WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE: IN-DEPTH WELCOME CENTER

Introduction

Welcome to Westover Air Reserve Base, home of the nation’s largest Air Reserve base and longest runway in Massachusetts! The base covers about 2,500 acres and employs over 5,000 military and civilian personnel, contractors and tenants. Westover has been in operation since 1940; serving as a bomber training base and a port of embarkation/debarkation during World War II, as a staging point for the Berlin Airlift, Headquarters of the Military Airlift Command system through 1955, and then as a major base of operations for the Strategic Airlift Command until 1974. Since then, Westover has been an Air Force Reserve base. Continue reading for an in-depth guide to help aid you in your transition to living and working on Westover Air Reserve Base. 1. Where Is Westover Air Reserve Base? 2. Google Map View 3. Getting There – Directions to the Base 4. Entering Westover Air Reserve Base and Amenities

• Check-in Procedures for Incoming Personnel
• Westover Visitor Center
• Westover DEERS Office
• Westover Gate Hours
• Westover Commissary
• Westover Exchange
• Westover Barber Shops
• Westover Post Office
• Westover Finance Office
• Westover Legal Office
• Westover Library
• Westover Hotels

5. Where Should I Live Near Westover Air Reserve Base? 6. What Schools are Near Westover Air Reserve Base? 7. What’s the Weather Like in Westover Air Reserve Base? 8. Things to Do Near Westover Air Reserve Base

Where Is Westover Air Reserve Base?

Westover Air Reserve Base

975 Patriot Drive Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3024

Westover Air Reserve Base Map

Westover Air Reserve Base Directions

Public Transportation

The nearest Amtrak stop to Westover is in Holyoke, roughly 15 miles away. Alternatively, you could take a Greyhound bus from nearby Springfield and connect to Boston, New York City and most other major cities in New England and on the East Coast.

Flights to Westover Air Reserve Base, MA

The closest major airport to Westover Air Reserve Base is Bradley International Airport. The small but bustling airport is less than an hour from the front gates of Westover Air Reserve Base and is served by nine major airlines.

Driving Directions to Westover Air Reserve Base

1. If you drive from the airport, you will take Interstate 91 North toward Springfield.
2. Keep left to stay on I-91 North.
3. Keep right at the fork to continue onto I-391 North.
4. Take exit 3 to merge onto MA-116 South/Chicopee Street toward Westover.
5. Continue straight onto Granby Road.
6. Go straight and continue onto Westover Road and follow the signs for Westover.

Westover ARB Transportation Office

Westover ARB Household Goods/Transportation Office

975 Patriot Drive Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3024

Entering Westover Air Reserve Base and Amenities

If you don’t yet have a DOD-issued identification, you will be subject to a background check at the Visitor Center before you’re allowed to enter Westover Air Reserve Base. Click here to learn more about where to go.

Check-in Procedures for Incoming Personnel

Active duty, permanent party military members and Air Reserve technicians assigned to Westover ARB will in-process according to the instructions they get from their gaining unit. Check in with your commander’s support staff upon arrival during normal duty hours to learn next steps after you have arrived and checked in according to instructions from your gaining unit. All personnel who report to Westover ARB for Reserve training are required to report for a one day in-processing event. Call the Military Personnel Flight at 1 (413) 557-3874 has more information.

Westover Air Reserve Base Visitor Center

Westover ARB Visitor Center

100 Lloyd St. Bldg. 1850 Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3430

Westover Air Reserve Base DEERS office

The Westover ARB DEERS Office is an appointment-based system. Update DEERS due to marriage, divorce, birthday or death. You can also renew or get issued your CAC/ID cards. To schedule an appointment, click here.

Westover ARB DEERS Office

100 Starlifter Ave. Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-2037

Westover ARB DEERS Office Hours

• Monday through Friday

  - 0900 to 1600

Westover ARB Gate Hours

There are two gates that provide access to Westover ARB.

