Coast Guard Pacific Area

Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Location: Alameda, California
Installation Type: Coast Guard Base / Area Command
Status: Active

Overview

Coast Guard Pacific Area (PACAREA) headquarters is located on the former Naval Air Station Alameda in Alameda, California, directly across the Oakland Estuary from Oakland and approximately 12 miles southeast of San Francisco. PACAREA is one of two Coast Guard area commands (the other being Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, VA) and is responsible for all Coast Guard operations across the Pacific Ocean, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the West Coast. The installation also hosts the Coast Guard Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific (MLCP) and numerous cutters homeported in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area.

Mission & Units

Primary Mission: Provide operational command for all Coast Guard units in the Pacific Area (Districts 11, 13, 14, and 17 spanning from the continental West Coast to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Western Pacific); coordinate Coast Guard operations across the Pacific theater.
Major Units: Coast Guard Pacific Area (PACAREA) headquarters; Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific (MLCP); Coast Guard District 11 (Pacific Southwest, separate from PACAREA HQ but coordinated); multiple buoy tenders, patrol boats, and cutters homeported at Alameda
Tenant Units: Coast Guard Strike Team Pacific; various Pacific area support commands

Location & Access

Nearest Major City: Alameda, CA (population approximately 77,000) within city limits; Oakland, CA – immediately across the Oakland Estuary (accessible via Bay Bridge); San Francisco – approximately 12 miles northwest; San Jose – approximately 30 miles south
Nearest Commercial Airport: Oakland International Airport (OAK) – approximately 5 miles south; San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – approximately 20 miles west; Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) – approximately 35 miles south
Gate Access: Main gate on Atlantic Avenue; CAC/military ID required; visitor passes at Visitor Control Center; former NAS Alameda property has multiple access points

Population

Active Duty Personnel: Approximately 1,000
Family Members: Approximately 1,200
Civilian Employees: Approximately 400
Total Installation Population: Approximately 2,600

Key Facilities

Medical: Coast Guard Clinic; primary care and dental; specialty referrals to Oakland/San Francisco area hospitals (UCSF Medical Center, Alta Bates Summit, Children’s Hospital Oakland/UCSF Benioff); San Francisco Bay Area has world-class medical access
Commissary: Access to Travis Air Force Base commissary (approximately 50 miles east); limited on-base commissary
Exchange (PX/BX/NEX): Coast Guard Exchange; limited; Bay Area commercial options extensive
Fitness & Recreation: Fitness center on base; San Francisco Bay Area world-class recreation, cultural amenities, and outdoors; Golden Gate National Recreation Area; Muir Woods; Pacific Ocean beaches; wine country (Napa and Sonoma, 45-60 miles)
Schools: Alameda Unified School District serves military families; no DoDEA schools; Alameda schools are generally well-regarded; Oakland schools vary significantly; East Bay communities (Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon) have excellent suburban school districts for families willing to commute
Childcare: Limited on-base childcare; Bay Area has extensive private childcare options at high cost; register early
Veterinary Services: Local Alameda and Oakland veterinarians widely available; limited on-base services
Legal Assistance / JAG: Coast Guard JAG support available; appointment-based

Housing

On-Post Housing: Limited government quarters on former NAS Alameda property; most Coast Guard personnel live off-base
Average Wait Time: Off-base BAH housing standard for this assignment
Off-Post Housing: Alameda, Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, and East Bay communities; Alameda island itself is popular (good schools, safer than Oakland, ferry to San Francisco); average rent approximately $3,000-$4,500/month for 3-bedroom home; San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most expensive housing markets in the country; BAH is high (among highest in the Coast Guard) but housing costs are challenging; California has no state income tax on military pay for non-domiciliary military members
BAH Rate Reference: Check current BAH rates at Defense Travel Management Office (dtmo.mil); San Francisco/Oakland BAH is among the highest in the Coast Guard

PCS & Newcomer Info

Sponsorship Program: Contact gaining command; PACAREA headquarters and tenant unit sponsorship programs; Bay Area assignment is prestigious and highly sought-after
In-Processing: PACAREA in-processing; typically 2-3 days; PACAREA headquarters in-processing for staff billets
EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program): Work-Life Staff; enrollment required; San Francisco Bay Area provides world-class specialist access including UCSF, Stanford Health Care, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital

Local Area & Quality of Life

Climate: Mediterranean; mild year-round; warm dry summers (average high 72F/22C in July; San Francisco Bay moderates temperatures); mild winters (average low 45F/7C in January); very little rain June-September; fog common especially in summer (Karl the Fog in San Francisco); excellent outdoor weather most of the year
Cost of Living: Very high; San Francisco Bay Area is consistently one of the most expensive metro areas in the United States; housing particularly challenging; technology industry drives costs; BAH among the highest in the Coast Guard but still difficult; California overall high costs; California has no state income tax on military pay for non-domiciliary residents
Nearby Attractions: San Francisco (12 miles, world-class city – Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, cable cars, world-renowned restaurants); Oakland Chinatown and Jack London Square; Berkeley (UC Berkeley, vibrant culture, 5 miles); Muir Woods National Monument (30 miles); Point Reyes National Seashore (40 miles); Napa Valley wine country (45 miles); Sonoma County (50 miles); Big Sur (150 miles); Lake Tahoe (200 miles, skiing and summer recreation); Yosemite National Park (200 miles); Silicon Valley
Spouse Employment: San Francisco Bay Area offers exceptional employment in technology (Apple, Google, Meta, Salesforce, many others – Silicon Valley), healthcare (UCSF, Stanford, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health), financial services, maritime industry, and education; one of the best employment markets in the country; highly competitive for qualified candidates; diversity of industries suits various backgrounds; Work-Life assists

Contact & Resources

Official Website: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Pacific-Area/
Main Installation Phone: (510) 437-3700
MWR Website: Not publicly available; contact installation directly
ACS / Fleet & Family / Airman & Family Readiness: Work-Life Staff, Coast Guard Pacific Area; (510) 437-3700; relocation, financial readiness, employment, family support

Last updated: 2026-02-23
Sources: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Pacific-Area/; https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/coast-guard-pacific-area; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedStatesCoastGuardPacific_Area, Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law