Help! Any Information On Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa And Immediate Areas?!

[11b]

Just been reading this post about the Gap and thought id jump in. Iam planning on moving to PA to get in the 56th stryker brigade and iam trying to decide were to move and make a plan. The Gap is starting to sound appealing. Finding a job is obviously a big part of that and thought maybe there was something on the post its self or surrounding area. Snowrad and shueman09, you guys seem to have some in site. Any info about the post, National Guard, and jobs in the area would be great. Thanks

[Gretchen570]

Originally Posted by mstyjkt2002

I am looking for any information that will be useful to me when I arrive there at Fort Indiantown Gap. My husband has been active duty army for 14 years and we have recieved orders to move to Fort Indiantown Gap. We are from a big city called Tulsa, Oklahoma and have pretty much been city dwellers our entire military career. He has served in Iraq twice and we are looking for a bit of quite time. We have never been this far north and would like some insite on what to do and what not to do. What towns are close enough to post? What are the elementary schools like in the area? Do they have homes for rent there? Can't seem to find much online. What the weather is like? When does summer start and how hot does it actually get there? How much snow on an average does it get? Is it true that it is really lame there, but really nice if u like outdoorsy stuff, which I do? Thanks for any information that you can offer me.......



MJ

I saw your post and do have a message sent to you regarding this , if you get it in time (I hope!)
I would be happy to help.
It is a quiet area, with alot of outdoor activity. There are hawks up on the back mountain area, there is alot of hunting in the area as well as fishing during trout season.

[Gretchen570]

Originally Posted by mstyjkt2002

ok if your willing then i will start shooting you some ?s i do have to boys they will be 10 in the 5th grade and 12 in the 7th grade. they are very impressionable and have been in military post schools for the past 4 years so the change to civilian schools is going to be an adjustment. what, if any, info is there about schools. are they broke up k-5, 6-8, 9-12? this will be a 3 year commitment for us so we are looking for good schools to take us all the way to high school....wow that hurt! dont want to think of my oldest being in high school by the time we leave...anyway! we do enjoy outdoorsy stuff but would like to be close to resturants and shopping ctrs. if at all possible. we were looking to buy a house, being we thought this would be our last move in the military, but it didnt work out that way. so we will be renting instead. we are trying to stay away from apartments but arent having much luck online with rental properties as far as houses are concerned. we are originally from oklahoma and have been in the army for 15 years so we havent really lived at home for a while. mostly been on the east coast VA and GA and overseas twice. we do like to have entertainment. not so much clubs but at least small bars that will adopt us and show us around. we are currently in germany so the change to the "amish country" or "german town" isnt going to bother us because we love it here. my husband is looking very forward to moving here because of all the fishing and hunting that is available there. he hasnt been able to do any of those things for 4 years because of restrictions they have here in germany. me on the other hand am very scared! i love the summer time and sunshine! i like temperatures to be in the 100's so that we can go to the lake or pool or whatever. we havent had much sunshine in germany except in the summer time and that is only from june to mid august. so to actually have a descent summer would be really nice. what kinda temps do ya'll get there. are the winters as dreary as they are here? i am not much for snow and layers upon layers of clothing. i am a dental assistant. i have been looking online to get an idea of what kinda of jobs are going to be available to me and arent having much luck with that either. most positions i have found are in harrisburg. my next ? would be after reading some of the quotes on here, some of these areas arent very welcoming to new-comers, i am a very personable person. i love to have bbqs and have a couple of beers and sometimes we do get loud. we have a fire pit and love to be able to have some friends over and do things like that. am i going to be looked as " crazy person" there? good thing is i do welcome this move. its not exactly what i wanted but i am willing to give it all i got and make it home. what are some things that i should NOT DO!?

There are several jobs in the Lickdale area, newly developed I might add, there is now a dairy queen a wendys and 4 convenience stores all juxtapositioned around the Gap.
There are also several LARGE businesses that are hiring. Tyco for one,Ingram Micro and TSC Corp ..as well as several new banks and 2 grocery stores in the area. There is alot more now than there was even a year ago! There is also a gigantic travel plaza , pizza, hoagies, and of course a restaurant right next to indiantown gap cemetary.
There are alot of people who prefer to just be left alone here, as that is why they moved there in the first place. Yet there are many churches in the area with activities and very friendly people there too by the way.
There is a hess station, and another 2 hotels have just been built near that!
Then there are hay rides and a really nice ice cream place up the road with amusements and mini golf in the summer. There is also the annville area for movies (yes they do still have a nice little theater) antique shopping is also in annville and lots of bargain shops if you travel a little further south of annville.
The man that was offering you help I am sure meant well, but he did also say that he would avoid Lickdale and the immediate area around the Gap..I do not know why? The best schools are right there!!!!!

