Base guide

RAF Mildenhall

5 min read

  • 8 sections
  • 15 sources
On this page
  1. Before you fly
  2. Housing and lodging
  3. Medical and dental care at Lakenheath
  4. Schools: none on Mildenhall
  5. Pets: cargo, a broker and the VTF
  6. Driving
  7. Legal assistance
  8. How to plan a Mildenhall move

RAF Mildenhall, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England, is host to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, which the MilitaryINSTALLATIONS page for Mildenhall calls “the only permanent U.S. air refueling wing in the European theater”, activated there on Feb. 1, 1992. The same page quotes the base’s description of what sets it apart: units from four major commands, Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Mobility Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

Before you fly

All members PCSing to the United Kingdom must travel in civilian attire, the Mildenhall page notes. The MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview of Mildenhall advises starting to save 6 to 12 months before the move and, in October 2026, listed costs that may be new to you, with its own approximate figures:

  • A television license: the page estimates about 160 pounds a year, but a color TV license has cost 180 pounds since April 1, 2026, per GOV.UK.
  • The vehicle MOT roadworthiness test, plus any repairs it requires: the page estimates about 60 pounds, but the maximum a test station can charge for a car is 54.85 pounds, per the GOV.UK MOT fees page.
  • Vehicle road tax, which the page says depends on the car’s age, fuel type and CO2 emissions; check the current GOV.UK rates for the specific car before you buy.

On your first duty day, usually the day after you arrive or within 24 hours, report to your unit’s commander support staff with your out-processing package, per the Mildenhall check-in page. If you cannot reach your sponsor or unit on the day you arrive, the page says to call the Command Post at 011-44-1638-542121.

Housing and lodging

Housing for Mildenhall is managed by the Housing Office at RAF Lakenheath, the main office for both bases, per the Mildenhall housing page; for the family housing waitlist, the page lists +44-1638-52-2065 or DSN 314-226-2065, and off-base referral inquiries go to DSN 314-226-2000, option 1. The RAF Lakenheath guide has the off-base rental picture.

The Gateway Inn at Mildenhall has 57 temporary lodging facilities, 28 of them pet-friendly, in one- and two-bedroom units for families of up to seven with full kitchens, according to the Mildenhall temporary housing page. Guests on PCS or TDY orders have priority; if no room is available, you may book your own off-base accommodation, and the Gateway Inn can give you a list of local hotels with discounted rates. Front desk: +44-1638-542407 or DSN 314-238-2407.

Medical and dental care at Lakenheath

The 48th Medical Group at RAF Lakenheath provides medical care for Mildenhall and is “the referral medical facility for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army personnel assigned to the U.K.”, per the Mildenhall health care page. Enrollment cannot be done by phone or online while overseas. The dental clinic is also at Lakenheath, where command-sponsored dependents are seen on a space-available basis; dependents with United Concordia dental coverage can use contracted local dentists.

Schools: none on Mildenhall

“There are no DoDEA schools located on RAF Mildenhall”, the Mildenhall education page says. Five DoDEA schools serving Lakenheath, Feltwell and Mildenhall are on RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell; the other options are British schools or home schooling. The page advises checking school bus routes when you look for a house, because a village may have only one bus stop. The school list is in the RAF Lakenheath guide. Family Child Care homes are at RAF Lakenheath, and care requests go through MilitaryChildCare.com, per the Mildenhall child care page.

Pets: cargo, a broker and the VTF

The Mildenhall pet shipping page points to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and USDA APHIS for the rules, and adds two Mildenhall-specific points:

  • Pets entering the UK by air must fly as cargo, and a pet broker must be used to clear them through customs.
  • If you live in base housing, register dogs and cats with the Veterinary Treatment Facility within 30 days of their arrival in the UK, even if you use a local vet.

Great Britain’s entry rules (microchip, rabies vaccination with a 21-day wait, a pet health certificate within 10 days, tapeworm treatment for dogs and the banned-breed list) are set out from GOV.UK in the RAF Lakenheath guide. The health certificate and the base registration are separate steps. For registration, the Lakenheath pet shipping page gives pet owners assigned to RAF Lakenheath two weeks from arrival to register at the RAF Feltwell Veterinary Clinic, shorter than the 30 days on the Mildenhall page; if you are unsure which window applies to you, ask the clinic (+44-1638-52-7097, DSN 314-226-7097).

Driving

You must attend the RAF Mildenhall Driving Briefing within 14 days of arrival, through the Military and Family Readiness Center newcomer briefings, per the Mildenhall motor vehicles page. Members and dependents who will drive must complete the briefing, pass a 50-question online test and get a USAFE Form 435 driving permit; study the UK Highway Code, especially traffic signs. You need a valid stateside license; if it has expired, you must carry your state’s military clause, and without one you cannot drive in the UK.

The Mildenhall Legal Office, Building 428, has legal assistance walk-ins on Monday and Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m., and notary and powers of attorney walk-ins Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; wills are by appointment, per the Mildenhall legal assistance page.

How to plan a Mildenhall move

Treat Lakenheath as part of your daily map: housing, the hospital, the dental clinic and the schools are there or at Feltwell. Before you choose a house, check its school bus stop, and if a pet is coming, book a pet broker and cargo space early.

Sources

installations.militaryonesource.mil

gov.uk