White Sands Missile Range

Moving to White Sands Missile Range

White Sands Missile Range is a huge test range of about 3,200 square miles in New Mexico's Tularosa Basin, used for testing missiles and other weapons systems for the Army and other customers. The small on-post community has family housing and a few services, while most families shop, dine and see doctors in Las Cruces or El Paso. Expect a quiet desert lifestyle with a lot of space and a lot of driving.

Official installation website

Where families live

Schools

The garrison reports about 300 elementary and middle school students living on post. Families living in Las Cruces generally attend Las Cruces Public Schools. There are no DoDEA schools. Check the garrison Newcomers page and ask the School Liaison Office for current school assignments.

• Las Cruces Public Schools — Main public district for families living in Las Cruces.

Garrison School Liaison Office via the Military and Family Support Center

Things to do near White Sands Missile Range

• White Sands Missile Range Museummuseum
  On-post museum covering the range's rocket and missile testing history.
• White Sands National Parkoutdoors
  Giant gypsum dunes near Alamogordo, great for sledding and sunset walks.
• Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monumentoutdoors
  Hiking and scenic drives right outside Las Cruces.
• Mesilla Plazafood
  A historic plaza near Las Cruces with restaurants and shops.
• New Mexico Museum of Space Historymuseum
  Space and rocketry exhibits in Alamogordo.
• Frontier Club and Caravan Parkfamily
  On-post dining and an RV park, both listed on the garrison website.

Realtors & local services

Movers, storage, pets & more

• Balfour Beatty Communities (White Sands Homes)property management
  White Sands Missile Range

Listings come from public sources and are not endorsed or vetted. Own a business that serves families at White Sands Missile Range? Claim or add a listing.

Local programs & support

• Garrison Housing Office referral service
  The housing office can connect you with realtors in El Paso and Las Cruces and review a lease before you sign.
• Newcomers page and relocation assistance
  The garrison runs a Newcomers page and relocation services for arriving families.

PCS tips for White Sands Missile Range

• Apply for on-post housing early; remote bases can have limited inventory, and the housing office phone is 575-678-6133.
• Temporary lodging is available on post at the Organ Mountains Inn Historia, so you can arrive before your house is ready.
• Plan for long drives to Las Cruces and El Paso for groceries, specialty medical care and flights.
• Check road and range closure notices before commuting; the range is large and portions close during testing.
• Confirm which housing phone number applies to your situation; the garrison and the housing partner use different lines.

Benefits to use on this move

• Dislocation Allowance (DLA)
  Service members relocating a household on PCS orders
• Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE)
  Families who need a hotel or short-term rental while moving within the U.S.
• Personally Procured Move (PPM / DITY)
  Families who want to move some or all of their own goods
• VA Home Loan Guaranty
  Service members, veterans and some surviving spouses buying a home
• Pet Transportation Reimbursement
  Families moving a cat or dog on PCS orders
• Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
  School-age children of active duty families changing schools
• School Liaison Program
  Parents choosing schools and transferring records

See every program and benefit

Other installations in the Desert Southwest

• Fort BlissEl Paso, TX
• Fort HuachucaSierra Vista, AZ
• Yuma Proving GroundYuma, AZ
• Kirtland Air Force BaseAlbuquerque, NM
• Holloman Air Force BaseAlamogordo, NM
• Cannon Air Force BaseClovis, NM