What's It Like Where You're Stationed?

Tell us about your duty location. What's the base/post like? What's the local off-base/post community like? What about any previous assignments?

I'm an Air Force Officer currently assigned to a 15-month tour in Izmir, Turkey. All I can say is that 15-months is not nearly enough time to appreciate this beautiful and wonderful country. I'm still shocked that the Air Force hasn't figured out what a great assignment this is and shipped me off to another location. I arrived in Izmir, Turkey in April 2001 right out of tech school. It took about three months to adapt to the local culture, find an apartment and figure out the nuances of living in a different country. The only real challenge was trying to translate "the washer exploded and my apartment is flooded" to a landlord who understands no English. The summers here are wonderful. My weekends are spent on the beach, traveling, sight-seeing, going to fantastic restaurants and enjoying the kindness and generosity of the Turkish people. My DEROS is in July and I'm already feeling a little sad about leaving but it's time to go to another

I was stationed in 3rd Special Forces Group after AIT and Airborne School in April of 1995. I was the first female allowed to be assigned to S.F. in a support capacity in a number of years. I was the only female in that unit for six months until another female arrived. I was taken care of while I was assigned to that unit but I was also expected to pull my weight. After spending three and a half years supporting S.F. I was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where I was assigned to 704th Direct Support Battalion. Fort Hood as a whole is not bad, if you can stand the extreme heat in the summer. It was the unit I was assigned to that left an awful taste in my mouth. Morale was terrible. We had three soldiers AWOL in one month, the chain of command would watch all the E-4's and below, waiting for one of them to mess up so they could burn that troop. I considered trying to Chapter out of the Army after I was told I could not be reassigned to another unit in Ft. Hood, but I just decided to stick it out, because I know eventually I would go back to Ft. Bragg, being Airborne and all. Thankfully before I lost my mind in Ft. Hood, I got my orders sending me back to Ft. Bragg. I returned there in October of 2000, and I was sent to 82nd Airborne Division. It just goes to show you, if you think you are miserable where you are now, things might not be better somewhere else

Shaw is my husband's first duty assignment. He is an F-16 Avionics Specialist which means that we have very few bases at which we can be stationed. Being from Ohio and my husband from New York, we came down expecting Southern hospitality, HA!!!! Its anything but! The town of Sumter is not exactly fond of military people, and they make it a point to show it. As with most small southern towns, I've discovered that if you're

not from here, you won't EVER belong... As far as TDY's go, my husband's squadron usually goes for 90-120 days at a time to either Turkey or Saudi. The base housing is not up to par, but it beats living in a trailer. (I have never seen so many mobile homes in my life, until I came here!) The schools, I have heard are bad, and Sumter supposedly has one of the highest amounts of AIDS cases per capita in the US. As far as prejudices go, discrimination comes from all angles here. The old southern white folk don't care for the blacks and the blacks don't care for the whites. I have to say that the South has a lot of evolving to do! This is not my recommendation for anyone who are first-termers! Shaw has a very low re-up percentage, and there is a

The weather here in the summer is hot and VERY humid, the winters are rainy and chilly! By the way, SC has the worst drivers I have ever seen!! Myrtle Beach is 1.5 hrs. away and the closest city for real shopping and "nightlife" would Columbia which is 45 minutes away. I am sure there are worst places to be, but my husband isn't sure if he's gonna stick around long enough to find out...

I am stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This is my very first duty station since I've joined the marine corps on July 8, 1999. As you know, Cuba is isolated but it is not a bad place. I've only been here a couple of weeks and so far not bad. Of course there is no off-base housing but the BEQ is better than I expected. there are only five females to a ratio of 400 males. We have a club and McDonald's. The great thing about it is that you can easily go to Jamaica or the Caribbeans for a getaway. My work station is the best ever. I am the only female in my shop but they treat their marines well. If you are not use to isolation in one area then Cuba is not for you. If you love the water and water sports or just the sun, make Cuba you're next duty station. Think about it, who can ever say they have been to Cuba unless you were born or have family in Cuba. And if you ever get stationed here make the best of it. No matter where you're duty station is, you should always make life living cause you never know if you'll see tomorrow ever again.

Posted: 25 Jan 00
Fort Drum, New York

I'm at my first duty station FORT DRUM, NEW YORK. The weather here is terrible. You have temperatures as low as -68. At times you feel like going AWOL. You have to still get up and do PT. You go out and run. When you come in from running you have frost on your eyebrows, and your PT cap have frost. When you run you feel like your lungs are gonna fall out. The closet city is Watertown. Never heard of it huh? It is so small. New York city is 400 miles away. You can go to Canada which is about a 30 mile drive. You can only go to Canada so many times before you get tired of it. I would never suggest anyone come here especially a first time enlist, like myself.

is supporting dual missions. For this week any way. It's changed twice since I've been here...I've been here single, and married. Both in my opinion are equally as grueling. As a single under age airman the city of Jacksonville is not that great-don't get me wrong, the citizens of the community are very proud and supportive of us here, and will let you know it, but if you have no car, there is no local transit system like busses. You have to find people with cars to be buddies with or spend lots of money on cabs. The base just opened up a new club called J.R Rockers. It's about the only place under age troops can go around here. We used to all gather in the day rooms to watch Jerry Springer before he got censored, or play Dominoes. Another big thing here is to go to Heber Springs. It's about 40 miles away. It is a beautiful lake with lots of places to swim, boat and fish. Oh, fish! Don't get me started. Lots of fishing here in Arkansas. As a married couple it's a little hard. My husband is on the AETC side and I'm on the AMC side. The AMC squadrons deploy at least twice a year. This will be my first time deploying with AMC, but I secretly need a break. The surrounding area is okay. If you're into hiking and that sort you'd love it here. The base is beautiful, lots of trees all around. the local wild life consists of deer, ducks-they live on the base lake, we have two, tarantulas, and SKUNKS! They like to hang out near the dorms. Girls watch those heels! I broke a pair one night running from a skunk! North Little Rock has all the eating places and movie theaters. My husband and I have eaten at every restaurants at least 6 times. It gets old. I did fail to mention the base officials here, they are great! The whole "Team Little Rock" concept is wonderful. I spend most of my time at Wal-Mart, hoping for orders soon. It could be worse right?

I was very intimidated by the thought of living in a country that was reputed to be unfriendly to Americans. Especially when they spoke a different language and used an unfamiliar alphabet. So the first thing I did when checking into my command was sign up for a basic Greek language class. I was able to learn everything that I needed to get around in the first few weeks. As I stuck with the course I was able to carry on conversations with many of the locals.

