Congratulations on your assignment to Shaw Air Force Base! Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. is home to the Air Force's largest combat F-16 wing. We stand ready to assist during your transition. The base is centrally located in the state of South Carolina with many points of interest within a reasonable driving distance. The Atlantic Ocean is 2 hours away with miles of beach available for vacation and recreational activities. To the east, Myrtle Beach and Charleston await you, with wonderful seasonal activities and great southern food. To the North you can enjoy cool mountain breezes or go white water rafting.
The City of Sumter, named for the Revolutionary War hero General Thomas Sumter who made his home here, has a spiritual communion with its past without being consumed by it. His tomb, a national historic site, is just one of the many treasures for local and visiting history buffs. Many retired military veterans who were stationed here at Shaw during their career are so taken with the area that they settle here permanently making Sumter's populace a seasoned and worldly group. Sumter today is one of the most economically balanced areas in the U.S. with a diversified income ranging from frozen foods to furniture, tools, paints, chemicals, medical supplies, heavy equipment, and high-tech electronics. Housing is inexpensive by national standards; and property taxes are correspondingly low. The population rates are: City of Sumter, 42,000; Sumter County, 104,400; primary trade area (30-mile radius), 277,830. The base operator's phone number is 803-895-1110, or DSN 312-965-1110.
