Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT) Mid-South, as it is known today, was first commissioned as a Naval Reserve Air Base (NRAB), September 15, 1942.
Originally conceived in 1942, the Naval Support Activity emerged from beginnings as Park Field, an Army Signal Corps Aviation School used to train pilots and ground crews for service with the Allied Forces during World War I.
When commissioned as an NRAB, the primary mission of the base was to train aviation pilots to pilot proficiency for action in World War II.
NRAB was first officially designated to Naval Air Station (NAS) January 1, 1943, and encompassed what is now referred to as north side (that area north of Millington-Arlington (Navy) Road), with its administrative buildings and runways.
At the conclusion of World War II, the air station north side was assigned to Reserve Training Command and was utilized almost exclusively for reserve training until 1948.
The concept of the former NAS Memphis was completely changed April 1, 1949. On this date, all support and logistics requirements of the activities aboard the naval reservation, including that area south of Navy Road, except the Naval Hospital, were assigned as responsibilities of the former naval air station. The original 2,200-acre base had grown to 3,500-acre complex; from $203,000 parcel of land, buildings, and equipment with a replacement value of over one billion dollars; from a two room operation in the Shelby County Courthouse to one of the largest inland installations in the world.
NAVSUPPACT Memphis, previously NAS Memphis, was officially established October 1, 1995, as a result of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The name was changed to Naval Support Activity Mid-South October 1, 1998, to more closely identify the base’s mission requirements and to reflect the Navy’s approach to regionalization.
Also directed by BRAC, on March 9, 1999, the Naval Brig building and a 4-acre section on which it stood on the north side of the base, was transferred to the City of Millington. On January 11,2000, two other plots of land on the north side, the airfield section, consisting of 538 acres and the non-airfield section, some 1,329 acres adjoining the airfield, were also transferred to Millington.
The size of the navy Mid-South complex has decreased to approximately 1,600 acres, mostly on the Southside of Navy Road; a new, smaller community of land, building and equipment with a replacement value now of some $500 million.
Today, the Naval Support Activity operates and functions with a allowance of approximately 600 enlisted and officer personnel, civilians, and full time contract personnel, who provide all essential logistic and operational support services to the commands and activities on board.
Considered by resident activities as the landlord of Navy Mid-South, the Naval Support Activity performs the many tasks necessary for the proper functioning of a self- contained city, including housing, food service, utilities, and facilities for purchase of essential food stuffs and personal items.
Located in Millington, Tennessee, some 10 miles north of the city of Memphis, the Naval Support Activity is 7 miles east of the Mississippi River. As the base has evolved and changed, so has its impact on the area. It plays an important part in the Memphis community and is one of the largest single businesses in the state of Tennessee.
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UPON ARRIVAL
Checking Aboard
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Navy staff personnel checking into Naval Support Activity Mid-South should check in at the NAVSUPPACT Mid-South CDO Office on the quarterdeck in the Fuqua Building (S-455) during normal working hours (0730-1600), Monday through Friday). After normal working hours and on the weekend.
NAVSUPPACT Mid-South personnel should check in at the Security Department, Shields Building (S-237), telephone number 874-5533, who will contact the CDO.
Personnel checking into tenant activities should check in with their parent commands during normal working hours. After normal working hours and on the weekend, these personnel should also check in at the Security Department who will contact the CDO.
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The Personal Property Office, located in building S-236, is open from 0730-1600 Monday through Friday. This office assists incoming and departing personnel and their dependants with their shipments, storage, personal effects, movement of mobile homes, arrangement of rental trucks and trailers under the “DITY Program,” and the liquidation of claims.
Personal Property Office personnel will supply you with any information required concerning your household goods shipment. The number to call is 874-7770.
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All cats and dogs will be registered with the Veterinary Clinic located at 1045 Savitz Drive. No more than two pets per family are permitted. Proof of rabies and distemper inoculation and Shelby County licensing is required. Each dog and cat is required to be fitted with a microchip ( at owner’s expense) at the time of initial registration or during the first office visit. Farm and wild animals are not permitted.
