What began as an isolated airstrip on a windswept California prairie, with a few tarpaper barracks and maintenance hangers, is now the site of the largest military aerial port in the United States that provides global mobility through airlift and aerial refueling. The base has also supported humanitarian relief efforts on every continent, as well as provided special airlift support for everything from presidential travel to scientific research conducted by America's space program.

The base is within easy driving distance of California Wine Country in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, as well as the popular tourist destinations Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and Monterey.