Base Crashpads

Base guide · Abilene, Texas

The Dyess AFB guide

Gate hours, the Dyess Inn, the temporary 2026 BAH bump, Wylie ISD, and where to eat a Perini Ranch steak after work.

Updated August 2026 · 10 min read

Now at Dyess AFBChecking local conditions…

Photo: A B-1B Lancer at the Dyess AFB Air Show in May 2018. Photo by Balon Greyjoy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Source

Base essentials
Major command
Air Force Global Strike Command (8th Air Force)
Host wing
7th Bomb Wing
Nearest airport
ABI (Abilene Regional) · ~20 min
Time zone
Central (CT)
Aircraft
B-1B Lancer, C-130J Super Hercules; B-21 Raider arriving
Base population
~4,500 active duty; ~15,000 total
01

Overview

Dyess is Global Strike Command's B-1B hub. The 7th Bomb Wing runs the largest B-1 base and flying wing in the Air Force — around 40 Lancers between the 9th and 28th Bomb Squadrons plus the 436th Training Squadron schoolhouse — and the 317th Airlift Wing flies 28 C-130Js, the biggest J-model unit anywhere. About 4,500 active-duty Airmen, 500 civilians, and a total base population near 15,000 call it home, and the Air Force has named Dyess the third main operating base for the B-21 Raider, so expect a steady stream of planners, contractors, and evaluators on orders for years to come.

Abilene is a West Texas city of about 125,000 on I-20, 183 miles west of Dallas and 250 miles north of San Antonio — the self-declared Storybook Capital of America with three universities and a downtown that has come back to life. Summers are hot and dry with plenty of 100-degree days, spring brings hail and the occasional tornado warning, and winters are mild with a stray ice storm. For a TDY traveler that means a rental car, a sunshade for the dash, and a place to stay with real air conditioning and a kitchen.

Weather

Abilene averages a July high near 94°F with frequent 100-degree days from June through August, and a January low in the low 30s. Annual precipitation is about 25 inches, most of it in spring and fall thunderstorms; snow is rare, a few inches a year at most.

Best months

October through November and March through April

Tough months

June through August for heat above 100°F; March through June for hail and severe storms; the odd January ice storm can shut the city down for a day

02

Getting there

  • Fly into Abilene Regional (ABI) on the southeast side of town, about 15 miles and 20-25 minutes from the base via Loop 322 and the Winters Freeway (US-83/84). Flights connect through DFW, so many travelers drive the 3 hours west from Dallas on I-20 instead. Either way, rent a car — Dyess has no shuttle and Abilene's CityLink bus does not serve the base.
  • The Main (East) Gate on Arnold Boulevard, on Abilene's western edge, is the only 24/7 entrance. The Tye Gate on the west side runs weekdays roughly 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closes on holidays. Gate hours shift with security posture, so confirm on the Dyess AFB site before an odd-hours arrival.
  • The Visitor Control Center is at 1517 Arnold Boulevard, just outside the Main Gate (325-696-2432). Published hours vary between sources — weekday daytime hours with limited Saturday service is the safest assumption; after-hours passes go through the Arnold Gate security forces. Bring a REAL ID-compliant license, registration, and proof of insurance; sponsors should pre-register guests.
  • Traffic is light. The only real slowdowns are shift change on Arnold Boulevard and the air show weekend in spring. Watch for hail season March through June — park under cover when the sky turns green, and know that low spots in town flood in a hard rain.
03

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.

Check your dates →Official rate sheet ↗

The Dyess Inn

Phone
325-696-2681
Pets
Pet-friendly units
TLF (families)
Available
  • The Dyess Inn (Air Force Inns), 225 5th Street, Dyess AFB, TX 79607 — 325-696-2681 or 1-888-AF-LODGE.
  • Front desk 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
  • Roughly 40 units with kitchens across VQ, TLF, and DV rooms, including pet-friendly TLFs with a nightly pet fee.
  • It fills during exercises, inspections, and the air show, so book on af.dodlodging.net as soon as orders drop and request a non-availability number if they cannot house you.

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.
Total your trip → per diem calculatorOn-base lodging cost →

The crashpad option

We're expanding at Dyess AFB. If you have orders to Abilene, send us your dates and bed count — we will match you with a furnished crashpad priced inside the $110 rate with DTS-ready receipts as soon as one opens up, and we prioritize repeat aircrew and training-class blocks.

Dyess AFB crashpads
04

Housing & BAH

Housing

a neighborhood near the base — Dyess Afb
Photo: Base Crashpads
a neighborhood near the base — Dyess Afb
Photo: Base Crashpads
  • On-base housing is privatized under Balfour Beatty Communities (Dyess Family Homes), roughly 650-670 homes in seven neighborhoods; the leasing office is at 32 Louisiana Road (325-701-9276).
  • Off base, Abilene is one of the more affordable markets in Texas — a typical 3-bedroom house rented for about $1,300-$1,700 a month in 2025, with newer Wylie-area construction at the top of that range.
  • Buying is realistic on BAH here, and many families do.

