Your Name:    Jennifer   

 

Base Name:    Fort Lewis

 

Base Location:    Washington

 

How long have you been here? 1980-present (sort of)  I was born and raised there and know a lot about the area.

 

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, older houses but I know they have made new ones in the last year.  Off post, anywhere nice around Fort Lewis will be a drive.  I do not recommend that you move anywhere relatively close to post that tends to be bad areas.  If your in for the drive I do recommend moving to either Puyallup, or Lacey.  Although as anywhere in WA the price for renting or buying is going to be high for the price of living is higher.

 

Rate the PX & Commissary.

     Both great the commissary tends to be very busy everytime I go in there.  A tip that I got from my grandmother who is a retired Army widow is go to McChord AirForce base about 5 miles North of Fort Lewis there lines aren't as long.

 

Activities on base?

    Not sure of all the activities they offer but I do know the have special events for holidays.  McChord usually has an air show once a year around fathers day. 

 

Active Spouses Club?

  Not sure of that on either

 

Things to do in area?

  There are a million things to do around the area.  Fort Lewis is about 10 minutes from downtown Tacoma, 30 minutes from the state capital Olympia, and about 45 from Seattle.  You could always take a 30 min drive to Mt. Rainer or a 1 1/2 drive to the Pacific ocean.  You can spend the day shopping at all the malls or even spend a day at the Point Difiance Zoo or see more animals at North West Trek.  There are also Plenty of camping hiking and fishing in the area with the vast area of lakes and rivers.   

 

School System?

  There are many different school districts around the area. As being a student myself in the Bethel school district and having a child that went to one I would say it is a decent education.  The best school district in my opinion is the Puyallup school district.  Not to sure about the one in Lacey or on post. 

 

Any colleges in area?

  There are lots of different colleges in the area.  University of Washington (4year) has a campus in downtown Tacoma.  There are also some community colleges TacomaCC, Pierce College, and GreenriverCC. Just to name a few.  They also have specialty colleges for dentistry and medical in the area.

 

Jobs? (on post and off)

     There are plenty of jobs around the area and because the cost of living so high the pay is higher then most places.

 

Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?

      Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful...There is nothing like waking up in the morning and viewing Mt. Rainer. 

 

Least favorite aspect?

      There is a myth to Washington about our rain.  There are more cloudy days in Washington then rainy and it actually rains more per inch in Houston, TX.  But still there is nothing fun about a rainy day.

 

Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)

 Post http://www.lewis.army.mil/, http://public.mcchord.amc.af.mil/

 Schools    http://www.bethelsd.org/, http://www.puyallup.k12.wa.us/

Colleges  http://www.tacomacc.edu/, http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/, http://www.greenriver.edu/,                                                                  http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/

 Newspaper    http://www.thenewstribune.com/

 

Any other tips?

    Get out and about explore Washington