Army life and bases - Please serious answers only?

Question

My husband is in boot camp right now and will then go on to AIT. I understand he will get to fill out a "wish list" as to where he and I and our two sons would like to be stationed. Can anyone give any personal advice about the best bases to pick??? I am looking for bases, LESS known to deploy their soldiers, close to other stores and communities, good warmer weather, newly remodeled housing, those types of things....... Please give me your advice!? Some places we have talked about, but know nothing about are, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii.

I know if he is needed to be deployed he will... but I have heard some places are less likely and thats why I asked...
Maybe to re-word what I am saying, DID ANYONE WHO WAS IN WHILE THEY WERE MARRIED WITH KIDS, LIKE ONE BASE MORE THAN ANOTHER? That they would recommend we move too???????

He already has his job and went in as an E-3.

Okay notice the " " marks around wish list? I know it is simply just that and we may not get any on our list.......

Answer 1

The truth of the matter is that soldiers graduating from basic/AIT are sent to the post that is on the 'fill' list at the time they graduate. About 80% of his class will wind up going to about two posts.

And there is really no way to predict where he will end up.

Answer 2

Ok, well we are a Navy family, so I don't know much about the locations of the Army bases, but I can confirm the "wish list" process to be true...to a certain extent. Depending upon what his rate (job) will be in the Army, and depending upon the needs of the military, your husband might be stationed in a place on his list. Also, the Army calls it a "post", not a "base". As far as his deployability status, everyone is deployable, especially because of the war going on now. This is regardless of where a soldier/sailor is stationed. How often he will be deployed and where he'll be deployed, again depends on his rate (job) in the Army, and the needs of the military for soldiers in his rate. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

My husband is in the Army too, and he will be on his 3rd deployment to Iraq. I don't really know which bases are known to deploy less, BUT I would stay away from Fort Benning and Fort Stewart in Georgia. Both my husband and another family member were base there, and they are high-deployment. Georgia has other bases too that I don't know if they are high deployment bases. We are now in Washington state's Fort Lewis, and my husband is still deploying this summer. Unfortunately, it is a reality of military life. The weather is very humid in Georgia, and the Seattle area weather is a mild, dryer, and drizzly climate. I recommend large bases near major cities so that you have easy access to housing choices and day to day shopping selection. Many bases are about an hour from a major city (like Savannah, GA - Fort Stewart and Seattle, WA - Fort Lewis), so we tend to live in between the major city and post. Washington's Fort Lewis is one of soldiers' and familys' favorites. Others bases I know that are preferred are Fort Bragg on the east coast, Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, TX, and one in Colorado. ...Honestly, there is a very high likelihood your husband may deploy too. Please do not feel you are alone in this. Be strong, positive, and faithful. Try not to watch the news all the time; once a day is enough. There are many resources on bases that you can ask for; be sure to research and ask. Use the phone numbers that you are given. Have the base's Welcome Center's phone number handy. Be smart and stick to a budget. Remember soldiers love goodie packages when they are deployed; I always try to include something extra so that my husband can give away to other soldiers that don't really get any mail while they are over there. Last but not least, do something progressive for yourself while he is away like taking classes for something; it will keep you strong and positive.

