5 Worst Military Bases

[longknife]

Fortunately, I’ve never been assigned to any of these. If any of you have, comments are always welcome.

Minot AFB

Fort Polk

Twenty-Nine Palms

Fort Drum

Altus AFB

More about them @ 5 Military Bases So Bad They Should Count As A Deployment

 

[Sunni Man]

My father was a career army officer and our family lived on Fort Polk for a couple of years when I was a kid.

I hated it because it rained almost every day and I had to wear a yellow rain coat and rubber boots to school most of the time, and didn't get to play outside much. The place was extremely hot and muggy.

My father's troops had caught a large alligator, put it in a cage, and used it as the company's mascot.

Soldiers were warned not to sleep under tanks and trucks when out in the field because the ground was soo saturated with rain water. That during the night the vehicle could slowly sink down and crush you to death while you were asleep.

I was glad when we moved from that miserable hell hole. ....

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Was stationed at 29 Palms while going to electronics school, was not so bad, old barracks and the regualr troops hated the students. A little dreary cause of the desert conditions but ok.

 

[whitehall]

What makes them bad? Is it the weather or equipment or morale or leadership or just attitude?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Pretty sure with Polk it is the weather and humidity 29 palms is in the desert and has old buildings so not a good spot in the summer.

 

[harmonica]

...never stationed at 29 Palms, but we did exercises there....it was ''fun'' because we never had to hump anywhere--we took the hummers ...nice, soft sand to dig in and sleep on ....
..had a tow missile go right through our mortar position one time

 

[harmonica]

Was stationed at 29 Palms while going to electronics school, was not so bad, old barracks and the regualr troops hated the students. A little dreary cause of the desert conditions but ok.

...the Puuloa Rifle range Oahu had old barracks ...not much to do--but the beach was right there..we would get some beer and head to the beach.....night guard duty was great seeing the lights of Waikiki and Honolulu in the far distance...we would see the ships go by while pulling targets
..we also lived in ''old'' barracks at Lejuene or Geiger for a while --I have them mixed since I was in 3-6 and UNITAS...also I did an NBC class at Geiger

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Fortunately, I’ve never been assigned to any of these. If any of you have, comments are always welcome.

Minot AFB

Fort Polk

Twenty-Nine Palms

Fort Drum

Altus AFB

More about them @ 5 Military Bases So Bad They Should Count As A Deployment

I was stationed at Ft Drum for 4 years and did the JRTC exercise at Polk every year.

 

[Sunni Man]

I wasn't ever stationed there, but I heard a lot of soldiers complain about their time at Fort Leonard Wood. ....

 

[Oddball]

People hate on Minot because it's the rote thing to do...If you have any outdoorsman in you the place has scads of opportunities during the 9 months that it's not winter.

 

[bodecea]

Fortunately, I’ve never been assigned to any of these. If any of you have, comments are always welcome.

Minot AFB

Fort Polk

Twenty-Nine Palms

Fort Drum

Altus AFB

More about them @ 5 Military Bases So Bad They Should Count As A Deployment

What's wrong with Fort Drum?

 

[Mushroom]

What makes them bad? Is it the weather or equipment or morale or leadership or just attitude?

Most times it is the isolation.

Another base that might belong on that list is Fort Hunter-Liggitt, in California. Literally it is in the middle of nowhere, a 45 minute drive to the nearest town. So if it is not located on the small base, it is a long drive to get it. And the entertainment on the base is largely a joke. A 4 lane bowling alley, a base theater that only shows old DVDs, a commissary that is the size of a large convenience store, and the only place to eat other than the chow hall is a Subway.

Most of the bases listed in that list are remote, miles and miles away from any kind of habitation. A lot of people on bases like that end up turning to alcohol, because there really is little else to do other than drink.

 

[whitehall]

Maybe recruit training isn't included but Parris Island South Carolina is probably at the top of the list of Military bases you probably won't like to spend your first couple of months.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Fortunately, I’ve never been assigned to any of these. If any of you have, comments are always welcome.

Minot AFB

Fort Polk

Twenty-Nine Palms

Fort Drum

Altus AFB

More about them @ 5 Military Bases So Bad They Should Count As A Deployment

What's wrong with Fort Drum?

Sounds like a question from someone who hasn't been there during Winter time and thus never had to go through cold weather training. I was lucky, I wasn't Infantry, but it still sucked sleeping in a GP medium for a week with no heat and temps that got as low as -20 below. Have you ever tried running in formation in near whiteout conditions ?

 

[whitehall]

Why do this? Why would an alleged retired U.S. Military Veteran troll for unverified anecdotal criticism of American Military bases?

 

[Mushroom]

Why do this? Why would an alleged retired U.S. Military Veteran troll for unverified anecdotal criticism of American Military bases?

I do not see it as trolling at all. Most of us who served have our own experiences.

I have seen people who spent 10+ year careers outside of deployments and training at a single base. I have also seen people who have moved from base to base every few years.

I myself am one of those. Counting permanent postings, I have served at 4 different bases in my 15 year active career. But I have also spent differing periods of time, from 1 month to 1 year (not counting initial entry training) at at least 11 others. They range from Little Creek, Virginia and El Toro, California to Fort Hunter-Liggett in California to Fort Sherman in Panama.

Interestingly, in all my conversations with Veterans, the Navy and Air Force seem to have the lowest number of "crappy postings", and the Army the most. The Marines tend to be ranked there as well, as the vast majority of their posts (outside of Yuma and Stumps) are on the beach, and close to decent sized cities.

It always seems to be the Army that gets stuck at places like McCoy, or Hunter-Liggett, or Huachua, or White Sands.

 

[longknife]

I moved 27 times in 23 years.

 

[bodecea]

Fortunately, I’ve never been assigned to any of these. If any of you have, comments are always welcome.

Minot AFB

Fort Polk

Twenty-Nine Palms

Fort Drum

Altus AFB

More about them @ 5 Military Bases So Bad They Should Count As A Deployment

What's wrong with Fort Drum?

Sounds like a question from someone who hasn't been there during Winter time and thus never had to go through cold weather training. I was lucky, I wasn't Infantry, but it still sucked sleeping in a GP medium for a week with no heat and temps that got as low as -20 below. Have you ever tried running in formation in near whiteout conditions ?

I'm from that area, and I love the area around Watertown and Alex Bay ALL YEAR ROUND. So I ask again. What's wrong with Fort Drum?

 

[longknife]

In my 23 years I always found that the military did whatever it could to provide creature comforts and entertainment for the troops. They're small, self-contained cities that have almost everything one can ask for. In fact, in some of the most inhospitable areas, it appears the military goes out of its way to make life bearable for the troops and their families.

 

[Desperado]

I wasn't ever stationed there, but I heard a lot of soldiers complain about their time at Fort Leonard Wood. ....

Took AIT at Fort Leonard Wood, it wasn't t bad for a training base,