Anyone live at Warren AFB? (Cheyenne, Sheridan: coupon, 2011, houses)

[Kokopelli]

My husband is thinking of transferring to the Air Guard here in the Spring, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about living on base at Warren AFB, in Cheyenne.

[ElkHunter]

I'm not sure we have anybody in the Forum that lives on WAFB.

But I can tell you that Cheyenne is a wonderful place to live. You didn't mention where you currently live but I'll tell you that Wyoming Winters are kind of special. haha They can kick your butt if your not ready for them. Course, if you are ready, and winter smart, they're just a normal winter.

Friendly people, good shopping, lot's of outdoors type sports, great camping, great hunting. Did I tell you about the friendly people? haha

There's a lot of folks that can't handle the winters. But I always tell them. My house is 70 degrees. My office is 70 degrees. And I saved up my money to buy a truck with a heater, so it's 70 degrees. haha There's some cold to put up with, but it's not like you gotta be out in it all day. The minute to start your car, and the trip from your door to the car, is all you really have to deal with. Oh, and shoveling the partly cloudy off the walk.

Don't know much about Warren. ANG been there for a bunch of years and they take care of the base up north.

But Wyoming is a great place to live and raise kids.

Are you coming from an area that is cold during the winter? Hot? Uncomfortable? haha

[sunsprit]

I don't live on the base, but I've been on it for contracting work.

"officer's country" there is some spectacular grand old homes. My contracting partner was an AF Colonel, and he was last stationed in Hawaii for many years ... where the housing was pretty dismal. We got on Warren and were driving past some of the bigger homes with detached carriage houses or garages ... and he commented "that must be the general's house, a big place like that ..."; we got past it and the signboard our front was "Capt and Mrs ___". My partner was shocked .... We saw another dozen houses like that and none of them had an officer higher than a major. We never did see the base commander's house, which I understood was a few blocks away and supposed to be quite the mansion. Most of the houses had well maintained lawns (a big deal in this dry area), and the style of the architecture reminiscent of the early 1900's.

I understand there's a waiting list to get into those houses these days. While waiting, the officers off-base housing allowance is adequate to get into some pretty nice housing in Cheyenne.

If your husband isn't an officer, then there's also been a recent huge expansion of enlisted homes on the base. You'd have a hard time seeing any difference between those houses and a lot of the newer subdivisions in Cheyenne. Again, it's pretty nice housing for the area. It's out on the prairie, and there's some herds of antelope and deer in the area, plus the usual foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, raptors, and other wildlife.

Warren was originally an Army base, and had extensive stables, most of which are now torn down. But they have an active equine group still there, with stables/runs and a lot of acreage on the base property that's open to ride. Of course, that's in addition to the usual base recreation facilities ... golf course, rec center (new just two years ago).

The base is located just off the two main commercial districts of Cheyenne ... Dell Range or Lincolnway ... so what you don't buy at the BX is very close by, just minutes away.

[ElkHunter]

Wow Sunsprit, I learn something every day. Thanks for the wonderful post, it showed me a lot.

I'm just an old sailor stuck up here in Sheridan, so I answer the best I can. I lived in Cheyenne for a bit, Hanna, let's not talk about that. hahaha

But I didn't realize you were there. Great post!!!!!! Thanks for the insight.

[Kokopelli]

Thank you, Sunsprit for that wealth of information. I don't know where I would have gone on the internet find that information, so I thank you very much!! My husband is not an officer - but he is a Navy Veteran and has been in the Guard now for over 5yrs. -so I suppose if we live on base, we would live in the homes you mentioned "on the praire". That's just fine with us, as long as there would be enough room for my daughters' budding equestrian interests!! (Which there seems to be!!)

I am no stranger to cold and snow, as I hail from the Chicago area - born and raised- so I've driven on snow and ice most of my life. We moved to the desert for my health (I have Fibromyalgia) because the Chicago winters and humid summers really affected me. I feel much better since moving to the Southwest, and I've been reading on this forum that the humidity level in WY. is much like it is where I am now. (Which was the main deciding factor for us in making the move.)

Oh, and Elkhunter: We now live in Deming, NM., (many threads about which I have commented on), so the climate here is much like that of SE Wyoming, I believe...Except of course that it snows much more up there than it does here, and it's a bit colder in the winters. It's windy here too, though - Winds at 16, with gusts at 34 right now...So, that's just something that I'll have to learn to live with!! It's the humidity that bothers me the most, physically. I can take the cold!! I'm a homebody anyways, so I'll just stay indoors!! And I like your explaination of how it "stays 70 degrees where ever you go in the winter!!" That's funny!!

[sixofone]

Sunsprit gave a great description of the base, but I'd like to add a point or two--

There are a few NCO quarters that are in the old brick architecture that dates to the base's roots in the US Cavalry. I imagine there's a waiting list, but it may be worth the wait to live in a US national historic site.