BAH 2026 · MHA TX270

  • Dyess is MHA TX270 (Abilene).
  • The 2026 tables published in January list an E-5 at about $1,554 with dependents / $1,287 without, and an O-3 at about $2,253 with dependents / $1,974 without — but DTMO then approved a temporary BAH increase of roughly 18-28 percent for TX270 effective May 16, 2026, and rate protection does not apply to those temporary amounts.
  • Because sources show different figures depending on the date, confirm on the DTMO BAH calculator.
Every grade → BAH calculator·2026 pay chart
NeighborhoodCommute

Southwest Abilene (Buffalo Gap Road / Catclaw Drive)

The default Dyess neighborhood — established brick homes and newer subdivisions near the Mall of Abilene, with Abilene ISD and Wylie ISD both within reach and the easiest gate commute in town.

Commute: ~10-15 min

Wylie ISD (south Abilene)

The most sought-after school zone for Dyess families, with newer homes, higher prices, and no transfer paperwork; you trade a few more minutes on the Winters Freeway for it.

Commute: ~15-20 min

Tye and Merkel

Small towns just west of the base along I-20 with lower rents, larger lots, and the Tye Gate two minutes away on weekdays.

Commute: ~5-15 min

Buffalo Gap and Jim Ned CISD

Hill-country-lite living south of town with acreage, a highly regarded small district, Perini Ranch down the road, and a longer drive up Buffalo Gap Road.

Commute: ~20-25 min

Downtown and central Abilene

Historic bungalows near the universities and the revived downtown, cheaper and walkable to the Paramount and Frontier Texas!, but older housing stock and Abilene ISD zoning.

Commute: ~15 min
05

Schools & childcare

  • Dyess Elementary (Abilene ISD) sits right beside the base housing area and serves almost entirely on-base kids; older students in base housing feed Abilene ISD middle and high schools.
  • Most military families choose between Abilene ISD (about 14,700 students) and Wylie ISD (about 5,000), the higher-rated district on the south side that does not require a transfer request. Jim Ned CISD, Clyde CISD, Merkel ISD, and the Texas Leadership Academy charter also serve Dyess families.
  • The School Liaison is at 217 5th Street, Bldg 7401 — 325-696-4591, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call before you sign a lease if you have IEP or 504 needs.
  • The on-base Child Development Center and Youth Programs run waitlists; register on MilitaryChildCare.com the day you get orders, and ask the School Liaison about off-base providers and Family Child Care homes.
06

Healthcare

  • The 7th Medical Group is an outpatient clinic, not a hospital — no emergency room. Appointment line 325-696-4677, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed the first Wednesday of each month for training.
  • Emergencies go to Hendrick Medical Center, 1900 Pine Street in central Abilene (325-670-2000), the region's Level II trauma center about 20 minutes from the gate; Hendrick Medical Center South on Buffalo Gap Road is closer to most Dyess neighborhoods.
  • Dyess is in the TRICARE West Region, administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Confirm your enrollment and PCM before you arrive so referrals work on day one.
07

On base

Commissary

250 Commissary Road (325-283-5310), full-size store; H-E-B and United on the south side of town are the off-base backups.

Exchange

Main Exchange at 260 Commissary Road (325-692-8996) with food court, Class Six, and a Shoppette by the housing area.

Fitness

Dyess Fitness Center, 525 Avenue B, Bldg 7104 (325-696-4307) — full weight floor, cardio, courts, and an outdoor track; 24-hour access for registered users.

Dining

Longhorn Dining Facility serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight meal on weekdays with brunch and supper on weekends; the Hangar Center hosts the club and food outlets.

MWR

7th FSS runs Outdoor Recreation gear rental, the bowling center, auto hobby shop, ITT tickets, and the Dyess Golf Course — check dyessfss.com for hours.

Signature event

The spring air show at Dyess (Big Country Air Fest / Wings Over West Texas) draws tens of thousands and books every hotel in town — plan TDY dates around it.

08

Off duty

The former United States Weather Bureau building in Abilene, Texas was built in 1909
The former United States Weather Bureau building in Abilene, Texas was built in 1909. Photo: Photo by Larry D. Moore, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0). Source
I took photo with Canon camera in Abilene, TX

Frontier Texas!

Downtown Abilene's western heritage center, 15 minutes from the gate, uses holographic storytellers and a 360-degree theater to tell the buffalo-hunter and cattle-drive story. It doubles as the city's visitor center, so start here.

