Cannon Air Force Base

Cannon Air Force Base is “Home of the 27th Special Operations Wing” and is named after General John Kenneth Cannon, a World War II Mediterranean combat commander and former chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, according to the Cannon overview on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS. The base is approximately eight miles west of Clovis, New Mexico, in Curry County, directly off Highway 60/84, and about 100 miles west of Lubbock, Texas. “There is no base operator. The area code for Cannon AFB, Clovis and Portales, New Mexico is 575.”

Check-in

“Members must report to their Unit CSS within 48 hours of arrival”, and the CSS registers each member for a mandatory 27 SOW in-processing appointment within 5 business days of arrival, the check-in page says. If you have not received sponsor information within 45 days of your PCS, go through the command support staff at your current base. After duty hours, on weekends or on holidays, contact your sponsor. Air Force Instruction 36-3003 requires your gaining commander’s permission before any permissive house hunting. Civil service employees report to the Civilian Personnel Office in Building 600, Room 2038, 110 Alison Ave.

Lodging is at the Caprock Inn, 331 Eagle Claw Blvd., Building 1900 (575-784-2918). The Visitors Center at the main gate, Building 2220, is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (575-784-2400).

Housing: Cannon Family Homes

“Cannon Family Homes (Balfour Beatty Communities) is also available on base”, and the overview recommends contacting them directly about wait times and the wait list (575-784-7141). For off-base rentals, contact Military Housing at 575-904-5465; the page notes: “Furnished housing is extremely limited, so plan to rent unfurnished. Homes with five bedrooms or more are generally unavailable.” In base housing, only two dogs or cats, or one of each, are permitted per household, and breeds deemed “aggressive or potentially aggressive”, including Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Chows and wolf hybrids, are not allowed.

Medical care and special needs

The Medical Center at 224 W. D.L. Ingram Blvd., Building 1408, is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; central appointments 575-784-2778, medical in-processing 575-904-4000, per the health care page. The page lists Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis (575-769-2141) and Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales (575-359-1800).

The overview adds a planning warning: the area is on high-altitude desert, “with many medical specialists located within two hours or more away, which can impact dependents with special medical needs.” If a family member has special medical needs, contact the EFMP-FS representative at your losing base’s Military and Family Readiness Center or your primary care manager before you move.

Schools

“There are 2 major school districts, Clovis and Portales”, per the education page. Clovis Municipal School District serves grades Pre-K through 12 (575-769-4333); Portales Municipal School District has four elementary schools, one junior high and one high school (575-356-7000). School Liaison: 575-904-6117.

Getting there

If you are not flying into Clovis Municipal Airport, the overview lists Lubbock among other airport options; the Clovis Shuttle serves Cannon from the Clovis, Lubbock, Amarillo, Roswell and Albuquerque airports, and reservations are required (575-749-4118).

Before you arrive

Report to your CSS within 48 hours, get your commander’s approval before house hunting, and plan specialty medical care in advance if a family member has special needs.