Best and Worst Stations in the South?

BayouGlocker · 04-20-2011, 23:17

I'm leaving for Basic on June 6 (yay! finally!!!) and while there will have to make out my first dream sheet. I'd like to be somewhere sorta close to home (near Shreveport, Louisiana)...

I'm going in for Security Forces. I don't drink or gamble. And although I'm currently not married, I'd like to change that in the next few years. Also, although this is a given since this is GT, I do enjoy shooting and own several firearms.

I really don't know what all should be deciding factors for a dream sheet, but these seem useful for anyone offering advice. If yall could suggest best places and worst places, or just experiences, to help me make out the dream sheet I'd appreciate it.

**DJ Niner** · 04-21-2011, 00:20

I spent 4 years at Keesler AFB near Biloxi, MS, half a lifetime ago, and enjoyed it quite a bit. The occasional hurricanes are a bummer, but if you're originally from LA, you should be used to the ruckus they cause.

Most of the bases in central/East Texas (Dyess, Goodfellow, Lackland, Laughlin, Randolph, Sheppard) aren't really all that far away by highway. Gotta like that Texas heat to pick one of these, though.

The few guys I knew who had been stationed at Barksdale weren't all that enthusiastic about their tours there. I don't remember why.

TSAX · 04-21-2011, 00:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Niner

The few guys I knew who had been stationed at Barksdale weren't all that enthusiastic about their tours there. I don't remember why.

The people I knew hated Barksdale as well. Sheppard and Kessler are mainly tech school bases. You might wanna try MacDill, Hulbert, Eglin, Patrick, Tyndall in FL.

Mongosafari · 04-21-2011, 01:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by BayouGlocker

I'm leaving for Basic on June 6 (yay! finally!!!) and while there will have to make out my first dream sheet. I'd like to be somewhere sorta close to home (near Shreveport, Louisiana)...

.

Good for you. Enjoy it and make the best of it.

My Basic was June 2 (1982) I was TDY to a lot of places overseas but only stationed at two bases. My first 4 years at Pope AFB, NC and extended 2 years for an overseas short at Rhein Main AB W Ger. It used to be West Germany...I really miss the guys I was working with, I miss the flightline full of C-130 Hercules tails above the ground fog....

Ralff · 04-21-2011, 06:01

Maxwell AFB, AL was pretty crappy. I'm at Patrick now and have even worked with some of the SF guys. Morale seems a lot higher here.

ravenkeeper98 · 04-21-2011, 06:31

I can't comment of the Security Forces side of how the base is, but Shaw is not too bad, better than Cannon AFB where I was before. The base alone (Shaw) is not a great base alone. The location is pretty good. Sumter is a small town, but you have Columbia an hour to the west, Charolette NC 2 hours north, Atlanta 4 hours west, Myrtle Beach 2 hours east, and Charleston 2 hours south east. That brings up Charleston AFB, not the best part of town, North Charleston, can be lil rough there, but that close to Charleston is not bad.

The Third Army has just recently started to move in here at Shaw on the other side of the base "Fort Shaw". So now we are getting a new BX that is about half way built. While you are still single, we have newer dorms being, and completely built that have a four bedroom with a common area design that is pretty good. So Shaw is not too bad of a deal right now.

arodgers · 04-23-2011, 17:08

Won't really matter what base you're at as a young security forces member, as you won't be there for long before heading to Afghanistan or Kuwait...

finz50 · 04-27-2011, 06:18

Hurlburt, Eglin, Tyndall, and Moody.....

Ralff · 04-27-2011, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by finz50

Hurlburt, Eglin, Tyndall, and Moody.....

Good or bad?

finz50 · 05-29-2011, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralff

Good or bad?

Incredible!

MDLibertarian · 04-27-2011, 10:37

If you're single, Charleston AFB, SC, hands down. There are more single women there from all of the schools in the area than you could imagine. If you're into history, there is so much to see both there and in Savannah, GA, that you'll never get bored. Isle of Palms (the beach town for singles) is small, but really fun too.

CombatCamera · 04-29-2011, 00:15

Ill go a different path here and say go overseas! The Air Force has some sweet bases over seas and they all need SF. Go overseas!@!@!@!@!@! you will not regret it.