Pets must be kept on a leash or in a fenced back yard. Loose pets will be picked up by Security and impounded.
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The maximum speed limit aboard the station is 35 miles per hour. Lower speed limits are posted. The speed limit approaching any gate is 15 miles per hour. The speed limit in parking lots is 10 miles per hour.
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Registration of bicycles with Security’s Access Control Branch is strongly recommended. Registration can facilitate the return of finding of a bike which is lost or stolen.
Bicycles must comply with all traffic regulations.
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Any person residing on board the Navy Support Activity must register all firearms with the Security Department Armory, building S-237, telephone number 874-5533. Personnel occupying quarters may keep their firearms in their quarters. Those living in the barracks must place their firearms and ammunition in the Security Department Armory for safekeeping.
Information necessary to register firearms with the Security Department includes: type, caliber, manufacturer, and serial number.
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The Personnel Support Activity Detachment, Memphis, ID Card section, Wainwright Building (S-456), issues military identification cards for active duty, reservists, and retired personnel and the Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Cards for their family members. The sponsor must be present for signature prior to insurance of ID cards to family members; a power of attorney from the sponsor will be accepted for insurance of an ID card.
The defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) may also be verified through this office. When enrolling or deleting family members from DEERS, ensure documents such as birth certificate, social security card, marriage certificate, adoption papers, divorce decrees and other applicable documents are provided for verification prior to updating DEERS. Normal costumer service hours are 0800-1500, Monday through Friday. Questions may be addressed by calling (901) 874-5140.
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Vehicle registration is located in building S-456, telephone number 874-5537, on the first floor. Normal hours of operation are from 0730-1600 Monday through Friday. All personnel assigned to NAVSUPPACT Mid-South are required to register all their vehicles. To register your vehicle on the board station, stop by Vehicle Registration with the vehicle to be registered and have with valid ID card, a valid drivers license, valid registration and valid proof of insurance and you will receive your base decal at that time.
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Motorcycles can be registered at Vehicle Registration located in building S-456, telephone number 874-5537. To register your motorcycle on board the station, stop by Vehicle Registration with the vehicle to be registered and have with you a valid drivers license, valid registration, proof that the owners and operators have completed the Motorcycle Defensive Driving Course and valid proof of insurance and you will receive your base decal at that time. Protective clothing must be worn when driving your motorcycle on base, including the following: helmet, gloves, reflective vest, long pants, long sleeve shirts, hard sole shoes, and goggles or face shield.
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Fire and Emergency Services
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The Fire and Emergency services Department is located in the Public Safety Building S-237. The department has three divisions, Operations, training, and Fire Prevention.
The department provides fire, medical and Hazmat emergency response services, as well as providing initial and secondary unit deployment depending on the type of incident or emergency. The department also responds to aircraft incidents at nearby Millington Municipal Airport when summoned.
Since the alert for terrorism escalated, the department has taken proactive education role and developed new emergency response programs, or upgraded to implant procedures, concerning biological/chemical issues and weapons of mass destruction into regular training and disaster preparedness drills.
The Fire Prevention Division conducts inspection of all base facilities, holds fire drills, and conducts fire prevention training for designated fire wardens. Custom tailored training is also provided to command personnel, tenant commands, and local area schools upon request.
In 2002, Fire and Emergency Services completed the “Self Assessment Program” course, a first time event, conducted by the Commission of Fire Accreditation International.
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The Navy Lodge provides living accommodations for patrons with unlimited Exchange privileges. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) reservations will be accepted 90 days in advance.
Featured are one, two, and three bedroom units. Each fully air-conditioned unit has a separate living area, bath and fully equipped kitchenette including stove, microwave, refrigerator, and cooking and eating utensils.
