Have orders to Ft. Bliss....lots of questions!!!! (El Paso, Fort Bliss: leasing, low crime)

[BGoerner]

I've been reading a lot of the posts on here but I need to ask for myself. I've never been to Ft. Bliss or the El Paso area. I've been stationed in the Army and as a civilian all over the world but never there. For me, I can and have lived in almost every environment known to man but now I am...or will be in the next couple of weeks....married with a 5 year old foreign born son who does not speak any English. He is Ukrainian by birth and has lived there since he was born. He only knows Russian. That's my big concern. Are there any special schools that can help transition? As for my soon to be wife, she's an international and can speak and read many languages but never travelled to the U.S. and is looking forward to going to El Paso with me. I'm sure there will be a culture shock for her because we're currently in Germany and her travel has been all over Europe, South Africa, and Japan. She's a tourist agency specialist. Ok...housing....buy or rent? What and where are the good areas...low crime....good schools? Close to the base? Further out? Not too congested? I don't want to wake up and look out of my bedroom or kitchen window and look into someone elses bedroom or kitchen window....that close. If I fart.....I don't want someone calling the police and complaining about the noise.....know what I mean?

Bud

[southernbliss]

I think the 1st. thing is to get in contact with fort bliss in tell them about your son, they should be able to help get in a school.

The base is ok. you may want to live close to base do to the tra. in the mourning times.
To me all the homes are close togather but I live on post so someone will have to help you in that area. I am sure there are homes off base that will fit your need.

There has been a shooting, yeaterday we had one.there was one last month in the px. kinda scarey
I do not feel there is any thing to to worry about there always seem to be more shootings on a post when guys are deploying out. Maybe the stress of it all I do not know,but it gets this way at fort hood before deployments.
I think you will have nothing to worry about here I have been here over a year now and it is fine.

I love the food here and the weather is great here also.
The schools suck I will so happy to be rid of these schools!! but I have been told there are some nice one on the west side so you may want to check out that side of town.

Has for to rent or buy.......that depends on you, how long are you going to stay here?

Good Luck and welcome to El Paso and Fort Bliss.

[mistabinks]

The quality of schools vary from family to family. As a life long El Pasoan, I have nothing negative to say about any of the school district. I am not saying they are perfect but I certainly don't think they suck. Parents do have to be involved though.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by BGoerner

What and where are the good areas...low crime....good schools? Close to the base? Further out? Not too congested? I don't want to wake up and look out of my bedroom or kitchen window and look into someone elses bedroom or kitchen window....that close. If I fart.....I don't want someone calling the police and complaining about the noise.....know what I mean?

Bud

You won't really have to fear crime too much. There was a horrible crime yesterday where a high school student was shot and killed and apparently a random victim which is quite shocking here because there is crime here but violent crime is almost never random here. Property crime is and it's quite high but people generally shrug their shoulders over a home burglary or automobile theft here.

You probably won't be impressed with schools here. Kids coming from countries like Germany tend to get to the top of their class without any effort. All the schools have their gang types but for the most part the gang types here leave the others alone. (Crime here generally is targetted)

They build houses very close together here. Small yards are now the norm but you can find houses with a little more outdoor space -- depends on what you're used to, what you need. There are a lot of pleasant neighborhoods.

One thing you'll probably really love are the day and weekend trips you can make. One thing you have to say about El Paso is that just a couple hours away are some fantastic forests, there really is a lot to see and do if you like camping trips. Elephant Butte, Caballo Lake, Percha Dam are just a couple hours away.

[atrabilius]

Originally Posted by malamute

You won't really have to fear crime too much.

...
apparently a random victim which is quite shocking here because there is crime here but violent crime is almost never random here. .

As I understand it, it was the husband of a Fort Bliss soldier who followed her to El Paso from out of town and shot her dead at the PX. He had serious problems (obviously) and that sort of thing can happen anywhere.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by atrabilius

As I understand it, it was the husband of a Fort Bliss soldier who followed her to El Paso from out of town and shot her dead at the PX. He had serious problems (obviously) and that sort of thing can happen anywhere.

The was the recent case. There was another shooting yesterday. A high school student was shot and killed. It's appearing to be a random shooting, the student was black and I hope that wasn't part of why he was killed.

[BGoerner]

I'm coming for a regular assignment....which means that I can request re-assignment in a year but it really depends on how we like the community. Julia says that she'll follow me into hell and as long as I'm there she'll be happy. Me? I think I've been there before....Vietnam...Korea in the 70's....Beruit before the barracks bombing in '83....Panama....Desert Shield/Storm but I've never been to El Paso. I'm not worried about me....23 years active....5 years as a State Trooper outside of Tacoma, Washington...10 years DAC ..but with a new wife and family....I've got to think of them. I'm 58 years old and doing this again....I never learn.

[BGoerner]

Hi Malamut.....so what do I look for in the way of taking my son Ivan (John) fishing. I promised him that I would teach him how to fish....he's 5. And of course....he wants to ride horses because he knows I used to have them.

[malamute]

"Me? I think I've been there before....Vietnam...Korea in the 70's....Beruit before the barracks bombing in '83....Panama....Desert Shield/Storm but I've never been to El Paso. "

Hah! Then you're in for a real adventure, you haven't seen anything yet!! J/K

The thing about El Paso is that people usually either like it quite a bit or they dislike it quite a bit. Some are glad to get back out in 2 or 3 years, many who grew up here leave and never return. But many come planning to stay a short time and end up staying for good.

You can become affected by the big sky and space out here and develop a claustrophobia.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by BGoerner

Hi Malamut.....so what do I look for in the way of taking my son Ivan (John) fishing. I promised him that I would teach him how to fish....he's 5. And of course....he wants to ride horses because he knows I used to have them.

Easy. Go up to Percha Dam -- about a 2 hour drive. Or Lake Roberts in the Gila -- awesome forests. It's not like other places where there are lakes and rivers and streams everywhere but you can still do all that.

Horses -- well El Paso is perfect for horses except that it's growing extremely fast and they're plowing up all the excellent farm land to build subdivisions. There are still horses though. There are mini-ranches that offer lessons, horse-camps. Underwood stables in the NE has cheap rates for riding and leasing a horse. The West side -- Upper Valley has horses and riding lessons.

The weather here actually makes horses more practical than in most places because there is almost never a bad weather day.