Like a majority of reviewers, we visited here over the course of a few days when our son graduated from boot camp. We made sure to come early and stay late each day to maximize our time with our son, and because of that I think that traffic was less of an issue for us than it was for many other people. Parking was also pretty ample and easy for us, but again that could be because we were typically quite early. The Welcome Center was very nice and well organized so it was fairly easy to navigate. There are definitely a lot of people and chaos so I think they did a good job laying it out and keeping things efficient. While on base we spent a good amount of time at The Exchange. It was well stocked and it was interesting to see all the things available. We ate at the commissary. We also visited the Airman Heritage Museum which was one of the more memorable parts of the visit for me, outside of all the official activities surrounding the graduation, of course. Inside the museum they have exhibits on Air Force history with uniforms, different items and personal stories that you can read which make it all seem so much more real. There is an air park outside of the museum where you can walk up to historic aircrafts like b-52s and more. It's great for photos and for walking around outside and catching up with your child again, after spending so much time apart. Overall, this feels like a very solid and respectable base. Everything was clean and maintained. Some things could be updated sure, but it had everything we needed and I think they deserve a little grace because of the huge crowds they have to deal with. read more

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5-Star Review: An Unforgettable Highlight - Air Force BMT Graduation at Lackland AFB Attending the two-day Basic Military Training graduation at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was the absolute highlight of my trip to San Antonio. From the moment families poured onto the field mothers, grandpas, sisters, brothers, sons cheering wildly, the energy was electric. The National Anthem soared, the music stirred every heart, and those thunderous flyovers painted the sky in red, white, and blue. It was pure American pride in motion. As a proud girl dad of four daughters, I came away deeply moved. Life isn't always a fairytale, and boot camp certainly isn't a picnic but what these young Airmen gain is priceless: unbreakable self-reliance, the knowledge they can accomplish far more than they ever imagined, and the strength to stand on their own if life demands it. Watching them transform and march as part of the world's finest Air Force was inspiring beyond words. If you're heading to San Antonio and have a loved one graduating, make this a must-see. The ceremony, the flyovers, the sheer emotion it's an experience you'll carry forever. Highly recommend 5 stars aren't enough! What an honor to witness. read more

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I would love to do an entire bit about how this place is a bad stay with the workers yelling at you early in the morning, but someone already beat me to it on that joke, so I guess I have to tell you how I really feel! Firstly, the base is truly ugly. When I was there and driving around seeing all of the housing, it looked like those disposable assets that you test nuclear missiles on in the middle of the desert. And those were the better looking parts of the base, the buildings where actual military stuff happens are plain, the roads are poorly designed, and the selection of commerce is laughable. You might be wondering, "Well who cares? It's a military base so it's not going to have the best stores or places to eat!" Well first off, you are reading this, so you care, secondly, awful selection is bad for morale, and when you don't have off-base access, you are forced to go to their overpriced (but tax-free) places. I won't spend too much time on the quality of the MTIs (your mileage may vary as some are genuinely great, others make you wonder how they even got to enlist in the first place much less become a Sergeant), but I will say that the standards have been lowered beyond compare. There were recruits that passed BMT having spent the entire 8-weeks on crutches, some that couldn't do a single sit-up, so the PT tests were lowering their expectations to meet them in the middle, until it became so low that the middle was to just exist, and awful people doing things that would get them a visit by police, but instead just got them transferred to a different dorm. The USAF is the best air force in the world and it isn't even close, but with this in mind, who knows what the future holds. I can go on forever as a former Airman, but then it just starts to sound petty. One star for ugliness, outdated buildings, poor infrastructure, and low-standards. Why am I writing this review? Why are you reading this review? read more

There is so much I can say about lackland and it wouldn't do it justice . My son just attended boot camp there and it was a life changing experience for him. Not only was this his introduction to being part of our armed forces but the whole experience was amazing . As a military family we're extremely proud and happy of his overall experience . The base is probably one of the best states side and fitting of the airforce culture ! read more

