Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Location: Kodiak, Alaska
Installation Type: Air Station / Support Center
Status: Active

Overview

Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak is located on Kodiak Island, Alaska, approximately 250 miles southwest of Anchorage, sharing facilities with the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Activities Kodiak and the Coast Guard’s Support Center Kodiak. CGAS Kodiak is one of the largest and most strategically important Coast Guard installations in the United States, conducting search and rescue, law enforcement, fisheries enforcement, environmental protection, and national security operations across the vast waters of the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and North Pacific. The installation operates HC-130H and C-130J Hercules fixed-wing aircraft and MH-60 Jayhawk and MH-60T helicopters. Kodiak Island offers an extraordinary wilderness experience but requires significant adaptation to remote island living.

Mission & Units

• Primary Mission: Conduct search and rescue, law enforcement, fisheries enforcement, defense operations, and environmental protection missions across the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and North Pacific Ocean using fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
• Major Units: Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak (host unit); Coast Guard Support Center Kodiak; Coast Guard Sector Anchorage (operational control); Multiple C-130 and MH-60 aircraft detachments
• Tenant Units: U.S. Navy Fleet Activities Kodiak elements; NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) facilities; Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge visitors center

Location & Access

• Nearest Major City: Kodiak City (population approximately 6,000) immediately adjacent; Anchorage, AK – approximately 250 miles northeast (accessible by Alaska Airlines flight, approximately 1 hour, or Alaska Marine Highway System ferry)
• Nearest Commercial Airport: Kodiak Airport (ADQ) – adjacent to base; Alaska Airlines daily flights to Anchorage; limited routes
• Gate Access: Main gate; CAC/military ID required; visitor passes at Visitor Control Center

Population

• Active Duty Personnel: Approximately 900 (Coast Guard and small Navy detachment)
• Family Members: Approximately 1,200
• Civilian Employees: Approximately 200
• Total Installation Population: Approximately 2,300

Key Facilities

• Medical: USPHS/USCG clinic on base providing primary care; specialty referrals to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center (private hospital in Kodiak City); complex cases medevac to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage; limited specialist access on island
• Commissary: Yes – commissary on base; critical given Kodiak Island’s remote location and limited grocery options; all supplies shipped by ferry or air
• Exchange (PX/BX/NEX): Yes – Exchange facilities on base; essential for many consumer goods
• Fitness & Recreation: Fitness center; gymnasium; outdoor recreation is exceptional – Kodiak Island is one of the world’s premier bear viewing, fishing, and hunting destinations; kayaking in the fjords; skiing at Pillar Mountain; fishing (world-class salmon, halibut, rockfish)
• Schools: Kodiak Island Borough School District serves military families; no DoDEA schools; Kodiak schools are generally adequate; small community school sizes mean close student-teacher ratios; limited extracurricular options compared to larger communities
• Childcare: Child Development Center on base; limited capacity; register early; off-base childcare options are very limited on the island
• Veterinary Services: Limited on-base veterinary services; local Kodiak veterinarians available; limited specialist pet care on the island
• Legal Assistance / JAG: Legal assistance through Sector Anchorage or visiting JAG; appointment-based; limited JAG presence given small installation

Housing

• On-Post Housing: Government quarters on base; family housing neighborhoods; condition generally good; on-base housing is strongly preferred given Kodiak Island’s extremely limited off-base housing market
• Average Wait Time: Can be significant; Kodiak housing market is very limited; apply as early as possible (6+ months before PCS)
• Off-Post Housing: Kodiak City offers very limited rental housing; extremely tight market; average rent approximately $1,200-$1,800/month but availability is the major challenge; housing office assistance critical for off-base options
• BAH Rate Reference: Check current BAH rates at Defense Travel Management Office (dtmo.mil); Kodiak BAH reflects Alaska island costs and limited housing supply

PCS & Newcomer Info

• Sponsorship Program: Contact gaining unit; CGAS Kodiak sponsorship program; Kodiak assignment requires extensive mental and logistical preparation; winter gear and bear awareness are essential
• In-Processing: CGAS Kodiak in-processing; typically 2-3 days; Alaska-specific orientation; bear safety briefing; extreme weather preparation guidance
• EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program): Work-Life staff; enrollment required; EFMP screening critical before Kodiak orders given island’s very limited specialist access; Anchorage (medevac access) is the primary specialist hub; complex medical needs may be a challenge at this remote location

Local Area & Quality of Life

• Climate: Subarctic maritime; wet, cold, and windy; average high only 54F/12C in July (coolest “summer” of most Alaska coastal towns); average low 23F/-5C in January; heavy precipitation (approximately 60 inches per year, mix of rain and snow); frequent fog; strong winds; Kodiak is known for its unpredictable and often severe weather
• Cost of Living: High; Alaska remote island location drives costs up substantially; everything is shipped in; food prices 30-50% above CONUS average; Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend paid annually to Alaska residents provides some offset; no Alaska state income tax; BAH and COLA adjustments help
• Nearby Attractions: Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge (world’s largest concentration of Kodiak brown bears – the world’s largest land carnivore); world-class fishing (Kodiak is routinely ranked as one of North America’s premier fishing destinations – salmon, halibut, rockfish, Dungeness crab); sea kayaking in the fjords and bays; surfing at Monashka Bay; hiking on the Kodiak Archipelago; whale watching (humpback, orca, grey whales); bald eagle watching; Native Alutiiq cultural heritage; Alaska Marine Highway System ferry system; Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park (WWII fortifications)
• Spouse Employment: Very limited in Kodiak City; healthcare, education (Kodiak Island Borough School District), fishing industry, and government are primary employers; the isolation and limited employment opportunities are the major challenges of this assignment; remote work possible but Kodiak internet infrastructure has historically been limited; Work-Life assists; the incredible outdoor recreation quality partially compensates

Contact & Resources

• Official Website: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Coast-Guard-Base-and-MLC/Air-Station-Kodiak
• Main Installation Phone: (907) 487-5267
• MWR Website: Not publicly available; contact installation directly
• ACS / Fleet & Family / Airman & Family Readiness: Work-Life Staff, CGAS Kodiak; (907) 487-5267; relocation, financial readiness, employment, family support

Last updated: 2026-02-23
Sources: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil; https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/coast-guard-air-station-kodiak; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedStatesCoastGuardAirStationKodiak; Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law