Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Guest Writer

If Current Events Have You Worried, Here is Something You Can Do to Help

by

If Current Events Have You Worried, Here is Something You Can Do to Help

Telling our stories is one of the most patriotic ways we as spouses and family members can support our service members.

My spouse is active duty Air Force, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been on edge all month. Ever since our military activity started ramping up earlier this month – it’s a scary time to have a loved one in the armed services! 

I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Families across the branches are in a place of uncertainty and anxiety. Will my service member deploy? How will this deployment look different from previous ones? When will they come back?

To an extent, we’re used to this. After being at war for 19 years, we know the routine. But this? This feels like it could go very differently…

Amid our fear of what’s to come, it’s easy to feel helpless. Like there’s only so much I can do compared to all that pushing against me. All these top-level decisions about military actions and troop movements feel high-up and out of our reach.

But we military spouses are not helpless. We are powerful. And we have an opportunity to make an impact.

One of the most important things we can do as military spouses and family members is to tell our stories, because we know better than most the consequences that wars abroad have here at home.

For us, wars come with missed birthdays and expensive post office receipts. Sleepless nights and meltdowns in the grocery store. Loneliness and emotional homecomings. 

People get that war comes with violence. How many movies have been made about the front lines? But what people don’t see is the perpetual anxiety of the families back home, or the single-parenting of the spouse holding it all together. That’s a story that’s missing. 

Think about it this way: Our nation’s leaders rely on having the most complete and accurate information at their disposal to make the best decisions possible – right? Well, our lived experiences as military families is part of that. We are the ones who feel the trickle-down effects of decisions to go to war, and our story-telling helps them see the big picture.

So, if you’re looking for a way to channel your frustration and dread into meaningful action, I’ve got the perfect place for you: the Secure Families Initiative.

We are a nonpartisan group of mil spouses who are interested in getting more involved in advocacy around the foreign policy issues that affect us most. I started this program because, personally, I think this kind of stuff is way more fun when you do it as part of a community.

SFI offers trainings for folks who want to get involved, but may not know where to start. We also have opportunities to take direct action if you’re ready and yearning to go! We even offer information about voting – how to register, where to find your polling place, and what candidates/issues will be on your ballot. There’s something for everyone.

Sign up for SFI today and join a tightknit community of mil spouses taking action. It’ll be a great way to ease whatever anxiety you have, and take a bit of control back when it all feels very much out of our control.

Remember: doing something – no matter how small – may feel inconsequential, but when we all work together, we can make a huge impact.

By Sarah Streyder
Director of the Secure Families Initiative
https://securefamiliesinitiative.org/

On Being Stationed At Fort Campbell

by Leave a Comment

On Being Stationed At Fort Campbell
On Being Stationed At Fort Campbell

Hey guys! First off let me start by saying how excited I am to be writing this guest post. I love the duty station guest post series here on Soldier’s Wife Crazy Life. It really gives you a different perspective on where you might be pcs-ing.

I’m Tiffany from tiffanydickiewrites.com. I write about my life as a military spouse and raising two kids (9 years apart).

Living on post

It’s been almost a year and a half since we moved here to Fort Campbell. I have to say I was nervous about the whole process considering this was our first duty station and I had no idea what to expect. I thought it would be hard to find housing or it would take at least several weeks to get approved but to my surprise, it was fairly easy.

All I had to do was go to the Campbell Crossing website, fill out some basic information like my husband’s rank, how many bedrooms we needed and our price range for rent. From there you can see all the units they have available, make your choice and fill out an actual application. The application process was pretty simple. Within a couple of days, you’ll be contacted by someone in the leasing office. After sending in your orders, birth certificates and things of that nature you’ll be set up with the place of your choice. Pretty painless!

Once making it here you’ll see how huge this post is, it’s also really beautiful. The leasing staff here are really nice and helpful and actually try to make your transition to Fort Campbell as smooth as possible.

There are lots of things to do here on base. My kids love the water so in the summertime I usually take them to the community pool or the water park. There’s a shallow pool and sprinklers for the younger kids and babies.

On Being Stationed At Fort Campbell

The MWR offers lots of activities, sports, and classes for kids and adults. They occasionally offer parents night out where they’ll keep the kids for about 5 hours while you and your husband get to spend some quality time together. It’s been a good two years since hubby and I have had any alone time together without the kids so I’m REALLY looking forward it. I almost forgot what date night was! Anyhow if you like staying busy or trying new things you can’t go wrong registering at the MWR.

