The cost of living for the NSF Indian Head area is slightly higher than the U.S. national average. For more information, including various financial calculators visit the Office of Financial Readiness cost of living tools .
Call the Administration Office at 540-653-8153 for information on specific command listings, or review the base guide.
Questions about NSF Indian Head are welcomed by the Fleet and Family Support Center's Relocation and Information and Referral Specialists who can be reached at 540-653-1839 or 800-500-4947.
Visit Naval District Washington's homepage or MWR's homepage for updates, including those on COVID-19.
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. 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.
Welcome to Naval Support Facility Indian Head
Naval Support Facility Indian Head was founded in 1890 as the Navy’s first established presence in southern Maryland. What began many years ago as a gun test facility on the Potomac River has evolved and expanded to include numerous scientific and response-force missions serving all branches of the military – Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines.
Installation Information
Surrounded by the Potomac River and Mattawoman Creek, Naval Support Facility Indian Head is strategically situated less than 30 miles south of the nation’s capital. In addition to its military value, the Indian Head Navy installation makes a significant economic contribution to the local community by serving as one of Charles County, Maryland’s largest employers.Today’s military community on board Naval Support Facility Indian Head represents a diverse and strategically important mix of research and development activities, alongside operational support programs that are protecting the U.S. homeland from terrorist threats, as well as serving U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army forces deployed worldwide on a daily basis.
Welcome to Naval Support Activity South Potomac
Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) is a major shore command within Naval District Washington, and serves as the host command for two historic naval installations in the region: Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren, Va. and Naval Support Facility Indian Head, Md. As the host command, we provide base operations support for about two dozen commands and tenant activities, a workforce approaching 10,000, and over 900 base residents between both installations.Together, Dahlgren and Indian Head represent dynamic and growing naval installations that employ some of the largest concentrations of scientists and engineers in the greater Washington, D.C. area that conduct leading-edge research and development, and provide critical operational support to U.S. armed forces.
For more information, visit CNIC Naval Support Activity South Potomac.
Naval Support Facility Indian Head is located less than 30 miles from Washington, D.C. Indian Head covers more than 3,200 acres and is surrounded by the Potomac River, Mattawoman Creek and Chicamuxen Creek in Charles County, Maryland. Due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., the cost of living is slightly higher than other locations.
For more information, please visit CNIC's Naval Support Activity South Potomac.
Indian Head is serviced by three major airports:
There is not a military shuttle or mass transit between the airports and Indian Head. Contact your command to arrange transportation prior to arrival at the airport.
Directions
From Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)Rt. I-95 W, merge onto MD-295 S (Baltimore- Washington Parkway), merge onto I-495 S to Exit 3 - Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy, approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Virginia (Reagan National Airport) (DCA)
Get on US-1 S/N Henry St. in Alexandria from George Washington Memorial Parkway. Follow signs for I-495E/I-95N toward Baltimore, over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to merge onto Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy, approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Virginia (Dulles Airport) (IAD)
I-495 S/Capital Beltway toward Richmond/Alexandria to Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Maryland, points north(Rockville/Gaithersburg/College Park) 495 S to Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue South on Indian Head Hwy approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Southern Maryland
Rt. 5 North to Waldorf. At intersection of Rt. 301 and Rt. 5, cross over Rt. 301 onto Rt. 228 westbound. Follow Rt. 228 approximately 6.9 miles before bearing left onto Rt. 210 South. Follow Indian Head Hwy approximately 10 miles to the main gate.
To NSF Dahlgren from NSF Indian Head
Follow Indian Head Hwy/MD-210 S. Take a right onto Hawthrone Road/MD-225 into La Plata. Turn right on Crain Hwy/US-301 S. Continue to follow US-301 S (toll road $6) crossing the bridge into Virginia. Turn left on Dahlgren Road. Follow Dahlgren Road approximately 2 miles to the NSF Dahlgren main gate. This route has an estimated driving time of 46 minutes/approximately 33 miles.
There is currently no on base transportation. NSF Indian Head is located in a remote rural area and public transportation is extremely limited. Private automobiles are a necessity.
Release 2024.03.06.1