Formerly operated as a naval air station, the base contains the Los Alamitos Army Airfield and is sometimes called by that name.

[6] In 1942, the current JFTB was established as Naval Air Reserve Base Los Alamitos, providing advanced training for U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot in addition to hosting units from nearby Naval Air Station Terminal Island/Reeves Field in San Pedro.

From the end of World War II until 1956, aircraft assigned to NARTU Los Alamitos carried to the tail code "L" on their vertical stabilizer or empennage.

[8] The senior command on post is the 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), headquartered in the large, prominent building facing the flagpole and main entrance artery.

The base served as the starting line for the 14th season of the hit CBS reality TV show The Amazing Race.

[10] The base's status as an alternative landing area for Air Force One was mentioned in an episode of The West Wing.

In 2014, President Barack Obama landed at Los Alamitos Army Airfield in Air Force One in order to give the commencement speech at UC Irvine.

[8] In April 2015, Brig Gen Nathaniel S. Reddicks became the first installation commander from the California Air National Guard.