The Vance AFB guide

• Fly into Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), rent a car, and drive about 90 miles north — roughly an hour and a half via I-35 to US-412 west, or US-81 north straight into Enid. Wichita (ICT) is a two-hour alternative. Enid's Woodring airport is general aviation only, and there is no practical public transit between OKC and Enid, so budget the rental car in your orders.
• The main gate is on the south side of Enid off US-81 (South Van Buren) at Fields Street; the base address is 200 Fields St., Enid, OK 73705. Vance is a small base and gate hours change with the mission, so confirm current gate hours and any secondary-gate schedule on the Vance security forces or Visitor Control Center page before a late-night arrival.
• The Visitor Control Center sits at the main gate; the phone number listed by Military.com is (580) 213-5528. Visitors without a DoD ID need a REAL ID-compliant license or passport and a sponsor, and the VCC closes for lunch from 1200 to 1230 and at noon on the last Friday of each month, so plan pass pickup around that.
• Traffic is light by any big-base standard — the biggest slowdowns are the morning gate line before a 0600 brief and harvest-season grain trucks on US-81. During severe weather the base can close on short notice; watch the 71 FTW Facebook page and the Enid emergency alerts.

• Eisenhower Elementary is the only school on Vance AFB and is run by Enid Public Schools; on-base housing is zoned to Enid Public Schools.
• Enid Public Schools (Enid High School, two middle schools) serves most of the city, with Chisholm Public Schools to the north, Pioneer-Pleasant Vale and Waukomis to the south, and Cimarron nearby; Oklahoma runs a Purple Star designation for military-friendly campuses, so ask the liaison which Enid schools currently hold it.
• The Vance AFB School Liaison Officer is (580) 213-6285 — call before you pick a rental if a specific school matters.
• The 71 FSS Child Development Center, School Age Center, and Youth-Teen Center are on base; request care through MilitaryChildCare.com as soon as you have orders, because the CDC waitlist runs months out during class-start surges.

• The 71st Medical Group is an outpatient clinic on base — primary care, flight medicine, pharmacy, dental, and a few specialties — with no emergency room and no inpatient beds; confirm the appointment line on the 71st Medical Group page before you arrive.
• Emergencies go to St. Mary's Regional Medical Center (245 beds) or INTEGRIS Health Enid (207 beds), both in Enid within about 15 minutes of the gate; both have 24/7 emergency departments.
• Oklahoma is in the TRICARE West Region, administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance since January 2025 — update DEERS and, if you're enrolled in Prime elsewhere, sort out a referral or TRICARE Select status before a long TDY.

Commissary

Small on-base commissary; Enid's Walmart Supercenter and Crest Foods on West Garriott fill the gaps after hours

Exchange

Compact BX with a Class Six and barber; Oakwood Mall and the Garland Road corridor are about 15 minutes away for anything bigger

Fitness

Bradley Fitness Center on base plus the Plains Pool in summer; confirm 24/7 access on the 71 FSS site

Dining

River Rat Cafe (dining facility), The Falcon's Grill at the bowling center, DaVinci's coffee shop, and the Greven Crosswinds Club

MWR

Falcon's Nest Bowling Center, Little Augusta mini golf, Vance driving range, Arts & Crafts, library, Community Center, and outdoor rec gear rental; 71 FSS marketing is (580) 213-6176

Newcomers

In-processing runs through the 71 FSS Military & Family Readiness Center; the base Information & Referral line is (580) 213-6213

1. 01Tornado season is real here — an EF4 crossed the base's southern perimeter on April 23, 2026. Know where the nearest shelter is at your lodging, keep weather alerts on from March through June, and never park under a tree during hail warnings.
2. 02Call the Cherokee Lodge at (580) 213-7358 the day your orders drop; class-start weeks and graduations fill it, and the non-availability number is what unlocks the $110 commercial rate.
3. 03If you're bringing a dog, the FSS Rec Lodge suites ($85 plus $10 per pet) are the only on-base pet option — the main lodge is no-pets, and most Enid hotels charge fees.
4. 04Rent a car at OKC; there is no shuttle or transit between Oklahoma City and Enid, and the hour-and-a-half drive is your only option.
5. 05The VCC closes for lunch 1200–1230 and at noon on the last Friday of the month — time your visitor pass pickup accordingly.
6. 06Summer heat regularly passes 100°F and the wind never stops; pack sunglasses, a wide-brim hat for the flightline, and a wind-proof layer for the walk from the parking lot in January.
7. 07Enid is a small town — most restaurants close early and the hotel bar scene is basically nonexistent, so a crashpad kitchen earns its keep on a 6-month UPT tour.
8. 08Families PCSing: put your name on the Hunt Military Communities list at (580) 441-7058 as soon as orders are in hand, and call the School Liaison at (580) 213-6285 before signing a lease if a specific school matters.

More Oklahoma guides

The Altus AFB guideAltus, OklahomaThe Fort Sill guideLawton, OklahomaThe Tinker AFB guideOklahoma City, Oklahoma