Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Military training facility in Gulfport, Mississippi.
The Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center is an active military installation belonging to the Mississippi Air National Guard, located near the Gulf of Mexico coast. The site includes a runway built for military aircraft, along with housing, dining areas, and training facilities for the personnel based there.
The site opened in 1942 as Gulfport Army Airfield and served as a training base during World War II. After the war ended, the Mississippi Air National Guard took over and gradually shaped it into its current role as a combat readiness training center.
Many of the service members stationed here live and work as civilians in the surrounding communities when not on duty, making the base a natural part of everyday life along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This close connection between the military and local population is something visitors and residents alike tend to notice.
This is an active military base, so public access is generally restricted and security requirements apply at the entrance. It is a good idea to contact the facility directly before planning any visit to understand what documentation or authorization may be needed.
The base has direct access to a designated airspace over the Gulf of Mexico used specifically for high-speed flight and advanced maneuvers over open water. Training over water like this is relatively uncommon and makes the location particularly valuable for certain types of pilot training.
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