My husband and I lived off base in the village of Pazinos. We were the only Americans in the village. The villagers were very warm and welcoming to us after we made the first effort by introducing ourselves. We were frequently invited to family get togethers and made to feel welcome. The local farmers would often leave gifts of fresh produce or village wine from their own farms on our doorstep. In return we invited them to an "American style Bar-B-Q" with many of our friends from the base.

Much of Crete is still rural farming villages. My husband and I hiked all over the island and met many intesting people while doing this. Crete is very rugged and beautiful. It was not uncommon to stumble across what would appear to be unexcavated archealogical sites while hiking. We often met goat herders and olive farmers who would welcome us into their homes to share a meal and meet their families. They seemed to find us odd and interesting at the same time.

Our lives on Crete were much enhanced by our interaction with the Greek nationals. I have to encourage everyone in the military to learn as much as they can about the areas they will be stationed in whether it is remote duty in Europe, or a small base in Georgia. The more you know about the people you live with the better you will be able to communicate with them.

My life, and my military career are much richer for the time that I spent Crete. I miss the country and people very much and I am grateful to the U.S. Navy for giving me the opportunity to spend a year of my life there.

If you came in the military to find a man, this is the place; the ratio here is 200 to 1. I am one of only 20 single females on post. If you are married this place is great. It is quiet and the housing is almost all off post and is well kept. There are plenty of jobs on post. We have a lot of support for the families but the singles have to find one another.

The barracks life is awful. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU ARE NOT MARRIED. The closest club is 30 minutes. The nearest train station is a 15 minute drive. We have a PX the size of my office and if you aren't a size 2 or a size 20 there is nothing for you. If you can avoid this place try to. If you can't, don't worry go to a BOSS meeting and get with someone who has a car to show you the ropes.. Good Luck if you win the PCS lottery and are headed my way.

My first duty assignment was to the 193d INF Brigade in Panama. I entered Active Duty 16 Jul 80. Basic was at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. Then AIT was at Ft. Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, IN. My MOS was 73C10-Finance Specialist. I went in country 25 NOV 80 at Ft. Clayton, which was on the Pacific side, near the Miraflores locks in Panama. For those of you who served there, you know exactly the location. At first, I didn't know what to think. My fiancé at the time received orders to report to Ft. Polk, LA. The only thing I knew was that it was beautiful scenery-wise. One thing about Panama was that they had McDonalds, Hardees, Dairy Queen, etc. The PX and Commissary were not on the base, but nearby in a sub-division named Corozal. The Finance and Accounting Office was located in Corozal as well. There was base housing, but you could get housing in Cocoli, which was a military housing division across the canal. Fortunately, I spoke Spanish so when I did not have on my uniform, I resembled a civilian so no one harassed me. Policy was that wearing your uniform off-base was a no-no. If you can remember, President Carter signed the treaty saying that by the year 2000, the Canal goes to Panama, and all military personnel will be pulled out of the country. At first, being overseas was a problem for me, but as time went on, it was tolerable. The biggest thing was the gradual changes as far as government goes. La Guardia Nacional was slowly taking things over, such as the Military Police of Panama was starting to billet the soldiers at Ft. Amador, where US military personnel was living when Panama was known as Canal Zone, or CZ. Being in the office did not mean you were exempt from duties such as CQ, Guard, or Field Duty. We were in the jungle for as long as three weeks, especially during the FTX's such as Operation Black Hawk.

I am stationed at Naval Station Norfolk. Have been here for about 6 or 7 months. I have only been in the Navy for about 11 months in total but must say for my first duty station it ain't all that bad! I like it here! I mean, come on, I could be on a ship for my first duty station as the wonderful "deck seaman" (since I am only an E-2) BUT I have a wonderful job in an office working with the Command Master Chief and the Commanding Officer so it is not all that bad. I stay squared away! I am still learning discipline and as my mother always said "there's nothing better than a good day at the office" I get envied by a lot of my fellow shipmates because I work in an office and don't have to be on a ship right now but I love my job and wouldn't give it up for any reason.

I am stuck in a nightmare the folks here like to call "Big Willy". It's sort of like the black hole; once you enter you never leave. I have been here for four and a half years. They pride their selves on being one of the best bases in the world. I am not sure who thought up that term. I go to work 4 in the morning some days, work till ten at night on other days. I have rotating days off. I put in so much overtime, I could be rich off of it. The morale is so low. No one who comes here even tries to reenlist. That is why they are now offering reenlistment bonuses to more and more career fields. I think this a career trap for first term airmen. If they can make it here, they can make it anywhere. I cannot believe that I reenlisted. If it hadn't been for my family I would not have. They don't give a damn about you here. If you don't have something for them, there is nothing for you. The NCOs are out to get people. There is so much gossip, and for such a big base, everyone knows your business. I went to have my appendix taken out and they sent me home and told me I had gas. I cannot believe that I had to have emergency surgery the next day because they had an incompetent intern look at me. I spent two weeks in the hospital, and then five on con. leave. I have to say this is the worst place for anyone to come. Be stationed at Lackland, but please don't come to Wilford Hall. You will regret it.

I have been stationed in Alaska since June of 98, which is a little less than one year. I can definitely say this is the place to be, however, only for one tour. Lets start with the good The summers are our reward for dealing with the winter. Now because I arrived in the summer and had not experienced a winter, I didn't realize how valuable this time was. During the summers everyone tries to fit every summer activity into the 3 months of great (60's and 70's) weather. There is fishing, hiking, sports, camping, biking, rollerblading, and of course horseback riding. Thank God for the 24 hours of daylight so you have time to do this stuff.

The light is another issue...if you are not used to it you will loose track of time and before you know it, it is 12am and you forgot to eat dinner. Of course you can be outside all day and all night which is convienent if you are camping, however, it is a pain in the butt if you are trying to get to sleep.

I have to say I did enjoy the summer, however, I could have done more and now I wish I did because I can't handle this winter anymore. Of course this feeling is seen all over post every time it snows in March and April..Our bodies and minds are telling us it is suppose to be Spring but we are still freezing our butts off....it is 30degrees.

The base itself is small, but Elmendorf AFB is connected by a road and has everything we do not have. (It is convient to have them next door). The housing on post fills up fast and there is a waiting list. However, they are building new housing and improving the bad stuff so we shall see...I am a single officer and live in the BOQ's which are nicer then I had expected. They are one bedroom with a large kitchen, living room/dining room combo, and a bathroom. The storage space is great (you have a big cage in the basement which you can lock), and you also have your own washer and Dryer...you are allowed one pet in the BOQ's and three in the regular housing...

