Possible military move - what to put on the dream list?

[TXMomof4]

Dh is putting together his packet to go active-duty with the army. He gets to put 3 locations where he'd like to be posted. We're having a terrible time deciding!

 

Right now our list includes Ft. Hood. Staying in TX would be an easier transition for everyone. But at the same time - I'd love to go and see things I've never seen. But there's hsing laws to consider also. TX is super easy to school in.

 

Other than that, I have no idea. Are some locations better than other? I've always heard that Ft. Polk is the armpit of the universe. DH has been to Ft. Gordon in Augusta and it was beautiful, but HOT. Ft. Drum (NY) is supposed to be unbelievably cold. I have never been to most of these places and would love any input!

[TammyinTN]

Dh is putting together his packet to go active-duty with the army. He gets to put 3 locations where he'd like to be posted. We're having a terrible time deciding!

 

Right now our list includes Ft. Hood. Staying in TX would be an easier transition for everyone. But at the same time - I'd love to go and see things I've never seen. But there's hsing laws to consider also. TX is super easy to school in.

 

Other than that, I have no idea. Are some locations better than other? I've always heard that Ft. Polk is the armpit of the universe. DH has been to Ft. Gordon in Augusta and it was beautiful, but HOT. Ft. Drum (NY) is supposed to be unbelievably cold. I have never been to most of these places and would love any input!

 

I'll tell ya where we've been and really liked.

Fort Bragg, NC...close to home --we liked it for the "Grandparents" reason

Seoul, South Korea--loved living abroad and learning new things

Fort Irwin, CA--lived in Barstow-disliked greatly that part, but living at Fort Irwin was wonderful and we went to San Diego, Las Vegas bunches

Fort Meade, MD--if your homeschooling it's awesome. You have tons of stuff in DC to do which is just an hour away.

Fort Bliss, TX--would go back in a heart beat. Loved it there.

Wurzburg, Germany--closed now..but loved every minute there.

Heidelberg, Germany---it's ok...but were forced to live on post here because the rate was horrible when we moved and they had housing available. But seeing Europe and traveling has made it very doable.

 

We have our dream sheet ready after this deployment:

Fort Sam Houston, TX

Fort Wainwright, Alaska

For Bliss, TX--love that dry heat

 

Don't know if this helps but I can tell you lots about these places if you have specific questions.

Good luck on your decision!

:grouphug:

[HollyDay]

For state laws, you might consider checking HSLDAs website.

 

VA is gorgeous with decent homeschool laws and lots of military options.

[TXMomof4]

Ft. Bliss? Really? I don't know anything about the base, but El Paso just seems like an awful place. We'll be out there this fall when DH comes home so maybe I'll be wonderfully suprised.

[Angela in GA]

Hmmm....dream sheet? What's that. :p Here's our list:

Ft. Carson, CO....loved it. Tons to do.

Ft. Wainwright, AK...LOVED even more than CO. Super easy to homeschool. We'll more than likely retire in AK. We're hoping to go back when dh gets off the trail.

Ft. Benning, GA...not a fan of the humidity or the heat. Easy to homeschool, great homeschooling group...that's about it.

Ft. Knox, KY...our current duty station. I don't mind it here. It's in a small town, housing is great, easy to homeschool, close to Louisville, that's about it!

Our list for 2011 will be Ft. Wainwright, Ft. Carson....hopefully we won't need a 3rd, because there really isn't any other place I would like to go. Ft. Hood is scary to me...there are something like 50,000 soldiers plus family members there. Yee-gads. lol Ft. Campbell is supposed to be nice, I suppose I would go there. Actually, I'll go anywhere the Army sends us, I just wouldn't actually choose most of those places. HA!

[Aggie]

One thing to consider is what are the chances dh will deploy at his next duty station? Do you have a good support system here? Parents or siblings? If my dh was going to be deployed often from the next duty station, I would want to stay close to home for several reasons.

 

It's my understanding that as long as your dh keeps his residency in Texas, you hs with Texas laws. But there's a chance I hsed illegally. :)

 

VA is a great place to be stationed. So is Mass, but I don't know if there's an army base there. There's not a lot to do around Ft Drum, but upstate NY is gorgeous. Cold, but gorgeous. There used to be a *small* army post on guam, but I would never rec that place to anyone.

 

I'm not much help with the other bases.

[KidsHappen]

We always put in for overseas assignments because when else in your life are you going to get the oppotunity to live overseas and travel epsecially on the kind of money that your dh will be making. I only wish that I had had more time overseas and got to live at a few more locations. I didn't get a chance to see nearly as much as I wanted to. The places that I loved in America were:

 

Boston and Virginia because of the history and activities and then maybe someplace out west like CO, UT or WA for the sheer natural beauty. Whatever you do don't stay where you are living the same life you are already living. Take advantage of the opportunity to do something new and different.

Edited April 11, 2009 by KidsHappen

[Mrs.MacGyver]

Sadly, we are TX residents and have always had to follow local rules. I wish it were the case that you could follow your home state :).