The Schools at Fort Campbell

The schools here are awesome! The curriculum is advanced and the teachers are willing to go the extra mile to ensure the kids get a proper education. Most of the schools are newly renovated so they look really nice and modern. I love how the classrooms are open without doors so if you happen to stop by for a visit you can clearly see and hear what’s being taught before you enter the classroom.

On Being Stationed At Fort Campbell

There are several parks on post, a lot of them are behind the houses or apartments but I prefer the main parks over the neighborhood parks because they are bigger and much cleaner.

Off Post

Outside of the base, there’s Fort Campbell Blvd, A long stretch of road with plenty of stores to shop. There is a Walmart a couple of minutes away from gate 6 and an even bigger one about fifteen minutes down the road (Walmart is my jam if you couldn’t tell). There’s also Aldi’s, some clothing shops and thrift stores just to name a few. The mall is in Clarksville which is roughly a 25 – 30-minute drive.

But if you want any kind of excitement Nashville is where you wanna go. We’ve only been a few times so far but I enjoyed the time we spent there. Whenever something big is happening nearby like a concert, a comedy show, or convention it’s in Nashville. The Nashville zoo is also pretty nice, it’s not very big but definitely worth seeing while you are here.

I have to say I wasn’t too thrilled to move here, Because really who dreams about moving to Kentucky? haha! But now I am actually happy this was our first duty station I honestly grew to love it here. If you are pcs-ing to Fort Campbell you might not be super excited at first but trust me it’ll grow on you.

Please let me know if you would like to write your own duty station guest post about where you have been stationed 🙂

Being Stationed at Mountain Home AFB

by 3 Comments

Being Stationed at Mountain Home AFB

I am super excited to have Danielle from Letters to a Military Spouse to tell us all about what it is like to be stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. If you would like to guest post about your duty station, please let me know! I would love to hear about your experiences.

Welcome to Mountain Home!

When I first found out, during my husband’s tech school, that we would be going to Mountain Home AFB, I’m not going to lie; I was slightly disappointed. Maybe I felt this way because we were only moving 4 1/2 hours away from where we both grew up or maybe it was because I had this image in my head that we would be going overseas. Either way, I was pleasantly surprised after I did some exploring of the base and the town surrounding it.

Since we lived a driving distance away, I decided to take a trip up and see it before my husband arrived home from tech school. I wanted to know what we had gotten ourselves into and I hoped I would be pleasantly surprised.

The base itself is a very nice and clean base. From what I could tell the housing on base is well kept and clean. In size, the base is comparable to any other base, but technically it is a smaller base as far as how many people live on it.

For families, you get more for your money living on base than you would renting a house off base. There is an elementary school for your children on base, but they will have to attend middle school and high school off base.

The housing office on base offers a craft for your kids once a week. There is also an indoor play gym that you can take your children to that will help them run off some of their energy. On sunny days you can spend the afternoon at one of the beautiful parks. The youth center offers before and after school care for your children, and during the spring and fall, you can enroll your children in sporting activities.

My husband and I decided to live off base because we live in an RV. So, because we chose to live off base, I would like to share with you what there is to offer off base. You should know that this town is rather small. I think I timed it once, and you can drive west and reach the end of the town within fifteen minutes or so. In town, you have all sorts of mom and pop shops. My all-time favorite restaurant in town is Apple Barrel. It’s this cute little restaurant that probably only has five tables. When you eat here, you take a trip back in time as you look at all the antiques that cover the walls. The food is to die for. They serve a variety of panini’s and sandwiches, homemade desserts, and yummy soups and chilies.  

Being Stationed at Mountain Home AFB

In town, we have two grocery stores, Walmart, directly off the exit, and Albertsons which is in town. For a small town, we have quite a few restaurants to choose from such as Wingers, Jack in the Box, KFC, Arby’s, AJ’s, Taco Johns, a deli, a sit-down Mexican restaurant, Smokey Mountain Pizza, and a drive-through Chinese restaurant.

Depending on where you live off base, you may have about a thirty-minute drive to the base. Once you reach the end of town, you have a long two-lane high way that takes you out to the base. Mountain Home is in the desert, so you should expect a lot of sagebrushes and tumbleweeds. You can see mountains from both base and town, but they are a decent distance away.

In the winter it gets decently cold, and you can expect to see snow. Since my husband and I are from Utah, I am used to the cold weather that winter brings, but if you are from a warmer climate and are PCSing during the winter months, I highly suggest investing in some warm clothing.

Mountain Home is located around 45 minutes south of Boise. Boise is a larger city that offers all the amenities you may miss while living in a small town. When you first arrive in Mountain Home, it may seem like you are in the middle of nowhere, but you will be happily surprised with all the outdoor activities that this area offers.

