[mousehair]

My husband is PSCing there in a couple of months and I am wondering how the area is. Is the base nice, are the areas around it nice and it is a small town? Are there teaching jobs there too? Is there stuff for small children to do as well? I would appreciate any information about this area.

Also is it anything like Fort Bragg? I mean is it a small military community?

Thanks

[her2001]

Eglin is a very sought after base

Its is close to a few really nice smallish towns. The best beaches in Florida.

The teaching jobs are tough to get and the pay is poor.

It is a huge base and surrounded by growth so I wouldn't say its a small military community.

[Ready2Retire]

her2001 is correct. It's a beautiful base. The housing is a little high. It's cheaper in Crestview, which is north of Eglin, but it's really a horrendous drive from there to get to the base for work in the traffic. The traffic jams are awful, the commute time is very bad, and of course the money for gas to drive there and back. It's better to pay a little more and find a place nearer the base (Poquito Bayou, Shalimar, Mary Esther, Ft. Walton Beach, Niceville, Valparaiso). I've heard Niceville's schools have a very good rating and the other's may also as well. (All these little towns run together) Just be sure and check with your insurance company before you sign a lease to see whether or not it's in a flood zone and you have wind coverage for your personal property. If you are renting make SURE you don't sign any lease that does not contain a "military clause" in the contract so you can get out of your lease if your husband is transferred during the time of your lease.

You might want to read through the links on this Google search on "Military Spouse Preference" for jobs. military spouse preference for jobs - Google Search then you can talk to Eglin's human resource office if you'd like to know more about it and perhaps getting a job on the base if you're unable to find a teaching job. It's a huge military town and jobs are scarce. There are a lot of military wives in the area. Here is another thread with same questions: http://www.city-data.com/forum/flori...eglin-afb.html

Good luck to you and your family!

[HowDeDo]

Im moving to the Panhandle and will be doing walkthrus of homes close to Eglin . How noisy is the air traffic on the northern perimeter of the Base...like south of Crestview ?? Do they fly at all hours of the day and night ? Thanks.

[big mean bear]

Eglin is a shadow of its former Cold War self. It is a huge base, but funding there has been drastically cut over the last 15-20 years, and many air wings were moved elsewhere or simply mothballed out in AZ. I hear there is a lot of UFO activity in the Eglin AFB area; seems like a good place to camp out and watch the night sky...

[Ready2Retire]

Originally Posted by HowDeDo

Im moving to the Panhandle and will be doing walkthrus of homes close to Eglin . How noisy is the air traffic on the northern perimeter of the Base...like south of Crestview ?? Do they fly at all hours of the day and night ? Thanks.

Well, if you move to Crestview, that's maybe 25 miles away, depending upon where in Crestview you live, so no, you won't hear the planes as much up there but then you have quite a commute with the heavy traffic. The new F-35s coming to Eglin will be less noisy than our other boys were. No one knows how much they'll fly...you would have to ask their commanders.

Can't sympathize with you on this one...we love the sound of our jets...the sound of freedom.......