Welcome to Tinker AFB! Tinker is such a great base to be at because of the location and all of the activities to do. Oklahoma City is just a short drive away and gives you that ‘big city feel’. Midwest City, which is where Tinker is located, is booming and growing rapidly over the past years and has so much to offer. If you are someone who enjoys city life, then you will fit right in. But don’t worry, if you are someone who enjoys country life, you will also fit right in.
Things to know about Tinker Air Force Base
There’s a lot of similarities when I moved to Oklahoma that made me feel like I wasn’t far from home. But oh boy, there’s some things I never thought I would say or do when I moved here. I hate to admit it…but I have definitely started saying “y’all”. It’s so catchy and everyone says it, so don’t be surprised if you start adding it more regularly to your vocabulary!
Tornado season is definitely a serious time in Oklahoma but don’t let it scare you. I thought tornadoes would happen all the time…they don’t! Tornado sirens go off every Saturday at noon so don’t be alarmed, they’re just a test! When family or friends come to visit, they’ll be concerned and you’ll realize you’ve normalized Saturday tornado sirens!
Overall, I hope that you’ll adopt the southern hospitality because Okies are some of the nicest people and we have loved all of the great things Oklahoma and Tinker have to offer!
Sasha
I originally grew up in Kansas, so Oklahoma was basically like moving back home! But, as a Kansan, the one place we never want to live is Oklahoma, ha! Tinker can bring a busy lifestyle for the service member, depending on their job, so this duty station taught me how to go with the flow and accept the things I cannot change with military life. (Possible deployment coming when we have a 2 week old baby? Went with the flow anyway!) While Oklahoma City didn’t seem like the most “fun” duty station we could have gotten, especially when we have friends in Japan, Italy, and Germany, we realized the place is as great as you make it out to be. We found so many activities, weekend trips, restaurants, and more during our four years here! I learned that you can make the best out of any duty station, but sometimes it’s up to you to do the work to find it! I Even though we’ve moved on from OKC, I still call it “home.” Once you make Tinker feel like your home, you may never want to leave! Embrace the city and explore all that Oklahoma City has to offer you!
Kristina
Looking for more specific recommendations from the WAF community on topics like best neighborhoods, favorite restaurants, or doctor recommendations – join the conversation in our private Facebook group of incredible WAFs!
In an effort to better serve every WAF across all branches, and with the help of some amazing other WAFs, we’ve curated branch specific Facebook groups. You can find your branch’s group by joining the general WAF Facebook page and then clicking “visit group”.
