Background
Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, located in east-central Mississippi, provides flight and academic training for intermediate and advanced naval aviators and technical training for naval administrative and support personnel. NAS Meridian has been operational since 1961 as a Naval Auxiliary Air Station. In 1968, the base was designated as an NAS, and in 1982 was upgraded to its present status as a major shore command. The major unit at the facility is Commander, Training Wing One, which provides flight and academic training at intermediate and advanced levels to naval aviators. In 1974, a second command, the Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC), was commissioned at NAS Meridian. NTTC’s mission is to train personnel in the technical phases of naval administration, supply, and related subjects.
Most of NAS Meridian is within Lauderdale County, which is bordered on the north by Kemper County, on the west by Newton County, on the south by Clarke County, and on the east by Choctaw and Sumter Counties, Alabama. The facility encompasses 8,060 acres, of which 6,312 acres is actively managed forest.