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CAMP
FRANK D. MERRILL
Your
Name (if you would like it to appear):
Carrie Stecklein
Base
Name: Camp Frank D. Merrill
Base
Location: Dahlonega, Ga Base of the
blue ridge mountains.
How
long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)2002-present.
We were told the max was two years, that was over five years ago!lol.
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 is the nicest
military housing I have ever seen. Reminds me a little of
something you'd see on desperate housewives! There are only 44
houses total but a waiting list of just a month or two. Off post
housing just varies depending on the area of town. South Lumpkin
County is probably the best area though, near Dawsonville.
Rate
the PX & Commissary.
Well... The px is tiny, when I
say tiny I mean, you don't really need a shopping cart. You can purchase
liquor, tobacco, comics, army gear, gps, and snacks, that is about it.
But the lady that works in there does offer check cashing privileges and
money orders and that kind of stuff. However, she isn't the
friendliest crayon in the box! The commissary is also tiny!
They have a pretty good case sale about once a year and they carry
produce pretty cheap. I do like to shop there sometimes for the
simple fact that I am the only person in the building except for the
cashier! If they don't have an item you want, they will order it
for you though. They are very friendly there.
Activities
on base?
You
can rent a pontoon boat or a kayak, hike, rent climbing gear, and use
the gym. There was a pool, but they covered it over so now army
families get to use the city pool for free. It is pretty nice.
Lots of antique stores. And thrift stores (they are pretty nice
too)
Active
Spouses Club?
There is a Ranger wives club,
they meet for coffees and socials once or twice a month. day care
is provided, and they take part in the Ranger open house that takes
place once a year. There are only about 150 families here that are
army active duty so it makes for a close knit wives club. Most of
the women here don't seem to care about their spouses rank. So
there isn't a senior wives club or anything, they all meet together.
Things
to do in area?
Hiking, mountain biking, boating,
fishing, shopping at the outlet mall, and climbing. Scrapbooking
is pretty big around here too.
School
System?
Long Branch and Blackburn are
really good schools, the high school is decent too. Westminster is
the best private school in the area, but pricey. J.B. Jones is the
head start or pre-k program, my four year old goes there, we like it,
and it is actually better than some of the private pre-k's. (Steer
clear of Oak Grove day care, I won't say why, you judge for yourself)!
Any
colleges in area?
North Ga college and state
university, aka the military college of ga. Quite a few cadets.
They aren't' rowdy like a lot of colleges, campus is clean, nice, and
friendly.
Jobs?
(on post and off)
There may be 10 (at the most)
civilian jobs on post. Off post mainly tourist places like hotels
and dining spots, there is a local hospital, most people commute to
Atlanta, only 50 minutes, and it is worth the pay.
Favorite
aspect of this base/surrounding city?
It's in a friendly mountain town.
Most locals are very patriotic and appreciative of the military, lots of
vendors give military discounts, the military families here are pretty
close knit.
Least
favorite aspect?
tourists, cyclists, and guys on
crotch rockets. In the fall they come to see the leaves in the
mountains, in the spring and summer they come for the gold rush festival
and the bear on the square festival. Tour de Georgia comes through
once a year, but the cyclists take over the roads, which are curvy and
if you are in a hurry, forget it! The motorcycle guys go way too
fast for the roads, they are daredevils, I thank God we haven't been hit
by one yet!
Any
other tips?
A
really common misconception is that because the guys here are
non-deployable there is more family time. Let's put it this way,
when students are here, your husband is gone. When students are
gone, your husband is home. But, because of the size and number of
guys here, the base is really laid back. It really doesn't feel
like an army base. There is one mp who watches the gate and that
is it. My husband has taken our kids to work with him here and
there. No one minds, and most of the guys do from time to time if
they are just around the company and not out teaching. The hours
they work are crazy most of the time, for instance my hubby will go in
and work from 4 am to 9 am the next day. get off, come home, and
the following day work 2pm-midnight. There is no rhyme or rhythm.
Dahlonega
has a really active park and rec program for the kids. I nice play
ground down town that is fenced, they are pet friendly, and I
don't know if it is good or bad, but rarely do you go anywhere and not
see someone who you know. There is a gym in town, they give some
serious military discounts and don't require a contract. Some army
wives teach the classes there and they have child care! The
nearest indoor mall is in Gainesville which is a really dirty town about
25 min. away, the mall is no different. I go to the outlet mall in
Dawsonville, they have really good stores, but if it is cold, it isn't
any fun. You can go down to Atlanta though! The local
hometown bank isn't that great, UCB is good, and Wachovia. The
festivals would be fun, if they were not tourist overrun. We try
to go really early in the morning or late at night. Best ever
place to eat is El Campesino in Dawsonville, 12 minutes away.
Dahlonega Country day is the best day care around. But they are
really strict on illnesses and supplies and payments.
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