Bogus Basin ski resort is located right out of Boise. If you decide that you would like to go skiing, you can speak with Outdoor Rec on base and get slightly discounted tickets. If you are looking for a fun weekend trip, Sun Valley Ski Resort is about a two-hour drive from town. The Bruneau dunes are located 15 miles from town. You can see the Snake River in Glens Ferry. CJ Strike Reservoir, located 30 minutes away, makes for a fun day trip in the summer. Three Island state park in Glens Ferry is one of my favorite places to spend a fall or summer afternoon with the family.

For all you moving to Mountain Home AFB, I hope you enjoy what this cozy small town has to offer. Good luck on your upcoming adventure, and breath, you will get through this PCS!

My name is Danielle, I was born and raised in Utah but currently, reside in Idaho where my husband and I are stationed. Writing has been a passion of mine for about 11 years now. My background is primarily in both creative writing and journalism. Blogging is something I have always wanted to venture into, and I am finally taking the plunge in doing so. I never expected to become a military wife when my husband and I got married, but I have grown to love this crazy, fun, and sometimes trying life that we lead. On my blog, you will find both military related posts along with posts that pertain to writing tips as well as my creative work. Blog Link: Letterstoamilitaryspouse.com

What You Need to Know About Being Stationed in Germany

by 5 Comments

So happy to have Malori from Warrior Life Wellness to tell us all about what it is like to be stationed in Germany! She has some great advice for anyone who will be pcsing to Germany anytime soon. Please let me know if you would like to guest post about where you are stationed!

stationed in Germany

Our OCONUS PCS

Moving to Germany is something that happens to “other military families.”  Just like I never thought I would marry a soldier, I never thought we’d get stationed overseas – even though it was a dream of mine to live in Europe.  Well, as you probably have guessed by now, I did marry a soldier and we did get stationed overseas! I knew we were in for the adventure of a lifetime, but I did not have proper expectations of what that entirely meant.

When my husband Mark received orders for Germany in 2017, he was deployed to east Africa.  I was back at Ft. Bragg, in my senior year of nursing school, so to say we had a lot on our plates is an understatement!  As it would happen, my husband had to report to Germany before I was done with school. So he did the geo-bachelor life for about three months.

stationed in Germany

This meant I had the pleasure of handling our first OCONUS PCS alone….while finishing nursing school.  (OCONUS = outside the continental United States) I don’t suggest these circumstances, but I did gain a certain sense of accomplishment from completing the move (and school) without anything major going wrong.  My parents came for my graduation and to help with the last-minute PCS tasks, like overseeing the movers. If you are ever in a solo PCS situation, especially overseas, get your family or close friends to help! It makes a world of difference.

Five days after graduation, I was on the Patriot Express to Ramstein, Germany; final destination, USAG Wiesbaden.  It was wonderful to simply live with my husband again after almost a year apart! But on top of that, we had a new country to explore together.  I definitely had my rose-colored glasses on, though. While having a positive attitude about any PCS is important, it’s equally important to have realistic expectations.  As my husband likes to preach: “expectation management.” This is not about being negative or complaining, but simply having a balanced outlook for your transition. It helps lessen that feeling of overwhelm.

Expectation Management

The first thing I did not expect was being so jet-lagged.  I had flown to Europe once before, when I was 20, and I don’t remember feeling particularly jet-lagged. But 12 years later? I felt like I got run over by a bus every day for at least two weeks! Even with sleeping 10-12 hours a night at first, I couldn’t conjure up my normal energy.  So my first piece of advice, for anyone moving overseas, is to give yourself plenty of time to adjust and sleep. It really does take several weeks to get over jet lag!

Another thing I did not expect was experiencing culture shock.  I again drew on my former European experience. I had spent 5 weeks in Austria for a summer music program, and I remember feeling like I fit in so well.  However, visiting Europe, even for an extended trip, is much different than coming here to live. (Austria is also very different culturally from Germany, despite both being German-speaking countries.)  I also assumed that since Germany is a first-world, western country, surely culture shock would not exist!  I even have experience with German culture, from doing Bavarian folk dancing and taking over four years of German language courses.

stationed in Germany

But my pride got the best of me and I struggled big time with adjusting.  Even if you live on post, like we are mandated to do, you have to get used to the driving rules, shopping on the economy, cultural nuances like shops being closed on Sundays, and most of all, the language.  There are also specific rules tied to being here with the military, like how to use VAT forms, what you cannot have sent to your APO box, getting your home-based business approved, and more. Expect that you will have a significant adjustment period to the culture. Because culture shock threw me for such a loop, I made a YouTube video about it! https://youtu.be/mqFEQIv4IjA You are not alone in your feelings.