The lodge consist of 49 rooms, free basic cable television, smoking and nonsmoking rooms. For recreational enjoyment tennis courts, golf course, and fishing lake nearby. There are two guest laundries, picnic facilities on site, and shopping facilities are close by.
Sorry no pets are allowed.
Reservations my be made by calling (901) 872-0121 or 1-800-NAVY-INN
Courtesy of Naval Support Activity Mid-South
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In the 1850’s, a store and blacksmith shop were built beside the Memphis-to-Kerville Road. These two businesses, with the homes of the owners, comprised the settlement in the present Millington area.
In the late 1870’s, George Millington induced the tiny, flood-plagued settlement of Glencoe-centered around the sawmill, cotton gin, and a general store-to move to higher ground and rename their community Millington. Some citizens remembered the wooden roads and horse and buggy trips to Memphis that took 2 days.
Today, Millington is a growing community with close ties to the Navy Mid-South complex, and has enjoyed years of prosperity as a naval town. The recent realignment of the base has brought new changes and the city is in a state of transition, bringing in industry to replace jobs and creating new opportunities.
As a result of this alignment, the airfield on board the base was turned over to the city of Millington, and is now rum by the Millington Municipal Airport Authority. The 8,000-foot runway is capable of accommodating anything from small business jets to 747s.
An additional, non-airfield, parcel of approximately 1,329 acres was also turned over to Millington. There are plans to use most of the space for a regional industrial/office center. This is a major factor in business and industry growth for the city.
Over the years, Millington and the Navy Mid-South complex have cooperated to their mutual advantage and have formed a community partnership that is unprecedented.
Even with the continuing changes, Millington has kept pace with the needs of its citizenry. The Baker Community Center, with a large clubroom, an auditorium, and large and small conference rooms, provides a meeting place and social outlet for adults, teenagers, and non-profit organizations. A new YMCA facility was recently opened adjacent to the Naval Mid-South Complex housing a fitness center, indoor pool, aerobic rooms, nursery and meeting rooms.
Nearly all major faiths are represented in Millington, with easy access to Jewish and other faiths in Memphis and suburban communities.
The city’s library is located on Navy Road next to City Hall for easy access by all persons. The spacious, air-conditioned library not only stocks thousands of books, but also stands out as one of the city’s finer pieces of architecture.
There are four parks in Millington, three with baseball or softball fields. All the parks contain picnic areas and playgrounds.
Located 7 miles west of Millington atop the Mississippi River bluffs is Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. As the most visited state park in Tennessee, it provides 14,000 acres in native woodlands, walking and riding trails, picnic areas, a boat ramp, rental cottages, and wildlife. It also has one of the area’s only Flying Disk Golf Course.
Just south of Millington is Memphis Motorsports Park which consist of a 1.7 mile road racing course, a 1/8-mile midget track, quarter mile drag strip, and a 7/16-mile high banked dirt oval. From March until some time in October, there will usually be some type of activity going on.
A mayor and a seven-member board of alderman govern Millington.
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The local Millington area is served by three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
On Wilkinsville Road, just two blocks north of Navy Road, lies the campus of Millington Central High School. MCHS is a comprehensive school if 1,500 students that employs over 80 teachers and is supported by a staff of some 30 auxiliary personnel. Eight buildings and football stadium occupy the 23-acre campus. MCHS includes grades 9-12.
Millington Middle School (grades 6-8) is located on Cuba-Millington Road just north of the high school. Millington East Elementary (K-grade 5) is located on Navy Road just east of the Navy Mid-South complex; Millington South Elementary (K-grade 5) on Bill Knight Road, just south of Navy Road in Millington; and E.A. Harrold Elementary (K- grade 6) just north of Millington on West Union Road.
The Shelby County School District administers the public schools in Shelby County, except for Memphis, including the towns of Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland, and Millington.
Shelby County schools have more than 45,000 students and a PTA organization that is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the country. Because of the growing population in the county, the system is renovating and expanding its schools as well as planning new ones.
