Arrival


Everyone must report to the Welcome center, ( Waller hall, Bldg 2140) upon their arrival. You can reach them at (253) 967-7004 or DSN 357-7004, their desk can be contacted 24 hours a day 7 days a week except major holidays.

Inprocessing takes about 5 days. When you get signed in, you will receive a billeting assignment, bedding and a temporary meal card if you are not on separate rations. If your family arrives with you, the Welcome Center will help make them comfortable during your in-processing. To make things easier with attaining temporary housing for your family, please make reservations at the Fort Lewis Lodge, (253) 964-0211.

You should have all of your personal records on hand: personnel, finance, medical and dental. In addition you must have your orders and leave form readily available. You must be in uniform to in-process including beret. The duty uniform at Fort Lewis is ACU. Be sure that you have enough uniforms with you to begin duties after in-processing.

Getting Settled
Whether or not you're planning on living on post, you should contact the Housing Office in Bldg. 2150. The office's staff can give you the most up-to-date housing information and offer suggestions on where to look. For purchasing off-post housing, please visit the housing section.

Off Base Lodging
You can access the local area business directory for off base lodging as well. In addition to off base lodging you will also have access to thousands of civilian businesses around the joint base. The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Fort Lewis, the United States ARMY, or the Department of Defense, of the external Web sites presented, or the information, products or services contained therein. The United States ARMY does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations /links. Links are provided as a courtesy within the local area business directory. Please read the User Agreement ,Privacy Policy and Site Rules at the bottom of the local business directory to include the "business directory disclaimer" contained within the site. If you have any further questions feel free to e-mail us.

Off Base Housing Options:
Off base housing options include, single family rental homes, apartments or purchasing a home. Our Housing section should be of great assistance to you for choosing where and what you wish to live in.

All privately-owned vehicles, firearms and pets must be registered within five working days of your arrival.

Army Community Service (ACS), Bldg. 2140, the family information and service center, can help you and your family get settled. Call (253) 967-7166 for more information.

School Information
Click here for a comprehensive listing of all the schools within our two-county area. Please call the school liaison office at (253) 967-7195 for more information. Visit the homepage of your school to find out starting dates, events, vacations, and more. Your school will be determined by where you live. Schools in Thurston County are noted as some of the best around. For official on-post school information, you should contact the school liason officer at the number noted above.

Driver's Licenses
All soldiers stationed at Fort Lewis must have a valid driver's license. Soldiers who claim Washington as their home-of-record, or who are Washington State residents must have a Washington state driver's license. Other soldiers may have a driver's license from any state, which includes territories and their home-of-record state. Washington accepts licenses from the following territories: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

License Plates
When arriving in Washington state, soldiers are allowed to keep the state license plates already on their vehicle until those plates expire. When those plates expire, soldiers are required to obtain either a Washington state plate, or one from their home-of-record. By Fort Lewis policy, vehicles that have USAREUR, NATO, or USA registration/plates are required to obtain Washington or home-of-record plates within 30 days.

Post Registration
All vehicles must be registered on post within five days of arrival. Vehicles can be registered in Building 2140. Call (253) 967-1914 for open hours. In order to register your vehicle, you will need the vehicle registration, a valid driver's license, a military ID and proof of insurance. Insurance must be in the following minimum amounts: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident and $10,000 property damage. Minimum insurance is mandated by Washington state law. All vehicles registered on post must undergo a Washington state certified emissions check every two years, as Fort Lewis is located within an air pollution controlled area. For information about cost and locations for inspections, call 1-800-272-3780.


Joint Base Lewis-McChord Arrival:

The joint base is located off Interstate 5, 10 miles south of Tacoma and 25 miles north of Olympia, the state capital. Drivers leave I-5 at exit 125 and go east to the base main gate. Use the left hand traffic lane to enter the visitor parking area where security forces will provide directions and temporary permission to drive on the joint base.

McChord Unit Phone Numbers:
If you are in need of a unit telephone directory, please see our “units” section. If you need operator assistance, the McChord Operator number is 253-968-1110.

Air Travelers
If you arrive by air, you will land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (commonly known as "Sea-Tac"). If you have any difficulty and have not received advance information from your sponsor, contact the USO Center at the airport. It is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and is located in the Main Terminal, 2nd floor. Take elevator 4 or 5 which is across from the Outdoor Adventure Gift Shop. Their phone number is 206-433-5438.

Train/Bus Travelers 
AMTRAK and Greyhound/Trailways buses also serve Tacoma. All vehicles entering Joint Base Lewis-McChord must either be registered with the base or have a valid vehicle pass. Vehicle passes are issued at the Visitor Control Center (just before the Main Gate) with a valid DoD ID card, driver's license, vehicle registration, and vehicle insurance.

If you are driving a rental car, bring your DoD ID card and rental agreement to the visitor's center to obtain a pass.

All rental moving vehicles must go to the Main Gate for entry and search. Drivers must show the rental agreement and a valid DoD ID to obtain a pass.

For more questions regarding joint-base access, call the Visitor Control Center at 253-982-2347.

Base Lodging
The Evergreen Inn is located on base. Reservations can be made in advance for TDY/PCS personnel at any time by calling 253-982-5613. Lodging is also available on a first-come, first-served basis for active and retired military members and their dependents not on TDY or PCS orders. Reservations can be made 30 days in advance for a stay of no more than 3 days. (The 30 days is subject to change based on occupancy.)

Off Base Lodging
You can access the local area business directory for off base lodging as well. In addition to off base lodging you will also have access to thousands of civilian businesses around the joint base. The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by McChord Air Force Base, the United States Air Force, or the Department of Defense, of the external Web sites presented, or the information, products or services contained therein. The United States Air Force does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations /links. Links are provided as a courtesy within the local area business directory. Please read the User Agreement ,Privacy Policy and Site Rules at the bottom of the local business directory to include the “business directory disclaimer” contained within the site. If you have any further questions feel free to e-mail us.

Off Base Housing Options:
Off base housing options include, single family rental homes, apartments or purchasing a home. Our Housing section should be of great assistance to you for choosing where and what you wish to live in.