Something else I have a bad habit of doing for any PCS is to believe that I can jump into a routine right away.  In our last PCS I was forced to do that, as I started pre-nursing courses almost immediately after arriving at Ft. Bragg. Other things like learning the best places and times to shop, learning the lay of the land, and finding your tribe take time.  Yet I always have this underlying belief that “this time” I’ll be more efficient. But with an OCONUS move, you have all the normal PCS adjustments to make, plus the foreign country aspect. With myself, I also had the added stress of studying for the NCLEX (RN nursing board exam), which I had to take in London, England.

stationed in Germany

So with an overseas move, I’d say to give yourself at least six months to feel fully “adjusted,” if not one year. Don’t beat yourself up when you feel homesick or are totally frustrated.  Normally OCONUS assignments are three years, so you will have at least two years during which you’ll feel pretty comfortable!

What helps with the transition overseas?

What makes a positive difference when moving to a foreign country is receiving your household goods.  (It IS possible for government housing to feel like home!) It also helps to meet your neighbors and to make at least one close friend with whom you can commiserate and go through this unique experience together.

stationed in Germany

Finally, get out and travel, travel, TRAVEL! The biggest mistake I made last year was isolating myself. I’m a combination introvert/extrovert, and after nursing school my extrovert was burnt out. I craved quiet time.  But after awhile, it got too quiet and anxiety set in. A great pick-me-up is finding a new place to visit during each month’s 4-day weekend! Make a list of your dream travel list, and then strategically plan your year according to the training holiday schedule.  It might take several trips to get the hang of European travel planning, but tons of traveling is something you will NOT regret!

Since a blog post can only be so long, I’ll leave my advice and tips at that. However, if you want more support in your OCONUS PCS and adjustment period, come find me on YouTube!  http://www.youtube.com/c/MaloriMayor14 I have a growing library of videos about how to PCS to Germany, as well as what life is like here.  I love helping other milspouses in their move to another country. It’s a monumental task, but you will be forever grateful for it.  Embrace the journey!


Bio: Malori Mayor is a registered nurse, classically-trained violinist, blogger and YouTuber, and most importantly, wife to Mark for almost 5 years.  Deployments, PTSD, and TBI may have rocked their world in past years, but they weathered through the hard times together and are currently enjoying an overseas assignment at USAG Wiesbaden, Germany.  Malori has been casually blogging for over 10 years on various personal blogs, but last year decided to create her business and new website, Warrior Life Wellness. On it she shares her take on health, wellness, and life in Germany.  She also creates YouTube videos about PCSing overseas and life in Germany for other milspouses who are walking the same path. She believes that rigorous organization is key to a smooth OCONUS PCS, so she recently opened an Etsy shop, where milspouses can purchase printable Overseas PCS Binder pages for creating their own organizational binder.  Connect with Malori on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook! 

Blog: https://www.warriorlifewellness.com
YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/c/MaloriMayor14
Instagram link: http://instagram.com/warriorlifewellness
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/warriorlifewellness
Etsy shop:

Life at Edwards AFB in California

by 1 Comment

Life at Edwards AFB in California

Hey there, my name is Catherine. I’m an Air Force wife, mother to 2 beautiful daughters and content creator for my blog Love always, Catherine. We’ve been stationed at Edwards AFB in California for about 3 years now and have come to know life on and off base quite well.

Tell me about the area

Life at Edwards AFB in California

When I mention California, you may be thinking sunny beaches and tons of ocean right? Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Edwards AFB is located in the desert. Yes, the beautiful desert where the temperatures can shoot up as high as 108 degrees and drop as low as 30 degrees.

But don’t let the desert intimidate you! It’s a beautiful place with lots of land to roam, especially if you have pets! Speaking of pets, make sure to keep an eye on your fur babies when living on base. There are a ton of coyotes and sometimes bobcats around the area, and you don’t want them to come up missing.

Coyotes and bobcats what!?

Yes, you can see them on the side of the road going towards base or sometimes even walking down the street on base! There are a ton of wildlife in this area, but don’t fret, the base is really safe, and you just need to make sure to stay clear of them and they’ll do the same.

What facilities are on base?

Edwards has your usual commissary and base exchange to do all your shopping. They also have: a bowling alley that is great for family night or date night, a small water park called Oasis Aquatic next to the youth center, and a beautiful community center that has a gym, arcade games and a party room with built in kitchen (great for parties!).

What’s there to eat around there?

