Overview
Barksdale is the home of Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. The 2nd Bomb Wing flies roughly 44 B-52H Stratofortresses for nuclear deterrence and global strike, and trains every AFGSC and Reserve B-52 crew alongside the 307th Bomb Wing — the Reserve's B-52 Formal Training Unit and its only nuclear-certified bomber unit. About 15,000 people are served on base, with 25,000 retirees within fifty miles.
The base sprawls across 22,000 acres on the east edge of Bossier City, with Shreveport just across the Red River. It is a place where your neighborhood choice is really a gate choice, where per diem is the flat CONUS rate, and where the weather calendar has a spring tornado season and a summer that tops 90°F on eighty-seven days a year. Here's how to work it.
Weather
Humid subtropical: highs top 90°F about 87 days a year and 100°F about six, with roughly 51 inches of rain. Severe storms and tornadoes peak March–May with a second season November into early January; winters are short and mild.
Best months
October–November, late March–April
Tough months
July–August heat index; the March–May severe-weather peak
Getting there
- Fly into Shreveport Regional (SHV), about 25 minutes west. From SHV, take I-20 east to Exit 20C / Barksdale Blvd — about seven miles to the West Gate.
- Only the West (Shreveport) Gate off Barksdale Blvd is verified 24/7; its Visitor Control Center at 425 Lindbergh Ave is the base's official 24-hour arrival point (listed 0600–1800 for passes and DBIDS; welcome center 318-456-5334, West Gate guard 318-456-4984).
- The North (Bossier) Gate by the Global Power Museum, the Bodcau (South) Gate on the Haughton side, and the Industrial (East) Gate keep limited schedules — North and East have been reported closed Sundays and holidays, and East is commercial-only outside a short weekday POV window. Navigate to the gate address, not 'Barksdale AFB'.
- A new I-20/I-220 access road and gate on the north side was slated to finish in late 2025 — check the base's newcomer page or Facebook for current status before committing to a commute route.
TDY lodging
On base
On-base rates · FY2027
$102 per night · VOQ/VQ
October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027. Confirm your authorized allowance before booking.
Barksdale Inn
- Phone
- 318-456-3091
- Front desk
- 24/7
- Pets
- Pet-friendly units
- Barksdale Inn (Air Force Inns), 555 Davis Ave W — 318-456-3091, 24-hour desk.
- 150+ VQ rooms, 20+ TLFs, and four DV suites with fridge, microwave, Wi-Fi, and laundry.
- Book at af.dodlodging.net; reservations with children or pet-friendly rooms must be made by phone.
- Guests get the Inn's Pump House gym and the 24-hour fitness center.
Off-base per diem
- Confirm the current lodging allowance for your duty location and travel dates with the official rate lookup and your travel office.
- No current rate is quoted here.
- Alaska and Hawaii use DoD OCONUS rates.
- A published ceiling is not proof of reimbursement eligibility.
The crashpad option
Crescent Oaks (1,500 sq ft) and Bayou Breeze (1,400 sq ft) are our two Shreveport homes, 10–20 minutes from the West Gate, priced inside the $110 rate with DTS-ready receipts. B-52 FTU students and 307th reservists on duty periods are our regulars here — real kitchens, laundry, and secure parking for a two-week tour or a three-month course.
Barksdale AFB crashpadsHousing & BAH
Housing
- Hunt Military Communities operates Barksdale Family Housing — 990+ homes in six neighborhoods with 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom plans (leasing office 201 Langley Dr, 318-536-1244).
- Active duty pay in arrears with no deposit; retirees, DoD civilians, and other branches are welcome when space allows.
- Off base, Bossier City's average rent was about $1,400 as of mid-2026 — roughly 28% below the national average — with three-bedroom houses typically $1,550–$1,750.
- Haughton runs cheaper, Benton pricier.
BAH 2026 · MHA LA117
- Barksdale is MHA LA117 (Shreveport), with 2026 rates effective 1 January and reported up about 5% from 2025.
