Military

Though the closing of the Charleston Naval Base and Shipyard has been completed, the military continues to remain the largest single employer in the Charleston region. An estimated 12,543 Navy personnel remain in the region at installations such as the Charleston Naval Weapons Station, Naval Command, Control and Ocean Survelliance Center, In Service Engineering, East Coast Division (or NISE East) and SPAWAR.

But the Charleston area does not limit itself to Naval operations alone. The Charleston Air Force Base employs over 5,400 personnel as the home for the U.S. Air Force's 437th Airlift Wing. The 437th Airlift Wing, together with our Reserve associate, the 315th Airlift Wing, provide a large part of Air Mobility Command's global reach airlift capability. Their mission is to fly C-17s and provide airlift of troops and passengers, military equipment, cargo and aeromedical equipment and supplies.  The Base is home to 57 aircraft, including the C-17 Globemaster III.  A public airshow is performed annually in North Charleston to showcase the area's impressive pilots, planes and maneuvers.

In addition, a number of other Department of Defense activities such as the US Coast Guard Group are moving to the area, resulting in additional jobs for the region. Since the 1993 BRAC decision to close Charleston Naval Base and Shipyard, nine federal facilities will eventually employ over 5,600 active duty and civilian personnel in the region.