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Lackland is a very large military base. It's also super clean. I love the display of all the old planes. The description plaques are old and worn making them very hard to read. These should be updated, but it was fun to read about how the planes were used in different wars, etc. read more

Allow yourself ample time in the morning to enter the gate, there's always a long line, but moves fairly fast. This is a good size base with exchange and all other amenities on base ( pretty standard). Roads are easy to navigate and no heavy traffic mostly. Just watch your speed limit when on base. read more

Lackland Air Force Base - Public Services & Government Near Me

So this is Lackland Air Force Base. When people hear Lackland, they immediately think of Basic Military Training (BMT), as well they should since this is the entryway for all enlisted members into the United States Air Force. This is where it all starts. With this review, I will go ahead and talk about the base. That's what this listing is about; Lackland Air Force Base. Later, I want to talk about a military base in general to give you a sense of what it's like. Not in detail but just a gist of military life on a base (and this goes for all military bases). I'll cover the basics of Lackland first so you can get that upfront and skip the rest if you like. Okay? Introduction out of the way? Everyone seated and got their refreshments of choice? Alright, let's go. This base has been around for a long long time and what's impressive is how well they keep it up to date while still maintaining a sense of heritage to the past. The grass always looks good, the buildings and structures are kept nice and painted and everything has a nice orderly appeal to it. Impressions right? The Air Force believes in setting a good impression and this base turns out to be the first impression for so many and their visiting family members. To get on the base, you'll need a government form of ID. For DoD, dependants, and supporting contractors, that's no issue, and getting through one of the gates is a formality. If you're a visitor, someone has sponsored you and you'll have gone through a process to get access. A large portion of the base belongs to BMT and everything that goes along with that. Anyone who has gone through the experience will have stories to tell. The rest of the base has all the facilities you would find on most large military installations. You have a commissary for groceries and there's a separate Yelp listing for that. A nice large base exchange, again with a Yelp listing. And then all the other services and functional offices that keep a base going. Streets are well paved and there are signs everywhere pointing you in the right direction. It's easy to get lost here and turned around while looking for one particular office or building. So that's Lackland, and it's a huge base covering a lot of real estate. If you're still with me, let me talk about bases in general and all of this will apply to Lackland as well. So when mom and dad send one of their own to join the military, Uncle Sam takes the care and feeding of this person very seriously. It may not seem like it at times but that has more to do with the mission and who they are working with and for whom. For the morale and welfare of each individual, it's recognized that if you take care of the people, the people will take care of the mission. There are bases all over the world and in all kinds of conditions. The typical large base (like Lackland) is set up and runs like a self-contained city. No, not "like", it IS a self-contained city. Everything a person needs is on base. Of course, over time, everyone wants to venture out but if someone chose to just stay on base or was forced to for whatever reason (and many do, especially overseas), they can live and function just fine. Every large base (there are small bases that might not have all this), has an exchange, which is like any store where you buy household goods, clothing, electronics, bath products, sporting goods, and shoes. You get the idea. The great thing about the exchange is everything is sales tax-free and they will price match any of the major stores from off base. Close to the exchange is usually the commissary. As I said, this is your grocery store. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that a percentage of the money made on sales from the exchange goes to morale/welfare programs. More on that in a moment. So right there, you can see where someone can find all the staples they need right on base. For recreation, there's a gymnasium with everything you need to get your exercise groove or sporting vibe on. Like to swim, got a pool or two too. Bowling? Covered. Clubs; the base clubs have always been popular and especially in areas where there isn't much outside the base. The club is where you can get a meal, listen to much, have a drink, and partake in whatever other events they have going on. A rec center where you can rent outdoor equipment, etc. I said I wouldn't get into the finer details and keep it light just to give an idea. When you drive by a base and you think, oh that's where they do all their military training and stay prepared. Yes, you're right but that's only a small portion of what goes on. When you learn that there is base housing and whole families live on base, you can start to fill in the picture of what would be available (schools, daycare, hospital, clinic, dental, movie theater, oh and fast food spots). As I come to an end, I'll say, thank you Uncle Sam for making sure you take of our service men and women while they watch over the defense of our county. read more