Living off post is an option, but not it is not very convienant. Most places do not allow pets and if they do it is a cat or a dog under 20 pounds but good luck finding those places. The rent is also very expensive and most of the time you pay for all utilities. The traffic in Anchorage is pretty busy during the morning and evening rush, so if you live off post it will take you longer to get home. Also, there is one highway which takes you from post to everything else, so you have to get on it to go anywhere. The big problem with this is that there are accidents all the time in the winter. Cars roll into the ditches and each other on almost a daily basis which of course closes the highway for hours.

Anchorage has everything one could really want so I like that. There are Walmarts, malls, great places to eat, tons to do downtown, beautiful sunsets and sunrises..., movie theaters, and great festivals. There is always something to do here.

Now the bad the dreaded winters. It is not that they are so cold you just freeze to death, it is more that they are so long. You really get sick of seeing snow...especially when it is easter. Every time it snows after March...you keep hoping it is the last of it but then it snows again and you want to cry.

There are a lot of problems with domestic violence and alcohol because people don't want to go outside during the winter so they just sit inside and let other family members drive them crazy. This of course is not healthy. There is still a lot to do in Anchorage even in the heaviest of the winter.

Well, that is about the jist of Alaska...I love it here and the beauty of it is a whole nother book. If you can get Alaska and you like the outdoors...I highly recommend you snatch it up...how often do you hear people say "I live in Alaska."

Well, I'll start off describing Las Vegas. Behind the glamour and the lights, Las Vegas is just another city. Well, OK, not quite. Walk into any 7-11, and you'll see the video poker machines lining the wall. People will actually sit there and play, rather than just dropping their change in the machines as they walk out. Major culture shock to me, as this is our first base, and we call conservative West Michigan our home.

As for the weather, it's just plain HOT. "At least it's a DRY heat." Believe me, when the thermometer is topping out at 115F, dry doesn't make a difference. Here, A/C is not a luxury, it's a necessity. And, believe it or not, it does rain here, though not very often, but when it does, it POURS!!!

Race fans, start your engines. Las Vegas MotorSpeedway is only about 10 minutes from the NAFB main gate. This past April, the Speedway hosted the Inaugural Las Vegas 400. The Speedway also hosts smaller races throughout the year.

Once you learn your way, Las Vegas is easy to get around. Most streets, with the exception of Las Vegas Blvd ("The Strip") and it's intersecting down-town streets, run N-S and E-W. The easiest way to find your way around is to actually learn the street names, as you can see the Stratosphere tower from all across The Valley, so using that as a landmark, doesn't really help you figure out what direction you're travelling if you get lost. Don't count on the mountains either, they surround The Valley and all look pretty much the same. Your best bet, if you're lost within 3 miles of NAFB, just look for the water towers to lead you home.

Nellis AFB is located about 25 mins from "The Strip," in the northeast corner of the Las Vegas Valley. Home of "The Thunderbirds" and a major air warfare training base, we are treated an "airshow" nearly every day of the year.

I don't know much about the housing program, as we have decided to live off-base until we start a family. There are several apartment communities within 10 minutes of the base, with one of the largest, newest (and most expensive) right outside the main gate. Right now, we're in one of the smaller communities, still really nice, paying about $600/mo. for a two bedroom. In this area, that rent is about standard for an apartment of this size and quality. My husband's BAH more than covers our rent.(He's E-3 right now, advancing to E-4 next month.)

From what I've seen, base housing is rather nice. They have been tearing down the original houses and building brand new ones. I haven't been inside any of the new ones, but from the outside, they look rather spacious, with nice yards. (And yes, there is grass in Vegas, though NAFB probably has the best landscaping of anyplace in town.)

On Nellis, AAFES operates one of the largest exchange systems in CONUS. Right now, the Main Store, and the Home and Garden Center are about 1/2 mile apart, but plans are in the works to build a new exchange within the next 3-4 years, combining the Main Store and the Home and Garden Center.

Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital was recently built. (Opened in '94, I believe. We weren't here at the time.) It's a nice facility, but parking is a drag. For those of you who are dependants, make your appointments in late morning, or early afternoon, after active duty sick call is over, that way you'll have a much easier time finding a place to park. I've had nothing but good experiences regarding the medical care. Sometimes, there is a bit of a wait at Family Practice, even with an appointment, but the people are so very kind, the wait is worth it.

How to get to Nellis AFB: If you come through Hoover Dam, the easiest way to get to Nellis is to stay on 93. It will eventually widen from a 2 lane road to expressway. (I recommend coming through Hoover Dam at night. Traffic is slower, and the view of the city as you come over the hill, just before 93 turns to expressway, will take your breath away.) Stay on 93, it will eventually become I-515. Take 515 to I-15, you'll want to go North. (By the way, for future reference, when you hear someone talking about "The Spaghetti Bowl" this junction is what they are talking about. You'll see why if you're ever unfortunate enough to get stuck on the expressway during rush hour. I don't mean to scare you, and the Department of Transportation is working on improving that junction.) Anyway, take I-15 north to Craig Road. (Don't worry about looking for the street name, there are signs for Nellis AFB.) Travel east on Craig Road for about 2 miles. Craig dumps right in to the main gate.

For those of you who wish to take the "scenic route", you can take Las Vegas Blvd all the way north. You'll cross Nellis Blvd, but don't be fooled. Keep going straight until the next light. That's Craig Rd. (sound familiar?) Make a right turn, and you're at the main gate.

For more information on Las Vegas: Many of the businesses in Vegas have teamed up to create one Website for the Las Vegas area: www.lasvegas.com. I've visited this site before, and it has a lot of valuable information. This site also provides links to the Nellis AFB website. Check it out!

Being stationed at Moody AFB in Georgia was the worst thing that could have happened to my family. The base is extremely small with way too many personnel for it's capabilities. The MWR programs pretty much don't exist. The town is so small that no one in the state of Georgia has heard of it until you get within 30 miles of it. Also it wouldn't exist if it weren't for Moody. The morale at Moody is so low. The first shirts organization never does anything for their troops. The waiting list for base housing in 95 was two and a half years. I had a friend that got stationed there straight out of tech school, immediately put his name on the housing list, and didn't get called for housing until four months before his 4 year term was up. Absolutely ridiculous. There are no squadron or wing functions, at least in my sq. or my hubby's sq. Until I got stationed at McChord AFB, WA.(which by the way is wonderful), I had never heard of a Dining Out, or a coin check. Our squadrons or wings didn't give coins out. My husband had never heard of either of those until he was stationed in Korea this year. The gossip is unreal, far worse than anything I've ever seen, even high school. There are only three clubs in town to go to, and I wouldn't necessarily call them clubs, maybe glorified bars. The education system in Georgia isn't so great either. It was ranked 49th in the country, beating out only Alabama. The one good thing that I can give to Moody is that no one wants to live in Valdosta by choice, so buying a house is really affordable. We got a new 3bd 2bath 1300 sq ft house for $59,900. Can't beat that. The way we saw it also, buying a house was the way to go cause the only way to get off Moody was a remote, which we got. Hello follow-on Ramstein!!!!! It will be a welcome change!!!!! I hope you never get stationed here, but if you do, volunteer for remotes!!!!! You'll be repaid with a handsome follow on. Good luck to you if you're here!

