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Anyone stationed there now or who has been in the past? Looking like the family and i will be going there Apr 2011 after my deployment. Been doing a lot of research and it definitely seems smaller than where we are coming from, Langley, Hampton Roads VA. I'm all for a smaller town atmosphere, i grew up on a farm in Iowa, doesn't get any smaller than that. Seems like i've heard more bad than good, mainly crime. I want honest opinions. I know that it's considered "small", that is perfectly fine with me, actually want "small". I don't remember the last time i went to a mall, so i could care less if there's one at all. I don't need bars and clubs. I'm married and don't party, don't need the drama. Have enough of that at home. Just give me your honest opinion.
P.S. I work the flightline....i know they deploy a lot. I'm used to working long hours, comes with the territory.
There isn't much in that area. I've driven through and it reminded me of the movie The Color Purple. The base is typical nice Air Force stuff, but Sumter isn't very desirable. Columbia South Carolina is the nearest big city.
i lived there a long time ago, i was 8 at the time, so that wont be much help for you, but i am from hampton, VA. but on the plus side my best friend just moved there a couple months ago, if you would like to message me and i will get you in contact with her, from what i hear from her she likes it, her kids are really active there, and they live off base.
Hope to hear from you soon
Nan
Nice golf course, not too far from Columbia. I could make it a good place to live - since its pretty much centrally located and you can travel to other places within a few hours.
Good old Langley eh? By far one of my favorite bases. We were out in Bethal Manor during our four years there “1999-2003“. Hampton Roads is a great area.
While I’ve never been at Shaw longer than a day, I do make the drive up there from Charleston every once in awhile. Like mentioned not much to the base. Its small, the BX/Commissary are old and very small as well. You are kind of away from any real civilization. But its way better than Minot/Cannon etc…
Columbia and Fort Jackson are pretty close. Columbia isn’t a bad little town. Sumter is pretty bad with crime, from what I’ve read and heard. But honestly I felt safe in the general area.” Think Hampton” It’s kind of like that. Shaw is kind of like Mountain Home. If your into the outdoors you will enjoy yourself. Base housing is pretty damn bad from what I remember as well. Fort Jackson has a very nice water park, and great MWR programs. Like Fort Eustis…
If you have any more questions, shoot and ill try to answer them best I can.
Sumter is very old-school southern in some rough ways. You have very high crime, because physical violence is the traditional way for rural southerners to resolve their differences. Assault rates are astronomical.
You also have a crack-cocaine problem. Lots of screwed up people. Not too long ago, a young trick-or-treater rang a doorbell in the wrong neighborhood, and some crazy fugitive fired through the door with an AK-47. One thing about Sumter, it gives the average American a totally different perspective on black America, like living the ghetto of a large urban city would.
That's the bad part, though. I grew up there and I turned out fine. Sumter has excellent access to the swamp -- it is a big hunting and freshwater fishing town. You have a large supply of cheap golf courses, too. Not to mention, people are super-friendly, and the pace of life is glacial.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Originally Posted by IrishSA
Good old Langley eh? By far one of my favorite bases. We were out in Bethal Manor during our four years there “1999-2003“. Hampton Roads is a great area.
While I’ve never been at Shaw longer than a day, I do make the drive up there from Charleston every once in awhile. Like mentioned not much to the base. Its small, the BX/Commissary are old and very small as well. You are kind of away from any real civilization. But its way better than Minot/Cannon etc…
Columbia and Fort Jackson are pretty close. Columbia isn’t a bad little town. Sumter is pretty bad with crime, from what I’ve read and heard. But honestly I felt safe in the general area.” Think Hampton” It’s kind of like that. Shaw is kind of like Mountain Home. If your into the outdoors you will enjoy yourself. Base housing is pretty damn bad from what I remember as well. Fort Jackson has a very nice water park, and great MWR programs. Like Fort Eustis…
If you have any more questions, shoot and ill try to answer them best I can.
Glad to hear positive words about Langley (my parent's old base, lived in the area for 14 years.)
I was born at Shaw AFB. While there my mom lived in Dalzell and has pretty fond memories of that town. She said Dalzell was kinda country but quiet.
Well thanks for all the advice everyone. I hate hearing about all the crime but it seems it's like Hampton Roads, just have to know where to stay away from. We live in Bethel Manor right now, not bad housing but i have been in better. As i speak they are tearing it all down and already have new stuff up and occupied. I'm thinking that i will live on base at Shaw for at least a yr to get acquainted with the area and then hopefully find an acreage or something like that. Other than that we are looking forward to it.
It's amusing to read of the conditions in Sumter today. I was there for a total of 7 years back in the ancient days of the 363 TRW, 4411, 4412 Sqdns....it was my first assignment out of Lowry Tech School and our a/c were RB-66, RF-101C and later the RF-4C. I ended up in the 4416th Test Sqdn and we had two each of the listed A/C, plus 2 RF-84 --all test beds for new systems. When most of the Wing deployed to SEA in 1966, I had a deferment--but joined the 432 TRW five months later in Udorn Thailane. When the triple nickel came to Udorn with RF-4Cs, I was the only remaining NCO from the old 101 units--and sent the last 6 long birds to Okinawa. When I returned to the States, it was back to Shaw and the 4416rh--when my second hitch was up, instead of re-upping, I opted out since my next assignment was back to SEA. I missed the life and have visited the area a couple of times over the years. Time at Shaw-April 1962-Nov 1966, and Nov 1967-Nov 1968. You know the old saw--no base was as good as the one you're leaving, and none as bad as the one you're headed to. I have nothing but fond memories of Shaw and the area, Good Luck.
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