• Westover Road Gate

  - Open daily from 0500 to 2200 (inbound and out).

• James Street Gate

  - Open daily from 0600 to 0900 (inbound and out), and 1500 to 1800 (outbound only).

Westover ARB Commissary

There is not a commissary on Westover Air Reserve Base. The nearest commissary is located about 15-20 minutes away.

JNS Commissary

350 Cottage St. Springfield, MA 01104

Phone

: 1 (413) 737-5861

Westover ARB Exchange

The Westover Express Exchange offers a price-match program that guarantees the best prices in town, guaranteed up to 14 days after the purchase (with some exceptions). The exchange is open 0900 to 1700 Monday through Friday, 1000 to 1400 Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Westover Express Exchange

451 Airlift Drive Bldg. 5425 Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 593-3288

Westover Express Exchange Hours

• Monday through Friday

  - 0900 to 1700

• Saturday

  - 1000 to 1400

• Sunday

  - Closed

Westover Air Reserve Base Barber Shops

There are no barber shops on base but there are plenty of options within 5-15 minutes from the base.

Goodboys Family Barbershop

1751 Westover Rd. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (413) 331-3544 Nick's Barber Shop 681 James St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (413) 532-9525 Nathans Modern Barbershop 502 Britton St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (413) 474-6055 Signature Cuts Barber Shop 1889 Memorial Dr. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (413) 534-1114

Westover Air Reserve Base Post Office

There are no post offices on base but there are plenty of options within 15-20 minutes of the base. United States Postal Service 28 Main St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (800) 275-8777

United States Postal Service

190 Fiberloid St. Springfield, MA 01152

Phone

: 1 (800) 275-8777 United States Postal Service 650 Dwight St. Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone

: 1 (800) 275-8777

Westover Air Reserve Base Finance

The Westover Air Reserve Base Finance Office is open from 0800 to 1630 Monday through Friday. The office has resources available to help you understand and manage your finances, including one-on-one counseling to assist your family with financial readiness, from basic planning to long-term investing.

Westover ARB Finance Office

100 Walker Ave. Bldg. 1100 Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3024

Westover ARB Finance Office Hours

• Monday through Friday

  - 0800 to 1630

Westover Air Reserve Base Legal Office

The Westover ARB Legal Assistance Office provides legal advice and assistance to eligible clients, including active duty, retired, and dependents with a military ID card. The office is where you want to go to get a will prepared or have other legal documents reviewed, including powers of attorney, living wills, bills of sale, simple affidavits, leases, name changes, uncontested divorces, etc. Call for hours or to make an appointment.

Westover ARB Legal Office

100 Lloyd St. Bldg. 1850 Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3180

Westover ARB Legal Office Hours

• To make an appointment with the Legal Assistance Office, call 1 (413) 557-3180.

Westover Air Reserve Base Library

There is not a library on base at Westover. The closest one is about 5-10 minutes away in Chicopee. Chicopee Fairview Branch Library 402 Britton St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone

: 1 (413) 533-8218

Westover Air Reserve Base Hotels

The Flyers Inn on Westover ARB is your home away from home while you get settled into Westover. The hotel is conveniently located on base. The hotel offers guests pet-friendly accommodations and a smoke-free environment. Enjoy the free continental breakfast and high-speed Internet access. There are laundry facilities on site as well. The front desk is open 24/7, though check-in starts at 1600 and checkout is at 1100. Flyers Inn 650 Airlift Drive Bldg. 2201 Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone

: 1 (413) 557-3180

Hot Tip: Download MyBaseGuide's Westover Air Reserve Base Military Relocation Guide for information about hotels nearby.

Where Should I Live Near Westover Air Reserve Base?

If you’re considering living on base, check out the available on-base temporary lodging options. Otherwise, read on to find out more about living off base.

Cities Near Westover Air Reserve Base

There are two main cities near Westover ARB — Chicopee and Holyoke, and several smaller towns. Most people stationed at Westover choose to live in Chicopee as it offers big-city conveniences, easy access to major interstates to connect to other parts of the country and a short commute to work.

