Advice on next Air Force Base

[MBrown]

First post, but long time lurker of the Rokslide site. Some great info here for sure.

Cutting to the chase, I am currently stationed in Alaska at Elmendorf (Anchorage) but have sadly milked all the extensions I am allowed to submit. I am from a small country town in North Florida and getting stationed in Alaska for my first assignment leaves me stumped on where I should try and go next. Luckily I am eligible for a "Base of Preference" and want to take advantage of it.

My wife (also from FL) was a trooper with this assignment and I told her she could have some say in where we go next. I think she would be happy as long as our next base is fairly close to amenities and has 4 seasons.

With that being said, what are your recommendations for someone that LIVES to hunt and fish.

Thanks in advance!


Mark

 

[colonel00]

Fairbanks!

 

[MBrown]

Funny Colonel, You should have seen her face when I mentioned that!!

 

[colonel00]

Fairbanks gets all 4 seasons...just saying...

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[MBrown]

And I actually tried to convince her of staying up here.... I said "I can get out of the Air Force, and get you your dream car and house if we stay." She didn't even ponder it for a second LOL

 

[MBrown]

True....but I think the darkness on top of the subzero temps was a deal breaker for her.

 

[COlineman78]

Cheyenne Mountain or Peterson, Schriever as a backup. If you don't mind a little drive to work you can live up highway 24 in the mountains and get a smaller mountain town feel. Cheyenne Mountain would be a sweet place to work; it certainly was cool to visit. Buckley isn't bad either but a commute from outside Denver is impractical, so you're stuck on the plains except maybe the Black Forest area which would be a long commute.

Malmstrom might be another good option. If I had to live somewhere other than CO it'd be MT.

I wouldn't do Warren as I wouldn't want to live in Cheyenne and commuting from Laramie is impractical and would be dangerous in the winter (I-80 is a death trap between Laramie and Cheyenne when it snows).

 

[Shrek]

Tyndall or Eglin in north Florida panhandle come to mind. Plenty of deer , turkey , and hogs to hunt in the Florida, Georgia , and Alabama tri-state area and great fishing in the northern gulf along with great freshwater fishing in the rivers and lakes. No mountains though. Keep your Alaska residency so you go back and hunt sheep , goat , and brown bears without a guide. No harsh winters and hunting year round for hogs on private property. Find a hunt club to join as the best hunting in the south is all pay to play. The beaches are some of the best in the world. White sugar sand beaches and Santa Rosa Island is all undeveloped. But you know all this if you are from NW Florida but maybe not if you're from NE Florida.

 

[cumminsbassguy]

I am currently here at Fairchild as a 135 crew chief. over on the east side of WA. whats your job?.. because that really can limit the bases you can go to. for example.. I only have 6 bases to choose from stateside.

 

[striker3]

Malstrom would be good. Great falls is a nice little town, and you are right by Glacier National Park. Plus there is great hunting all through Western Montana.

 

[MBrown]

Exactly the info I am after! I think CO will be at the top of our list..and FL a close second due to family.

And your correct Shrek, I was from North East FL and never ventured out much. If Starke, or Lake Butler rings a bell..

 

[buttekid]

+1 on Malstrom. Nice area to raise a family and great hunting and fishing throughout the year.

 

[Shrek]

Starke and Lake Butler area is a great area to be FROM but the panhandle is much nicer for both hunting and fishing. I'm in the jax area and just bought a house with a Hilliard address but I grew up in the Tallahassee area and hunted and fished from Tallahassee west and up into Georgia and Alabama. It's a really nice area to hunt and fish. Northern gulf fishing and beaches are really good , way better than NE Florida Imo. You can hunt from September to mid February for deer if you hunt all three states.

 

[MBrown]

I am currently here at Fairchild as a 135 crew chief. over on the east side of WA. whats your job?.. because that really can limit the bases you can go to. for example.. I only have 6 bases to choose from stateside.

Medical, so as long as the base has a clinic or hospital I should be good.

 

[MBrown]

Starke and Lake Butler area is a great area to be FROM but the panhandle is much nicer for both hunting and fishing. I'm in the jax area and just bought a house with a Hilliard address but I grew up in the Tallahassee area and hunted and fished from Tallahassee west and up into Georgia and Alabama. It's a really nice area to hunt and fish. Northern gulf fishing and beaches are really good , way better than NE Florida Imo. You can hunt from September to mid February for deer if you hunt all three states.

Yes Sir, I thought I had it made growing up. We were members of a dog hunting club and I had the place to myself during Archery Season

 

[cumminsbassguy]

Medical, so as long as the base has a clinic or hospital I should be good.

well then you're set really anywhere!! eastern wa is nice, lots of lakes, but kinda piss poor game management is what I have gathered from the forums. good scenery though

 

[JWP58]

I don't suggest Dyess or F.E. Warren, not based off of anything .Mil.

 

[fort fireman]

My brother in law and sister in law were both stationed at malmstrom in great falls. My wife's family are all from the Helena area and great falls. It's not a bad area to be at all. I guess it depends what your job is. My sister in law retired but her husband with his job got moved to vandenburg in California. Big life change there. He's now retired and they're looking to get outta Cali.

 

[Steve O]

Would the Air Force Academy in CO be an option? Colorado Springs is pretty nice.

I'd pick Luke AFB in Mesa. I've hunted in AZ quite a bit and that is where I dream of retiring. Great diversity in climate, terrain and quarry. Resident opportunities are incredible.

Thanks for your service and good luck!

 

[jmez]

Ellsworth in Rapid City would be worth a look. Right on the edge of the Black Hills a lot of otudoor, hunting, and fishing opportunities. Rapid is a nice city. Not too big at 68,000 but enough to have amenities. 4 seasons with mild summers and mild winters. The Black Hills area isn't your typical cold Northern Plains type climate, it is a lot like Denver climate wise.

If you are looking for a bigger city with more amenities I'd look at Offut in Bellvue/Omaha as well. Not near as many outdoor opportunities but is pretty nice as far as cities go IMO.