Military Moms: May - June - Page 3

[~Katie~]

That would make sense if we actually had a say in moving here. But we didn't, because they moved enlisted families into our housing. So it was either move, stay until they force us out and lose out on getting to pick our house, or move off post and pay for the move ourselves. So really, why even have a gate at all if they're not going to do their jobs.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

That would make sense if we actually had a say in moving here. But we didn't, because they moved enlisted families into our housing. So it was either move, stay until they force us out and lose out on getting to pick our house, or move off post and pay for the move ourselves. So really, why even have a gate at all if they're not going to do their jobs.

Yeah, that's true. Silly to have a gate. I think the new military housing at Pearl Harbor is completely open, no gates at all. They wouldn't pay for you to move off-base since they were forcing you to move? That's crappy!

[appifanie]

Re: the Amber Alert for Fort Bragg - the mom has the daughter in SC - she contacted police - she has papers that say she has custody, dad has papers that says he has custody. They're working on it.

[LeslieB]

Fort Bragg is the most open Army base I've ever been on. I'm truly surprised by it. There are always strange people driving around housing. I really think you should have to get a visitor's pass to get on post, just like all the other bases I've been on.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by appifanie

Re: the Amber Alert for Fort Bragg - the mom has the daughter in SC - she contacted police - she has papers that say she has custody, dad has papers that says he has custody. They're working on it.

Thanks for the update. I've been meaning to check but hadn't gotten around to it.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by LeslieB

Fort Bragg is the most open Army base I've ever been on. I'm truly surprised by it. There are always strange people driving around housing. I really think you should have to get a visitor's pass to get on post, just like all the other bases I've been on.

Which would explain why my house and car were broken into and my neighborhood was repeatedly vandalized (though that was probably kids), there are so many sketchy people coming and going. It seemed like whenever we had movers in the area the crime went up, too.

[MarineWife]

We've had some incidents in my neighborhood, not military housing. Just last week some boys came running to my house. One actually opened the door and took a few steps in before stepping back out. When I went to see what was going on the boys said someone had yelled the N word at them and was chasing them. They were terrified. I saw the van pull into the driveway two houses down, turn around and drive slowly past my house. There was a teenage/young adult girl and a guy driving. The girl was laughing and the guy was staring me down. That was pretty scary. My oldest son said he and his best friend saw a white van following kids getting off a school bus a couple of times. Our house was broken into while we were in Connecticut. Luckily, we have an alarm so I don't think they even came in the house.

[~Katie~]

Ugh, I hate criminals.

Quick Tricare question - I have an eye appointment tomorrow, I know that my glasses exam is covered and my contacts are not, but what about my glasses? And the lenses, themselves, can I get the anti-scratch type and have those be covered? I can't remember from the last time I went.

[appifanie]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

Ugh, I hate criminals.

Quick Tricare question - I have an eye appointment tomorrow, I know that my glasses exam is covered and my contacts are not, but what about my glasses? And the lenses, themselves, can I get the anti-scratch type and have those be covered? I can't remember from the last time I went.

not covered. i got my last glasses at visionworks next to b&n and old navy. there's this super nice girl named kayla who works there and they had coupons on their website (http://www.visionworkseyewear.com/) and i got 2 pairs of glasses for $170, but no anti-reflective on them. i only wanted 1 pair but because of the kind of lenses i needed and whatnot, it was cheaper to get 2. go figure.

[~Katie~]

Hmm, I will definitely check that out then. I've been going to lense crafters but it's crazy expensive. How much do their lenses typically cost?

[appifanie]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

Hmm, I will definitely check that out then. I've been going to lense crafters but it's crazy expensive. How much do their lenses typically cost?

my last pair was $300-something i think - it was 2005 or so - i'm fuzzy on the details

[~Katie~]

At lense crafters or the vision works place? My glasses at lense crafters are typically well over $300 and that doesn't include my contacts. If I can find a cheaper place that's quick and good quality that would be great. I didn't end up going today because my child care fell through (big surprise) but I'm going to check out the other place you mentioned next week.