There’s a bunch of places to go to fill your tummy on base. For starters they have a Starbucks (I mean, who doesn’t like Starbucks!?), Burger King, Dominos, Subway, Acai Bowl, BBQ trucks, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Arby’s and the Cheesesteak shop to name a few.

There is also a golf course that has their own diner, and a place called Club Muroc where they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a bar (you know, after a hard days work).

If you have kids

There are two schools on base, Branch Elementary and Desert Jr.-Sr. Highschool. They also have a CDC, School Annex and Youth Center for childcare. The Youth Center offers after school activities such as Soccer, Baseball, etc. If your family loves to watch movies, they have FREE movie showings at the base theater (so much fun for a family night).

As for the holidays, this base really knows how to come together and celebrate! I love celebrating Halloween and trick-or-treating at Edwards, it’s just like what you see in the movies- you and your kids will have so much fun! They also have cute neighborhood festivities for Christmas and other holidays as well

What about off base?

The surrounding areas are all about 15-20 minutes away from base, there’s no going around it! You have your cities: Rosamond, Lancaster, Palmdale and Tehachapi that are the closest in the area.

Rosamond – is a small city that will offer a quiet neighborhood, with small diners and a few stores such as Albertsons, Rite Aid and Dollar General.

Lancaster – Is known for their ‘downtown’ called The BLVD. It’s a cute little place packed with restaurants, a movie theater (with lazy-boy recliners!), and tons of live performances and festivals! It’s so much fun.

Palmdale – Aka ‘the big city’. Here’s where you’ll find the Antelope Valley mall, TONS of places to eat and a bunch of stores to shop.

Tehachapi – the city of 4 seasons! Yes, you’ll get your hot summers, warm spring, cool fall and snowy winter. They also offer cherry picking and have a ton of festivals to go to.

(The Modern Tea Room, a vegan/non-vegan café nestled in the heart of the BLVD in Lancaster)

If you’re up for the drive…

There are a ton of things to do outside of the Antelope Valley (this is what the surrounding area of Edwards is called). For starters, Disneyland is about 1hour and 45mins away from base, as well as Universal Studios and Warner Brothers Studios!

It’s so fun to head towards Los Angeles/Anaheim direction during summer break, a definite must do while you’re stationed here. If you like doing outdoor activities such as camping, snowboarding and fishing, you can go up north towards Big Bear where you can enjoy all those activities and more.

All in all…

Edwards AFB gives you the opportunity to experience the beautiful desert life, so make the most out of it while you’re here. Oh, and make sure you stop and take the time to soak in the beautiful sunsets that this place has to offer, it’s a breathtaking sight.



Hi I’m Catherine! I’m a military spouse, stay-at-home mom and content creator for my blog Love always, Catherine. I love sharing tips, advice and stories with friends, family and my readers. I believe that life is about having meaningful relationships, creating and sharing stories, living simply & keeping close the things that only bring you joy. I hope to see you on the blog and engage with you soon!

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force Base

by

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force Base

Happy to have this guest post by Amanda on being stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California. Please visit my Duty station guest post page for blog posts on other locations or more information about how you can write a guest post about where you have been stationed.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force Base

Los Angeles Air Force Base is located in El Segundo minutes away from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It is a small base surrounded by hundreds of contractors ranging from small subcontractors you have never heard of to towering buildings with the large contractors that are known for working with the government.

The Air Force Base is unlike most Air Force Bases since it does not have a runway. The mission is focused on Space. Most people who work on the base work on satellites; everything from typical weather satellites to more exciting satellite missions are here.

The Base

The Base mainly consists of office buildings. If you are a dependent you will also notice there is a small Base Exchange, Commissary, Gas Station and Medical Clinic. The main hub of the base consists of 3 large buildings with a track around it used for running the infamous Physical Fitness Test. Besides that there is a gym and lots of parking lots and a few other smaller buildings but I don’t know what they are used for.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force Base

Weather

Typically, it is 75 and sunny almost every day of the year. September and October are the hottest months, some days it creeps up in the high 80s and when you don’t have A/C it is pretty hot.

Places to Live

Base housing is located in San Pedro on Fort Macarthur (known as Fort Mac by most everyone). It is approximately a 45 minute drive from the base to the housing depending on traffic. And since we are in LA at rush hour the time can increase dramatically. Fort Mac also has a medical clinic so if you end up there you don’t have to drive to El Segundo for medical appointments. The base housing is nice as it overlooks the ocean (sometimes) and if you get lucky you can score a 4 bedroom home. As with most houses in the South Bay of LA there isn’t any air conditioning and most days of the year that isn’t a problem.

