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The United Kingdom is a high cost of living area for the military and those affiliated with the military. Personnel should be prepared to defray added expenses not normally found in the United States (i.e., television license, road tax/MOT, and transportation of any pets). DoD civilians and contractors should work with their human resources and or sponsor to ensure accurate information on health care availability / costs incurred / and taxes.
Visit the 501st Combat Support Wing's Pathfinder Portal to find a wealth of information and resources for the Alconbury-Molesworth and 501 CSW community. Download the AF Connect App (available for Apple and Android) for quick and easy access to these and other important references and information. Search and add 501st Combat Support Wing as your favorite on the app.
The Total Relocation & Community Handbook (ToRCH) contains the answers to all your questions about PCSing to RAF Alconbury-Molesworth including:
It is imperative that you make your lodging reservations as soon as possible. Reservations can be made by calling the Lodging Office, 011-44-1480-826000 or DSN 314-268-6000, or by email to 423fss.svml@alconbury.af.mil. You will need to provide the following information: name, rank, date of stay, how many adults, children (and ages), pets, reason for staying, contact information phone number and email address, and credit card number to secure your reservation.
The currency used in the United Kingdom is Pounds Sterling (£). The pound is divided into 100 pence. Paper (looks and feels plastic) money comes in £5, £10, £ 20, £ 50, and £100 notes. Coins come in 1 penny, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence and both the £ 1 and £2 coin. Money can be exchanged between dollars to pounds at nearly any bank or credit union.
Defense Service Network (DSN) Dialing Instructions
The DSN is the provider of long-distance communications service for the DOD. Every installation has a special DSN number and the numbers vary by world-wide location. Calls with the DSN must be made using a military phone on an installation. Cell phones and personal lines cannot dial DSN numbers. When dialing a DSN number from a U.S. installation to another U.S. installation, it is unnecessary to dial the DSN 312 area code. The European and UK DSN prefix is 314. 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.
Telephone Access
The DSN prefix for Alconbury-Molesworth is 314-268-XXXX. The local commercial prefix for phones on the installations is 01480-84-XXXX. If dialing commercially from the U.S., add the international code 011-44 and leave out the zero (e.g. 011-44-1480-84-XXXX)
The 501st Combat Support Wing (CSW) provides world-class combat support to enable intelligence, communications and global strike operations. The diverse mission portfolio of the 501st CSW includes the maintenance and operation of a bomber forward operating location; theater munitions movements and storage capabilities, global command and control communications capabilities to 3 combatant commanders, a communications access site, and support for theater intelligence operations. Supporting mission partners from the NATO Joint Warfare Centre at Stavanger, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command and NATO intelligence analysis units at RAF Molesworth, and Air Force Global Strike Command at RAF Fairford and RAF Welford, the Wing provides support to nearly 70 different U.S. military and government agencies throughout the United Kingdom and Norway.
RAF Alconbury began as a satellite base for nearby RAF Wyton during the early days of World War II. The first American unit at Alconbury was the 93d Bombardment Group and its B-24 Liberators. The 93d BG flew Eighth Air Force's first operational B-24 mission to the continent, attacking the Lille Steelworks in Belgium. The major unit from 1942 to 1945 was the 482d Bomb Group, part of the famous Pathfinders.
In May 2005, the 423d realigned and became the 423d Air Base Group with a new parent wing formed at the same time, the 501st Combat Support Wing (CSW) at RAF Mildenhall. At the same time, four squadrons formed under the 423d - services, civil engineer, air base and security forces squadrons. A fifth - 423d Medical Squadron - was formed in January 2007. In July 2023, the 501 CSW headquarters moved to RAF Fairford.
The U.S. European Command Joint Analysis Center (JAC) began operations at RAF Molesworth in October 1991, and the 423d Air Base Squadron activated in July 1995.
For more detailed history of the bases, visit 501 CSW homepage.
RAF Alconbury-Molesworth is a joint-service base with a military population of approximately ~6,000 including family members.
East Anglia is made up of the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The region has a population of ~5.4 million.
RAF Alconbury / RAF Molesworth are joint-service bases consisting of Active Duty military, DoD civilians, Contractors, Reservists, Non-Appropriated Funds (NAF) employees and Local National Direct Hire (LNDH) British employees.
RAF Alconbury is located in the village of Great Stukeley, Cambridgeshire, East Anglia region of the United Kingdom. Nearby villages include Little Stukeley, Brampton and Alconbury Weston. Nearby cities include Huntingdon, Peterborough and Cambridge. RAF Molesworth is located 14 miles west of RAF Alconbury and 11 miles northwest of Huntingdon.
Please note that you will need British money (pounds) to travel on the train and to purchase items; e.g., food, drinks, phone (the train and most places also accept credit or debit cards). To prevent any rejection of your credit cards, it is helpful to let your US bank know that you will be traveling and will be using your debit/charge card in the UK. There is a Bureau of Change at the airport. ATMs are at the airport and major rail stations only- (there is not one at the Huntingdon train station). The train cost is approximately £25 per adult and £10 per child ages 5-15. Children under 5 years of age travel free. The Taxi should cost approximately £8.
Please contact the TMO office for travel questions. Call DSN 314-268-3775 or COMM 01480-84-3755
The base operator number is DSN 314-268-1110 or COMM 011-44-1480-84-1110.