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So glad that is not one of the possible places we could go.
One of my supervisors (I work in NATO, so my supervisor isn't an MP) told me she was at Minot and it wasn't bad. Then again, she wasn't the one out in the field for four-five days at a time, three inspections a year, guarding the PL1 resources outside in the blistering cold.. and overall putting up with being an MP... Yeah, happy I'm not going there again.
I'm currently stationed in Oklahoma City and will be relocating to Kirtland in February. As soon as I got my orders I started asking people that have been stationed there the low down on the place and for the most part I received positive feedback. Most of the bad things I've heard are from people that where only there for a short time. The common theme was "the area around the base is the ghetto" or "there is really bad crime there". Then I get on this forum and I'm hearing much of the same, while there are some good reviews of the place for the most part it is pretty scary. Being a single mom with a 6 and 4 year old, my main concerns are living somewhere safe and a decent elementary school. The idea I have in my head is that it would make sense for me to live on base for financial and safety reasons. It would be nice to live, work and have the kids in school on base IMO. After hearing how "horrible" the elementary schools are on base, I'm not so sure.
I joined the military knowing I could get stationed anywhere. With that in mind I have always been optimistic everywhere I've been stationed. I'm trying to feel that way about this move, but it's hard w/threads such as "i am fearful living here" crime-rate this and crime-rate that. Or, ABQ school system is horrible..
Anyway, the point of all my rambling is for someone to please give me some realistic positive feedback. I'm so nervous after reading this forum I may even except some "sunshine pumping" as encouragement.
Thanks in advance for your positive post! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I think you will be fine. I know plenty of people with kids who live on base who send their kids to Sandia Base Elem. The ones I have spoken to specifically about it were underwhelmed with the school. One considered Catholic school (keep in mind this is someone whose first choice, no matter how great the public schools are, is parochial) and the other got her kids private music lessons b/c she did not like that the kids alternated art and music each year. I think you need to be involved and aware of what is being taught and what should be taught b/c the complaints I have heard have related to dumbing down of the curriculum and meeting the lowest common denominator instead of challenging the kids. Since you will be moving again in approx 4 yrs you need to make sure the school has your kids on track to be at grade level at your next assignment.
Living on base - if you can get housing (don't take Maxwell if they are still offering it to military), the housing is nice and should be fine for you and your kids. When we moved here my husband was an E6 and we were offered a 4 bdr townhouse that was just a bit too small for our family. It was very nice though. Had we been able to move into SNCO 4-bdr housing (about 200sq ft larger) we might have done it. My husband works with a lot of people who live in family housing and the only complaint they have is they live too close to the people they work with and they would prefer not to see them all evening and weekend long as well after spending long days with them. And really, that is the ONLY complaint I have heard from them.
Yes the area around the base can be sketchy, but its not like you have to have an armored car to get from the base to nicer areas. You just need to be street smart, don't go driving around unfamiliar neighborhoods unless you have business there, and lock your car if you choose to shop in that area (but you don't have to shop in the area if you don't want to b/c there is a lot just a few minutes north of there). Really, stuff you would do anywhere. There is a nice Costco and Home Depot on Eubank just minutes from the Wyoming Gate, and if you shoot straight up Wyoming I am pretty sure there is a fairly new Walmart near Wyoming and Menaul (someone correct my location if I got it wrong). Its not that bad.
Thank you so much for your response. I haven't PCS'd alone with the kids before and it is a little overwhelming trying to figure out where to live and what school to put them in. I'm an E-6 so the budget will be tight, that's why I was considering housing as well as the security of being on base. I haven't lived in base housing since I was an Airman and the houses where so old and all my neighbors where so nosey. My kids go to a private christian school here. Do you know of any decent private schools that aren't too far from base? I've looked on the internet but you know word of mouth is so much better.
Eh.. lots of people going to Kirtland next year. Is there manning issues there? My buddy and myself are relocating there next year in March/April (Command entitlement, most likely).
My kids go to a private christian school here. Do you know of any decent private schools that aren't too far from base? I've looked on the internet but you know word of mouth is so much better.
Our Lady of the Assumption (Catholic) is on Lomas just west of Wyoming. Private schools are not cheap here, and unfortunately I don't know much about them in ABQ. I am not sure what else is in the area - we live out in the E. Mtns and like our public schools out here - but you don't want to live out here b/c if the canyon shuts down b/c of snow/ice/bad traffic accident it could be hours before you get home to your kids.
Sunset Mesa Schools come highly recommended but they run about, I think, $800/mo. The Catholic schools that I checked on ran between $4000 and $5000/yr. I don't know about the tuition for any of the Lutheran or nondenominational schools.
Good luck. I hope someone will give you more private school information than I can.
The housing area is nice. There is a community clubhouse and pool and playgrounds everywhere. They told us they designed it so no child would have to cross a street to get to a playground.
Might recommend, rather than private school, you consider setting your kids up in a public school a little further from your home; Bandelier ES and Monte Vista ES aren't so far and they get good reviews.
From a native Albuquerquean perspective, paying for private school only makes sense if the public schools available are worse than average.. you'd also (odds are) have to drive further to get to private school than the aforementioned elementaries.
Sure would like to revive this thread. I'm not PCSing as I'm retired MACS/USN and will be moving to ABQ. After some research, comments from the forums we are seriously considering moving into KAFB privatized housing. I contacted base housing and as a retiree and disabled I qualify as for a 3Br/2Ba in areas V,VI & VII. The floor plans look good. Any info about privatized housing would be most welcome.
We, a family of 4, will be moving from the Philippines. I have lived here for the past 24 years and do love it. However, as our two young adult kids graduate from their PharmD College, just over 2 years, we will uproot and move to ABQ.
I have a friend of mine, retired APD Sgt and a MAC/USNR who lives there but has no knowledge of how the housing is there on KAFB or the base except for the Base Exchange & Commissary, which he says are fantastic.
Should anyone also be knowledgeable about how the altitude affects asthma would love to hear their opinions. My research shows that if your asthma is controlled should not be a problem, once you acclimate to it.
You input will be most welcomed
Joe
Angeles City
Philippines
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Single AF mom relocating to Kirtland