We are currently at Fort Drum. We do not live on post, but I do know that they are building new housing that looks nice (but its privatized :confused: so I am not sure how that is going). We really love it here. There are so many outdoor activities to do. The summers are fabulous! The Adirondacks, St. Lawrence Seaway, Niagra Falls, Lake Placid, Erie Canal, and Canada are all relatively close by. The YMCA has a few homeschooling programs and is very active here (swimming, hockey, lacrosse, and soccer, etc.) And, if you live on post, the base has great school-age programs and sports.

Homeschooling laws are more strict than TX, but not terrible (quarterly reports, and a year-end review as well as state testing every other year starting in 4th grade - in a nutshell).

 

Good luck!

 

Like I said, we really love it here, but if you decide to live off base be prepared. The winters are pretty harsh (cold and lots of snow). And unfortunately, 10th Mountain is the most deployed unit in the Army.

[wulfbourne]

I'll tell ya where we've been and really liked.

Fort Bragg, NC...close to home --we liked it for the "Grandparents" reason

Seoul, South Korea--loved living abroad and learning new things

Fort Irwin, CA--lived in Barstow-disliked greatly that part, but living at Fort Irwin was wonderful and we went to San Diego, Las Vegas bunches

Fort Meade, MD--if your homeschooling it's awesome. You have tons of stuff in DC to do which is just an hour away.

Fort Bliss, TX--would go back in a heart beat. Loved it there.

Wurzburg, Germany--closed now..but loved every minute there.

Heidelberg, Germany---it's ok...but were forced to live on post here because the rate was horrible when we moved and they had housing available. But seeing Europe and traveling has made it very doable.

 

We have our dream sheet ready after this deployment:

Fort Sam Houston, TX

Fort Wainwright, Alaska

For Bliss, TX--love that dry heat

 

Don't know if this helps but I can tell you lots about these places if you have specific questions.

Good luck on your decision!

:grouphug:

Ah, when did they close Wurzburg? I was just there 2005-2005 working in the hospital. That makes me sad:(

 

I live near Fort Meade and did my drills there for reserves when I was still in. It doesn't seem to bad. I don't like summers much here though, it gets a bit humid. There is a lot of stuff to do around here though, and in Howard County there is a pretty good homeschool group (based on their website anyway).

 

May I ask what he does in the Army? That could dictate what bases he'd be able to go to. I liked San Antonio (again minus the humidity) during my nursing training there. I've heard good things about Hawaii. I grew up near Fort Drum. It does get cold in the winter, but it is absolutely beautiful country. If you and your family don't enjoy outdoor activities though you would not like it. There isn't much else.

 

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Like I said, if you let us know what he does we can probably help more.

[missplacedalaskan]

First of all, we are Air Force. So this is based on the A.F. Bases. We loved Alaska! We spent 3 years in Anchorage area (Fort Richardson for the Army), Dh is currently at Eielson....close to Ft. Wainwright. We are looking to retire in Alaska.

 

We were stationed at McChord AFB, close to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, WA. Loved it there. Ds was born at the hospital on Ft. Lewis. I think the area has grown a lot population wise in the last 10 years though. Before going to Alaska we always thought we would retire to Western WA.

[runamuk]

We're Marine Corps, but my husband is stationed at Ft. Lee in VA. The area is nice, lots of historical sites and the homeschooling laws are easy to comply with. :) We were stationed at Norfolk and lived near Ft. Eustis several years ago - the area near Yorktown is very nice and much less congested than in Norfolk. And we were 30 minutes from Williamsburg.

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I am a Navy wife and would LOVE to leave the country. I'd love to move across the country. We have been on the same coast for 11 years now. He's seen the world and we have seen the coastal states. We are a family of five so the Navy isn't moving us anywheres far :(

If possible try somewheres out of the US.

[lllll]

Not in the military, but spent most of my youth just across the Savannah River from Augusta, GA, in Aiken, SC My parents used to take us shopping over there about once a month. I never liked Augusta. Or Aiken, for that matter.

 

Augusta was the home of James Brown. Remember him? "I feel good ... like I knew that I would ... etc":party:

 

Anyway, I haven't been there in years, but there wasn't much to do when we lived there. And you're a few hours away from the beach if you're on that side of the state. Of course, if you're really into golf and know a way to get Master's tickets, there's that. I never knew anyone, personally, who actually went; but it was great getting a week off school every year for it.

 

I'd choose somewhere else, if it was my decision.

 

HTH

Kathy

[missplacedalaskan]

I Totally Agree. My dad was A.F. as well and we lived in Germany for 9 years. It was amazing as a kid & teen. I have fond memories of seeing lots of places and going to many castles. We have been trying for 20 years to get back to Germany...still hoping!

[nukeswife]

We're navy so I can't help you with Army bases, but VA laws aren't bad. Just wanted to chime in though that it doesn't matter what you keep as your state of residence you have to follow the homeschool laws of the state you're actually living in.