Hi, from Great Mistakes (lakes) that is what I call this place of a duty station so far. My husband, daughter and I have been stationed here for over 1 year now, and let me tell you that it's probably the most and worst place I have ever been stationed at in the entire Navy as a whole. Why do I say this? I will conveniently explain my feelings. The weather if not in the winter is extremely cold, the summers extremely hot really hot, you practically roast your but off. The housing has a waiting list a mile long and they say that it comes on a first come first serve bases this is a total lie - "it's who you know trust me on that one". We have waited over 6 months and still couldn't get in even in the new units they were building. We have a child but people my husband works with at the clinic have no kids and got into the new housing right away. I think it really is bad that you come from a overseas tour and you cannot even have a priority to get in housing any faster and most people who have just got in get in just like that!!!

I would say we had to live out in town--very expensive!! I thought Naples Italy was bad (NOT!!!). There the Navy compensated the cost for your living out in town, not here, no way, the rent ranges from 700 to 1300 and let me tell you the 700 dollars apts are usually filled up with lower ranked enlisted people, no washer or dryers in units and no allowed pets. I know this. We went in search for apts all day for 2 weeks and found no relief, you either pay out of your butt like we did 955 rent for a 2 bedroom apt in Gurnee, Illinois and didn't offer much paid for everything meaning all utilities. I think that first 6 months was bad for us financially trying to make ends meet, waiting to be called for on base housing never happened so through some searching, I myself found that you could by a Mobile home and put on base and not have to pay a huge costly lot fee like out in town, well we broke our lease and moved on base. That was costly but we had no choice, we couldn't incur the cost any longer. I bought a brand new mobile home with a fireplace and whirl pool and all amenities that one could want in a home. It has 3 bedrooms, two baths and showers, it was nice, plush carpeting and picked my own lot. We get our full VHA which is high here for a high cost of living area and BAQ etc... and we pay only a total, including lot fee, 300 dollars a month and I have central air and gas heat and of course the fireplace which is great during the winter. We pocket so much money and this is alot better than housing any day, it's my own house and I can do what I want with it and have a spacious yard where we have a swing set and nice garden space etc.. I would think if you have kids that housing would be a priority not here and the weather like I said is pretty bad, rains alot and very windy even in the summer, windy all summer practically, not your average light winds. I am talking your trash can gets blown to smithereens and blown to the next housing over, it is too windy here.

The hospital is practically all it's facilities are closed so don't look at pamphlets and brochures on the facilities and what it has to offer it is a joke, if you are pregnant there is no O.B here you get assigned out in town but to a doctor you want so that is one plus.

Great Lakes you know is home of the only recruit training camp now and focuses mainly on the recruits which they should but in a way there is nothing for the morale of the sailors here and there families. It is bad, the morale is down and people who are stationed here let you know everyone is constantly in a bad mood, like everyone, and it's terrible we have a hard time meeting people because of the attitudes are so poor.

My husband is so turned off by the Navy here that he wants out after 11 years of service, I try to make friends and like it here but it is hard, I really think Chicago is congested and it costs alot for everything. That was what we were trying to get away from and here we are all over again high cost of living and impulse buying.

The base has a commissary and exchange but your in the states who cares, but all the grocery stores and local stores and malls are about 25 minutes away there is nothing to offer right around the corner from base but some fast food restaurants. I am disappointed to that.

The care, meaning medical, is pretty bad and you wait weeks to get appts and the doctors are mean and they don't give out anything you need or try to help. They tell you to buy it over the counter, most people go to Condell acute care and pay for care themselves, that's how bad it is here. I know, I got seen there and the whole waiting room was military people. You would think the Navy would take care of their own. There is really nothing to do maybe go to a movie or see some museums down town or the night life like night clubs, they have baseball and football but you know that is seasonal and very costly to go to here. They have one amusement park and that's about it, and maybe in the country horse back riding, they have gambling.

I know this sounds negative but it is this is the worst I think because it is a boot-camp well I can't wait to leave I would have stayed in Italy before coming here. Think hard before you come here think long and hard trust me it is hateful here and it shows on everyone's faces. Good luck and stay away from Great Mistakes it truly is a mistake!!!

I am an active duty Marine stationed at Camp Smith, Hawaii. Camp Smith is a tiny base on a mountain overlooking Pearl Harbor. The Marine Forces Pacific and CINCPACFLT are headquartered here. I've been here for over three years, but it sure doesn't seem that long. I think it's mostly due to the lack of seasonal change. The weather is fair almost always, 80 degrees, and though it's a bit humid here, the tradewinds keep it cool. Since we are halfway up a mountain, the base itself is all hill. If you want to run, you can run around a small track (7 3/4 times is 3 miles) or up to the helo pad, and I mean up. There are also a couple of off-road trails, but there are a lot of roots sticking out, really steep passages, and you might meet up with wild pigs somewhere along the way.

I was really suprised at how much military there is on this island (Oahu). This is the second Marine base (Kaneohe Bay), plus there is Pearl Harbor, Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hickam Air Force Base, Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter (for you army types), I've heard of a Wheeler Army Airfield, and the Army has a large training area mapped out in the Kuhukus Mountains. It's really great to have all the armed services working close to each other. There are always ceremonies and parades going on, it makes you proud.

Being a vacation hub, there are a lot of places you can waste all your money on, but if you do anything during the month of May (Military Appreciation Month) you can get great deals on anything tourist-y. Also, being stationed here gets you "local" discounts (tourists pay full price).

Base housing is a little different around here. Married Marines at Camp Smith are housed on Army housing, Aliamanu Military Reservation (AMR) out in town, but I got here a little before that was the rule and live on Navy housing. Our house is pretty spacious (3 bedroom, 2 bath), but we had to buy carpet and air conditioners. They only allow 2 air conditioners per unit, but they put in 2 ceiling fans last year.

Some of the things I don't like about Hawaii are the traffic (it's really bad! People leave their houses at 5:30 to get to work at 8 in Honolulu), the centipedes (they get to be so long and wide that it would be like stepping on a mouse to squish them (not that that would kill them!!)), and road work (it seems to take months and months to get just a small stretch of Salt Lake Boulevard widend) (probably because they all knock off at 3).

