Washington ladies...

[Cici]

Looks like my dh will be getting orders for Bangor or Bremerton. What is housing like? Do you live on base or off-base and what would you suggest? I am a new military wife and have never done a move or lived the "military life." We just got married in February. Any advice or info you could give me would be great. Also do you like it there? Thanks in advance!

[Gabrielle18]

Hi!! I'm moveing to Bremerton/ Bangor area on May 31st! I went and visited and I absolutly love it!!! There a bunch of different places that you can live. Base housing is supposed to be nice, but we are going to live in Jackson Park. Its off base (so you dont have to get your ids checked what not) but its only Navy (i think) no civillians. The town houses are really nice there! If you want more than a two bedroom i think there is a waiting list (i'm not really sure).

http://washingtonmilitarywives.com/ <-- this is a forum chat thingy created by a really nice women, Alecia, who is moving out to WA soon (if not already there, I forgot) Its not as big as this one and its a lot more personal! I really like it because I"m new too, to this whole navy thing. MY df and I are getting married as soon as I move out west. So i understand the whole confusion thing!

Also there is a website for housing www.navylifepnw.com that can help with the whole houseing thing!

I hope this helps!!!!!

[April]

There is some older housing and newer housing, brand new housing and renovated units. that doesnt much help, I know

I suggest every wife living in housing at least once. Its nice to have experience with every aspect of navy life so that you can better understand others and life. Its good to live in housing right away so that you dont alienate yourself from people in the same situation as yourself.

some people think its better not to get involved at all. Guess it all depends on your personality

I really like WA so far. Its much cooler than HI but not so cold you cant stand it

[SubmarineWife]

The housing on Bangor is nice. The Jackson Park housing is nice but has a bit of crime. At Bangor there is west housing with newer units with little to no yard for pets mostly townhomes. East housing is pet housing and the units have good size yards. For a 2 br there is no waiting list. If you want to see some units go to the PPV office not the housing office. Housing will tell you there is a waiting list and PPV will get you in a unit within a week. You can go here and look at pictures and floor plans of the units. http://www.housing.navy.mil/onestop/main.htm . If you have any questions you can send me a PM. Im also a co-owner of a yahoo group for bangor wives. If you'd like the link just pm me.

[April]

Originally Posted by SubmarineWife The housing on Bangor is nice. The Jackson Park housing is nice but has a bit of crime.

There has been a lot of crime in both areas due to bored teenagers. They have caught some of them.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by SubmarineWife The housing on Bangor is nice. The Jackson Park housing is nice but has a bit of crime. At Bangor there is west housing with newer units with little to no yard for pets mostly townhomes. East housing is pet housing and the units have good size yards. For a 2 br there is no waiting list. If you want to see some units go to the PPV office not the housing office. Housing will tell you there is a waiting list and PPV will get you in a unit within a week. You can go here and look at pictures and floor plans of the units. http://www.housing.navy.mil/onestop/main.htm . If you have any questions you can send me a PM. Im also a co-owner of a yahoo group for bangor wives. If you'd like the link just pm me.

Ok, I don't mean to turn this into a debate, but please tell me where is the crime you are speaking of? I have lived in Jackson Park for 2 1/2 years, and never once have I had anything negative go on in my neighborhood. Jackson Park has been given a bad name , because 15 years ago, it was a "not so nice" area and there was some crime. Now, it's gone through a major overhaul, and it's really nice! Sure there are older housing units in the neighborhood, but I live in the new housing here, and it's very nice and quiet. The yards are manicured and it's clean. You are going to get bad people everywhere you go, and yes I have seen some trashy tennants at Bangor. Just because it's behind the gates doesn't mean that nothing bad goes on there. The mp's patrol around here quite often, and since this housing isn't PPV, the government is putting more money into JP.

I take it very personally when people assune there is crime here, when I can say first hand, there isn't!! I feel very safe living here, and this is one of the nicest housing areas in the navy.

navywifey, if you would like to see pics, I would be more than happy to post them for you.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by April There has been a lot of crime in both areas due to bored teenagers. They have caught some of them.

EXACTLY!!! It's the kids who get bored. It's nothing major. Mainly them throwing an egg at your driveway or car. That is the ONLY thing I have seen happen here in my 2 1/2 years living here.

[KDMatthews]

I live on Bangor base in the West housing. I just moved in last month and I really like it. we have a 3 bedroom and it's pretty roomy and in nice shape. The pluses about living on base...you have everything so close to you: the gym, the post office, the commissary, the NEX, etc. And you're surrounded by people who have crazy lives just like you, so you help eachother out when you need a sitter and your hubbys gone, or whatever. They know the inside stuff. The down side...it gets annoying having to go through the gate and show ID everytime you come home. And if you have parents come to stay you have to get them temporary ID's. But, all places have goods and bads.

[April]

my neighbor is with security and says its the same kind of petty crime in both places. They arent sure why all of a sudden but they have set up stings.

[KDMatthews]

Also, about the crime, I've heard of teens vandalizing on Bangor base and I've also heard of cars getting broken into on Jackson Park (April's for one). It's just stupid kids, not anything to be scared about.