United Kingdom
RAF Mildenhall
📍 Mildenhall, United Kingdom
Home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall provides aerial refueling for U.S. and NATO aircraft across Europe and Africa with KC-135 Stratotankers.
OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance)
OHA applies — rates vary by location and rank. Visit DTMO for details.
RAF Mildenhall is an OCONUS assignment. Overseas Housing Allowance replaces BAH for overseas locations.
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Government housing managed by the Mildenhall/Lakenheath Housing Office — shared housing pool across both bases; mix of townhomes, semi-detached, and single-family; wait lists vary (2-6 months); recent renovations modernized many units
- Off-base (UK economy): Most families rent in surrounding villages — Mildenhall, Beck Row, Red Lodge, and Barton Mills; OHA covers rent up to cap; typical costs £800-£1,600/month
- OHA: Covers rent and council tax within cap; UK gas/electric £150-300/month; older British homes can be drafty — budget for heating in winter (November-March)
- Top pick: Beck Row and West Row — walking distance to base, family-friendly villages with strong American presence, good local primary schools
- Note: Mildenhall and Lakenheath families share the same housing office, school system, and support infrastructure — living between the two bases is ideal for split-assignment families
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Beck Row — 5 min from Mildenhall gate, the closest village with a strong American community, good local primary school (St. Christopher's CEVCP), walking distance to base for some homes
- Mildenhall town — 5-10 min, market town with the main shopping center, River Lark walks, Mildenhall Museum (Lakenheath Warrior treasure), and good bus connections
- Red Lodge — 10-15 min west, newer development between Mildenhall and Lakenheath, popular with families assigned to both bases, modern homes with American-style floorplans
- Barton Mills — 5-10 min south, charming English village with The Bull Inn (gastropub), quick access to the A11, popular with families wanting a village feel close to base
- Newmarket — 15-20 min south, historic horseracing town, excellent schools, train station to Cambridge/London, and a vibrant high street with shops, pubs, and restaurants
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Lakenheath Elementary (DoDEA — 15 min drive)⭐ 7/10
DoDEA school at RAF Lakenheath, serves Mildenhall families
Liberty Intermediate (DoDEA — 15 min drive)⭐ 7/10
Grades 4-5 at Lakenheath
St. Mary's CE Academy (Mildenhall)⭐ 6/10
Local UK primary school near Mildenhall
🏫 Middle Schools
Lakenheath Middle School (DoDEA — 15 min drive)⭐ 7/10
DoDEA school at RAF Lakenheath
Mildenhall College Academy⭐ 5/10
Local UK secondary school option
🏫 High Schools
Lakenheath High School (DoDEA — 15 min drive)⭐ 7/10
DoDEA school at RAF Lakenheath, most Mildenhall families attend
Mildenhall College Academy (Sixth Form)⭐ 5/10
Local UK option, British curriculum
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (A1101/Bury Road) — Primary entry from Mildenhall town center/Bury Road, 5-10 min peak waits (7:00-8:30 AM), 24/7 operations
- RAF Lakenheath Gate — 10 min drive west on the A1101; shared community; consider both base commute times when choosing housing
- Tip: Mildenhall is smaller and more walkable than Lakenheath; the A1101 connecting the two bases is the main artery — light traffic by American standards
- Tip: UK roundabouts require yielding to traffic from the RIGHT; practice on quiet roads before attempting the Five Ways roundabout at Barton Mills during rush hour
Internet Providers
- BT (British Telecom) — Full Fibre expanding in Mildenhall and surrounding villages; speeds up to 900 Mbps; most reliable national provider
- Sky Broadband — Popular with military families for bundled TV (Sky TV for UK channels); fiber speeds up to 500 Mbps
- Virgin Media — Fastest cable speeds (up to 1 Gbps) but limited coverage; primarily in Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds
- EE / Plusnet — Competitive DSL and fiber; good for villages like Beck Row and Barton Mills
- Starlink — Available for the most rural Suffolk locations; excellent for remote work when wired options are limited
