Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina Relocation Guide

Shaw, South Carolina

Shaw Air Force Base has been a valued citizen of Sumter County since it opened in August 1941. The base today is home to the 20th Fighter Wing of Air Combat Command and its four squadrons of F-16 jets, Headquarters of the 9th Air Force and US Central Command Air Forces, and the tenant units who support the operational missions. Shaw comprises about 3,500 acres on the main base, plus 12,400 acres on the nearby Poinsett Range. Both base and local civilian leadership take pride in the outstanding relationship between the Air Force and the community. Over the half-century of Shaw's existence, this relationship has become a model for other military communities to follow.

Active duty personnel and their dependents contribute their talents to area schools, churches, and civic clubs, and Sumter's citizens and businesses are quick to show their appreciation. The annual economic impact of Shaw to the local economy exceeds $500 million, and the base probably accounts for a third of the jobs in the local area. An estimated 13,000 military retirees have made Sumter County home. Shaw Air Force Base was named for Lt. Ervin D. Shaw, a Sumter native and World War I pilot who was killed in action flying a long range reconnaissance patrol behind enemy lines.

Stats
Shaw Air Force Base has a military population of 5,800 active duty personnel, some 1,000 civilian employees, and about 6,500 dependents. The host community of Sumter has a population of 45,000, and the Sumter County population is estimated at 108,000 in 1998. There is steady but moderate growth in Sumter County based on the base and the presence of more than 100 industries.

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