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Looks like we are PCSing to Lackland AFB this summer. I have a lot of questions, and would appreciate any information. I did search through the forums, but I didn't really get any of my questions answered.
1) On base housing. Does it exist? I saw a couple of threads talk about it. Some in reference to a long wait list. I can't find a site for it anywhere. Here at Dover, we have a website that actually lists the waiting list and all the floor plans of the housing. My husband is an officer, and we only have one child, age 3...so we don't need anything that big. Do most people live off base or on base? Here at Dover, it is about half and half. I love base housing, but have no idea what is available at Lackland. I saw someone post a website, but it isn't working. We are probably looking at a 3 year tour.
2) What is the current area that most people are renting homes from? At this point, I think we will look into renting instead of buying.
3) Preschools. My daughter will be 4 this summer and I need to know a good preschool. Does the base actually have a preschool and is it good? Here at Dover they advertise an enrichment program, but they don't do it anymore. And the preschools around here have a 2 year waiting list.
3) Medical- Oncologist and/or cancer hosptial. I have an extremely rare kidney cancer that I have been in remission from for about 18 months so I need to see a very good oncologist. I also need to know if there is a good urologist and/or nephrologist (kidney doctor) in the area. Right now I am seeing a specialist at Johns Hopkins, and I know they will help me find a referral as well.
4) Playgroups...etc. I am looking to join some playgroups. Does anyone know of any? Dance studios. My daughter is into ballet.
thanks in advance for any help. We are really excited about moving to SA. Dover is really nice, but doesn't offer much.
Depending on where you live, you may be interested in joining my wife's playgroup. There are kids from ages 1 to 4. There is some nice base housing at Lackland but I think it's for enlisted. The best dance studios are in town, but there are some in the NW just not as good, or so I hear. Not sure about a good oncologist in SA. If not here, you could definitely find one in Houston, not too far away (4 hours or so). Again, preschools depend on where you live. Good luck and God bless.
Looks like we are PCSing to Lackland AFB this summer. I have a lot of questions, and would appreciate any information. I did search through the forums, but I didn't really get any of my questions answered.
1) On base housing. Does it exist? I saw a couple of threads talk about it. Some in reference to a long wait list. I can't find a site for it anywhere. Here at Dover, we have a website that actually lists the waiting list and all the floor plans of the housing. My husband is an officer, and we only have one child, age 3...so we don't need anything that big. Do most people live off base or on base? Here at Dover, it is about half and half. I love base housing, but have no idea what is available at Lackland. I saw someone post a website, but it isn't working. We are probably looking at a 3 year tour.
[Base housing does exist. They were closing and remodeling the officer housing I think. Most of the officer housing is pretty old and in my opinion not so great. Try Lackland Air Force Base - Lackland Housing Office for housing info. I think most officers probably live off base.
2) What is the current area that most people are renting homes from? At this point, I think we will look into renting instead of buying. [COLOR="blue]The Westcreek Area or the area around Potranco & 1604 is very popular with military. Close enough to commute to base, far enough to be in a nicer area. More than enough to choose from in this area.[/color]
3) Preschools. My daughter will be 4 this summer and I need to know a good preschool. Does the base actually have a preschool and is it good? Here at Dover they advertise an enrichment program, but they don't do it anymore. And the preschools around here have a 2 year waiting list. There is a preschool on base. I don't personally use it but have friends that do and they like it. Try Welcome to 37th Services of Lackland AFB! to find a link about youth/child development.
3) Medical- Oncologist and/or cancer hosptial. I have an extremely rare kidney cancer that I have been in remission from for about 18 months so I need to see a very good oncologist. I also need to know if there is a good urologist and/or nephrologist (kidney doctor) in the area. Right now I am seeing a specialist at Johns Hopkins, and I know they will help me find a referral as well. I'm not sure what is around here, but you would be 4 hours from MD Anderson hospital in Houston which is world reknown and I am sure could help you or refer you. My daughter sees an oncologist at Texas Children's Hospital just around the block from MD Anderson.
