Please note: Due to limited personnel availability, base tour request approvals are infrequent. You are welcome to submit a tour request form. But please understand submission does not guarantee approval. We will do our best to accommodate on a case-by-case basis.
Tour Information: Base tours are offered to local civic organizations, schools and youth groups middle-school age and older to educate people about the South Carolina Air National Guard and McEntire’s missions. Tours are free of charge and can be subject to last-minute cancellations due to mission requirements and resource availability. We do not accommodate tour requests to combine different groups. Tours are given twice a month on Thursdays not preceding a drill weekend and are scheduled on a first-requested, first-served basis. Public tours of McEntire Joint National Guard Base may be available to groups of 10 to 40 people. Tours for children under the age of 10 may be considered and must be requested by a SCANG sponsor who will be able to accompany the group. No tours will be given on drill weekends or federal holidays. Tour requests must be submitted no later than 60 days prior to the date of the tour and requested through the 169th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office. Approved tours will be coordinated one month in advance. Groups requesting a tour must complete the Tour Request Form and e-mail it back to 169th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
Tour Itinerary: Tours start at 9 a.m. and are scheduled for a maximum of 4 hours. These guided tours end no later than 2 p.m. and are subject to limited availability. Tours of McEntire may include various organizations on base to include a static display and Army National Guard Aviation, however, no particular activities can be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to honor your request, but ultimately, we work around our daily operations schedule and mission requirements. In these cases, a tour may be cancelled at any time, without notice. There will be no substitutions during these cases.
Transportation: Groups are responsible for providing their own transportation. All buses/vans must arrive at the Main Gate for security processing. Groups will be met at the Main Gate by the tour host who will escort the group and remain with them for the duration of the tour. If a group is more than 10 minutes late, tour itinerary is subject to change.
Cameras: Cameras are allowed on the tour; however, there are some restrictions. Your tour guide will inform you of these restrictions.
Required Attire: Closed-toe shoes are required on all tours. Additionally, tour guests cannot wear tank tops, cut off t-shirts or attire that contains offensive material.
Lunch: Prepared food is not available on this installation, however seating is available. Guests who wish to have 30 minutes built into their itinerary for lunch must plan to bring their own food and drink.
Directions to McEntire JNGB Main Gate:
From I-26 E: Merge onto I-77 N via Exit 116 toward Charlotte- 6.1 miles Merge onto Shop Rd. Exit 6A- 1.8 miles Turn left onto Pineview Rd SC-768- 1.9 miles Turn right onto Garners Ferry Rd/US-76E/US-378E- 7.7 miles Turn right into the Main Gate entrance From Sumter: Follow US-76W/ US-378W- 21.4 miles Turn left into the Main Gate entrance From Charlotte: Merge onto I-77S toward Columbia (crossing into South Carolina)- 83.8 miles Take the SC-262/Leesburg Rd Exit 9B toward US-76/US-378/ Garners Ferry West- 0.4 miles Turn right onto Leesburg Rd- 0.8 miles Turn left onto US-76 Garners Ferry Rd- 10.1 miles Turn right into the Main Gate entrance
The Visitor Control Center is to the right.
Additional Information: Public Affairs will not sponsor overnight visits. For Boy Scout camping opportunities troops must have a sponsor that is a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard. The sponsor must obtain approval from the 169th Fighter Wing for the event. The sponsor must also be on-site with the troop for the duration of the camping or tour event.
For additional information, e-mail 169th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.