The Shelby County School system is one of the largest school systems in Tennessee and is the largest accredited in its entirety by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
A community school concept is followed as closely as possible in the assignment of students and schools. Growth rates in Shelby County are currently the highest in the state creating an increase in student population averaging 1,500 students each year. Grade structure may vary due to growth in certain school areas and construction of new facilities; however, the primary design elementary, middle, and high school.
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Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee and the seat of Shelby County, situated high on Chickasaw Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. In the southwestern most part of the state, it lies where Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas meet. Because of its strategic location, Memphis is one of the largest wholesale and distribution centers in the southern United States.
Memphis is a city on the move; a changing city that is working to grow better along with bigger. Its metropolitan population will reach a million in the early 2000s.
Hernando Desoto discovered the Mississippi River in the vicinity in 1541. On the site of Memphis in 1682, La Salle built Fort Prudhomme, and in 1794 a trading post was established on the bluff by John Overton, an Indian affairs agent. The city was founded in 1819 by three businessmen: James Winchester, John Overton, and future-President Andrew Jackson. It was incorporated in 1826 and named Memphis (literally translated as “Place of Good Adobe”) by Jackson.
Four bridges span the Mississippi River at Memphis. They are the Frisco (1892), Harahan (1916), Memphis/Arkansas (1949), and Hernando Desoto (1973).
Memphis is easy accessible. Its mid-America location is a decided advantage to business and industry, tourists and residents. River, rail, motor, and air form the area’s highly developed transportation network. Because of this network, the city has become the nation’s distribution capital. It is also the largest spot cotton market in the world, the largest soybean processor in the country and the hardwood capital of the United States.
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Memphis rarely experiences long periods of extreme hot and cold. With an average temperature of 62 degrees, Memphis has year-round easy living. Monthly precipitation averages4-to-5 inches in winter and spring with 2-to-3 inches in summer and fall.
The Memphis climate has a distinct change of seasons, making the city a beautiful place to live. However, the temperatures are subject to a rapid change at any time. Summer highs are normally in the 90s especially in July and August. The temperature averages around 40 degrees in January.
Usually there isn’t a lot of snow in this area, only a little over 5 inches annually according to records.
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There are more than 230 parks in Memphis, covering over 13,291 acres of parkland, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, which skirts the Mississippi River, is a national wonderland featuring swimming, fishing, hiking, and one of the areas only Flying Disk Golf Courses. The developed sections of the park sit atop the Chickasaw Bluffs, which were formed from wind-blown silt and dust deposited in ancient times. The park is approximately 11 miles north of Memphis. Approximately 1,900 churches of some 82 different faiths offer places of worship for the varied population of this area.
Memphis enjoys an excellent library system, with 21 branches circulating more than 3 million books yearly.
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The Mid-South area offers more than 100 public recreation facilities operated by the state, county or Memphis. Available within minutes are boating, fishing, canoeing, golf, swimming, and hiking, just to mention a few.
The Memphis area is famous for its bird and duck hunting. Deer hunts are held in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Memphis is the home of Ducks Unlimited’s headquarters, a worldwide leader in conservation. This organization has more than 500,000 members.
Upland game hunting for squirrel, rabbit, quail, and dove is enjoyed throughout the Mid-South. There are more than 100,000 acres of state-managed wildlife management areas open for hunting in the Mid-South area. Within a short radius of Memphis, year-round fishermen catch bass, crappie, and pan fish.
Outstanding sports events include the Federal Express/St. Jude Classic Professional golf championship in summer and the Kroger/St. Jude Indoor Tennis Tournament in mid-winter. The Memphis Park Service sponsors a huge array of sports programs, including softball, soccer, baseball, and basketball.
One of the Memphis teams that attracts sports fans is the University of Memphis Tiger Basketball Team. The home games are played in the 20,142 seat Pyramid. The River Kings indoor hockey team now plays in the new arena in Desoto County, Mississippi. They belong to the Central Hockey League. The new AutoZone Park in downtown is the home of the Red Birds AAA baseball team.