The greatest airforce in the world is trained here at the Lackland Air Force Base. Amazing little city in a City. Busy busy. Be aware on BMT weekends - don't speed! Watch where you park and enjoy the time with your graduate! read more

Lackland Air Force Base - Public Services & Government Near Me

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I had to get my retired military ID renewed...What a nightmare My old one was confiscated by security at the main gate. Had to sign up and wait until your number is called before being allowed to proceed. Wait time at the PASS & ID office was 5 hours total. Don't go to the base if you can't spare a full day, have your ID's updated ahead of time. It was my first time returning to Lackland in about 10 years or so. read more

Came down to lackland Air Force today as a Battle Buddy to my friend whose friend is graduating. The Lackland Air Force Hospital / BAMC shuttle was the worst ride I have had in a long time. The air conditioner was leaking and my buddy had to basically sit in a puddle for 20 mins. My seat had literally 2 inches of space between the seat in front of it. I literally could not put my legs in the chair, So I just sat with my feet in the aisle. Not sure who designed the bus, but they must have trained in engineering at the Air Force . Other than the transportation, the base is quite nice. Clean, and the planes that surround the parade grounds are fun to look at. read more

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This reviews long overdue. Came 2nd time around for my youngest daughters BMT Graduation. Total 180 degrees from the first time. The first time for my oldest, which was 2013, it was a wonderful experience! Everything was well planned, accommodating and nicely done. 2nd time, it seemed like they crammed all the trainees/graduates on the field, with that came the masses of families/loved ones attending that took all of the seating on all the bleachers, they started directing them to go inside one of the buildings with window view facing the field. But who wants to go inside when the excitement is outside? Also, as much as they tried, there was at times no order, as people keep standing or walking onto the field while ceremonies were going on. They kept telling them to go find a seat and get off the field, but it appeared no one listened. And because it was so crowded, as we all know putting strangers seated tightly packed together, comes selfish & rude behaviors. It's just human behaviors these days and inevitable. Honestly, it's become overcrowded. Maybe it's just the way it is, too many people and so little space. It just put a damper on a day families should be basking in their Airmen's graduation accomplishment. The first time we came several years ago, was not incredibly large, and bit smaller crowds of loved ones, you were spread out and able to breathe. The experience felt personal and just right. The base is really nice, but my rating reflects the experience. read more

I stayed at this resort, back in spring 1992. At that time, the food here was excellent. The cafeteria workers were accommodating and made sure to only serve me what I requested. Ice cream for dessert was an unexpected surprise. They will not get 5 stars from me because of the terrible room service. I was expected to spend the weekends cleaning the room, which I had to share with 29 other women. It was awful! The 5 a.m. wakeup calls are the main reason that I was happy that this vacation only lasted 6 weeks. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who likes to sleep in or doesn't like to be physically active. read more

I totally agree with Chris D's review. Buyer Beware...the resort has also been known to trick patrons into entertaining others by forcing cymbals into their hands and demanding them to march around like they are part of a band......and don't let me get started on the personal trainers...they are THE WORST! They run you around like you are training for the Olympics. Forget about asking for a 5 min break. read more

Terrible accommodations! Every day they play loud music to wake you up at 5am. The staff are very rude, demanding you walk everywhere, or sometimes even run! The dress code is so rigid, you have to buy a whole new wardrobe just to be allowed to stay. Dining is sub-par, with cafeteria self-service food provided. The management is so cheap they make the patrons work in the kitchen for some of their stay. There's no room service: you have to clean up your own sleeping space, and they stuff you fifty or more to a room. Night life? Don't even ask! The management requires you to be in your room by 9pm. Worst resort I ever stayed at! read more