Best Places to Live Near Westover Air Reserve Base

Chicopee, MA

Chicopee sits along the Connecticut River in Hampden County. More than 55,000 people call the city home. The city is made up of several neighborhoods, the result of the city's origin as a collection of villages. These villages are now represented by the neighborhoods of Aldenville, Willimansett, Chicopee Center (Cabotville), Chicopee Falls and Fairview. Housing is affordable in Chicopee, falling under the national average, and there are plenty of options to buy or rent near Westover Air Reserve Base. Chicopee residents and visitors alike flock to Chicopee Memorial State Park during the warmer weather months to enjoy swimming, fishing, jogging and biking.

Holyoke, MA

The city of Holyoke is situated between the western bank of the Connecticut River and Mount Tom Range. Holyoke boasts a population of roughly 40,000 people. Its economy is largely supported by its close proximity to Westover Air Reserve Base, just a few miles away. Housing in the area is affordable, falling below the national average. The median monthly owner costs for a mortgage are $1,497 and median gross rents are $838. The area has a lot to offer, with the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden giving visitors a chance to frolic among beloved Seuss characters.

Hot Tip: Look for Westover Air Reserve Base homes and apartments for rent or sale, and find BAH, PCS, TLA & ETS military housing information at AHRN.com.

Westover Air Reserve Base Schools

There is no on-base housing at Westover Air Reserve Base so the schools your children attend will depend on where you live. If you’re right outside Westover in Chicopee, your children will attend Chicopee Public Schools. If you’re living in nearby Holyoke, your children will enroll in Holyoke Public Schools. Wherever they attend, rest assured that they’ll have access to the finest education possible. And if your child requires extra help, there are a number of programs available through their respective district. Find more local school information at The Best Westover Air Reserve Base Schools: Daycare - High School.

Westover Air Reserve Base Weather

Hot summers, freezing winters and year-round clouds await when you live and work in Westover Air Reserve Base.

Spring

The threat of thunderstorms starts in the spring. Other than that, the temperatures are quite pleasant, trending on the warm side with a few colder days sprinkled in. The season is ideal for outdoor recreation, hiking, fishing and boating. Just make sure you have a plan to leave quickly if there is a threat of lightning.

Summer

The warm season lasts for nearly four months, from Memorial Day to just after Labor Day, with an average daily high temperature in the mid-70s. The hottest day of the year is usually in July, with an average high about 85. Indoor activities or water sports are best enjoyed in the summer.

Fall

Fall months are still sunny and warm, with very few rainy days. This lasts until the end of October where temps dip below 60 and it starts getting wetter. September is the ideal month to take advantage of the outdoor activities in the area.

Winter

As you would expect, the coldest time of the year is during winter. Lows are found in the mid-teens and the highs are usually creeping toward the mid-30s. Massachusetts rarely sees much snow but you can expect at least an inch or two during the winter months. Skiing and sledding can be found a short drive away.

Things to Do Near Westover ARB

There are tons of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors with fishing, hiking, boating, and hunting at nearby parks and nature reserves. There are also fun annual events like the Big E, the largest fair in the northeast. Fantastic restaurants, live music, and special events are prevalent in Western Massachusetts. Not to mention the recreation and entertainment options available on base thanks to Westover Airman & Family Readiness Center. Check out 15 of the Best Things to Do Near Westover Air Reserve Base for additional information.

Hot Tip: Connect with military-trusted businesses and deals exclusively for Westover Air Reserve Base at MyBaseGuide.

Conclusion

Westover Air Reserve Base has more to offer than meets the eye. The area is bustling with things to do and there’s more to offer just a short drive away. While stationed at Westover ARB, you’ll have the opportunity to train at the largest Air Reserve Base in the nation while the location provides the chance to experience everything New England has to offer. Moving to a new place has its challenges but you’ll be glad to be here.  

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.