Guam
Andersen Air Force Base
📍 Yigo, Guam
A key strategic bomber and tanker base in the Pacific, Andersen hosts rotational bomber task forces and supports continuous airpower presence across the Indo-Pacific region.
OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance)
OHA applies — rates vary by location and rank. Visit DTMO for details.
Andersen Air Force Base is an OCONUS assignment. Overseas Housing Allowance replaces BAH for overseas locations.
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Government housing managed by the Andersen Housing Office — mix of single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments; wait lists vary by rank (2-6 months); housing is modern with recent typhoon-hardening upgrades
- Off-base (Guam economy): Many families rent in Yigo, Dededo, Tamuning, or Tumon; OHA covers rent up to cap; typical costs $1,500-$3,500/month for houses and apartments
- OHA: Covers rent and utilities within cap; Guam utilities are EXTREMELY expensive — electricity runs $300-$700/month (Guam Power Authority rates are among the highest in the U.S.); budget accordingly
- Top pick: On-base housing is preferred for utility cost protection and typhoon resilience; off-base Tumon/Tamuning for ocean views and beach proximity; Yigo for larger lots and proximity
- Note: Guam is typhoon territory — all housing (on and off base) is reinforced concrete; typhoon season runs July-November; base housing provides reliable backup power and water during storms
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- On-base: Most families live on base in quiet, well-maintained neighborhoods with parks and playgrounds; on-base living means protection from Guam's sky-high utility costs and strong typhoon-hardened structures
- Yigo — 5-15 min from base, the adjacent village, more rural and quiet, larger lots with jungle views, popular with families wanting space and proximity to base
- Dededo — 15-20 min west, Guam's most populous village, Micronesia Mall, supermarkets, and chain restaurants, convenient for shopping and services
- Tamuning / Tumon — 25-30 min southwest, Guam's tourism and commercial hub, beachfront condos and hotels, Tumon Bay for swimming and snorkeling, popular with singles and couples wanting the resort lifestyle
- Mangilao / Barrigada — 20-25 min south, central Guam with the University of Guam, more local feel, convenient to both Andersen and the central/southern villages
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Andersen Elementary School (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
On-base, K-5, small military community
McCool Elementary/Middle (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
On Naval Base Guam, ~25 min, K-8
🏫 Middle Schools
Andersen Middle School (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
On-base, grades 6-8, close-knit
McCool Elementary/Middle (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
On Navy Base, serves middle grades too
🏫 High Schools
Guam High School (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
On Naval Base Guam, ~25 min, all DOD high school students on island
St. John's School (Private)⭐ 7/10
Private college prep in Tumon, ~30 min drive
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (Route 1/Marine Corps Drive) — Primary entry from Marine Corps Drive/Route 1, 5-15 min peak waits (6:30-8:30 AM), 24/7 operations
- Back Gate (Route 15) — Secondary entry from the north/back side, useful for housing areas in Yigo, shorter waits, limited hours (typically 0600-1800)
- Tip: Guam's main road is Marine Corps Drive (Route 1) — a single primary highway that circles the island; traffic is Guam's #1 complaint; the 25-mile drive from Andersen to Naval Base Guam can take 45-90 min during rush hour
- Tip: Typhoon Condition of Readiness (T-COR) dictates base operations during storms; T-COR 1 means all non-essential personnel shelter in place; T-COR 1E is full lockdown
Internet Providers
- Docomo Pacific — Guam's largest ISP; cable/fiber hybrid with speeds up to 1 Gbps in Dededo/Tamuning/Tumon; reliable for most areas
- GTA (Guam Telephone Authority) — Fiber and DSL; expanding fiber-to-the-home; competitive with Docomo for pricing and speed
- IT&E — Wireless and fiber internet in select areas; popular with families wanting bundled mobile/internet plans
- Starlink — Available and increasingly popular on Guam for rural areas where fiber hasn't reached; excellent for Yigo and northern Guam
- Top pick: Docomo Pacific or GTA fiber for most areas; Starlink for northern/rural Yigo properties
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: AAFES Exchange and commissary with U.S. products — the commissary is essential given Guam's high cost of imported goods; well-stocked with American groceries and household items