If you decide to live off base and in the local community, you have a range of options on where to live. You will have limited square footage and likely only 3 bedrooms, but cutting out some of the commute is sometimes a life saver.

Based on your life stage will probably be the main consideration on where you will end up. In Marina Del Ray there are plenty of apartment buildings with great city life (located North of the Base). You can also opt to live in El Segundo as there is a nice gated community close to the base, but it is pretty expensive. Holly Glen is a favorite spot to live, reasonable home prices, great schools and neighborhood. You also have Manhattan and Hermosa Beach. These are beautiful places to live, but they are also expensive. Redondo Beach and Torrance offer a middle of the road option close to the beach, but often less expensive.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force Base

Things to Do

It is LA. There are tons of things to do. Ranging from Disneyland, Griffith Park, Hollywood, multiple Sport Arenas and more. LA is a vacation destination and you get to live here for at least a few years. And yes there will be crowds in summer, but the off season makes living through the tourist season worth it.

Here is a list of 31 Days of Travel within the LA area.

One of the hidden gems we discovered after moving here was the Hollywood Bowl. An outdoor concert arena that hosts concerts, plays and orchestras performances. The atmosphere is great and outside food and drinks are allowed.

Also you have the beach. It doesn’t matter if you live North or South of the base the beach is there. Parking is often metered, but free parking is sometimes an option if you know where to look.

Overall LA AFB is in a great location. It is expensive, but BAH is still pretty high and as long as you realize you will have a small home and that it might take work to find the right place for you. When people hear LA AFB they might think it is in the middle of Los Angeles, but it is actually located in a great beach community that is a great hidden gem. And if you have ever wanted to live close to the beach it has that too.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Los Angeles Air Force BaseAmanda is a military veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer including a deployment to Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career. Which currently has them stationed in Southern California, living the dream and making frequent trips to Disneyland. Her blog Airman to Mom incorporates stories from her past military life and how she views life through her unique life experiences of both a veteran and military spouse. You can check out more about Amanda on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Fort Benning

by

Happy to have this guest post by Jennifer on being stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia. Please visit my Duty station guest post page for blog posts on other locations or more information about how you can write a guest post about where you have been stationed.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Fort Benning

Hello from Fort Benning, GA self-dubbed the “Best Installation in the World.”

No really, the welcome sign has two exclamation points after that. But since this is Fort Benning’s centennial year, we can give it that little victory.

I’m Jennifer and I blog at jjheartblog (http://jjheartblog.com).  I started it back when I was living at Fort Bragg, when Fort Benning was nothing more to me than “the place my husband went to Basic.”  But life throttled forward as it always does in the Army and one day I found myself walking around Fort Benning, not as a newlywed visitor, but as a pregnant-with-my-second-baby resident.  On my blog, you’ll find posts about my favorite hobby (love), my greatest career (motherhood), and my biggest adventure (the Army).

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Fort Benning

Fort Benning’s Unique Vibe

The minute you move to Fort Benning, you’ll realize it is unlike any other military installation you’ve been to.  And not just because it’s the greatest one in the world. You’ll realize that the gates are more like a fancy NYC hotel revolving door than a gated community.  Except it’s not fancy and it’s not New York. People are always leaving. People are always coming. It’s a revolving community.

The dynamic here is unlike any other post, because it is such an enormous hub of training spots.  It’s true– there are a few units like the new SFAB or Ranger Battalion. But for the most part, Fort Benning is the home of every Army school under the sun.  There’s the NCOA, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Pathfinder School, OCS, IBOLC, ABOLC, Ranger School, MCCC, SLC, and of course countless and countless classes of Basic Training OSUT.

Basically there are two situations here: either you see a new person every single time you go to the commissary because life here is just so transient.  Or you see the same person every day for months on end because they are stuck in the TRADOC vortex and are never leaving. Literally.

This dynamic makes for an interesting neighborhood experience if you live on-post. You’ll have more new neighbors than usual.  The “feel” of your street will constantly be changing. We take our yard sale game pretty seriously at Fort Benning. The “for sale” Facebook page at Fort Benning is more cultivated than craigslist after Christmas!

As most Army families have come to discover, transience can either make everyone around you really friendly and accepting, or it can make the entire situation very cold and uninvolved.  Why waste time making friends or beautifying your yard when you’re leaving in a few months? Luckily for me, I have found the former to be the case at Fort Benning! Everyone is quick to make friends because they know they will only have you for a few months.  It’s nice to be needed. 🙂

It’s also nice to not have to explain what your husband is doing.  At most posts, you begin with their MOS/branch and then delve into the unit.  Or vice versa. Here, you just say “he’s at school” and everyone nods. Which school?  It doesn’t matter. They all take months and they all seem to have follow-on training.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Fort Benning

Fort Benning’s Housing Situation

When people ask about someone’s experience at a post, they usually want to know two things.  The first thing is—should I live on post? Unlike many bases (but like many), the surrounding town is not a great place to live.  And I’m not just saying that because I’m bitter that my laptop was stolen in town. Which it was. And I’m bitter. But that’s not why I say that.