Because of its location, Memphis is a popular spot and receives visits from numerous fans who support a number of area basketball and football teams, including Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tennessee State, and Vanderbilt.
The Liberty Bowl Football Classic, held each year in late December, offers excitement for Mid-South football fans. This is the last event of the football season and pits the champions of Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference against each other. The game draws thousands of fans yearly.
Racing fans can enjoy the AutoOpen Nationals (NHRA drag racing); NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker State 200 (NASCAR’s trucks); and the NASCAR Busch Series Sam’s Town 250 (NASCAR’s stock cars) races during the season at Memphis Motorsports Park, just north of town.
Golf courses and tennis courts are especially plentiful in Memphis. There are over 80 public tennis courts and many private club courts. There are 25 golf courses (ten public,15 private): 17 public swimming pools; 26 community centers; and 14 country clubs. There are five roller skating rinks and an ice skating rink.
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The Memphis area is blessed with a number of local galleries filled with traditional and contemporary art works. There are four major museums and a long list of galleries and alternative spaces offered by area businesses and organizations.
Memphis is home to numerous theaters offering professional and amateur productions. The city also offers opera, ballet, modern dance, and a range of other cultural offerings.
The Memphis Arts Council events ensure Memphis a fine cultural life. Following are events and participants with regular offerings and shows; Memphis Arts Festival; Memphis Brooks museum of Art; Center for Southern Folklore; Dixon gallery and gardens; Memphis College of Art; University of Memphis Art Museum; Memphis Symphony Orchestra; Memphis Concert Ballet; University of Memphis and Rhodes College Music Departments; Operas Memphis; Overton Park Shell; Crossroads Music Exposition; Blues City Cultural Center; Circuit Playhouse; Germantown Community Theater; The Orpheum Theater; Playhouse on the Square; and Theater Memphis. Each group offers a variety of programs.
Outlying cities also have their own facilities. Examples are the Bartlett Performing Arts Center, Collierville’s Harrell Performing Arts Theater; and the Germantown Performing Arts Center.
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The City of Memphis and Shelby County governments are not very different. They both have a mayor and a legislative body. Memphis has a mayor council form of government. An elected mayor and 13 elected city council members govern the city. The city mayor and council members are elected by voters living in Memphis.
The legislative branch of Shelby County is a 13-member Shelby County Commission, with an elected mayor. The county mayor and commissioners are elected by voters throughout the county, including persons living within the City of Memphis.
All the officials serve four-year terms. Memphis also has 17 representatives, and 6 senators in the State Senate.
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Memphis is the business center of the agricultural South. It is the largest spot cotton market in the world. Nearly one-half of the nation’s cotton crops is bought or sold each year by members of the Memphis Cotton Exchange. The largest city in the state, Memphis is a major river port, rail center, and also a major market for lumber and livestock.
The city is a major feed manufacturing center, the world’s largest hardwood market, and the hardwood flooring capital of the world. It is a trading center for farmers in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and parts of Alabama and Kentucky.
Transportation, low-cost utilities, abundant water, skilled labor, and cultural, educational, and recreational facilities attract business and industry to the city. Many companies, deciding to take advantage of the low cost of living, temperature climate, and premium work force, have made Memphis into a headquarters city. Textiles, pianos, heating, equipment, and motor vehicle parts are among its manufacturers.
The central location has made Memphis an important international transportation and trade center. One of the nation’s top inland ports, it is also a major Southern rail hub and trucking center.
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One major key to the growth and continuing strength of Memphis is the central location that makes it important international transportation and trade center.
Memphis International Airport occupies 3,500 acres and is less than 15 minutes from all major Memphis business centers. It offers direct service to most national business centers and is one of the most efficient airports in the world. Six major airlines and 7 commuter lines operate over 265 flights daily out of Memphis. It is the world’s number one cargo airport moving more airfreight than any other airport.
