Military
Military
The Virginia Beach MSA has the largest concentration of military personnel outside of the Pentagon, with 96,835 active-duty military personnel here representing every branch of the Armed Forces.
The numbers speak volumes: The total direct economic impact in the Fiscal Year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021) was nearly $26 billion. Of this, nearly $21 billion was from military, civilian and retiree payroll and more than $5 billion was from the procurement of goods and services and travel expenditures. (Source Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, 2023)
Local Military Headquarters
| Air Force | Air Combat Command |
| Army | Training and Doctrine Command |
| Coast Guard | Commander, Atlantic Area Command Force Readiness Command |
| NATO | Allied Command Transformation |
| Marine Corps | Commander, Marine Forces Command |
| Navy | U.S. Fleet Forces Command Cyber Forces Command Exchange Services Command Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic |
Sources: jfcom.mil, navy.mil
Nearly 14,000 personnel with diverse and disciplined skill sets exit the military each year in the Virginia Beach MSA. These exiting military personnel are a unique asset to our region.
Virginia Beach ranks #3 for best cities to live after service in 2024, Source: Apartment List Research Team
Military Installations in the Virginia Beach MSA
The Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area is home to nine major military installations representing all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the world's largest naval base and the home of the Atlantic Fleet:
Naval Air Station Oceana (East Coast Master Jet Base)
First commissioned in 1943, Naval Air Station Ocean in Virginia Beach is the Navy’s East Coast Master Jet Base, home to 19 F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet squadrons. The base, including its Dam Neck Annex and NALF Fentress, employs 16,450 (13,185 active-duty personnel and 3,265 civilians). Oceana and Dam Neck are vital for training naval members in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Source: NAS Oceana
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story is the country’s premier installation for housing and training the nation’s Expeditionary Forces. Comprising the former Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and the Army’s Fort Story, the combined base is the major East Coast operation for Overseas Contingency Operations and provides support and services to 18 home-ported ships and 155 shore-based resident commands. The base encompasses nearly 4,000 acres of land, with more than 7.5 miles of beachfront training area and 61 piers. JEB Little Creek-Fort Story employs 15,472 (13,325 active-duty personnel and 2,147 civilians) making it one of the largest military bases on the East Coast as well as one of Virginia’s largest employers. Source: Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story