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: AAFES Exchange and commissary with U.S. products; shoppette and Class Six; the Mildenhall Exchange is well-stocked with American groceries and goods
- Mildenhall town center — 5 min: High street with Boots, Costa Coffee, local butchers and bakeries, and the Friday market in the town square
- Bury St Edmunds — 25 min east: The Arc Shopping Centre, historic street market (Wed/Sat), excellent dining ranging from gastropubs to fine dining, and the Greene King Brewery
- Cambridge — 35 min southwest: World-class shopping at the Grand Arcade and Lion Yard, historic market square, independent boutiques, and the Cambridge Wine Merchants
- Groceries: On-base commissary (primary); off-base Tesco (Mildenhall), Sainsbury's (Bury St Edmunds), Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl throughout the area
Gyms & Recreation
- Mildenhall Fitness Center — Well-equipped gym with cardio, weights, group classes, indoor pool, and 24/7 access elements
- Outdoor Recreation (ODR) — Equipment rental, discounted tickets to London and UK attractions, and guided adventure trips throughout the UK and Europe
- On-base: Bowling alley, movie theater, indoor swimming pool (year-round), sports fields, community center, and the RAF Mildenhall Stadium for community events
- Thetford Forest — 15 min northeast: 47,000 acres with mountain biking, Go Ape high ropes, walking trails, and the High Lodge visitor center with adventure playgrounds and outdoor concerts
- Mildenhall Stadium — On-base venue hosting community events, concerts, and the annual Air Fete (when scheduled); the base also has a golf driving range
- Day trips from Mildenhall: Cambridge (35 min), London (80 min by train from Ely), Norwich (1 hr), the Norfolk Coast (1 hr), and Stansted Airport (50 min) for budget European flights
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: AAFES, commissary, MWR, CDC, DODEA schools, and 100th ARW civilian positions through USAJobs; split-assignment families may work at Mildenhall or Lakenheath
- Defense contractors: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman supporting KC-135 and special operations missions; cleared positions in logistics, maintenance, and engineering
- UK economy: SOFA spouses can work on the British economy; NHS, education (teaching assistants), retail, and hospitality hire English speakers; UK work culture is more leave-friendly than the U.S.
- Remote work: Excellent broadband enables U.S.-based remote jobs; GMT/BST time zone means East Coast schedules run 1 PM-9 PM workdays or early mornings
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center provides job search support, UK employment guidance, and coordinates USAJobs workshops with Lakenheath
- Volunteer: Mildenhall Spouses' Club and Thrift Store are active and welcoming — essential for building local networks and UK-specific job references
Local Attractions
- Cambridge — 35 min southwest; iconic university city with King's College, punting on the River Cam, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the historic Corn Exchange
- London — 80 min by train from Ely; Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, British Museum, West End shows, and endless free museums and galleries
- Thetford Forest — 15 min northeast; mountain biking at High Lodge, Go Ape treetop adventure, concerts, and miles of walking trails through one of England's largest forests
- Bury St Edmunds — 25 min east; St Edmundsbury Cathedral, the Abbey ruins, Greene King Brewery, and the twice-weekly market in a beautiful historic market town
- Newmarket — 15 min south; the global headquarters of horseracing with the National Horse Racing Museum, morning gallops on the heath, and elegant Georgian architecture
- Weekend trips: York (2.5 hrs by train), Edinburgh (5 hrs), Paris (3.5 hrs Eurostar from London), the Cotswolds (2 hrs by car), and the Lake District (4 hrs)
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
RAF Mildenhall, home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing
neighborhood
Newmarket, historic horseracing town near Mildenhall
housing
On-base housing at RAF Mildenhall
nature
The Suffolk countryside near RAF Mildenhall
downtown
Bury St Edmunds market town near RAF Mildenhall
restaurant
Gastropub dining in Suffolk near Mildenhall