Air Force Base, Naval Weapons Station become one team today

Joint Base Charleston, the merger of the Naval Weapons Station and Air Force Base into one military team, is fully operational today.

The joint basing concept was among recommendations issued by the U.S. government’s Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005. It calls for two or more adjacent or nearby installations to consolidate support functions and be run by a designated service, which in the case of Joint Base Charleston, is the Air Force.

The consolidation became official today at an 8 a.m. ceremony.

Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Weapons Station Charleston together have 49 installation support functions such as food services, legal support and law enforcement.

Air Force Col. Martha Meeker is the Joint Base Charleston commander, and Navy Capt. Ralph Ward is the Joint Base Charleston deputy commander.

Joint Base Charleston employs about 21,790 military, civilian and contractor personnel.

Officials said the installation covers 23,777 acres, 37 square miles, 16 miles of shoreline, 38 miles of rail, three miles of runways, 56 C-17s and 53 tenant organizations.