Some of the things that I love and will miss when I leave here are the beautiful beaches, the sunsets, and the water is a shade of blue I've never seen anywhere else. The climate is great, we haven't had a hurricane the entire time we've been here. You can always plan outdoor events ahead of time because it hardly ever downpours. It usually sprinkles over the mountains and then stops. The tradewinds always blow some of the showers toward us, and it's annoying at first, but you get used to it after awhile, and it provides rainbows almost daily (P.S. People who are in love with their cars may not care for that too much). I'll miss people taking "Aloha Fridays" and leaving work earlier than usual to get a jump on the weekend. I'm going to miss the people in my shop that I've been working with. I'm already missing the many people who have gone on before me; we've had a complete turnover in our shop since I arrived. I've learned a lot in Hawaii and I'm glad to have visited for this long. If you'd like more information, my unit's web page is www.mfp.usmc.mil.

I was stationed in Naples, Italy, with my husband with whom was also stationed at Naval Hospital Naples, we were both hospital corpsman and I have to say that Naples is not a really great place to be. Most people who are married and bring children or have children while overseas there, have problems with asthma because the air quality is not so great, alot of smog and dust and really dirty. One of the most dreadful things we had to experience seeing was dead animals along side of the road and were never cleaned up, Italians seem to think nothing of the rights of animals or have shelters for them. You may bring your pet; there is no quarantine. Housing is very expensive out in town, but the military does compensate with OHA (overseas housing allowance- which is a nice sum when you check aboard at PSD) and COLA is another form of money the military gives you to off set the costs incurred to you by living in Italy. If you choose, however, to live in housing the military limits the money you get like the states, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

In Italy the summers are really hot/humid and there is no air anywhere in Italy, Italians don't think it is needed, so if you like the heat Naples, is for you. If you live in housing however there is some air in the units and you can buy a 220volt air conditioner in the base "country store". It is very costly and you have to get a note from the doctor before housing allows you to install it in you window. I also suggest that you don't bring microwaves overseas. If you do get one from housing, this is on loan for you, because something with the different voltage screws it up, they do however give you 2 transformers to have to convert over the American electric 110 to 220volts this is only for people who wish to live out in the economy. I wouldn't even try hooking up your microwave to this either like we did and it still blew out, Don't waste your money, the housing for people who live out in town has a warehouse where you can get a washing machine and dryer also a microwave and some furniture/closets because most Italian housing has no built in closets you have to get these from the housing warehouse, the warehouse gives you 2 closets per family and 3 if you have kids, they are big and can fit alot of stuff. I suggest that if you decide on Italy please stay in housing, the Navy just put residents into new housing units when we were leaving and is very nice, spacious and has free everything, meaning heat. I would of give anything to have enjoyed the luxury of heat since on the economy heat is costly, really costly, it costs us to fill up our gas tank outside our condo apt, about 800.00 that was monthly or more if you used it alot, we had to turn the radiators off to conserve our gas, we bought electric heaters; this was a mistake, very costly, our average electric bill was about 1200.00 dollars every 3 months no joke!! I even had us move into one room the last six months we were stationed there to save on the heat it was so bad. I know now from experience to live in housing.

I also recommend that if you are duel military couple bring both cars because your sponsor may tell you that you are only allowed one this is not true. Bring both if you want. Sponsors seem to not tell the whole truth about what it's like overseas in Italy. If you do bring both cars note that the military gives gas coupons and license for one car, the other you have to pay on your own, very expensive, although most people do this even though the military is against it. You are allowed so much liters of gas coupons a month, you buy a book of them and whatever you don't use put towards the other vehicle, these have expiration dates on them so don't try and save them up, you will lose your money. If you want, you can sell back your gas coupons if you run short on cash--just a suggestion. Also you will find lots of people who will be willing to pay you double for what you paid for unused or left over gas coupons to get them from you so not openly advertise but ask, it's funny because alot of people take trips back and forth to Rome and when they come back, they seem to use up their whole months rations and need gas coupons, they come running to anyone who can give them some for a good price, we always had leftovers.

I liked the food though very good, Italians can cook. This was something we truly missed, the fresh Italian food, always fresh, you will find that this dish called (mozzarella d' buffalo) was real popular in most Italian restaurantes called (caprici salad) that's what you ask for, it is awesome don't miss out!!!

I would have to say Italy isn't so bad you get used to it but it was a joy to be back in the states anywhere, no more impulse buying since you only have the exchange and the commissary was small and if you didn't stock up on food items you lose out/there was no limit on anything and people bought out everything cause they knew it may not be in next time-word of advice to do the same when you can, because for a whole month we lived on hamburger meat, there was nothing else to purchase in meat, it was gone. I think it's so funny sometimes because the commissary milk trucks and meat trucks got hi-jacked. Even the U.S Mail- thank god ours wasn't on it this was during Christmas. Italy has its downfalls. If you have a infant or toddler get used to powder milk since the milk always was out if you didn't get any too bad, milk truck comes once a week. I got used to it, when I had my daughter I stocked up on formula since this too ran out often, I thought I would panic but always bought enough ahead of time. It's hard during the holidays, the commissary runs short on holiday favorites, and you get aggravated-have mom and dad or relatives send you items before hand and all mail sent to you or them must be Priority Mail or it takes months to get to you. I would say keep a Visa or MC on handy with J.C Penney's catalogue since they have everything you could want since there is really no where else to shop but the Italian stores and trust me it's nothing to brag about. We could of invested in Penney's as much as we shopped through the mail with them, they are quick and have everything you need. I guess I should end this because I could go on and on about Italy, I have to say that if you travel and not vegetate and drink like most sailors do, you will see time will go fast and it makes living there a whole lot better, we loved Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Venice, Pisa, and of course Rome don't forget the Vatican and Pope at Christmas Eve mass, I think all should experience a evening of that. One more thing, ITT trips don't do it-do the (do it yourself trips with ITT) alot better and cheaper. The USO and ITT trips are a total rip off big time. I also want to let ya know that if you like movies you will be six months behind and renting is hard if you go to base, you need to be fast or forget it, and tv is a bummer (AFN) really bites totally; have relatives send taped shows etc... I missed having TV while we were there so we rented practically out the whole video store while we were there, I think I saw everything to black/white film. I also want to mention this is it I promise that everything closes early even the exchange and commissary so it bites, you can't shop, even the Italian stores close, and on Sundays everything is closed. Italians believe Sundays our there holy day which it is but they do no business. I will close with that but to say that the hospital is not so hot, the medical is pretty bad and most people complained/nothing changed when we were there, so stock up on over the counter because the exchange carries nothing but Tylenol, and womens items were scarce stock up on those and bring over I did. I bought all that stuff ahead of time and brought over it was great that I did that. I hope this was helpful but not to be offensive this was my opinion I did mention some good points and of course alot of bad but you make up you own mind and like they say ("its how you make of it right!!!) and a note to guys that since they love to drive ("there is no speed limit) drive as fast as your car can take you but word of advice"drive with caution, it's dangerous out there and even though you Americans think your tough, the Italians are one step ahead (trust me on that one). With that CIAO!! Belle Napoli to all who goes there. Good Luck!!!

