Base Name: Fort Campbell

Base Location: 1 hour From Nashville

How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present) 2000-Present(7.5 years)

What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy? On Post housing. BEWARE! We have lived on post for 7 years. If you are E-4 and below you will be put in the worst housing on post. We lived in them and dealt with black mold, if you washed clothes and took a shower at the same time the floor would flood. That housing was sub-standard considering the BAH they take. Those areas include Lee Village, Stryker Village, Pierce Village and Hammond Heights. Though some are remodeled, those "remodeled are falling apart as they are being lived in, which has resulted in soldiers paying 500+ in damages upon moving out. The New Quarters in Lee Park, Sumner Village and a few others is nice from all appearances BUT! As I have lived in them for 16 months, it is falling apart as well. Cheap carpeting, cheap paint jobs, some fixtures they didn't even bother to attach to the walls, like towel racks and shower curtains. Flat thin coat of paint on walls means you cant even touch the walls without leaving marks that will not come off. There is no garden center to borrow a lawn mower or weed eater so you will need to purchase those. If you have curtains that are any other color besides tan or white then you must use a backing of that color or not put them on the windows. You are fined for housing infractions on second offense. My neighbors got orders to vacate premises for a 40 dollar fine they refused to pay. (IF YOU DECIDE TO MOVE INTO HOUSING PLEASE DO A VERY THOROUGH INSPECTION! TAKE A Q-TIP TO EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY THE WINDOW TRACKS, BLINDS CORNERS OF FLOORS, AND STOVE. TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING INSIDE AND OUT TO INCLUDE THE OUTSIDE FOR CLEANLINESS. TAKE A WHITE CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF QUARTERS. MAKE THE LIST. TAKE THE PICTURES OR VIDEO. HAVE SOMEONE BESIDES YOURSELF OR HOUSING SIGN YOUR DEFICIENCY LIST AND MAKE A COPY!) I have Lived in Hammond Heights, Stryker Village and now Lee Park, and I know the condition you move into if a far cry from what they expect when you move out. They tried to charge me 50 dollars for a ruined trash can (on my deficiency list it was listed and I had a picture so they couldn't do it. also tried to charge me 160 dollars to power clean the outside of the home. I had it listed on my deficiency list and had a picture. There is no Army Liaison that will fight on your side in housing matters. I see it daily! Soldiers being charge for unreasonable charges. I cannot stress enough to take pictures and have a very detailed deficiency list., signed by yourself and another party who is not housing.

Rate the PX & Commissary. Sometimes you can find some good deals in both, but most of the time the Walmart right off post in Oak Grove, Kentucky is just as cheap if not cheaper. Food in Kentucky is not taxable, But the Commissary charges 5% surcharge on food and other items. The commissary produce and meat sections are lacking. Fruit and vegetables rot right in your fridge within days of purchase (IE the fruit and vegetables look like they may have been frozen prior to being put in the produce section. Their is a butcher in Hopkinsville where you can get fresh reasonably priced meat, and a Sam's club which has exceptional prices on meat as well as other items. The PX is like shopping in a mall. EXPENSIVE and catering to officers. Don't shop 4 days before or after payday in the commissary! If you do you will pay dearly for it. I did an experiment. I bought 10 items on the 21st of the month then went in on payday and purchased those same 10 items. I s pent 3 dollars more on payday and then went to the commissary manager to point out that price gouging soldiers was unbelievable. He denied it until I showed him both receipts and then stated well prices fluctuate because of the vendors.

Activities on base? TONS! Worthwhile? Not really! Movie Theaters off post have military rates for new releases. Movies on post are movies that are 3- 4 weeks from being on DVD at your local Walmart. The cost on post is 3 per adult 12 and over and 2.00 per child. The Riding stable is quite expensive and the horses are very barn sour. I have ridden horses since I was 5 years old and was barely able to stop the horse I was on when it took the bit and ran like mad towards the stable there are a few off post. Swimming pools. They have indoor and outdoor. Most of the pools have been down for maintenance every year. Right now the indoor pool and one outdoor pool is open. Overcrowding makes it impossible to go, let alone paying 2 dollars per person to go. 40 dollars a month for a family pass. CYS has summer camp! Be prepared to pay pay pay! First you must enroll your family in CYS on post for your child to be in day care, sports and clubs the cost is 4! 0 dollars per family and good for 1 year with all sports programs, youth camps and such being extra at 35-60 dollars per child per event.. Off post Clarkesville parks and recreation services is 3 per person and good for 2 years and applies to all the rec centers and activities. Off post when you pay your 3 dollars per person you get a free summer camp for kids. Those facilities have free classes and instructions as well in gymnastics, golf, swimming. Cant beat it. SO off post is more affordable than on. Also when it comes to day care for those couples that both work. The child care fees are computed by adding both incomes and charging anywhere from 10-16% per child. Say you and your spouse make 38,000 a year combined. That is close to 3200 a month. your day care for one child would be anywhere from 320 a month to 500 a month, which comes to 80-125 a week. The more you make the more you pay, yet off post child care is based per child not how much both spouses make. That could get quite costly for a SSG with a wife that makes just as much if not more than him. I could go on and on about on post activities becoming less of a bargain when off post provides just as good or better for less costs.

Active Spouses Club? There are many spouses clubs here. I do not under any condition get involved in the drama, back biting, knife in the back activities that happen there. I know I sound a bit brutal, but I was active duty for 12 years and have been an army wife for 11 years and I can honestly say I have seen alot of bad things happen to people in those groups. It is like being back in high school where the different groups of students treat others badly. You have a problem and the Family Support Group is there to help? Sure if it helps you, there is always a price. They get into your business, tell others of your private matters, and possibly put undue pressure on the service members, I steer clear of those people, because honestly I do not enjoy sitting around over coffee backstabbing someone I do not know who is having problems adjusting.

Things to do in area? Alot of places within 4 hours of driving. Lakes, camping, battlefields, shopping, concerts. Nashville has alot of things to do. Lake Barkley is nice as well. Pidgeon Forge, Six flags. Six flag has military season passes for 49.00 a person. Well worth it! There is a water park just 10 miles down the road with military season passes as well, and Holiday world is a small trip away.

School System? On post has great schools. 1 high school (9-12), 2 middle schools(6-8) and 5 elementary schools (Pre-k-5th). These schools are the ONLY reason we live on post. Christian County schools are lacking content wise. They were behind in grade comparison than our own child. Montgomery County Schools? I would love to see them start school on time. The past 3 years they have delayed school starting up to almost 3 weeks because they couldn't get their funding straight. On post schools have higher Quality teachers. On post band and Music programs are a different story though. They are inadequate and lacking. They have no art programs worth mentioning which is unfortunate for children that love to draw. They do have a dress code which is ridiculous when you see teachers wearing wrinkled t- shirts and jeans, yet those same teachers will give detention for dress code violations, to include the principal. When that happens you have to be on the ! ball to make sure those doling the punishments are in fact dressed appropriate as well.

Any colleges in area? Austin Peay, Many tech schools in Nashville, a few community colleges in Hopkinsville and Clarkesville as well. In abundance I may add.

Jobs? (on post and off) On post yes. Not very flexible on hours and pay bare minimum in most cases. If you are willing to be a slave for AAFES then go for it! Personally I pass. Off post? Yes there are jobs. Most pay minimum wages, there are a few that pay around 8 an hour, and alot of jobs for those with nursing skills, medical dental back ground as well as drywall and physical labor.

Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city? To be honest... I hope to never get stationed here again.

Least favorite aspect? MWR and AAFES as well as The housing office make it a miserable and expensive place to be stationed

Local web sites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)