Northern Lebanon Schools and the Christian Acadamy is also in that area.
Those are the ONLY two I would even consider!!!!

Please do not let your children live in Lebanon! that school is not so hot at all.Not to mention all of the gang activity in Lebanon too!!!! Bad news there!

In the country it is truly beautiful , yes it does snow and boy I have seen it get pretty deep too! But that is not so often ..usually.
When it does , you just make the best of it, snowmen and all that.
Annville College is a VERY good school too!!!!!
I would move to the RD region of Jonestown or those areas near the gap , because it is easier to get to work from there too, in Lebanon the traffic is terrible ..there ARE ONE LANE ROADS HERE AND THEY GO SOOOOOOOOO SLOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

If you want a fast commute there are a few properties near 81 and 22 that will jut you right off to Hershey and or Harrisburg if you cannot find other work in the Lickdale area I mentioned.
I would not move to Lebanon if you paid me !!! Just my honest opinion.
Oh, and if you are going to buy any property..be VERY careful because I know someone who did and they went through alot with the survey on their land..the courthouse lost all of the documents in the flood of 72!
They still use the old books there and they have some of them but not all!
No there are not any big city stores here, but that is what makes it so nice, and if you hop onto 81 there are TONS of shops that go all the way up the line in Colonial Park areas.If you move there though, a word of caution, crime crime crime. That goes double with Harrisburg downtown!
CRIME!!!!
Stay out of the north end of the gap , that is where the native hunters live and the hillbillies. They really like their space up there and just either moved there to retire or grew up in the area and just want to be left alone!
I have seen a bobcat here. I have seen 3 bears at one time too! I have seen and hit a deer , so be very careful especially on the long road connecting the Gap to Jonestown areas near Ono.
(I know..Ono..Oh no!)LOL
Best to you friend, and remember ..you have a friend in Pennsylvania, just dont look for him in the mountains!LOL

[Gretchen570]

Originally Posted by bnepler

I lived in the area for about 30 years. It's a very rural area. If you love nature, you'll love it. The spring, summer and fall seasons are beautiful. The winter time is very stark, unless it snows, then it's kind of nice. It's great hunting, hiking, fishing in the lakes, streams and mountains

This is cooking and baking time! Warm chocolate chip cookies go really good in the winter! So do all of the home made Dutch dishes that are native. By the way..Pot Pie here is not a pie..more like dumplings with chicken. There is something called shoe fly pie too..that is a traditional pennsylvania dutch pie, made with molasses. The Amish are known for their baked goods and many people here do not believe in television.
No television in our home either!
That's ok.. it is more time to get close to the family
Projects get finished
Things get done.
No news ...is good news!

[jcarp60]

Hey, no worries! the "Gap's" not such a bad place! And the surrounding area, well, I would probably head toward Progress, Linglestown area like others have told you. The Annville, Fredericksburg, Likedale area is pretty - how should I say, "redneck", or maybe a little closed to outsiders...
At any rate, I live on the West Shore, too far of a drive. I think you'd love Linglestown. We have actually looked at quite a few places in Linglestown area, hoping to get closer to work for me, but can't sell our house on the West Shore. Renting is probably a good deal, although there are some MAD prices out there and it's definitely a buyers market - name your price!
There is a COOL bar in Annville, a very big, old hotel I think. ANyway, there are several rooms, and a large sports bar area. The food is AWESOME too! And in the winter, there's a really cool room with a fireplace - check it out when you get here! It's called the Batdorf. Lots of microbrews too, mmmmmmm.
Oh, also, before I forget, the weather here is nice! Four seasons - we've had a great Summer so far, hot and a little wet at times, we get beautiful Fall weather and Winter's do get a little icy at times (nothing a hot toddy at the Batdorf won't cure - I swear I don't work for them or even know anyone from there)!!
So, email me when you get into town and I'll be happy to show you around the Post or area or whatever. I'm Air Force (don't hold that against me!) but just wanted to welcome you to PA!!
jcarp60@comcast.net