[mmeehs17]

AF here, moving from Boston to Lewis McChord this August. Any recommends on where to live or to NOT live? We have a 5 year old son who will be starting Kindergarten. I looked at one school online that looked like class was only 2 days a week?! Is this normal. I hope not, as this past year he's been in full-day preschool (7-5) because I went back to work. He LOVES and needs it. Any input?

[~Adorkable~]

hi ladies, thanks for the new thread, so cool KatieJD that your dh will be home soon!!

the chat about base access is amazing, the rules really differ between bases.

at Lewis Mchord everyone in the car needs ID the driver needs DOD ID and the car needs stickers or a pass that you get at the visitors center.
anyone without DOD ID needs a pass and they have to have a sponsor present or at time they have allowed you to call a land line number on post to confirm where you are going.

the reason they have gates even if they have lax requirements is so they can make secure at a moments notice if something happens.

oh and you get glasses or eye exams covered by tricare?????

mmeehs17, i will write to your question when i'm not soooo very tired. what kind of area do you like? city or rural?

[appifanie]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

At lense crafters or the vision works place? My glasses at lense crafters are typically well over $300 and that doesn't include my contacts. If I can find a cheaper place that's quick and good quality that would be great. I didn't end up going today because my child care fell through (big surprise) but I'm going to check out the other place you mentioned next week.

the expensive ones were from lens crafters - i'd never been to a visionworks before. also, visionworks sells my contacts (acuvue oasys) for only $1 more a box than 1 800 contacts, so i'll buy those there too.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by •Adorkable•

the reason they have gates even if they have lax requirements is so they can make secure at a moments notice if something happens.

You'd think except that didn't happen when that girl was kidnapped. Depending on how things are set up, someone could easily get out of the gate before the MPs were notified of anything and locked the base down. Mainside Camp LeJeune, maybe not because the entrances/gates are so far away from everything else on base. However, in the separate housing areas it doesn't take long to get to and out of the gate.

[Alohamelly]

Originally Posted by mmeehs17

AF here, moving from Boston to Lewis McChord this August. Any recommends on where to live or to NOT live? We have a 5 year old son who will be starting Kindergarten. I looked at one school online that looked like class was only 2 days a week?! Is this normal. I hope not, as this past year he's been in full-day preschool (7-5) because I went back to work. He LOVES and needs it. Any input?

Hi! We're at Lewis. School is 5 days a week here, just like most other places. I can tell you where I'd like to live if I had to move off post, but it might not be somewhere you'd like to live. Everyone has different preferences. If we ever have to most off post, we'd move to Dupont so my husband would be close to work and could maybe avoid some of the awful traffic around the bases in the morning and evenings. Some people don't like Dupont because the houses are right on top of each other (just like living on base!) and the prices are a bit higher.

[gagin37]

Bragg Le Leche League Group

In case any of the other Ft.Bragg mamas are interested in coming, there is a NEW MEETING LOCATION this month at the Throckmorton Library- which is on Randolph behind the Watters Family Life Center, near the corner of Knox and Randolph. 10-11:30, Tuesday the 9th.

[sarahb918]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Oh, hm. Why would a non-military person want to come on the base if not to see a specific person? We have a beach here that they might like to visit but they still need a military sponsor to get there.

Honestly, I think that's the way it should be. I hate sounding like a snob, but there is no reason that non-military dependent civilians need to be on military bases unless they are employees of the base. What's the point of having bases and base security if just anybody is allowed to walk on and off of them?

Though I do believe I read somewhere that there are civilians living on Quantico because the base was built around the town.....

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by sarahb918

Though I do believe I read somewhere that there are civilians living on Quantico because the base was built around the town.....

Fort Bragg is kind of tricky like that as well. And could have something to do with why civilians are allowed on post. The way it's situated it basically sits smack dab between several different towns and makes driving to and from a total PITA. So to somewhat remedy this, they've made it so people can drive through Fort Bragg but aren't actually allowed to make turns onto post itself. I could see if someone is driving from one location to another why it would be easier to cut through post, because I've done it several times myself to save time. I'm not sure why that didn't occur to me until now.