Joint Base Langley Eustis –
On Jan. 29, 2010, the creation of Joint Base Langley-Eustis brought the U.S. Army and Air Force together for a common mission.
Although the joint installation has forged a new heritage for the past six years, both Langley Air Force Base and Ft. Eustis have a cumulative history of about two centuries -- each with their own rich past. Founded in 1916, Langley Field has served on the forefront of American aviation and air power for 100 years.
Although Ft. Eustis was purchased in 1918 by the U.S. government, the land it lies on is rich with history dating back to the Revolutionary War. While the JBLE community now builds a joint legacy for the future, both installations have changed and evolved each in their own way throughout the past 100 years.
(Above) A historic photo of Ft. Eustis' gate, left, is compared to the gate in present time. On March 7, 1918, the Army bought Mulberry Island and the surrounding acreage to support the influx of Soldiers during World War I. Then, Camp Abraham Eustis was established as a coast artillery replacement center for Ft. Monroe and as a balloon observation school. Along with now being a part of a joint base, Ft. Eustis is a also a Training and Doctrine Command installation and transportation support installation. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard)
(Below) The 633rd Air Base Wing headquarters building, left, once served as the base gas station, right. Today, the 633rd ABW an Air Force-lead mission support wing, serves both Air Force and Army units across Joint Base Langley-Eustis, which was formed in January 2010 as a result of a congressionally mandated joint-basing initiative between Langley and Fort Eustis. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Staff Sgt. R. Alex Durbin)