Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Rhineland-Palatinate, southwestern Germany. It serves as the headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command. The base plays a key role in supporting forward military operations, particularly those deploying to Eastern Europe and Africa. Constructed between 1949 and 1952 by the French Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ramstein Air Base is part of the larger Kaiserslautern Military Community, which houses around 54,000 American service members and over 5,400 U.S. civilian employees.