Nothing to do with operations. I ordered some merchandise online a few days ago. It's manufactured in France and is sold only on the company's web site, they reduce cost by not selling through retailers. So I get an email this morning informing me that it will be delivered today, including a FedEx tracking link. Looking on the tracking page at the route, it says it originated at March Air Reserve Base in California.

So is the Air Force leasing out warehouse space to civilian corporations, and foreign ones at that?

Not an Air Force guy, but...

March was chosen for realignment under BRACIII in 1993. Land no longer needed was placed under the March Joint Powers Authority, a commission that represents the county and the base's adjoining cities (this is typical of BRAC'd facilities/installations). The former SAC B-52 and KC-135 Alert Facility on the south end of the airfield, now called March GlobalPort, was developed as an air cargo center. Amazon Air and Atlas Air fly out of this facility.

In related news, so to speak, in San Antonio a military base is now a commercial space.

https://www.eda.gov/news/blogs/2019/05/01/success

March has a huge FedEx presence there if I recall correctly.

March while still a Reserve base, I believe tankers are operating out of there, is also a joint-civilian base as at one end of the base are several logistics facilities. DHL was operating out of there in the early-2000's, I believe FedEx and Amazon have operations set-up there also.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
March while still a Reserve base, I believe tankers are operating out of there, is also a joint-civilian base as at one end of the base are several logistics facilities.

I think this is way more common than people realize. When I was going to school in upstate NY right after the Army, I had considered going joining the Air National Guard unit at Stewart ANGB in Newburgh which one half of is New York Stewart International Airport.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I think this is way more common than people realize. When I was going to school in upstate NY right after the Army, I had considered going joining the Air National Guard unit at Stewart ANGB in Newburgh which one half of is New York Stewart International Airport.

Yup, the BRAC during the 90's opened things up for mixed-use facilities; in many situations, the military still owns the property but leases out segments to tenants.
Not unusual to see small to mid-sized airports to have a ANG airplanes like Reno or, Bangor look to the other side of the runway and there a few hangers and military looking planes on the apron.

Not Air Force but, Lockbourne/Rickenbacker to Philly was my nightly route hauling FedEx air freight via 18 wheelers.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I think this is way more common than people realize. When I was going to school in upstate NY right after the Army, I had considered going joining the Air National Guard unit at Stewart ANGB in Newburgh which one half of is New York Stewart International Airport.

Yup, the BRAC during the 90's opened things up for mixed-use facilities; in many situations, the military still owns the property but leases out segments to tenants.
Not unusual to see small to mid-sized airports to have a ANG airplanes like Reno or, Bangor look to the other side of the runway and there a few hangers and military looking planes on the apron.

Yeah, there's an Idaho ANG unit co-located at the civil Boise airport. Same thing at Portland. I see there are California ANG units also at March. I was just surprised to learn of a civilian commercial outfit operating from there.

Thanks to all for the info.

It is pretty common to share bases with commercial entities, especially runways. Hell, for years the Presidio of Monterey and fort Meade didn’t have gates, locals just drove through using the roads. I’m sure many others as well, just two I’ve been on.