- Micronesia Mall (Dededo) — 15-20 min west: Guam's largest mall with Macy's, Ross, Foot Locker, food court, and a 12-screen movie theater
- Tumon — 25-30 min southwest: Guam's tourism district with luxury boutiques (T Galleria by DFS, The Plaza), beachfront dining, and high-end duty-free shopping
- Guam Premier Outlets (GPO) — 25 min southwest in Tamuning; outlet shopping with Ross, Nike, and local retailers; plus restaurants and a food court
- Groceries: On-base commissary (primary); off-base Pay-Less Supermarkets, Cost-U-Less (Guam's version of Costco), and Donki (Don Quijote — Japanese discount everything store) for off-base shopping
Gyms & Recreation
- Andersen Fitness Center — Well-equipped gym with cardio, weights, group classes, basketball/racquetball courts, and outdoor facilities; 24/7 access available
- Outdoor Recreation (ODR) — Equipment rental (snorkel gear, kayaks, camping, dive equipment), discounted tours/activities (scuba diving certification, dolphin watching, Micronesia island hopping), and the Andersen Marina with boat rentals
- On-base: Bowling alley, movie theater, swimming pool (outdoor, year-round tropical use), sports fields, community center, 18-hole golf course (Andersen Golf Course — palm-tree-lined fairways with ocean views), and the Tarague Beach recreation area
- Diving/Snorkeling — Guam is world-class for diving: the Blue Hole (advanced dive site), Apra Harbor wrecks (WWI and WWII), and Tumon Bay for easy snorkeling; ODR offers PADI certification courses
- Tarague Beach — On-base beach access with white sand, excellent swimming, turtle nesting (seasonal), and tidepooling; one of Andersen's most cherished perks
- Hiking: Mount Lamlam (challenging — 'world's tallest mountain' from the Marianas Trench base), Pagat Cave (jungle trail to a freshwater cave and cliffside ocean views), and the Guam Boonie Stomp (organized weekend hikes)
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: AAFES, commissary, MWR, CDC, DODEA schools, and 36th Wing civilian positions through USAJobs — primary employers for military spouses
- Defense contractors: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and local Guam contractors supporting the bomber, tanker, and ISR missions; significant construction and infrastructure projects for the Marine Corps relocation from Okinawa
- Guam economy: Tourism (Tumon hotels, DFS, restaurants), healthcare (Guam Memorial Hospital, private clinics), and the Marine Corps buildup are creating thousands of jobs; SOFA spouses can work on Guam's economy
- Remote work: Excellent internet (Docomo/GTA fiber) enables U.S.-based remote work; Guam is on Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10, 15 hrs ahead of EST, 18 hrs ahead during DST) — time zone is the biggest challenge for U.S.-based remote work
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center provides career counseling, federal resume workshops, and Guam-specific employment guidance
- Note: The ongoing Marine Corps relocation from Okinawa to Guam (ongoing through 2030s) is creating massive construction and infrastructure employment — the island's economy is one of the fastest-growing in the Pacific
Local Attractions
- Tumon Bay — 25-30 min southwest; Guam's resort beach strip with calm, swimmable waters, luxury hotels, beachfront dining, and world-class snorkeling just offshore
- War in the Pacific National Historical Park — Multiple sites across Guam commemorating the 1944 U.S. liberation of Guam; Asan Beach, Piti Guns, and the T. Stell Newman Visitor Center are must-visits for understanding Guam's WWII history
- Two Lovers Point (Puntan Dos Amantes) — 25 min southwest; iconic cliffside lookout over Tumon Bay with panoramic ocean views and the famous Chamorro legend of star-crossed lovers
- Ritidian Point (Guam National Wildlife Refuge) — 20 min north; pristine white sand beach, crystal-clear waters, ancient Chamorro latte stone village sites, and excellent snorkeling; managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife
- Chamorro Village Night Market — Wednesday evenings in Hagåtña; local food (red rice, kelaguen, finadene), cultural performances, and craft vendors — the best introduction to Chamorro culture
- Weekend trips: Saipan/CNMI (35 min flight), Palau (2 hrs flight — world's best diving), Yap and Chuuk (Micronesia island hopping), the Philippines (3.5 hrs flight to Manila), Japan (3.5 hrs to Tokyo), and Australia (6 hrs to Cairns)
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
Andersen Air Force Base on Guam
neighborhood
Tumon Bay, Guam's resort district
housing
On-base family housing at Andersen AFB
nature
Ritidian Point white sand beach on Guam
downtown
Chamorro Village in Hagatna, Guam
restaurant
Chamorro BBQ and local cuisine on Guam