Grave

iTrader: (4)

My RNLTD is 31-Mar-08.


Just looking for general feedback on the base, schools, local area, etc. I've been looking at demographics and crime stats, among other things online already.


Just don't tell me, "Shaw sucks" without telling me why. Generally, is the base busy? What about deployments? AEF rotations? Nothing too specific (OPSEC), just general gee whiz info.

Also looking for school recommendations. I'm leaning more towards the schools on base.

Child care... any recommendations? I'm not thrilled with using the CDC... I may have to just for convenience sake, but if there is better of base I'll certainly check it out. I'm mainly concerned with hours of operation, and if they offer bus/shuttle service to the local schools. The daycare I use now at Cannon transports the children to/from school. I'm hoping to find a place like that again.

Housing... right now my plans are to try and get base housing. I hear they're not the greatest in the world, but from what I've seen of crime statistics in the area, I'm more concerned with safety/security.

I'd love to buy a house, but I'm just getting re-established after a divorce, so I don't want to bite off more than I can chew right now. If I were to rent a house off base, where are good areas to look in to? I don't want to live in an appartment, so I'm not considering those options at this point.

Surrounding communities... what about them? Housing/schools/crime/shopping, etc?



Any honest feedback will be much appreciated!

randyp83

I was there in jan 05 to dec 05 and if you want to do anything you will be going to columbia which is about 25 miles away. Sumter is a complete dump. Sorry but i just rather tell you the truth.

Grave

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, I already know all that. But thanks though.

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

From what I've seen it's an awesome area, and my shop chief is going back there for his 2nd time around. He really likes the area. I got the same RNLTD, what month are you leaving, Grave? My final out here is 15 Feb and I cannot wait to getout of clovis

randyp83

Try not to laugh to hard when you see the Mall.

Grave

iTrader: (4)

My RNLTD is in March. I'm trying to get it extended so my daughter can finish school here, to at least May. We'll see how that goes.

Say, want to buy a Goat before you PCS? Or a really great daily driver with good fuel economy?

(cheap plugin, I know).

You going to Shaw too, then?


Obviously you've never seen the "mall" in Clovis.

randyp83

Nah never been in new mexico but one time and that was last year when i was in Warrior Transtion Course (Sante fe and white sands).

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

Nah can't afford a goat or another car atm Bought a project a bit ago... Going to Hill myself...

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

Try 38 miles from the gate to West Columbia (not even where anything is at)

Okay here is the rundown for ya man since I'm actually AT Shaw.

The base: We house CENTAF so we play more exercises than normal ACC bases. Its not as bad as Korea but we are still very active in the whole process. The jets are pretty routine with things but nothing that I would write home about. With that stuff, email me directly and I can give you some more insight. This place houses more retired people than I have ever seen before. The clinic is always busy with them and perscriptions take longer because of it. If you can get it so you can go off base for your care provider...DO IT!! BTW, the clinic shuts down at 4pm so expect to truck your happy *** to the ER at the hospital in the ghetto if you need to go there.

The City: Its not a dump per say but its very poor compared to some other places like Scott or Eglin. There are a lot of places to eat, but shopping is harsh. The mall is a ghetto mall (least its clothes I would never wear) and very small. Gamestop is about the only thing I go there for anyways. Then there is Wally World and thats it. The BX is so small on base that you'll pretty much go to Wal-Mart because there is more selection...so imagine the line. There is about 50k people in the city and 6k on the base.

Future of the base: Army comes full swing in 2009 I believe and the F-35 is coming here as its first base in 2011.

Schools: I don't have kids but I can tell you this... this state is ranked 49th (last time i checked) in education. District 7 is the best district for school I've heard. I have driven by the school...and ya prison yard (but they all are pretty much like that)

Housing: Its blowing up like you wouldn't believe by the base. Depends on what you want to spend, but the housing market is pretty cheap and a lot of the new ones are pretty close to the base.