- Published third-party tables disagree on the exact figures, so we won't quote one — run the DTMO BAH calculator with ZIP 71110 before you sign a lease.
South Bossier City (Barksdale Blvd corridor)
Older ranch homes mixed with newer subdivisions, the cheapest pricing in the parish, and the only side of town with a 24-hour gate — favored by shift workers and alert crews.
North Bossier City (Airline Dr corridor)
The retail, restaurant, and newer-apartment hub with easy I-20/I-220 access; convenient to the North Gate, but that gate's limited hours send late workers back to the West Gate.
Haughton / Princeton
Newer construction and a small-town feel east of the base with Haughton-zoned schools; closest to the Bodcau and East gates, with weekend closures rerouting you.
Benton
Bossier Parish's top-rated schools and larger lots north of I-220 near Cypress Black Bayou; higher prices, fast-moving inventory, and the longest daily drive.
Southeast Shreveport (Broadmoor / Pierremont)
Established, polished suburban feel with Caddo Parish magnet options and better retail — at the cost of a Red River bridge every day. Quality varies block to block; drive the streets first.
Schools & childcare
- No on-base or DoDEA school. Main-base residents are zoned to Waller Elementary, Rusheon Middle, and Bossier High; East Reservation residents to Platt, Princeton, or T.L. Rhodes Elementary, Haughton Middle, and Haughton High.
- Active-duty families living on base get school of choice for any Bossier Parish school up to capacity — you provide transportation and must register within a week of arrival. Bossier Parish has 27 Purple Star schools and 3,000+ military-connected students; Shreveport addresses fall under Caddo Parish.
- School Liaison: 318-456-4098, BarksdaleSchoolLiaison@us.af.mil, 801 Kenney Ave, Suite 2102.
- Childcare: two NAEYC-accredited Child Development Centers (CDC West 318-456-2735, CDC East 318-456-1081), ages 6 weeks–5, Mon–Fri 0700–1730. Request care at MilitaryChildCare.com the day you have orders; the FCC PCS benefit covers 20 free hours within 60 days. School Age Care at the Youth Center: 318-456-4139.
Healthcare
- Barksdale Medical Group (2nd Medical Group), 243 Curtiss Rd — outpatient clinic only, no emergency services. Appointment line 318-456-6555, Mon–Fri, closed the second Wednesday monthly for training.
- For emergencies, use civilian ERs and urgent cares in Bossier City and Shreveport (Willis-Knighton has a Bossier hospital and Quick Care sites). 24/7 Nurse Advice Line 1-800-874-2273.
- Louisiana is in the TRICARE East Region (Humana Military).
On base
- Commissary
1265 Twining Dr, Bldg 4765 — open seven days with CLICK2GO curbside pickup.
- Exchange
Main Exchange at 455 Curtiss Rd next door to the commissary, plus an Express with Class Six.
- Fitness
SrA Bell Fitness Center (709 Langley Dr) is 24/7 and staffed daily with classes; the Iron Airmen Facility offers 24/7 Olympic-style lifting.
- Dining
- Red River Dining Facility (331 Curtiss Rd) — breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a weekday midnight meal with grill, deli, pizza, and grab-and-go.
- Also Cafe 300 at the bowling center, The Cafe at Fox Run, Hangar 2, and the BUFF Community Center.
- MWR
Fox Run Golf Course (18 holes), Outdoor Adventure rentals, Rod & Gun Club, FAMCAMP, pool, ITT, and parks, trails, and lakes across the 18,000-acre East Reservation.
- History
- Barksdale Global Power Museum inside the North Gate — B-52D and B-52G, an SR-71, a B-1B, and WWII heavies.
- Weekdays 0900–1500; ID-card holders can sponsor guests.
Off duty
Global Power Museum
Just inside the North Gate at 88 Shreveport Rd: two B-52s, an SR-71 Blackbird, a B-1B, and a B-17, B-24, and P-51. Weekdays 0900–1500, closed weekends and federal holidays; visitors without base access must request 30 days ahead.
