, and Widows/ers.
Altus AFB has deep roots in the history of military aviation and continues to be at the forefront of aviation training.
Indeed, the city of Altus is known throughout the Air Force for its enthusiastic support for our servicemen and women.
The City of Altus is one of Oklahoma's fastest-growing, most prosperous and progressive cities.
Altus offers a good family life and some of the finest game lands in the country.
Military Retirees consider cost of living an important factor for picking Altus to spend their retirement years.
See https://www.travelok.com/altus
Altus, Oklahoma is located in the southwest corner of Oklahoma at the intersection of US Highway 62 and State Highway 283. Altus Air Force Base is located east of the City of Altus and the main gate is on Falcon Road. MapQuest, Google Maps and Yahoo Maps can provide driving directions to the zip code 73521 and the address 308 N. 1st St, which is the Military and Family Readiness Center.
Directions from the Airport
Altus AFB is serviced by either Lawton Municipal Airport or Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport.
There is a military representative at the Lawton Municipal Airport from 4:30 a.m. until the last flight arrives, usually about 10:30 p.m., if you need assistance.
It's very important to coordinate your travel plans with your sponsor. Your sponsor can assist you with obtaining transportation from the airport.
Directions if Driving
While driving in Oklahoma, you may enter a turnpike that's a toll road. Rates vary according to the vehicle you drive and the turnpike you travel. On some turnpikes, your entry and exit factor into the toll rate.
PlatePay is the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's Cashless Tolling System. Cashless tolling technology allows motorists to continue through toll plazas without stopping to pay a toll and instead customers may pay tolls online at their convenience. Cameras at these toll plazas take a photo of the vehicle’s license plate as the vehicle passes through and then if the driver has a PIKEPASS, the PIKEPASS account will be charged. Customers are encouraged to keep their PIKEPASS account updated with their vehicle information. If the driver does not have a PIKEPASS, OTA will mail an invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle. The PlatePay rate is higher than the PIKEPASS rate.
Go to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority website for more information and to see the toll fares/chart for all vehicle classifications and rates on all Oklahoma turnpikes, the latest on current construction on the toll ways and to get the current traffic advisories. The website to pay PlatePay invoices is where you can search by Plate Number or Invoice. There has been recent history of spam text messages going out regarding toll fees. The OTA will not contact you by text message or phone call. If you have any questions about a text message that says it’s from OTA, you can check your balance by calling the customer service line at 1-800-PIKEPASS during business hours.
If you are driving by car, all highways leading to the base are well marked. When traveling to Altus Air Force Base via U.S. 62, turn north on Veterans Drive and follow the signs leading to the main gate. When traveling to base via State Highway 283, turn east on Falcon Road and follow the signs.
What to do when you arrive at the Altus AFB Main Gate
When you arrive at the main gate, you will need to show them your Military ID Card and identification for each family member/passenger. They may ask you to enter the Visitor Control Center immediately to your left to get a visitor's pass. There you will need to show them your Military ID Card, your driver’s license and a copy of your orders. They may also request to see your vehicle registration and proof of insurance.
The base gate staff is happy to provide directions to any base location and will give you directions to the 24-hour arrival point, the Red River Inn, Bldg. 82, located at 307 B Avenue.
PICK Transportation is a mobility on-demand, curb-to-curb service in the City of Altus and Altus Air Force Base. PICK connects riders to many different destinations including shopping, social events, restaurants, doctors appointments, work, school, recreation and back home.
Ride fare is always $3.00 per trip.
Hours of Service:
Contact:
For more information, please reach out to the Military & Family Readiness Center at 580-481-6761.
We are no longer using live base operators.
However, you can get base information by contacting the Military & Family Readiness Center at 580-481-6761.
The links below will assist with FSS Services Information: