Lackland Air Force Base050

Lackland AFB is located on the southwestern fringe of San Antonio and encompasses approximately 7,000 acres. The base's mission is to provide training for all non-prior service airmen of the regular Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, thus earning it the nickname "Gateway to the Air Force" because all enlisted members, whether active-duty, Guard, or Reserve, begin their careers there at Basic Military Training.

Additionally, Lackland provides modern operations training in the fields of cryptographic equipment maintenance, security and law enforcement, military working dog handler, combat arms, recruiting, supply, transportation, services, dietary, and social actions. The facility also provides students from 117 countries the opportunity to increase their proficiency in the English language through its Defense Language Institute English Language Center.

Because of its unique mission, the base receives thousands of requests from individuals and small groups for tours each year. Lackland is no longer an open installation, so all guests must be sponsored by someone with a valid military ID card. Public tours are scheduled once a month.