Official site ↗

Photo by Billy Hathorn, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · source

Abilene Zoo entrance sign

Abilene Zoo

A surprisingly good 50-acre zoo at Nelson Park on the east side, 20 minutes from base, with giraffe feeding, a jaguar habitat, and a Caribbean Cove aviary. Families on PCS house-hunting trips burn an afternoon here easily.

Official site ↗

Photo by Keithimus of English Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source

Scope and content: This item lists Enumeration Districts for:

Abilene State Park and Buffalo Gap

Twenty minutes south, the CCC-built state park has swimming, camping, and trails under pecan and live oak, and Lake Abilene sits next door. Stop in the town of Buffalo Gap for the historic village and Perini Ranch Steakhouse, the best steak in West Texas.

Official site ↗

Photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source

Perini Ranch Steakhouse

A James Beard America's Classic in a mesquite grove at Buffalo Gap, 25 minutes from the gate. Order the peppered tenderloin and eat outside under the string lights; reserve on weekends.

Official site ↗

Fort Phantom Hill

Stone chimneys and a powder magazine from an 1850s Army frontier post stand alone on the prairie 15 miles north of town. Free, open dawn to dusk, and a great sunset run with the lake nearby.

Official site ↗

Downtown Abilene: Paramount Theatre, Grace Museum, Storybook sculptures

The 1930 Paramount runs classic films and concerts under a starlit ceiling, the Grace Museum covers regional art and history, and the sidewalks are dotted with children's-book character sculptures. Cypress Street has the breweries and coffee.

Official site ↗

Dyess Linear Air Park

Thirty-odd historic aircraft, from a B-47 to a B-1A, line Arnold Boulevard inside the gate — walk it at lunch. The Dyess Memorial Park at the gate tells the story of Lt. Col. William Dyess, the base's namesake and a Bataan Death March survivor.

Official site ↗
09

Insider tips

  1. 01Hail is the real weather hazard here. From March through June, park under cover or buy a car cover — a 10-minute storm can total a rental, and you will be the one filling out the paperwork.
  2. 02The Main Gate on Arnold Boulevard is the only 24/7 entrance. If you land late, do not drive to the Tye Gate; it closes at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and is shut on weekends and holidays.
  3. 03Book the Dyess Inn the day orders drop. It is a small property, and exercises, inspections, and the spring air show fill it weeks out — get the non-availability number in writing before you book off base.
  4. 04Abilene per diem is the standard $110 CONUS rate, which many I-20 hotels exceed on event weekends. A crashpad with a kitchen is the easy way to stay inside the rate and stop eating drive-through for a month.
  5. 05If you want Wylie ISD, sign a lease inside the district lines, not just south Abilene — the School Liaison (325-696-4591) can confirm an address before you commit.
  6. 06Summer means 100-degree days for weeks. Pack a windshield shade, keep water in the car, and plan runs before 7 a.m.; the fitness center track is the shaded option.
  7. 07Get on the Balfour Beatty and CDC waitlists as soon as you have orders. Base housing turns slowly and Abilene's rental market tightened enough in 2026 that DTMO issued a temporary BAH increase.
  8. 08Cell coverage and food options thin out fast west of the base. Stock the crashpad kitchen from the commissary or the H-E-B on Buffalo Gap Road on your first night.
10

FAQ

Will my lodging be reimbursed if the Dyess Inn is full?
Yes. Call the Dyess Inn at 325-696-2681 first; if they cannot house you, get a non-availability number and lodge commercially at the FY2026 Abilene rate of $110 per night plus $68 M&IE ($51 on travel days). Keep itemized receipts for DTS.
Which gate should I use when I arrive?
The Main (East) Gate on Arnold Boulevard is open 24/7 and is where the Visitor Control Center sits (1517 Arnold Boulevard, 325-696-2432). The Tye Gate is weekdays only. Confirm current hours on dyess.af.mil before an after-hours arrival.
Is there a hospital on base?
No. The 7th Medical Group is an outpatient clinic with no emergency room (appointments 325-696-4677). Emergencies go to Hendrick Medical Center at 1900 Pine Street in Abilene, about 20 minutes from the gate. Dyess is in TRICARE West under TriWest.
Where do Dyess families live?
On base in Balfour Beatty's 650-plus homes, or off base in southwest Abilene along Buffalo Gap Road, the Wylie ISD zone on the south side, or the small towns of Tye and Buffalo Gap. Most are 10-20 minutes from the Main Gate, and a three-bedroom rental generally fits inside BAH.
11

Helpful resources

Official

Things to do

Community & local

List your resource

Run a business, park, church, gym, or service that helps Dyess 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

Photos: Photo by Balon Greyjoy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0); Photo by Larry D. Moore, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0). 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.

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