CHABELLEY AIRFIELD, Djibouti -- U.S. Congress and U.S. Africa Command designated Chabelley Airfield as a fully operational capability in 2024, marking its transition from an expeditionary base to an enduring forward operating location.
The opening of a new Joint Medical Aid Station reinforces that milestone, expanding medical capacity and signaling a long-term commitment to the region.
Originally built by the French in 1985 and transferred to U.S. Air Force operation in 2013, Chabelley has evolved from a small commuter outpost into a self-sustained installation supporting nearly 1,000 personnel. As operations expand and regional threats increase, the need for on-site medical readiness has become critical.
“This facility represents a major step forward in sustaining operations at Chabelley Airfield,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Lawrence Melnicoff, 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron commander. “Our Airmen operate in a remote and demanding environment. Having a fully equipped medical clinic ensures we can maintain the health and readiness of every member supporting the mission.”
Construction in such an austere location posed significant challenges. The airfield relies exclusively on local contract support, with materials often sourced internationally.
There is no lumber produced locally, and wood that meets Unified Construction Code standards can come from as far as Canada,” Melnicoff said. “Vertical construction like this can take four times longer here than in the United States.”
Despite those obstacles, the result is a facility that greatly expands medical capability. The new Joint Medical Aid Station doubles trauma treatment capacity, adds dedicated mental-health treatment rooms, and co-locates all medical functions previously split between separate structures, improving both speed and safety of care.
“Our expanded facility makes it easier to treat more patients while also providing a higher level of care,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alexander Julin, 776th EABS medical technician. “We’ve increased overall clinic capacity by 50% and can now manage twice as many trauma patients at once.”
For Julin, helping establish the clinic was a defining deployment experience.
“Being a first-time deployer, we got to experience something most people never do,” Julin said. “Organizing a new building, building a legacy for others and collaborating across shops to get the clinic stood up was incredibly rewarding.”
Looking ahead, the team plans to explore growth from its current Role 1 medical capability to a Role 2 facility, expanding support not only for Chabelley’s Airmen but also for the nearly 25,000 Americans and 110,000 allies who deploy to the region each year.
“This isn’t just about a new building,” Melnicoff said. “It shows our nation’s commitment to ensuring that, no matter how remote the location, service members receive the same level of care, or better, than they can expect at home station.”