Tinker Air Force Base is one of the largest Air Force bases in the U.S., and is located right here in the Oklahoma City metro. Tinker not only plays a critical role in our nation’s defense, but is also a key economic driver for our region and state. The base houses the largest group of civilian Air Force personnel in the U.S. and is Oklahoma’s largest single site employer. More than 26,000 employees work at Tinker each day.
As you would expect, Tinker covers a lot of ground to house that many employees. The base covers nine square miles and has more than 760 buildings with a floor space of more than 15.2 million square feet.
The recent addition of the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) has made the base an even bigger focal point of support for our Air Force. The AFSC is the center for all Air Force weapon systems, and provides crucial support to the warfighter through depot maintenance, supply chain management and installation support.
A little history on the base: Oklahoma City was awarded the base in 1941 using land that was owned by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. Tinker Air Force base is named after U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Clarence L. Tinker. Tinker was a native Oklahoman who was the first major general of American Indian descent in U.S. Army history. He was also the first general killed in World War II.
A little-known fact about Tinker: Rock pioneer and legend Buddy Holly actually recorded his hit song “Maybe Baby” (and couple of other tunes) in the Tinker Air Force Base Officer’s Club about a year and a half before his untimely death. You can read more about that here.
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