The Columbus area (the town outside post) is weirdly split into two parts.  The “good” part is north and about a cool 25 minutes away from Fort Benning.  The “bad” part is south and is a cool 30 seconds away from Fort Benning. So living close to post is not possible if you value your life.  (I’m only kind of kidding.) And living far away from post is not possible if you value your sanity. (Unless you love driving and hate being home.)  Normally, commuting isn’t the end of the world. But if your soldier is here for training, it kind of is.

Anyone who has lived in the TRADOC vortex of training schedules knows that they are numerous and unpredictable formations that are non-negotiable.  You can’t “be late” for a day of training. You can’t miss the bus ride out to the field. Basically, you have to be “on call” for random, last minute formations.  The people that live off post have to go in way earlier (since home is at least 25 minutes away) and then they are stranded for multiple hours a week while the training companies take hour-long breaks throughout the day.  Those that live on post simply kill time by popping home for snack or a nap or both. Usually both.

What You Need To Know About Being Stationed At Fort Benning

Fort Benning’s Local Attractions

The other thing everyone wants to know, if they are PCSing to a new post, is “what is there to do?”  If someone asked me if there are “things to do” here, after introducing them to mustard BBQ sauce and taking them on a tour of the National Infantry Museum, I would show them the picture of a zebra opening our truck’s door.  There are things to do. It’s wild here.

Besides the animal safari where you can drive your POV through a 3-mile trail and hand-feed giraffes (see above), there’s a big river sandwiched between Alabama and Georgia called the Chattahoochee.  Fort Benning’s nature trail runs all the way from it’s forests along the river to the brick-covered coffee shops of the quaint part of town. (The best coffee in town is at Iron Bank Coffee Co. or My Boulange).  So much nature here, so little time.

If you’ve lived in Italy, you might cringe reading this: but Columbus is kind of artsy.  Well, Columbus tries really hard to be artsy and I genuinely appreciate that. The random modern art sprinkled around town is a little disturbing.  But the historic Springer Opera House (c. 1871) is about as artistic as you can get in the southern performing world. There’s also the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts for evening dates or Sunday matinees for the whole family.

But if watching a performance of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella doesn’t do it for you, head an hour and a half to Atlanta where you can catch Medieval Times and pretty much anything else you’d ever want to do in the city.  The Atlanta Zoo is also a huge attraction, as is the Georgia Aquarium of course. (Oddly enough, I didn’t enjoy it too much. I must be a safari-kind-of-girl). Basically, you have Atlanta kind of at your fingertips (for a weekend trip anyways) so there is no way you’ll ever feel stranded here.

Well, I take that back.  Maybe you’ll begin to feel stranded if your husband’s class date gets pushed back yet again. And you get your third installment of next-door-neighbors. Suddenly, what at first felt like it would be your “most transient” home soon becomes an extremely settled one.  And then you realize that those big Benning “revolving” doors must have broke because you don’t seem to be leaving any time soon.

Welcome to the Vortex.  It’s the best one in the world, apparently.

Jennifer married her secret-high-school-crush three weeks before he left for Basic Training.  She now lives out her childhood dream of being a world-famous author by writing reviews on all her favorite amazon purchases and feverishly checking to see if they were rated helpful or unhelpful.  When she isn’t reminiscing on her days as a cellist, she can be found in the backyard sandbox playing with her two little babies or drinking coffee or both. Visit her at jjheartblog (http://jjheartblog.com) and if you happen to see one of her Amazon reviews, give it a thumbs up!

What You Need to Know About Being Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood

by

What You Need to Know About Being Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood

Happy to have this guest post by Sierra on being stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Please visit my Duty station guest post page for blog posts on other locations or more information about how you can write a guest post about where you have been stationed.

What You Need to Know About Being Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood

I’ve seen it time and time again, spouses who received orders to Fort Leonard Wood FREAK OUT in the spouse forums. Then, the negative comments roll in. I mean, they really paint Fort Leonard Wood A.K.A Fort Lost in The Woods as the worst duty station ever!

