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The Hungarians have a strict access policy that may take quite some time to process. You should complete the "HAW Form 5" provided to you by your sponsor well in advance of your arrival and submit to your sponsor.
Papa Air Base is a remote Geographically Separated Unit (GSU), with almost none of the infrastructure that one becomes accustomed to at Main Bases. There are no support offices such as finance, housing, etc. All of these service are provided by Aviano AB. Therefore, the United States National Support Element is responsible for assisting or locating POCs not stationed at Papa to assist.
This base has no child and/or youth care services. If you are a single parent or dual military with small children, you may need to re-evaluate your volunteer status for this assignment and/or accompanied status.
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. The operator can be reached at commercial (719) 567-1110. Please note that long distance charges may be incurred.
***There is a DSN Converter App available for Europe that will automactically convert DSN number to EU Commercial that can simplify contacting someone overseas.***
Build a multinational team capable of flexibly responding to strategic airlift taskings. Focus that integrated team on conducting all C-17 missions: air land, air refueling and air drop. Partner with our host base, NATO Airlift Management Programme (NAMP) and Boeing to shape a future that supports innovative expansions to a broader mission set.
The Heavy Airlift Wing is comprised of 12 nations who jointly execute heavy airlift operations on behalf of the partner nations. It is a dynamic environment and not typical of any traditional Air Force assignment.
Papa Air Base was founded in 1936. In 1937 two Bomber Squadrons of the Royal Hungarian Air Force began flying Junkers JU-86's out of Papa. During WWII Papa was used as a Messerschmitt 109 fighter base for the German Luftwaffe. After WWII, the Soviet Union Air Force's based MIG fighters at Papa AB up until 1961. The base was handed over to the Hungarian Air Force in the fall of 1961, flying MIG-21's. In 1979 the 47th Tactical Fighter Regiment began flying the MIG-23's. In June 2001 the 47th Tactical Fighter Regiment was deactivated. Since July 2001 Papa AB has been designated as a NATO reserve base. The initial cadre of the Heavy Airlift Wing arrived at Papa Air Base in October 2008 and the Wing officially stood up on 27 July 2009. Since the Heavy Airlift Wing's inception in 2009 the program has created a rich history with sustained involvement in multi-national airlift operations in Afghanistan, Africa, and a sizable investment in humanitarian missions across the globe.
Established in the town of Papa, Hungary, Papa Air Base has over 150+ total personnel and family members from the nations Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United States, as well as personnel from Boeing and NATO accompanied by their families. One of the most unique facets of this assignment is the community experience, on any given week there are multi-national events for families to experience each other's cultures, traditions, and friendship.
Papa Air Base is located in the historical town of Papa in Veszprem county, Hungary, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills, approximately 100 miles east of Vienna, Austria and 100 miles west of Budapest. With its 33,000 inhabitants, it is an important cultural, economic and tourism center of the region. Pápa has a large historical center, with renovated old burger's houses, cafes, and museums, including the Blue-Dyeing Museum (Kékfestő Múzeum), set up in a former factory which produced clothes and other textiles dyed with indigo blue under a unique method. The town is also noted for its thermal baths, a newly constructed swimming complex, the Esterházy family's palace, its grand Roman Catholic Church, and Calvinist secondary school. Another celebrated landmark is a large park near the center of town. The local cost-of-living is within a comfortable mid-range. Pápa Air Base is close to one of the largest lakes in Hungary (Lake Balaton), and a 90 minute drive from the capital city of Budapest. Travel opportunities are limitless and fairly inexpensive in Hungary as well as to the multiple countries that border Hungary. The Heavy Airlift Wing Admin Office's Operator's phone number is DSN 314-478-4903 or commercial +011-36-8988-6030.
Since Papa Air Base is a small installation, there is no on base-shuttle. But, public buses do maintain a route from multiple locations in the city with transportation to the base.
There are cars available for rent and taxis available in Papa, however, taxis cannot enter the Base. Bicycles, as in many European countries, are one of the primary methods of transportation.
Also of note, US Spec vehicles are no longer allowed to be imported to Hungary. Storage of vehicles stateside is authorized in conjuntion with PCS to Papa AB.