I spent a year in Okinawa when I was in the Marines and loved it!!! I wish I would have extended and stayed another year.

Brianharless13 · 05-01-2011, 08:18

Spent 3 years at Aviano Air Base as a Security Policeman. Loved it there. Met alot of great men and women whom I am still in touch with today.

Good luck on your assignment. Dream sheet did not mean much. I put in for South Carolina, Florida and Indiana. Ended up in Italy and Montana.

Glad I did cause I got to experience places that otherwise I would have never visited.

Schlitz · 05-11-2011, 21:15

I have no desire to go over seas. I love my guns too much

**DJ Niner** · 05-12-2011, 01:16

Alaska is considered an overseas (non-conus) tour, and you can take your guns. Highly recommended.

.

pisc1024 · 05-12-2011, 11:01

I was stationed at Eglin AFB for school. That was a great place to be. FL is hot, but they are gun friendly, and plenty of pigs to hunt down there.
I'm stationed now in FT Carson, they have Peterson AFB right down the street. Colorado Springs is GREAT! They are gun friendly too, good hunting, and lots to do outside!

BenKeith · 05-14-2011, 21:38

Unless things have changed, you can have you're guns at most European bases. You just have to store them in the armory if living on base. I even bought several guns while stationed at Aviano. However, that was from 1976 - 81, a little while ago.

I was always a firm believer in, when it comes to filling out dream sheets, put where you least wanted to be and just as far from where you wanted to be as possible, then you had a much better chance of getting what you really wanted, or at least close to it.

I would think the bases you would want to try to avoid would be those with first response units like the Mob's etc. You get a pretty heavy TDY tasking at most of those.

Are you LE or Security. I would think being in security on any base would suck

As for overseas, I would fight tooth and nail to try and get a European assignment. Germany and Italy are both fantastic areas to be assigned. There is just so much to see and do and after you get away from the americanized areas, the people are great. Near the bases, the generaly don't like the americans because of too many bad experiences with them, but get out in the country, and they are a whole different bunch of people. As I always said, they are just a bunch of down home southern folks once you learn their language

SchlaffTablett · 05-27-2011, 01:15

Yeah a lot has changed. When we renegotiated the SOFA with Germany they made it all but impossible to bring POF's over with you. That said, you can still buy them there but you're now required to go through the German weapons qualifications classes just like the locals.

I did 4 years at Eglin and stayed after I got out. Eglin is the flagpole so not always the best place in the world for being low key but if you can get to one of the MANY annexes (Duke, C6, island, etc) you'll be good. Hurbie is a nice base as well and because you'll fall under AFSOC you're more likely to get the better gear and more if not better school slots. Moody is also nice. Valdosta is a nice little southern town with decent cost of living although as an E1-3 you still don't make anything.

ETA: My first base was Ramstein and if you can get it it's a great gig with LOTS of stuff to do and great people all over Europe.

Here are my unsolicited pointers for USAF success...

- Volunteer for CCT or PJ in basic. You may not make it but put up with it as long as you can and get everything you can out of it. If you make it through selection and wash out go to TAC-P. It's not as hard as you may think and it's a waaaaaaaaay cooler gig than SF either way. You could also just go TAC-P first but why not at least try for spec ops first?

- Watch your spending and talk to a financial planner ASAP. They are on base and services are free. It takes a couple hours and will be one of the best things you ever do. Also don't buy a new car until you're at least a SrA because no matter how much you think you can, you can afford it.

- Write down EVERYTHING you do. Take notes, and keep a journal at the end of every day. Not just notes on calls and incident reports but any time you get an order or any time anyone above you tells you ANYTHING official. It WILL save your ass at some point I promise. As soon as you get to your base, ask for a "little green note book".

- Keep copies of all travel orders and use your government travel card as little as possible; this will keep you out of trouble when doing travel vouchers. I only ever used mine for lodging and rental cars; doing that will drastically limit your chances of over spending.

- Get your CCAF finished ASAP even if you can only take a class per semester just do it. It's free and you will be happy you did.

- Make 100% sure, like SURE SURE that if and when you get injured that it is noted and in your medical records. That cut on your arm you get during a FTX that is nothing now may be 10% disability rating at the VA later. I was hospitalized for 2 days for a Anthrax reaction in '98 and wonder of wonders it is nowhere in my medical record so I know of what I speak here. Also try to get copies of all of your docs at every medical appointment.