[TXMomof4]

One thing to consider is what are the chances dh will deploy at his next duty station? Do you have a good support system here? Parents or siblings? If my dh was going to be deployed often from the next duty station, I would want to stay close to home for several reasons.

 

 

He will just be coming home from a deployment, so he'll have a year before they can deploy him again. If he stays in the NG they're already talking about the next deployment, about 18 months after he gets home. I figure it won't be any worse than that no matter where we go.

 

He's a signal officer. That's one of the reasons Ft. Gordon is potentially on his list. Ft. Hood would be close to home, but they deploy out of there all the time too.

 

My brother has been at Vilseck the last 3 years and that's where we went in Dec. I did think it was beautiful and so easy to get around! It would be an adventure for sure.

 

So many decisions! How many of you actually got a place on your dream list?

[TammyinTN]

Ah, when did they close Wurzburg? I was just there 2005-2005 working in the hospital. That makes me sad:(

 

I live near Fort Meade and did my drills there for reserves when I was still in. It doesn't seem to bad. I don't like summers much here though, it gets a bit humid. There is a lot of stuff to do around here though, and in Howard County there is a pretty good homeschool group (based on their website anyway).

 

May I ask what he does in the Army? That could dictate what bases he'd be able to go to. I liked San Antonio (again minus the humidity) during my nursing training there. I've heard good things about Hawaii. I grew up near Fort Drum. It does get cold in the winter, but it is absolutely beautiful country. If you and your family don't enjoy outdoor activities though you would not like it. There isn't much else.

 

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Like I said, if you let us know what he does we can probably help more.

 

 

They closed up Wurzburg last summer. Our family was there from May 2005-May 2008...we absolutely loved living there. We lived in Albertshausen close to Giebelstadt. After dh's deployment we are moving back to Bavaria for at least 1 year...I can hardly wait.:D

[TammyinTN]

He will just be coming home from a deployment, so he'll have a year before they can deploy him again. If he stays in the NG they're already talking about the next deployment, about 18 months after he gets home. I figure it won't be any worse than that no matter where we go.

 

He's a signal officer. That's one of the reasons Ft. Gordon is potentially on his list. Ft. Hood would be close to home, but they deploy out of there all the time too.

 

My brother has been at Vilseck the last 3 years and that's where we went in Dec. I did think it was beautiful and so easy to get around! It would be an adventure for sure.

 

So many decisions! How many of you actually got a place on your dream list?

 

My dh said Fort Gordon is nice. :D He just was at Fort Hood and will be deploying with a unit from there really soon. I think I would skip that base if you could...kwim?

[Katrina]

 

It's my understanding that as long as your dh keeps his residency in Texas, you hs with Texas laws. But there's a chance I hsed illegally. :)

 

 

From what I understand, regardless of residency, legally you fall under the jurisdiction where you live.

 

Anyway, I've liked just about most places we've been stationed. Military people are the same regardless, and that can make up for a lot. If we ever got Ft. Polk, I've already told dh that we'll see him after his assignment is over.

 

Come up to Ft. Lewis, that's where I am!

 

My want list would be

1. Hawaii

2. Hawaii

3. Hawaii

It aint happenin', though. :glare:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

 

It's my understanding that as long as your dh keeps his residency in Texas, you hs with Texas laws. But there's a chance I hsed illegally. :)

 

 

 

Even though you can keep your state of residence when you move around in the military, you still have to follow state laws, including laws regarding homeschooling.

 

On the other hand, if you go overseas, there is no state legislature to impose conditions, so you would have very few regulations at all (mostly regarding access to auxillary services at the DOD schools).

[SheilaZ]

My DH is a Signal Officer also. We're at Ft Gordon.

I love it here, but I was born here and have lived for most of my life. I've only had one other duty station, Ft Bragg, so I can't compare it to much.

I can tell you that Augusta is a town with a military base and not a military town. I'm not involved with much on post so I can't give much input on anything there.

 

If he's Signal, you'll spend at least a few years here for school or for other assignments. Gordon is the hub for all things Signal related. As soon as we finish this assignment, I'm hoping that we can go to Germany.

[TXMomof4]

My DH is a Signal Officer also. We're at Ft Gordon.

I love it here, but I was born here and have lived for most of my life. I've only had one other duty station, Ft Bragg, so I can't compare it to much.

I can tell you that Augusta is a town with a military base and not a military town. I'm not involved with much on post so I can't give much input on anything there.

 

If he's Signal, you'll spend at least a few years here for school or for other assignments. Gordon is the hub for all things Signal related. As soon as we finish this assignment, I'm hoping that we can go to Germany.

 

Dh was there for OBC a few years ago and we spent a little time visiting. I really like that it is a nice town - with a military base. Ft. Hood/Killeen area is kind of overwhelmingly army to me. And it doesn't seem to be a very nice area.

 

The only part of Ft. Gordon I didn't like was the HUMIDITY! I used to think Dallas was humid, and compared to west Texas it is, but it was a sauna out there in July! I think I'd rather be hot than cold all the time though.