Fun things to do: Seriously if you are an outdoors person you will love this area though. There are a ton of lakes to go fishing at, and lots to go hunting at. Places to go withinin driving distance:

2 Hours- Mrytle Beach, Charlotte, Charleston, Raleigh
3 Hours- Jacksonville
4 Hours- Atlanta
5 Hours- Daytona Beach, Knoxville
6 Hours- Orlando

Seriously its not that bad if you can make the best of the situations. The wing leadership is top notch in my opinion and try to look out for us with some things. The base is a little older than Ramstein felt and is really lacking some things I liked in Germany, but then again its a CONUS assignment. You should be able to hit school up pretty hard while your here too if you are into that stuff. Also, the civilians in Sumter do love us and try to hook you up as much as they can. They know we are the reason their city even has any income in it. Columbia is fun for a little while but will get a little old. Ft. Jackson is about the same distance as downtown Columbia from us if you want to go there to a bigger BX or just laugh at the Army trainees.

Grave

iTrader: (4)

Cool, thanks for the info!

Sounds like Shaw is alot like Cannon. Not much to do, plenty of places to eat, and shopping better done elsewhere. But at least Columbia is close by.

69Nova355

I heard Shaw stands for

Stay
Here
A
While

I tried PCSing there, but ended up getting orders elsewhere.

pmcclelland99

iTrader: (1)

I am also at Shaw, and I'm with BigT about the area. I live right outside the base in Dalzell, and it is a pretty nice place, lots of new housing going up, anywhere from the 120s to the 150s in my subdivision, and all of em are 1300 sq ft or larger sitting on a half acre or full acre. A lot of my co-workers use Round the Clock as a daycare, they are right outside the gate, and have shuttles to-from schools in the area. I'll be getting back from Iraq in May-ish, and so far if I wanted to go, there has been deployments every year 12 months after you get back. My wife and I go to Columbia for pretty much anything you can't get at a super Wal-mart, since that is all about there is for stores in the area. If you want to know anything else, shoot me a pm.

Phil

Grave

iTrader: (4)

Well, I've contacted a couple local real estate agents in the area, looking for rental houses. This is the list one of the agents provided for me.

Tell me what you think of some of these houses, as well as the neighborhood they're in:

http://www.navica2.net/displays/?n=2...0659&k=L743Ytk

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

I'd rent if I were you....right now the houses are flowing up for sale because of the housing market and the new ones are all being built. A very good chunk of ppl on this base do that, except the pilots

Grave

iTrader: (4)

I'm mainly interested in renting at the moment because my VA eligibility isn't cleared from the house I'm currently in yet due to my divorce. Otherwise I'd buy. Nothing quite like owning your own house.

I'm seeing about landing this sweet house in Gingko Hills subdivision (in Dalzell). It's off of Camden Highway, maybe 15 minutes from base according to Google maps.

pmcclelland99

iTrader: (1)

The two houses for rent on Navigator, and the one on Expedition are both in my neighborhood. The 2 on Navigator are only a few houses apart, obviously by the address. The very bottom one is owned by some guys at Shaw, take pretty good care of everything, nice guys too. I don't recall seeing the one on Expedition though, I don't think there are any houses in the neighborhood that have siding on them, not that much at least. There is a guy in my shop that is renting out of the Gingko Hills, he likes it there, and he'll be leaving for Korea is Sept

Grave

iTrader: (4)

That's cool. The one house I'm trying to get right now is in Ginko Hills. If I don't get that one, my next plan is to get one of the houses in your neighborhood. Looks like it's an easy commute to base.

pmcclelland99

iTrader: (1)

Both neighborhoods are very close to base, Ginko is about 4-5 miles from the back gate, and my neighborhood is just over 2 miles. It's real easy to get to any place in Sumter from that area, just may take a bit longer than living on the other side of base. I prefer living out there because there are less people, and since it is a newer housing area, there are less low-income housing areas (trailer parks). Are you still getting to Shaw in march, or did you get the extension to may?

Grave

iTrader: (4)

Nah, I'll be at Shaw in about 30 days. My last full duty week is next week. My extension didn't get approved, so my RNLTD is still 31-March.

I ended up choosing the house in Ginko Hills, so it looks like I'll be moving straight into that house instead of needing TLF.

Pneumothorax

Funny. Depending on who you ask I've also heard it stand for "Sharing Husbands And Wives" because of the big "swinger" thing that went down not too long ago.

I too am at Shaw (unfortunately) and I'd love to tell you more but I looked at your sig and noticed you're Ammo. So sorry chap.