- Decide what you think you want to do with your life and work toward it every day. Talk with people who are already there and ask for pointers and direction and never take no for an answer. Remember, for every AF regulation there are probably at least 28 waivers or ways around it, find one.

Jeepnik · 05-27-2011, 17:32

Alas, one of the best, in my experience is no longer in American hands. But the booze was cheap, and so were the girls.

Sad that today's young men in a "war zone" don't have the same "access" to female companionship my generation did. Then again, there was always the chance or unpleasant "repercussion" from a night of "relaxation.

JBnTX · 05-27-2011, 20:23

The worst base is the one you just left, and the best base is the one you're
going to.

Trust me!

statistic6 · 05-28-2011, 22:12

I think Lackland can be rated as either best or worst base. I am Security Forces and have been at Lackland AFB, TX for my entire career(5 years now). (BMT, tech school, and permanent party) The base is big, alot of civilians to deal with, and alot of leadership ******* everything up. But all in all, it isn't bad.
In BMT I thought it would be smart to put Lackland as my first choice on my dream sheet because they said I wouldn't get my first choice. I guess the joke is on them, I think...

finz50 · 05-29-2011, 10:50

Quote:

Here are my unsolicited pointers for USAF success...

- Volunteer for CCT or PJ in basic. You may not make it but put up with it as long as you can and get everything you can out of it. If you make it through selection and wash out go to TAC-P. It's not as hard as you may think and it's a waaaaaaaaay cooler gig than SF either way. You could also just go TAC-P first but why not at least try for spec ops first?

- Watch your spending and talk to a financial planner ASAP. They are on base and services are free. It takes a couple hours and will be one of the best things you ever do. Also don't buy a new car until you're at least a SrA (my opinion SSGT) because no matter how much you think you can, you can afford it.

- Write down EVERYTHING you do. Take notes, and keep a journal at the end of every day. Not just notes on calls and incident reports but any time you get an order or any time anyone above you tells you ANYTHING official. It WILL save your ass at some point I promise. As soon as you get to your base, ask for a "little green note book".

- Keep copies of all travel orders (and everything else official because MPF and finance will lose it at least three times!) and use your government travel card as little as possible; this will keep you out of trouble when doing travel vouchers. I only ever used mine for lodging and rental cars; doing that will drastically limit your chances of over spending.

- Get your CCAF finished ASAP even if you can only take a class per semester just do it. It's free and you will be happy you did. (it will also put you way ahead of your peers for BTZ promotions, etc...)

- Make 100% sure, like SURE SURE that if and when you get injured that it is noted and in your medical records. That cut on your arm you get during a FTX that is nothing now may be 10% disability rating at the VA later. I was hospitalized for 2 days for a Anthrax reaction in '98 and wonder of wonders it is nowhere in my medical record so I know of what I speak here. Also try to get copies of all of your docs at every medical appointment.

- Decide what you think you want to do with your life and work toward it every day. Talk with people who are already there and ask for pointers and direction and never take no for an answer. Remember, for every AF regulation there are probably at least 28 waivers or ways around it, find one.

Great words of wisdom with some highlights of my advice as well......GOOD LUCK!

mgentry · 06-21-2011, 19:17

I spent 24 years in the Air Force and I was never stationed at a bad base. I found that every base offers something different and if you sit on the base all of the time versus going and doing then it will not be a pleasant experience. I've been stationed from the cold North to hot South. Eduction will be a major factor in your success. Good luck and take care!

***Morris*** · 06-28-2011, 16:49

Funny you mention dream sheets. I begged for Minot. I got Eglin instead, transferred to Holloman in the last few weeks of tech school.

I say it again: exploit your ADAF time to your advantage. Use the vast opportunities and things at your disposal. One other point: if you wash out of STS school, no guarantees you'll make it through TACP school either.

SchlaffTablett · 06-28-2011, 23:14

I can't believe that you had to fight to get TO Minot!

To the OP, fighting to go FROM Eglin (between Pensacola and Panama City, FL) to Minot (the freezer section of the US, N. Dakota) would generally be considered a bad move by many.