“There is NOTHING to do there”

“You’re land locked in Middle America, it’s HORRIBLE”

“The Post Is So Small, You’ll HATE it”

So, in true Positive Patty Fashion, I am here to offer the unpopular opinion about Fort Leonard Wood and I am hoping to let the “New Spouse in Town” know that it’s not all bad after all. We lived in Fort Leonard Wood for 3 years and they were quite honestly the BEST 3 years of our lives!

Pros:

Fort Leonard Wood is one of the MOST family friendly duty stations.

One of the things that I loved so much about Fort Leonard Wood is how family oriented it was. Everyone knew each other from the top to the bottom of the COC. Organizational days were often and they always made sure to include family members in the fun day festivities. Most holidays you can count on a family oriented celebration (My Favorite is the 4th of July Concert and Firework show) but even on a regular basis, MWR did an amazing job with having events planned.  ACS was also amazing. When I was pregnant, they offered free parenting classes for 6 weeks that ended in an Army baby shower.

The post is small which means it is easy to find your way as a newbie. I have heard horror stories about the bigger bases like Fort Hood, Riley and Bragg but in less than a week, you’ll be able to navigate your way through post like a champ. It’s pretty simple North (Main) gate exits to St. Robert and West Gate exits to Waynesville. South and East gate are basically never used unless you live outside of them which is RARE.

Speaking of living arrangements, I never lived on post but I absolutely loved living in Waynesville. People who choose to live off post choose between 2 cities which are St. Robert and Waynesville. They should really be one city if you ask me but that’s beside the point. While St. Robert houses Walmart, chain restaurants like Ruby Tuesdays, Cracker Barrel and Starbucks; Waynesville is where all the charm is. In downtown Waynesville, you find more small town shops and eateries. Please be sure to take advantage of those!

By the way, the small- town restaurants and thrift shops absolutely make Fort Leonard Wood as enjoyable as it is. Indulge in them and you will not be disappointed. Some of my favorite restaurants in the area are: Mamma Mia (Greek Cuisine), Purn’s Thai Kitchen and Ichiban Japanese and Small cakes Cupcakery. If these options don’t cut it for you, Rolla is a short 20 min drive and they have tons of more familiar places to eat and shop.

One of the things I could not conclude the Pros without mentioning is how easy it is to advance your education as soldiers and as spouses. The Fort Leonard Wood area is saturated with college and certificate programs that are yellow ribbon or military friendly schools. I am twice a graduate from Drury University and I absolutely loved my experience. All the schools understand the military lifestyle and they are very accommodating when it comes to our everyday needs and schedules.

What You Need to Know About Being Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood

Cons:

I am a bit bias because Fort Leonard Wood was my favorite duty station thus far but like every duty station, it has its share of cons

The summer can be extremely hot while the winter can be an uncomfortable cold. While originally from the south I was expecting Missouri to be bone chilling cold, I was pleasantly surprised that it was not. The cold is just uncomfortable and you would prefer to stay indoors. The weather can also be tricky. It can be 36 degrees on Sunday and 77 by Wednesday, you just never know. Also, it tends to rain a lot in the winter and that makes the rain ridiculously icy.

Next is the wildlife. If you’re driving late at night or early in the morning you’ll come across a herd of deer. They are everywhere, both on and off post and unfortunately, they got my husband right before we PCSd. With no one to blame the damage on, we were stuck with the $500 deductible…YIKES! Also, in the summer the bugs can be kind of crazy. We have seen freakishly large spiders and I don’t do bugs well so you can imagine how that turned out!

The last con would be it’s distance from the city. Being a city girl I loved the change of pace but for some this is a real issue. Springfield is 1 ½ hours away, St Louis is 2 hours away, Branson is 2 hours away, Lake of the Ozarks is 1 hour away and Kansas City is 3+ Hours away. If you want to do some real city vacationing you’re going to have to travel for it but for us, it really made our experience in Missouri fun. Most of our fun stories are based on the day trips we took.

I know you’re tired of reading at this point but I really wanted to defend Fort Leonard Wood and give it credit where credit is due. Like any post, there will be good and bad but Military Life is absolutely what you make it. If you’re heading to Fort Leonard Wood and have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at SierraRedmond95@gmail.com.

Introduction:

Sierra RedmondSierra Redmond is the creator of The Daily Impressions Lifestyle Blog. On the blog they offer tips, tricks, stories and advice on the topics of Family life, Parenting, Travel and life in the Military. Sierra is a 22-year-old Army Wife and stay at home Blogger/Mompreneur. Catch her on her blog and social media:

https://www.thedailyimpressions.com/

Instagram : http://www.instagram.com/IamSierraRed

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheDailyImpressions

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/TheDailyImpressions