I am in the United States Navy (Petty Officer Second Class) and am currently stationed at the United States Atlantic Command on the CINCLANTFLT Compound (Norfolk, VA). This is a joint command with Air Force, Marines, Army and Navy. A great environment to work in because it is so diverse. The area is good with lots of stuff to do. I live in Virginia Beach in an area that is booming with developement. Right down the street, about two years ago the city built a amphitheater, they have great concerts here. The city also has alot of stuff going on in the way of Antiques Shows, Boat Shows, Cajun Festivals and free concerts in the summer. It is mostly a tourist town that seems to come alive in the summer. There is alot of history in the state; DC, NY and Florida are great places that are not to far away. The weather is good, it gets kinda hot and humid in the summer but that's east coast for you. I don't have any children, but I hear the schools are not that bad. They have good colleges nearby with ranges of specialities. Overall, it's a great place to be!

New Mexico is dubbed, The Land Of Entrapment. Once you are here, the only way out is a remote to Korea, or promotion. We are severly undermanned. Here on the base is the 377th ABW and the 58 SOW. The 58 Special Operations Wing is a good wing. We are basically the Tech School for helicopters. For more information on the 58 SOW and Kirtland AFB, go to http://sowgate2.irk.aetc.af.mil. Helicopters are a very small part of the AF, but once you are here, they grow on you. Go to the site and learn!

I am stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC. This is the "Home of the Airborne". I love my assignment here and would not trade it for nothing in the world. Ft Bragg, though a rapid deployment post cares about the family and the morale of the soldiers. There are a lot of people that would rather be else where....and my advise to them is to make the best of it!!! Airborne....All The Way!!!!

This is my first duty station and coming from Hawaii, Idaho, is a REAL big change. Although I was not thrilled that I got stationed here and to tell you the truth I'm still not to happy about it I am going to stick it out and I'm sure that wherever I get stationed next it can't be any worse. In fact, I'm looking forward to it.

My husband is in the USAF and we were stationed at Elmendorf AFB, AK for two years. First of all, the military pays you well being stationed in Alaska. Secondly, Alaska is absolutely beautiful and if you like the outdoors it is truly the place for you. From skiing to fishing and hunting there are always things to do for adults and children. The only downfall that I see about being stationed in AK is the winters. The winters are beautiful at first, but after several months you get tired of the snow and cold. The days are shorter during the winter, basically you go to work in the dark and it's nice and sunny while your working but come 4-5:00 when you get off work it is dark again so you go home in the dark.

We were also stationed at Holloman AFB, NM near Las Cruces. It is a very boring base. You are in the middle of the desert with absolutely nothing to do, except to party. The base is nothing but gossip, but most bases are like that, this one just extreme due to boredom.

We are currently stationed at Shaw AFB, SC which I really don't care for, but it is within driving distance of alot of neat places. The base is very quiet, boring, and the community is the most prejudice I have ever seen. The schools are very behind and have rated the lowest by the government, so I am very disappointed in that. The men seem to rotate alot to Saudi Arabia which is hard, but I feel the community is understanding towards the dependents. I go to Charleston AFB which is 1 1/2 hours from here and that my friend is an awesome base.......that would be my number one recommendation for a base.

Every base has it's positive and negatives, a base is what you make of it. That is one good thing about being in the military you do get to travel and see new places and if you don't like a base, in four years you get to move at the government's expense, what a deal!

Let me tell you. I am married to a career US Army Warrant Officer. Of all the assignments and duty stations that we have lived, this one ranks up there with Germany!!! IT is TERRIBLE!!! Not only is the weather like Germany's but the Unit my husband belongs in didn't even welcome us as a family!!!! THAT is poor! I long for the return to AZ!! I miss my friends, the church we belonged to and the sunshine! My family is important to me, I choose to stay at home and raise the children. We have five....ages: 11, 9, 5, 4, and 4 months old. The surrounding town isn't the best. The schools on Post are terrible, I have heard of children being bussed to other towns out of the school district. Housing on Post is non-existent for Warrant Officers. A YEAR wait the last time I checked. We live 30 minutes west of Post in a small community. I recommend to any one coming this way....Turn Back!!! Beware!!! It isn't "Military Friendly" even on Post.

I was stationed in Turkey for two years, and to be perfectly honest, when I first heard that I was headed for a third world country straight out of tech school, I was not thrilled. Luckily, the tour turned out completely opposite from what I had thought.

The sites that are over there are incredible. We were only two hours from the most beautiful water that I have ever seen. We would spend weekends at a time at their beaches. Kizkelasi Beach was popular with the Americans. It was nicknamed, Castle by the Sea, because of the ruins of a castle that used to stand there, that today you can explore. Turkey has so many castles and so much history. Two years wasn't even enough to see it all.

The nationals were a lot more friendly than I thought they would be. Of course, there are those few that aren't too happy that we are on the soil. But all in all the nationals were very kind and generous. Especially the children. Most are very well behaved and love to talk to Americans so they can practice their English. In their school, one of their subjects is English.

Of course everyone knows how great the shopping is!!! I purchased 7 handmade rugs for $300. And their gold has the cheapest price in the world. Their leather and clothes are another great buy. My husband had a 3 piece suit with a shirt and tie made for $100.

I think one of the things I will most is the food. Their kabobs, salads, and mostly their homemade bread are to die for. The Ekmek (bread) is so good that how to make it is not in any Turkish food book. They won't let the secret out.

Base wise, when I was there the base seemed like a close family. It is rather small, so you get to know the people very well. Another good thing is that not only do you get the American holidays off, but you also get the Turkish ones too. And, the base does a lot of special things for their people too. Concerts, parties, and a lot of base get togethers. The weather is very humid during the summer, and the winter is pretty mild.

Incirlik is a unique experience, and one of the few hidden gem bases in the Air Force.

