Location
NWS Seal Beach is located in the City of Seal Beach, in northwestern Orange County, approximately 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles and 90 miles northwest of downtown San Diego. The base Main Gate is located at 800 Seal Beach Boulevard, and is normally open 24 hours a day. Although the base property consists of over 5,000 acres, the active duty military population is fairly small at less than 250 personnel. This somewhat limits the services available onboard.
History
NWS Seal Beach was commissioned in 1944, at the height of World War Two, as a Naval Ammunition and Net Depot. The base at that time had two primary missions: Storage and loading of ammunition onto Pacific Fleet ships bound for the war, and servicing the anti-submarine nets used to protect fleet bases and anchorages around the world. The depot was built next to the seaside community of Seal Beach, located on the northwest corner of Orange County, California. Seal Beach was considered an ideal site due to both a large amount of available open space for weapons storage, and the area’s proximity to the Navy fleet concentrations in Long Beach and San Diego.
Since World War Two the base has evolved into the Navy’s primary West Coast ordnance storage, loading and maintenance installation. Under the station’s primary tenant, the Navy Munitions Command, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and medium-sized amphibious assault ships are loaded with missiles, torpedoes, countermeasures devices and conventional ammunition at the facility’s 850 foot-long wharf (for more information on these vessels and weapons, check out the Navy Fact File). In addition, larger ships can be accommodated at a protected explosives anchorage located in nearby Long Beach Harbor. Personnel also perform maintenance on some weapons systems. An average of 40 vessels are loaded or unloaded each year. The weapons station services a majority of the U. S. Pacific Fleet.
The station has an active environmental cleanup program. One-fifth of the facility’s land area has been designated as a National Wildlife Refuge (the only such refuge within a five-county area), and is home to many endangered and threatened species. The station is also home to the nation’s West Coast WWII Submarine Memorial.
Mission
NWS Seal Beach and its detachments provide shore-based infrastructure support to the Navy’s ordnance mission and other fleet and fleet support activities.
Vision
NWS Seal Beach and its detachments will be the CNIC model for shore-based infrastructure support, seamlessly enabling tenant commands to excel in serving the Fleet while embracing a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and execution.
Unaccompanied Housing
The base Unaccompanied Housing (formerly known as the Bachelor’s Quarters or BQ) complex contains 36 units, 26 single occupancy and ten dual occupancy with a shared bath. All have been recently renovated. For more information go to the UH web page.
Family Housing
The base Family Housing program is run by Lincoln Military Housing, and contains a total of 186 units divided into eight officer units, 158 2-bedroom enlisted, and 20 four-bedroom enlisted units. Availabilities are limited. See the Family Housing web page for more information.
Information about Family or UH housing, or local apartment rentals, can also be found at the base Housing Welcome Center, phone (562) 626-7575 or email: sealbeachhousing@navy.mil
Temporary Lodging
There are no temporary lodging facilities located on the base, and the housing office no longer issues Certificates of Non-Availability. For local area hotel accommodations please contact DoD Lodging or Navy Gateway Inns & Suites at 1-877-NAVY BED (628-9233).
Recreation Services
The base has a Fitness Center and Gym, which includes a cardiovascular room, weight room, racquetball courts, sauna and locker rooms with showers. There is also a Community Recreation Division with equipment checkout and ticket sales. Other base facilities include a recreation center, tennis courts, softball fields, a picnic and BBQ area, a harbor beach with an outdoor pavilion known as “Barney’s Beach House,” and a running course. A Navy Golf Course is located five miles to the north, in the City of Cypress.
Other Services
Other services include a Transportation Management Office (TMO, or household goods shipment office), a NEX mini-mart with a barber shop, and both RV park and RV storage areas. The base also hosts a Sea Air Federal Credit Union. See the Base Directory for the telephone numbers to these and other base services.
The nearest military medical facility and commissary are both located 25 miles to the northeast at Los Angeles Air Force Base.
There are no onboard Fleet and Family Support Centers or child care facilities. Some services may be provided with coordination through the San Diego Fleet and Family Support Center.
Religious Programs
Due to the command’s small active duty military population, there are no chaplains or other religious support services located at NWS Seal Beach or detachments. Religious support is provided by the Navy Region Southwest Office of Religious Services at (619) 556-3570.
Legal Services
NWS Seal Beach and detachments do not have a Legal Service Office on site. The nearest Department of Defense Legal Service Offices are located below, or visit the Navy Legal Service Office Southwest website.
Navy Legal Service Office SW
Naval Base San Diego
Building 56
3395 Sturtevant Street, Suite 2
San Diego, CA 92136-5072
Phone: (619) 556-2211
Legal Assistance Office
Los Angeles Air Force Base
Bldg. 271
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 653-3084
Joint Legal Assistance Office
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Building 22161
Box 555023
Camp Pendleton, California 92055-5023
Phone: (760) 725-6172, Fax (760) 725-5038
Phone Directory
Seal Beach (DSN 873)
Bachelor Quarters (562) 626-7575
Beach Patio Rental (562) 626-7106, -6006
Branch Health Clinic (562) 626-7064
Coastal Riverine Squadron 11 (CRS 11) (562) 626-6295
Command Career Counselor (562) 626-7714
Environmental (562) 626-7291
Exchange Mini Mart (562) 431-8983*
Federal Credit Union (562) 626-7335
Fleet Logistics Center (NAVSUP) (562) 626-7202
Golf Course (714) 889-1576*
Gym (562) 626-7026
Household Goods Shipping (562) 626-6159
Housing (562) 626-7575
Military Personnel (562) 626-7692
National Wildlife Refuge (562) 598-1024*
Naval Facilities Engineering Command (562) 626-7291
Naval Reserve Coordinator (562) 626-7047
Naval Reserve Recruiting (562) 626-7935
Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division (562) 626-7400
Pass & ID Office (562) 626-7230
Personal Property Shipping (PPSO) (562) 626-6159
Public Affairs Office (562) 626-7215
Public Works Help Desk (562) 626-7255
Recreational Vehicle (RV) Park (562) 626-7504
Recreational Vehicle (RV) Storage (562) 626-7892
Retired Activities Office (562) 626-7152
Security Dispatch (562) 626-7229
Ticket Office (MWR) (562) 626-7106, -6006
5th Battalion, 14th Marines (562) 626-6191