Answer 4

I dont' think you put down what job he is training for, if you did, my old eyes missed it. THat will influence some of the bases he would go to. Wish list is for state, not base. When my dh put in he put in for Kentucky, Texas, and I forget the third for Continental US and for Outside of Continental US he put for Germany, Hawaii, and Alaska. We've been in for 17 years and he's been to Germany twice (3 year tours with family) and did 7 years at Ft. Hood, TX. We did 3 years in Maryland at a communications site and are now at Ft. Eustis, Virgina which is a Transportation training base, but they have units permanently based that are truckers, watercraft operators (load military equip on ships), and then my husband's little unit there are people that do a dozen different support specialties. If your husband is a cook or a truck/Humvee mechanic, he could go anywhere as all bases have those. If he is tank related, then there are several, but not all bases. Ft Hood has 1st Cavalry Division which is a lot of tanks and some Air Cavalry (helicopters) and then 4th Infantry Division which is obvioulsy infantry with artillery. Ft. Hood is the largest Army base in the US, so they have a lot of housing, they remodeled some, they built a lot of new housing while we were there, we lived in a brand-new unit, first tenants. They are duplex townhouses, they look pretty nice on the outside, but the inside work is a bit cheaply done. Ft. Hood has its own Medical Center on post and several family clinics off post in the three surrounding towns. There are a few grades schools, one or two middle schools on post. It has a PX, AAFES Furniture and Outdoor Store, two commissaries, new bowling alley, outdoor recreation center, etc. Brand new Food Court (Burger King, Pizza, subs, Cpn D's, etc) in the middle of post with a playland, with another BK and Church's Chicken in a couple of other locations. Nice library. Its on post office on post, actually two, one has POboxes the other doesn't. Killeen is the main town, it has most of the shopping and restaurants, Harker Heights has some, too. Copperas Cove is short on shopping and restaurants, but it is a good family community and it has good schools and Killeen is only about 10 minutes away. Its hotter than all get out there, I hated it because of the heat. But the post had a lot more support facilities than this one and now I miss it.
Colorado is pretty, but cold. Texas is hot, mostly dry, if you take Ft. Hood you can get out edges of hurricane winds and rain of really large hurricanes that come the right direction into the Gulf. Arizona is hot, I think Huachuca is the only base there, so your hubby would have a better chance if he were commo or intel. Hawaii is very, very expensive, housing is limited and back when we first came in the base housing was in really poor condition, don't know about now. Hawaii sounds nice, but the sparkle wears off after a year one of my friends said because there are only so many things to do and only so many places to go and the tourists can get on your nerves.
Edit: Ft Hood's two units are deploying alternately, so they are a year gone, a year home. For now anyway.
As far as Ft Irwin someone mentioned. It is a training base. But some of their training cadre have deployed as a group to train Iraqi units in Iraq. Also, Ft. Irwin is small, its support services are small, its housing is limited, and it is 30 miles from the nearest town because it is a huge training area out in the desert.

Answer 5

I was with a man in the Navy, the "wish list" that you are talking of actually offers two things. Your husband can choose "where" he wants to be... or "what" he wants to do in the army. Most of the bases are about the same, you are getting government houseing. More or less you are looking at climate. May I make a recomendation? I sugest you tell your husband to choose what job he would like to do in the army rather than where he wants to be stationed. He will be doing this for several years now and he should be happy with his career choice. Just because you are based in one spot for a period of time... does not mean that you will be stying there, they can move you at any time, and your husbands choice will be in vain since he will not be where you guys wanted, and will not be doing the job he wants to in the army. Make sure to take full advantage of all the ARMY offers... take the free education. Also realize that things like writing checks need to be watched carefully. If you were to bounce a check, your husband could pay the price in the "brig" (their jail). American soldiers are expected to be perfect and such mistakes are going to cause problems in the long run. Good luck, military life is hard on both the person in the military and on the family. Our troops are deployed when needed, from any and all bases... being sent to war is just as likely at any base. I support our troops, and your husband, I will keep him in my prayers as it is the least I can do for someone so brave as to defend our country.

Answer 6

I can tell you from personal experience that the "Wishlist" never happens. Sorry, that is just something the recruiter talks about to get people to enlist. I filled mine out when I joined. I picked Hawaii, California, and Texas. I was never stationed in any of these places. My first duty station was to Camp Humphreys South Korea. I actually did 2 tours there in 4 years. The only other place I was stationed was Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. It was a nice post, I never lived in the on-post housing. I lived off post, but Savannah is a real nice city. You are with in driving distance to the beach and there is alot to do there.
Good Luck. tell your husband, thank you for his service.

Answer 7

Rarely does a soldier get stationed at his "wishlist" spot. The Army will send him where they need him. Unfortunately, if your husband picked a combat job, he'll likely end up in a combat unit that can get deployed. Probably not what you were looking for, but that's the sad truth of joining the military...

If you can, try to avoid the South and Midwest. Many of the posts are far from desirable, and far from civilization.

Answer 8

, There's no such thing as bases less likely to deploy. f they need you, you go.

All bases have stores, they're called the PX (Post exchanges) and sell name brand merchandise at very, very good prices, usually at prices that enev Walmart can't come close to.
As forthe weather, while places likeArizona don;t get the severe winters of, example, Montana, they can get brutally hot in the summer. Housing is generally kept up, as far as remodeling, there is not a schedule.
When you get down to it, a "wish list" is just that, but basically it's what you make of it.

Answer 9

Whether or not he deploys is all based on your man's job in the Army. If he lands a job in a non-deployable unit, then he wont deploy. Everyone wishes that they didnt have to deploy. But then, why join the Army?
There are many great places to be stationed. You could travel the world, i.e. get stationed in Germany, Japan, Italy etc..

Answer 10

The wish list is usually by state or region not specific bases. A lot has to do with his job too. In reality the wish list is just that a wish, the Army is going to send a new recruit wherever he is needed and he has little say in the matter.