I have to say now, that I got great duty stations..now. For when I was getting out, May86, the Navy put a freeze on all "A" schools and also duty stations. My first duty station out of Orlando, Fl. was the Navy Annex in Washington, DC. I worked as a PN at the NMPC-312., sending service people their service records on microfilm. Since they had no actual naval base for us, we lived at Mt. Myers Army Base. That was a plus for us Navy people, for we didn't have to stand any duty on the base. Our fellow servicewomen and servicemen kept us safe. I really enjoyed being there because I was able to go home to NY when I wanted to. But I enjoyed what DC had to offer as far as night life. Georgetown was great!! I met a really nice guy who was a Army man and yes we married. Then I requested "A" school to ABH (Aviation Boatswain Mate Handling) in Lakehurst , NJ. Who would ever think that after 'A' school, my orders would be to Adak, Alaska. The plane ride FROM Anchorage, Alaska is 4 hours. You are closer to Russia than you are to Anchorage. Most, if not all people that first get to this island go through real culture shock. But imagine what a real surprise it is that guys were in rooms just next door. The ratio was 7 guys for each girl. But, for who ever lived here, knows the family you make. Granted, I was not a happy camper when I got there, but I always felt a true loss when friends left and when it was your turn to leave. My marriage to my Army guy was pretty much over, absence does not always make the heart grow fonder, except when it is true love. Speaking of which, Adak, Alaska is where I met my true soul mate. It's funny because I remember when his battalion came to the island. May 5th, 1984. He was a Seabee for NMCB-133 out of Gulfport, Miss. Everybody around you were the greatest people in the world. Then from there I was stationed on the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (AVT-16) in Philadelphia, PA. I was allowed to live off the ship while the LADY LEX got her hulls lifted. Then she left there for her homebase of Pensacola, FL and again I was allowed to live off the ship. For each place I've been, I've enjoyed all the things the Navy has offered me, the experience for everyday.

Posted: 15 Sep 96:
Duty Station: Fleet Hospital 15 Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Background: Due to the massive amount of casualties expected during the Gulf War, the Navy needed to double its Combat Zone Hospital capacity from 2,000 beds to 4,000 beds and we Naval Reservists were activated to build this hospital. This was a historic event because no Naval Reserve Medical component of this size had ever before been called to active duty as a single unit. Thus, the Naval Reserve Fleet Hospital was created and was to be set up in a war zone and be completely operational in a minimum amount of time. The whole hospital was moved from caves in Bogan Bay, Norway, above the Arctic Circle to Saudi Arabia. The move required 30 onload/offload operations. It was shipped to Saudi Arabia in approximately 450 ISO containers and was moved to the least developed hospital site in-theater, and was erected west of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, in 12 days time. The primary mission of the Fleet Hospital: to provide full resuscitation and prompt care of patients in the rear of the combat zone.

The entire Fleet Hospital consisted of temper tents and general purpose tents. The temper tents were used chiefly for the hospital, and the general purpose tents were used for berthing, messing, supply and offices. One thing very different with this duty station from others I had been at was, the amount of work that had to be accomplished before you started to work in your job. The hospital had to be erected, which was an incredible task. The temper tents were 3 layers thick and had to be put up in correct order. They had heating and air conditioning lines that had to be laid, lights to be hung and then all the workings of a hospital put inside after that. The Fleet Hospital members came from all 50 states, including Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. The doctors there were the best of the best, some were even recalled from retirement. If there was anything that could go wrong with you, they would be able to fix it. Aside from all the doctors, nurses, and corpsmen, the backbone of the entire evolution was comprised of the Seabees--the first there and the last to leave. Without them, the hospital wouldn't have been able to be operational. There were also people in Supply, Communications, Security, Messing, Medical Repair, Barbers, and of course Disbursing.

Our office was an interesting case in point. PSD was not on the blueprints for this hospital, we were more of an afterthought, so there were big decisions to be made as to where to "place" our tent. The decision was made, and we were put beside the Post Office. We would soon find out, that the helicopter landing strip was to be right beside us on the other side. This would prove to be very interesting.

We did get the tent set up somehow, as it was a very windy day, and discovered that we were only allotted 10 metal chairs for the entire office. We did not have any desks, no manuals, one box of forms, no paytables, nothing. We had to beg, borrow and steal to get what we needed for our office. We had to go to one of the Active Duty Fleet Hospitals to make copies of paytables and make copies of lots of other things. Our DISBO had to wire Washington, DC to get all that we needed, but that didn't include desks--those we had to make. One of our PN1's took charge of that, and made each of us a desk--12 in all. He used the crates that things were packed in to make them.

We needed a storage area to put some 960 records in and we called on our friends, the Seabees, to drop off one of the ISO containers. It was put at our back door of the tent and we filled it up with all the service and pay records. It might have been a large filing cabinet, but it served our purposes. We still needed to find some kind of box or container to hold all the records, and were lucky enough to find the boxes that the lighting materials came in. They were just the perfect depth and width and they were forever long, so this worked out perfectly. We managed to get enough computers to get pay records established and everything readied for paydays. It was a struggle and very frustrating.

You worked through Scud alerts, had to breath the smoke from the oil fires, get sand in absolutely everything you owned and ate, and watched the sky go from blue to black. You wore your buddy (gas mask, injections and de-con gear) around your waist everywhere you went. You laughed, you cried...but most of all, you did what you were there to do. You had to distance yourself from your families, your concentration was on your own life and your own safety. You worked side by side, all ranks together, to get the job done. Everyone was equal. You shared a tent with 17 other people, which is a trick in itself. You had 6' of personal living space and no privacy. But what did you really expect to find at a war anyway?!

It was a very interesting place to be. A bit close to the war--80 miles from the front lines--but a vast learning experience and a lifetime of memories, whether it be good ones or scary ones.

So as you can see, this was no ordinary duty station. But through humor, we all managed to survive this evolution. The motto for FH15: "We did it in the Sand" says it all.

How exciting, to think you are getting a chance to be stationed in a foreign country, especially one that you once visited years before.

Rota, Spain is home to the Naval Station Rota. When we first arrived there, we had to stay off base in a hotel. It was a charming place, not the best in the world, but we called it home for quite some time. There was a nice little place to eat downstairs and they served great cafe con leche.

There were several other Americans who had to stay there while they were waiting for housing too. We decided not to wait to get on the base and decided to live out in the town instead. We took many walks during the evenings and weekends looking for a place. We came across this one apartment, quite near our hotel, and near the base, that we ended up renting. It was a nice place, and had a fairly large kitchen, something that is not common in Rota. It was on top of a working garage. It had two really pretty bathrooms side by side, a nice kitchen, a front room and a bedroom. Just what we needed, as it was just the three of us. The landlord was great. He couldn't pronounce our American names, so he called us Maria and Jose.

