Pre-Arrival Orientation

RAP Welcome Letter (PDF)

Please watch the welcome videos below:

View the Military & Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) brochure.  M&FRC Brochure (click here)

Spouse Employment

Please watch the Spouse Employment Specialist welcome video below: 

Visit the Columbus AFB Living Employment page.  CAFB Living Employment (click here)

Key Spouse Program

Please watch the Key Spouse welcome video below:

Visit the Columbus AFB Living Key Spouse page

Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC)

View the MFLC welcome video below.

View the MFLC brochure.  MFLC Brochure (click here)

Visit the Columbus AFB Living MFLC page.  CAFB Living MFLC (click here)

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

View the EFMP welcome video below.

View the EFMP brochure.  EFMP Brochure (click here)

Visit the Columbus AFB Living EFMP page.  CAFB Living EFMP (click here)

School Liaison Office

View the SLO welcome video below.

View the SLO brochure.  SLO Brochure (click here)

Visit the Columbus AFB Living SLO page.  CAFB Living SLO (click here)

Housing

View the Housing welcome video below.

Visit the Columbus Housing website here.  Columbus Housing (click here)

Child Development Center (CDC)

View the CDC welcome video below.

Visit the Columbus AFB Living CDC page.  CAFB Living CDC (click here)

Youth Center

View the Youth Center welcome video below.

Visit the Columbus AFB Living Youth Programs page.  CAFB Living Youth Programs (click here)

Traffic Management Office (TMO)

View the TMO welcome video below.

Columbus, MS and Surrounding Area Utility Companies

4 County Electric Power / Columbus & surrounding area (800) 431-1544

• $50 - $300 electric deposit based on credit (refunded upon last bill)
• $25 membership fee (non-refundable)
• $25 connection fee (non-refundable)

Atmos Energy (Natural Gas) / Columbus & surrounding area (800) 457-5351

• $90 deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $30 initiation fee if gas is currently on in residence (non-refundable)
• $65 initiation fee if gas is currently off in residence / currently cost is being waved in MS
  (non-refundable)

Golden Triangle Solid Waste / Columbus, Caledonia, New Hope, Starkville (662) 327-6660

• No deposit fee

Sparklight (cable & internet) / Columbus & surrounding area (662) 328-1781

• $0-$25 modem deposit fee based on soft credit check should you use Sparklight modem
  (refunded after 6 months of good payment history)
• $9.95 - $30 activation fee

Columbus Public Utilities / Columbus (662) 328-7192

• $300 renter electric, water, sewer, waste management deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $200 owner electric, water, sewer, waste management deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $25 connection fee

East Lowndes Water Association, Inc / Columbus, New Hope (662) 327-1651

• $75 water deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $25 connection fee (non-refundable)

Prairie Land Water Association / Columbus (662) 245-1150

• $50 water and sewer deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $25 membership fee (non-refundable)

Monroe County Electric Power / Caledonia, Columbus, Steens, Hamilton (662) 356-4100

• $100-$300 electric deposit based on credit (refunded upon last bill)
• $50 membership fee (non-refundable)
• $20 connection fee (non-refundable)

Caledonia Water & Sewer / Caledonia (662) 356-6993

• $100 renter water and sewer deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $40 owner water and sewer deposit (refunded upon last bill)

Caledonia Natural Gas / Caledonia (662) 356-5250

• $150 renter natural gas deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $50 owner natural gas deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $35 connection fee (non-refundable)

Starkville Utilities / Starkville (662) 323-3133

• $150 electric deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $35 water/sewer deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $25 connection fee (non-refundable)

Clayton Village Water Association, Inc / Starkville (662) 324-8260

• $100 water deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $10 membership fee (non-refundable)
• $40 connection fee (non-refundable)

West Point Utilities / West Point (662) 494-1432

• $202, $242 or $302 (past usage of residence) electric, water and sewage deposit
  (refunded upon last bill)
• $162 electric only deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $40 water and sewage only deposit (refunded upon last bill)

County Solid Waste Billing / Hamilton, Aberdeen (800) 253-0831

• No deposit fee

Hamilton Water District, Inc / Hamilton (662) 343-8387

• $150 renter water deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $100 owner water deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $50 water connection fee (non-refundable)

Aberdeen Public Utilities / Aberdeen (662) 369-4724

• $250 electric deposit (refunded upon last bill)
• $50 water deposit (refunded upon last bill)

Aberdeen City Sanitation / Aberdeen (662) 436-9119

• No deposit fee

Cost of Living for Columbus, MS and Surround Area

The cost of living index for Lowndes County, MS is 79.4 (source: BestPlaces.net Sep 2022).

Average rent/month (source: BestPlaces.net Sep 2022).

• Lowndes County... studio ($593); 1 bedroom home/apartment ($597); 2 bedroom home/apartment ($746); 3 bedroom home/apartment ($1,008); 4 bedroom home/apartment ($1,277)
• Oktibbeha County... studio ($692); 1 bedroom home/apartment ($722); 2 bedroom home/apartment ($823); 3 bedroom home/apartment ($1,017); 4 bedroom home/apartment ($1,409)
• Clay County... studio ($536); 1 bedroom home/apartment ($539); 2 bedroom home/apartment ($705); 3 bedroom home/apartment ($1,001); 4 bedroom home/apartment ($1,164)

Link to the Columbus Air Force Base New Student Welcome Page and Vital In-processing Information

Follow this Military Installations link to explore lots of information about your upcoming assignment. Just start typing in the name of the base and select it.

Use this Plan My Move link to create a customized checklist for your move.