I believe that the new housing on the prairie is "contractor owned and operated" so your quarters allowance would go to the builder rather than the USAF and the contractor would provide maintenance and repair.

The antelopes on the base have been protected for generations. Normally antelope are very skittish, but the base population seems almost tame and feel free to wander all over the base.

FE Warren is one of the few AF bases without a runway, so your husband's WYO ANG duties will probably be over at the Cheyenne regional airport on Dell Range Ave. The airport is dual-use with civilian aviation, but I believe all the controllers are ANG personnel.

The BX is sort of small, but it's fairly new and is co-located with the Commissary in a "strip mall" type of set-up. Should make for some easier shopping trips and anything you can't find on base is readily available in town If you're a real shopaholic, Denver is only 100 miles away.

Welcome to Wyo, and many thanks to your husband for his service.

[Kokopelli]

Thanks, Sixofone!! I appreciate the feedback!! All very helpful!! And interesting about the historic buildings!! Sounds right up my alley!! I'll have to check into the waiting list for those.

And about shopping...I'm more of a coupon addict than a shop-a-holic, and I'm highly allergic to shopping malls!! Speaking of...what type of shopping IS there in Cheyenne? Having at least a Walmart nearby would be nice, but I haven't looked into the shopping scene yet. My husband would have a fit if I drove 100 miles away from home just to go shopping!! LOL!!

And thanks for the welcome!! I'm very proud of my husband for his service as well.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

I don't live on the base, but I've been on it for contracting work.

"officer's country" there is some spectacular grand old homes. My contracting partner was an AF Colonel, and he was last stationed in Hawaii for many years ... where the housing was pretty dismal. We got on Warren and were driving past some of the bigger homes with detached carriage houses or garages ... and he commented "that must be the general's house, a big place like that ..."; we got past it and the signboard our front was "Capt and Mrs ___". My partner was shocked .... We saw another dozen houses like that and none of them had an officer higher than a major. We never did see the base commander's house, which I understood was a few blocks away and supposed to be quite the mansion. Most of the houses had well maintained lawns (a big deal in this dry area), and the style of the architecture reminiscent of the early 1900's.

I understand there's a waiting list to get into those houses these days. While waiting, the officers off-base housing allowance is adequate to get into some pretty nice housing in Cheyenne.

If your husband isn't an officer, then there's also been a recent huge expansion of enlisted homes on the base. You'd have a hard time seeing any difference between those houses and a lot of the newer subdivisions in Cheyenne. Again, it's pretty nice housing for the area. It's out on the prairie, and there's some herds of antelope and deer in the area, plus the usual foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, raptors, and other wildlife.

Warren was originally an Army base, and had extensive stables, most of which are now torn down. But they have an active equine group still there, with stables/runs and a lot of acreage on the base property that's open to ride. Of course, that's in addition to the usual base recreation facilities ... golf course, rec center (new just two years ago).

The base is located just off the two main commercial districts of Cheyenne ... Dell Range or Lincolnway ... so what you don't buy at the BX is very close by, just minutes away.

Not to mention the antelope that graze on the golf course . . .

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Kokopelli

T...
And about shopping...I'm more of a coupon addict than a shop-a-holic, and I'm highly allergic to shopping malls!! Speaking of...what type of shopping IS there in Cheyenne? Having at least a Walmart nearby would be nice, but I haven't looked into the shopping scene yet. My husband would have a fit if I drove 100 miles away from home just to go shopping!! LOL!!...

Cheyenne is well equipped, especially for equestrian fancies, and it is good to keep your shopping $$ in WY when possible... but if you get a Shopping - craving... You will only have to drive 60 miles or less to fill your sleigh. There is plenty of choice in Ft Collins, and more than plenty at Loveland exit. It's downwind, so fill up your Reindeer for the trip back puff....puff

"Outlets at Loveland -- Located 45 miles north of Denver, this Colorado outlet mall has over 50 outlet stores." and quickly growing...

Shopping - News - coloradoan.com
Outlet Bound - Outlet Center Information
Colorado Outlet Malls: Bargain Shopping in the Centennial State

[sixofone]

Originally Posted by Kokopelli

Thanks, Sixofone!! I appreciate the feedback!! All very helpful!! And interesting about the historic buildings!! Sounds right up my alley!! I'll have to check into the waiting list for those.

And about shopping...I'm more of a coupon addict than a shop-a-holic, and I'm highly allergic to shopping malls!! Speaking of...what type of shopping IS there in Cheyenne? Having at least a Walmart nearby would be nice, but I haven't looked into the shopping scene yet. My husband would have a fit if I drove 100 miles away from home just to go shopping!! LOL!!

And thanks for the welcome!! I'm very proud of my husband for his service as well.

Cheyenne has a new Super Wal-Mart store and there's a Sam's Club store next door to it.