The Personnel Support Detachment, where I worked, was divided into two separate buildings on two sides of a street. The main building was where the personnel side was and we were on the opposite side, where all the financial stuff took place. There were many Spanish civilians that worked there also. They were great people to work with.

The couple of great memories that I have of this place is the people. They were all so warm and welcoming and helpful. Our landlord invited us to the wedding reception of his daughter--that was truly an experience. Lots of merriment and lots of sherry! The people in our office were very helpful and cordial to the Americans. This, after all, was their base, we were just visitors there.

There were a lot of differences from an American base and an overseas base. One of the interesting things was, we weren't allowed to fly the American flag, as it was their base. We had to abide by their sets of rules along with the Navy's sets of rules. There were Spanish guards at the gates, who would search you if they deemed it necessary. And during the crisis in Lebanon, we couldn't leave the base to just "go out". There were strict rules to be followed, but for our own safety.

In PSD, my job consisted of basic disbursing. I think the only major difference, was a lot of the dependant wives were Spanish speaking, so communication was kind of a problem, but not really. And also, a lot of sailors deployed while they were there, so there were a lot of broken hearted wives and children that would come to you for money and help. AND, the Fleet came in sometimes. When they came in, you had better get to the Commissary and Exchange and get what you needed before they got there, or there would be nothing left!

When we finally moved into base housing, it was nice too. During that time, a year later since we got there, I got out of the Navy, while my husband continued on until his time was up. That is when life started getting alot better. I met some great Spanish gardeners, which is where I learned what I know today (gardening is my forte). We didn't speak the same language, but through hand signals and smiles, we managed to understand each other.

All in all, Spain was a great duty station, although, I tended to enjoy it more as a dependant wife than I did a military person.

I had a daughter when I was there, and it is my goal, to return one day, when she is 18. You see, when you have a child overseas, they have dual citizenship. They are American and in her case, Spanish citizenship. So, when she turns 18, she must decide what she would like to be, and I plan on getting there, by hook or crook, so she can see where she was born. What a great experience it was!

When I was getting ready to leave my Disbursing Clerk "A" school in Meridian, MS, we had to fill out what were called "Dream Sheets". These were lists of bases around the globe where you "dreamed" you would like to be stationed. Well, I filled mine out. I put down that I wanted to be stationed in Boston at the PSD there, Portland, ME and anywhere in New England. I also stated that I did NOT want to go to Washington, DC or VA, or the like. WRONG ANSWER.

My first duty station was Washington, DC. The name of it was Naval Security Station. It is nestled on a fairly small lot, in amongst where they used to film the Phil Donahue show and where Willard Scott sometimes does the weather from on the Today show. There was a very nice little chapel there (where I was married) and a very small building to house only 80 (I think) people.

The station held a lot more people than it could house, so needless to say, there was quite a long waiting list to get into the barracks on site. Three quarters of the base's population lived out in VA, at Ft. Myers.

When I first arrived there, all new to the Navy, and excited as heck to get started, I did get a room right there in the barracks. I had some great roommates. The rooms were small, but comfortable. There were two floors: the first floor was for the males (I guess so they wouldn't get winded from going up the stairs) and the upper floor was for the women.

The Personnel Support Detachment, where I was assigned, sat right outside the gate to the Security Station. To get in or out of this gated area required a PASS. There were several levels of security passes, as this was a place that did a lot of cryptologic work (secret stuff), and that is about all I know about that. Even my roommate never talked about her job. I never really knew what went on behind the gate, except for what happened in our barracks.

Anyway, the PSD was rather small, in comparison to others I have since been in. The DK's (payroll types) worked in the same office as the PN's and YN's(admin types). We had a small caged in area where we had the DK1 in charge of all the important stuff reside. There were also other rooms in the building and they were the ESO (Education), a NFCU bank, some other rooms, and then still attached at the opposite end was a small clinic. Quite a lot stuffed into a small space.

I can remember the day I arrived. My mother had driven down with me, as I wanted to have my car there. We stayed at a HOJO's. The day before I was to report, we drove around and tried to find NAVSECSTA as it was called and managed to find it with "few" problems. So the next morning, I got up EARLY and took off for my first official Navy day and ended up getting lost. When I finally stopped to ask directions, I found out that I was really close--it was just down the road.

When I was processed through, all the paper work done, I was then led into meet all the other DK's, PN's and YN's, plus the civilians. Well, this was a first for me. Not only was I the only female DK, I was also the only white DK. Most of the DK's in the office were Phillipino. This was definitely a culture shock, but one I adjusted to, although, not easily.

My chief duties being a DK, were to maintain Enlisted and Officer Pay Accounts. It was my responsibility to make sure that people got paid what they had coming to them. If their accounts were in an overpaid status, it was my job to find out how, where, when, and why it happened and then had to fix it. Back in those days, we didn't have the luxury of computers, so this was manual labor at its best. I also did a lot of typing. I used the calculator a lot--it was my friend. We also had to deal with customers (Navy members) who needed help, or were getting ready to transfer somewhere else, and get them their needed pay, and give them their proper entitlements, say for example they were to get married, and things like that.

The 1 1/2 years that I was stationed there, I did mostly the same things. I was still learning and there was a lot to learn about payroll. I had some really good teachers and some really bad ones too. Each person in the office would try to help each other out with the learning process. Yes, there were a lot of conflict of interests and personality clashes, but that is to be expected when you are thrown into a mix like this.

During the last part of my stay in DC, I was married. We lived out in Alexandria, VA, which was quite a haul in the morning commute and evening commute, but it was worth it to live away from the station.

Unfortunately, I did not get to do much sightseeing, but did manage to hit the 'hot spots' at the very end before we left for Rota, Spain.

If I could have had the same people in our office at the end, and knew I could stay as long as I wanted to, I would have stayed in DC. I really ended up liking it a lot. You certainly were in the "Hub" of the nation. There was always something going on and plenty to see and do.

I was stationed in Germany for a total of seven years in the Rhineland-Pfalz/Saarland region. It was wonderful. The German culture was easily adaptable and the German people were warm and hospitable. The country is beautiful and the travel opportunities to other countries in Europe is easy and convenient. The railway system there is superb and widely used. The military community was very close and there's always a lot of social activities going on to keep you busy. Everyone stays busy in their military jobs and you can expect to be frequently involved in/impacted by military exercises -- the state of alert and readiness remains at peak condition at all times. The weather in Germany is ideal, with four seasons, and (usually) no major natural disasters with which to contend. Oktoberfest in Munich; Christmastime in Nurenberg; the beauty of the Black Forest; the awesomeness of Bavaria; and the fantasy and majesty of King Ludwig's castles (which includes the famous "Disney" castle) are all beyond compare and are just a few of the gifts of this country.