Fairchild Air Force Base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Fairchild AFB is Spokane County’s largest employer. Located adjacent to the City of Airway Heights to the east and City of Medical Lake to the South, Fairchild shares a long and rich history with the West Plains.

Fairchild is home to a wide variety of units and missions. Most prominent is its air refueling mission, with two wings, the 92^nd Air Refueling Wing, and 141^st Air Refueling Wing of the Washington Air National Guard both flying the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Fairchild is also the home of the 336^th Training Group Survival School.

Fairchild AFB is named in honor of General Muir Stephen Fairchild (1894–1950). General Fairchild received his wings and commission in 1918, and served as a pilot during World War I. He held various air staff positions during World War II. General Fairchild received his fourth star in 1948, and died on March 17, 1950 while serving as Vice Chief of Staff, USAF.