Official site ↗Photo by Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · source
Louisiana Boardwalk and the casino strip
Ten minutes from the West Gate, the riverfront Boardwalk has 60+ outlet stores and restaurants, a cinema, a carousel, and a trolley. Horseshoe (the region's biggest, with a real poker room) and Margaritaville sit on the same stretch of Red River shoreline for shows and late dinners.
Official site ↗
Downtown Shreveport
Cross the Texas Street Bridge to the Red River District's restaurants, bars, and live music under the bridge lights. Sci-Port Discovery Center (IMAX, planetarium) and the Shreveport Aquarium are a short walk — easy wins for kids or a rainy TDY afternoon.
Official site ↗Photo by Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · source
Cypress Black Bayou (Benton)
Nine miles north of Shreveport: a reservoir park with a swimming beach, pavilions and grills, boat and fishing access, cabins, campsites, lakeside trails, and a seven-acre petting zoo. The go-to weekend spot for north Bossier families.
Caddo Lake
Forty-five minutes northwest, 25,400 acres straddling the Texas line with the largest bald-cypress forest in the world. Book a bayou tour from the Louisiana side or rent a canoe at Caddo Lake State Park for Spanish-moss scenery that looks nothing like the rest of the Ark-La-Tex.
Wikipedia ↗Independence Bowl and fall football
Independence Stadium at the State Fairgrounds hosts the Independence Bowl each December plus high school and college games through the fall. Pair a game with the Louisiana State Fair on the same grounds in late October.
Official site ↗Insider tips
- 01Pick your neighborhood by gate, not by distance. Only the West Gate is verified 24/7; North and East have been reported closed Sundays and holidays, and East is commercial-only outside a short weekday window.
- 02Confirm the status of the new I-20/I-220 gate before committing to a north-side commute — it changes the calculus for North Bossier and Benton.
- 03Summer is a heat-index problem: 90°F+ on about 87 days with high humidity. Moisture-wicking PT gear, extra uniform shirts, PT before 0800, and expect afternoon storms May–June.
- 04Severe weather is real — tornadoes peak March–May with a second season November to early January. Turn on phone alerts, know the interior room in your Inn wing or house, and carry renters' insurance from day one.
- 05TDY crews: reserve the Barksdale Inn early for exercises and large-force flying periods. Pet rooms and rooms with kids must be booked by phone.
- 06PCS families: MilitaryChildCare.com the day orders arrive, and use the FCC PCS benefit. School of choice for base residents is great, but you provide the transportation and must register within a week.
- 07There is no ER on base. Save the Nurse Advice Line, find your nearest Willis-Knighton Quick Care, and refill prescriptions before you travel.
- 08Shreveport-side neighborhoods vary noticeably block to block; Bossier is more uniform. Drive streets at night before signing, and remember a Shreveport address means a Red River bridge every commute.
FAQ
Which gate do I use if I arrive after hours?
Is there a hospital on base?
What per diem applies for a TDY to Barksdale?
Can my kids attend a Bossier Parish school outside our zone?
Helpful resources
Official
Things to do
List your resource
Run a business, park, church, gym, or service that helps Barksdale AFB travelers and families? Have a correction? Email basecrashpads@gmail.com with the link and a sentence on why it's useful. We review every submission and list the ones that earn it.
Sources & disclaimer
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS — Barksdale AFB ↗
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS — Check-in procedures ↗
- Barksdale Inn (Air Force Inns) ↗
- Barksdale Life — School Liaison ↗
- Barksdale Family Housing (Hunt) ↗
- GSA per diem — Louisiana FY2026 ↗
- DTMO BAH calculator ↗
- Barksdale Global Power Museum ↗
- NWS Shreveport — climate ↗
- TRICARE regions ↗
Photos: U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Richard P. Ebensberger (Public domain); Photo by Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, via Flickr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Full attribution on the photo credits page.
Rates, hours, and policies change — BAH resets every January and per diem every October. Confirm specifics with the official sources above and your orders. This guide is written by Base Crashpads and is not an official Air Force or DoD resource.