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Ray,IN · 06-05-2016, 07:39 PM

The full story is here: Unhappy campers: JBLM tells long-term residents to pull up stakes | The News Tribune
I hope this catches on and is enforced nationwide.
Reading between the lines, apparently the Air Force allows homesteading, the Army does not_officially.

wrvond · 06-05-2016, 07:51 PM

I'm with you and have absolutely no sympathy for people that abuse the system. It really blows my hat in the creek that these folks feel like they were "done wrong"!

Nana25K · 06-06-2016, 08:15 AM

The problem is that many base commanders don't give a crap as long as the FamCamp isn't empty. On our latest stay at Fort Meade a few weeks ago I discussed this issue with the CG management. This person felt powerless to enforce the rules because he Command refused to address it. Now don't get me wrong. I have non issue with Active duty who are
1. On PCS orders ( in or out) who are awaiting base housing, are waiting on the sale of a home etc
2. Active/ Reserve on a training status
3. Retired who are possible in a certain area receiving some type of acute/ special medical care at a VA medical facility
The homesteaders had a majority of the pull thrus occupied and there actually rules addressing outside storage.
Same issues in the Hampton Roads area of VA. They follow the rules by gaming the system. They make a reservation long term out for the allowed time at each of the 3 Navy FamCamps. Then continuously rotate thru therm for their entire tour of duty. And these are not just young enlisted. We have seen Officers and Senior enlisted
Don't give me the "I'm poor junior enlisted and can't afford to live on the economy " routine either. We purchased our first home as a single income E5 because we managed our money.
I had a couple at Ft Meade tell us they were forced to do this because of money. However they were in an expensive new 5th wheel, brand new truck and a 2 year old car

Sorry rant over

skypilot_1 · 06-06-2016, 09:36 AM

All they have done is turn the RV park into the new base trailer park, on some bases. And then you have famcamps that allow snow birds to stay on same site from Oct till May. So no short stay campers can get a spot all winter.

markandkim · 06-06-2016, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skypilot_1

All they have done is turn the RV park into the new base trailer park, on some bases. And then you have famcamps that allow snow birds to stay on same site from Oct till May. So no short stay campers can get a spot all winter.

I agree with this too.

Nana25K · 06-06-2016, 10:53 AM

They need to at least go to a first in first out rule. Or at Davis Month on you have to rotate to an area with no or minimal hookup.
Most have so much junk (patio sets, big BBQ etc it would take them a week to pack up. )

Nana25K · 06-06-2016, 10:57 AM

Enforce a first in first out rule. At Davis Monthon you must rotate to a minimal/no hookup at a certain time.

Rhoge · 06-06-2016, 08:31 PM

I agree with most replies. My wife and I travel and use Famcamps when possible. Many times, we see longterm setups and we can't find a place. We were at JBLM two years ago and the (MC Chord) camp was full with only dry camping available. We went to Ft Lewis' camp and it was wonderful. I feel no sympathy for the campers who had to leave. And I replied to one writer who said he was "tired of supporting the freeloaders". Retired military---freeloaders??? I don't think so.

jfran304 · 06-06-2016, 09:19 PM

The FAM Camp at Robins AFB, GA is almost impossible to get in. They have campers there that have been there for several years.

Jon

wrvond · 06-07-2016, 06:17 AM

This appears to be typical across the country. Perhaps a smaller version of what we see going on in California with people opting to live in campers rather than conventional S&B due to the high cost of living.
In Famcamps we have something that is provided as a service to military and DOD members as a way to enjoy a camping vacation at a (usually) significantly lower cost that civilian facilities and add to the MWR coffers at the same time.
Unfortunately, as with all good things, there is a certain segment of the population that is going to abuse the system to their benefit with no regard to what is right or fair. It is this same group that turns a rustic campground into a shanty town which becomes an eyesore. Even if I can get a site, I don't particularly want to stay next door to a site with two storage buildings, residential BBQ grill, truck, car, and motorcycle all surrounded with a fence.
Eventually we are going to see all the Famcamps closed down because they have become a headache the base CO's don't want to deal with.
Any way you slice it, homesteaders living long term on short stay sites ruin it for the rest of us.

0rion · 06-07-2016, 07:27 AM

just a couple comments that caught my eye....“The last thing I want to do after I put in a 10-to-16-hour day is add another hour to that,”
My wife is an RN and routinely does this because we live an hour away from her hospital because land/houses were cheaper here. It's called life.

The other one was “And trying to stay at an RV park outside is just phenomenally expensive.” Again....that's life. It doesn't give you the right to work the system. I'm sure all of these people were aware of the rules and knew they were getting one over on everyone. Things could be worse and in the grand scheme of things these are small problems to have.

3catstravel · 06-07-2016, 05:32 PM

We stay in military cgs as much as possible as we travel the country. If more were to set up like New Orleans JRB - the permanents are all in one area leaving a great short term RV park (Aviation Arbor) for those of us wanting to visit NOLA.

We had wanted to stay at Warner Robins, called & was told the spaces for short term visits were booked up. They said they have a # of spaces held for short term & the rest are for long term. We have Passport America so we were able to stay in the area for a reasonable price.

We drove thru the park at Robins. We could not tell the short term sites from the long term. They all pretty much looked settled in for a long duration. Too bad, this park is set back in the trees by a lake.

There are long terms at Kirtland AFB. They pretty much have the majority of the sites in the old section, under the trees. But, that leaves the spaces in the wide open new section for the short term. A couple of years ago there was a lady who was homesteading in the new section. She was removed from the park.

After reading the article it appeared to me that the ones specified had plenty of time with extensions to work out someplace else to stay.

ralphie · 06-07-2016, 05:59 PM

Yeah, I'm staying at one in VA that's small and difficult to get reservations, and there are lots of homesteaders. OTOH, it's cheaper than $30/night at Cheatham Annex, which is a rip-off since it doesn't offer services or even a pool. I guess the Cheatham management figured it's proximity to Busch Gardens, Water Country and Williamsburg make it more valuable real estate.

jpharley · 06-14-2016, 02:53 PM

NAS Oceana (VA) is just chock full of homesteaders with so much stuff outside their rigs. There are permanent fences and even an RV has a full sized sofa outside. It is almost impossible to get a site here for a transient.