MacDill Air Force Base sits on a peninsula reaching into Tampa Bay and stands as one of the most important military installations in the United States.
MacDill was established in 1939, first as Southeast Air Base and then as MacDill Field, named in honor of Colonel Leslie MacDill, an early Air Corps officer who died in a plane crash. The base officially opened on April 16, 1941, just before the United States entered World War II.
During the war, MacDill became a key training center for the crews of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-26 Marauder bombers. When the U.S. Air Force became an independent service in 1947, MacDill Field became MacDill Air Force Base.
MacDill is home to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, whose aircraft carry fuel to other planes in flight, extending the reach of American air power around the world. The base is a working military installation and community, not an incorporated town, and it falls within the city of Tampa in Hillsborough County.
MacDill also serves as the headquarters for two of the nation's unified combatant commands: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations across the Middle East and Central Asia, and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which leads America's special operations forces.
Beyond its strategic mission, MacDill is home to thousands of active-duty service members, their families, veterans, and civilian employees who live and work in the Tampa Bay area. The base shapes daily life for many local families and connects the region to a global military effort.
For the men and women stationed here, MacDill is more than a workplace. It is a community built on service, sacrifice, and a shared commitment to protecting the country.
MacDill and the surrounding region are closely woven together. The base is one of the area's largest employers, and its presence supports countless local businesses, schools, and neighborhoods that welcome military families as their own.
Each year the base has traditionally opened its gates for events such as air shows that let the public thank those who serve. That connection between the installation and the wider community reflects Tampa Bay's deep and lasting respect for its service members and their families.
MacDill AFB is part of the Responders First service area. If you serve — or have served — as a police officer, deputy, firefighter, paramedic, EMT, corrections officer, or in the military, and you live or work in or around MacDill AFB, you and your immediate family are eligible for our free five-day wellness program and year-round counseling. Our core therapy, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), can bring measurable results in as few as 1–5 sessions. No diagnosis, department referral, or paperwork is required, and your participation is never shared with your employer or agency.
Yes. Every service — the free five-day wellness program, year-round one-on-one counseling, and the Saturday peer-to-peer group — is 100% free and confidential for first responders, veterans, active-duty military, and their families in MacDill AFB and the surrounding area. You are never billed or asked for insurance.
No. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral, or any paperwork from your department to take part. If you serve or have served — or you love someone who does — you are eligible.
No. Responders First operates independently of any department, agency, or branch. Your participation — and anything discussed during the program — is never shared with your employer, chain of command, or insurer.
Every service is free and strictly confidential. No diagnosis, referral, or paperwork required — a brief phone call is all it takes to start.