As I look at my little blog, I see it has been quite some time since I posted anything...
Josh and Alyssa had a wonderful wedding! It was really fun and quite memorable...this is my favorite picture from that special day. Thanks again Patrick for taking such an awesome shot, I just LOVE the look on Josh's face...
The newlyweds have driven across the country with the kitties and are settled in their new home at Fort Drum. Alyssa has found a job and is (re) adjusting to life on base, she grew up with a Navy dad...
After an amusing Facebook posting about recorded bugle calls, I asked her if she would write me a little something about living on a military base...
So without further delay, my guest blogger is my daughter in law, Alyssa, the new Mrs Evans!
Living in Military Housing
by Alyssa Evans
Adirondack Creek, Ft. Drum, NY
As a military dependent, one of the things that separate you from the civilian world is living in military housing. You do have a choice, but it is generally cheaper to live in military housing than renting off base. (Or off post, as my Army husband often corrects me.) Water, electricity, gas and garbage are all included in the “rent”. The rent isn’t rent in the traditional sense, but rather, instead of getting the housing allowance in the paycheck, it goes straight to the housing management.
Catalina Heights Navy Housing 2003
Most of the domicile units are town home or apartment style homes. Ours is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom with a huge living room and a decent sized kitchen. There is an approved colors list that we are allowed to paint the inside of our home without having to repaint the walls back to white before we moved out. We have a backyard which needs the grass cut down and the weeds plucked. The front yard is maintained by the company the runs the communities. (In the early 2000’s military housing was sold to private companies to make room in the DoD budget. This saves money when the houses need to be updated with new carpet, new appliances, etc. And also allowed for major rejuvenations, and in some cases, completely tearing down and rebuilding some communities altogether.)
Catalina Heights Navy Housing 2009
The commissary, exchange, and shopettes are just a few minutes away. On a good day you can walk or bike to them from the house. There are also many parks, playgrounds, bike trails, splash pads, and other outdoor recreation centers around the base. Many bases also have wildlife and forest preserves, so you may see wild animals and a lot of greenery. Recently, I have seen deer, wild turkey, chipmunks, and a snapping turtle.
Creek, Fort Drum NY
When you live in the housing on base (as opposed to the military housing off base), you may face several different traffic rushes. PT, lunch, and going home are all very busy road times. There are also several different bugle calls (I can’t think of the names off the top of my head). There are a few in the morning, even on the weekends, one at 5pm and Taps plays at 10pm. You may also hear planes flying overheard. However, live on base long enough and you get used to the noises. However, overall, living in military housing is not that different from living in civilian housing.