Fourteen cargo airlines, including Federal Express (Hub), Emery Worldwide, and United Parcel Service also operate out of Memphis International Airport.
Port of Memphis is the second largest port on the Mississippi river, handling 17.2 million tons of cargo annually. The extensive network of costumers, employers, suppliers, and employees stretches across the Mid-South region and forms an essential part of the economic fabric that unifies the region. With easy interstate access to the airport and its central location to inland waterways, the Port of Memphis is strategically positioned to provide a definite advantage in meeting the logistical challenges of domestic and international business.
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Health care is one of the most important business in Memphis. The city has 23 hospitals with 7,900 beds; 24 full-time clinics; 15 part-time clinics; 2,650 physicians; 730 dentists; and 38 long-term care facilities. Over 40,000 people are working in the health care industry.
The Regional Medical Center at Memphis is the South’s largest and one of the nation’s foremost centers for medical research. Known as “The Med,” the Regional Medical Center is an acute care “safety net” hospital. It provides care for high-risk births and level 1 trauma injuries. It houses the only full treatment burn center in the area.
Baptist Memorial Hospital is the world’s largest private, non-profit hospital. It has grown from a 150-bed hospital to become Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, a group of over 30 entities equipped to provide medical care to more than 45,000 patients a year across the Mid-South.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis is one of the nation’s top medical schools. The UT campus consists of six colleges, a School of Biomedical Engineering and the 106 bed Bowld Hospital. Over 900 paid and 1,500 volunteer faculty provide instruction to a student body of over 2,100.
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, is a center for clinical research and the care of children with catastrophic diseases. It is world famous for it’s cancer research and its success in treating childhood cancers. In addition, it is currently conducting major research on cancers, acquired and inherited immune-efficiencies and genetic disorders.
St. Francis Hospital is the third largest hospital in the Memphis area in number of beds, with 609. It is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, licensed by the State of Tennessee and approved for the acceptance of Tenncare and Medicare patients. The staff includes 900 affiliated staff physicians, 2,000 employees and 200 volunteers.
Methodist Healthcare is a health care delivery system that serves the communities of Eastern Arkansas, West Tennessee, and North Mississippi. Methodist Healthcare operates 13 hospitals, as well as rural health clinics and home health agencies, with 13,000 associates and 2,479 licensed beds.
Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, now part of the Methodist Healthcare family, serves a 95-county area in 6 states and has satellite facilities in East Memphis, Germantown, Cordova, and southeast Memphis. Le Bonheur is the Mid-South’s premier pediatric hospital and operates the region’s only pediatric emergency department and pediatric intensive care unit. A licensed, fully accredited 225 bed center, it is recognized as the region’s pediatric specialty referral center. Once combined, Methodist Healthcare and Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center became the largest healthcare provider in the Mid-South.
The VA Medical Center provides medical care for veterans living in the area. It serves the region as a referral center for spinal cord injuries and prosthetic treatment.
Memphis can also boast of first-rate medical clinics, including the Shea Clinic, with a worldwide reputation in otology, and Campbell Clinic for orthopedic surgery.
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The Memphis City Schools is the largest school system in the state of Tennessee and the 20th largest metropolitan school system in the nation. The City of Memphis has approximately 30 high schools, 22 middle and junior high schools, 104 elementary schools, seven vocational/technical centers and two special education centers, with a total enrollment of over 118,000 students. A nine-member elected school board sets policy for Memphis schools and a superintendent manages day-to-day operations.
Memphis City schools also operates 12 alternative/specialty schools.
All city schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Memphis City School system has more than 14,000 full-time and part-time employees. The school system is the second largest single employer in Memphis.
Additionally, there are over 70 private schools focusing on specific educational needs.
Additionally there are numerous vocational-technical schools in the Memphis area, as well as Private Industry Council/Job Training Partnership service.
Courtesy of NSA Mid-South Directory and Guide
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