(U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Hart. Source: https://www.jber.jb.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000236141/)

🏔️ Welcome to Fort Richardson / Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska

🌲 Service, Strength, and Alaska’s Wild Beauty
Located just outside Anchorage, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) is one of Alaska’s most important military installations, formed by the merger of Fort Richardson (U.S. Army) and Elmendorf Air Force Base (U.S. Air Force) in 2010. Today, JBER is a unified base that supports multi-service operations, while offering service members and their families a one-of-a-kind posting—where duty meets the wild beauty of Alaska 🏔️.

📜 A Proud and Strategic Military History
Fort Richardson was established in 1940 as the United States prepared for possible global conflict. Named after General Wilds P. Richardson, a key figure in Alaska’s early military development, the fort played a vital role during World War II and beyond—serving as a critical defense post and training ground for Arctic and cold-weather operations ❄️.

Meanwhile, Elmendorf Air Force Base opened in 1940 as a strategic airfield. It became a major player in the Cold War era, protecting the northern skies as part of NORAD and supporting air operations throughout the Pacific. Over the decades, both installations grew in size, scope, and significance—culminating in their official merger in 2010, creating a joint base that exemplifies cooperation and operational readiness.

🛩️ Mission and Capabilities
Today, JBER is home to a wide range of Army and Air Force units, including the 11th Airborne Division, 673rd Air Base Wing, and 3rd Wing. The base plays a key role in Arctic readiness, air defense, rapid deployment, and global mission support. It also provides critical training grounds for both domestic and international operations.

🌲 Living and Serving in Alaska
JBER is not just a military post—it’s a thriving, self-contained community with housing, schools, healthcare, and family support services. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet, it offers opportunities to explore Alaska’s great outdoors right outside your door: hiking 🥾, fishing 🎣, skiing 🎿, and wildlife viewing 🦅🦌 are all part of everyday life.

🏡 Family, Community, and Resilience
Military families stationed at JBER often speak of the strong sense of community, the support networks, and the unforgettable experiences that come with living in Alaska. Whether it’s enjoying a clear view of the aurora borealis 🌌 or participating in base-wide events, life here is marked by camaraderie, pride, and the unique challenges—and rewards—of service in the Last Frontier.

If you have just been ordered to make a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to a military base in Alaska, the Alaska House Hunting Team can help make your military relocation a smooth transition for you and your family.

As a professional with MRP certification, we are prepared to work with U.S. service members and their families and veterans to find the housing solutions that best suit their needs and to take full advantage of available benefits and support.

We are prepared to:

• - Understand the processes and procedures involved in a military relocation and how these impact service members’ relocation and housing choices
• - Use demographics of the military market to formulate business strategies and determine service offerings for sellers and buyers
• - Provide information to help members through a rent or buy, sell or rent decision-making process
• - Enhance sensitivity to the emotional issues involved when a military family relocates
• Identify and provide services that help service members sell or find and purchase suitable homes
• - Apply knowledge of the military relocation process to guide service members through the real estate transaction
• - Explain the basics of VA financing
• - Recognize situations in which a buyer is eligible for VA financing

Homeownership is an important part of the fabric of America, and having a stable home environment is vital when men and women of the military are called away to serve their country. That’s why working with a REALTOR^® who understands their specific needs and timetable will help make the transfer easier, faster and less stressful.

With our knowledge of the area’s neighborhoods, communities and available homes for sale as well as the unique challenges a military move presents, we can provide the essential information and help guide you through the home-buying process in the limited time you have.

Contact us for more information.