4) Playgroups...etc. I am looking to join some playgroups. Does anyone know of any? Dance studios. My daughter is into ballet. Can't really help you on playgroups because I haven't explored that as fully as I should. We've met friends in the neighborhood and at extra curricular and school activities. I know there is an active Moms Club in this area and they probably have a website through the national Moms Club. We go to Chrissy's Dance Academy in Helotes. My daughters 4 & 8 both dance and enjoy it there. Chrissy's Dance Academy
thanks in advance for any help. We are really excited about moving to SA. Dover is really nice, but doesn't offer much.
You definitely won't suffer from lack of activities here. Welcome.
Not sure if you have already checked this out or not, but here is the link to the Housing Office on Lackland: Lackland Air Force Base - Lackland Housing Office
There are Housing FAQs that might answer some of your questions...
Do you make the drive to Houston for your daughter--4 hours, often? Do you stay overnight in Houston?
I am aware of MD Anderson's reputation, from what I have read, it is the #1 cancer hospital in the country. By the time we move, I will be looking at going to get CT Scans every 6 months and it might be worth the drive. I drive 1.5 hours to Johns Hopkins (it was weekly when I was in treatment) and I can't stand the drive. I won't care for 4 hours (one way), but it might be in my best interest.
Do you make the drive to Houston for your daughter--4 hours, often? Do you stay overnight in Houston?
I am aware of MD Anderson's reputation, from what I have read, it is the #1 cancer hospital in the country. By the time we move, I will be looking at going to get CT Scans every 6 months and it might be worth the drive. I drive 1.5 hours to Johns Hopkins (it was weekly when I was in treatment) and I can't stand the drive. I won't care for 4 hours (one way), but it might be in my best interest.
We are down to every 3-4 months for check ups and 1-2 MRI/ other oncology visits a year. We have family in that area so it's not such a big deal. In my opinion, though, I'd drive much farther for the care there -- people come from all over the WORLD to be treated at MD Anderson and the same holds for Tx Children's. I wouldn't trade it for anything. We do stay overnight, but at my parents' home about 40 miles further south. It's not really a bad trip, almost all interstate 70 mph. The med center has a million places to stay, so you'd definitely have options. Since my daughter is only 4, were we to not stay at my parents we'd go for Ronald Mc Donald House I suppose. You can do the trip in a day, but it makes for a very long day! Anyhow, I would think it's totally worth it. When you went for scans did your husband go too? He should be able to get TDY to accompany you.
My husband went with me some of the time. It was easier to have him stay home with my daughter and a friend came with me. Since I was in chemo and had a compromised immune system, we couldn't put her in daycare or at any risk of catching anything and giving it to me.
Now that I am just going back for checkups, I could actually do it alone. Except my husband always worries that I will get bad news and need to have someone there.
My husband also seems to think Tricare would pay for me to fly up to Baltimore and continue with Hopkins since my case is so rare. BTW, I have a pediatric kidney cancer called Wilms Tumor, except I was 34 when diagnosed. So, only pediatric oncologists are familiar with Wilms, and I am way too old to see a pediatric oncologist. At Hopkins, my oncologist is working with a ped oncologist. I am the oldest Wilms patient Hopkins has ever seen.
Anyway...Tricare has been wonderful to us, but I can't see them actually paying for a flight to Baltimore when there is such a great hospital in the state. Perhaps they would pay for me to stay overnight.
My husband went with me some of the time. It was easier to have him stay home with my daughter and a friend came with me. Since I was in chemo and had a compromised immune system, we couldn't put her in daycare or at any risk of catching anything and giving it to me.
Now that I am just going back for checkups, I could actually do it alone. Except my husband always worries that I will get bad news and need to have someone there.
My husband also seems to think Tricare would pay for me to fly up to Baltimore and continue with Hopkins since my case is so rare. BTW, I have a pediatric kidney cancer called Wilms Tumor, except I was 34 when diagnosed. So, only pediatric oncologists are familiar with Wilms, and I am way too old to see a pediatric oncologist. At Hopkins, my oncologist is working with a ped oncologist. I am the oldest Wilms patient Hopkins has ever seen.
Anyway...Tricare has been wonderful to us, but I can't see them actually paying for a flight to Baltimore when there is such a great hospital in the state. Perhaps they would pay for me to stay overnight.
Are you in the military? Do you like SA?
Yes, my husband is Air Force. SA has been pretty good overall -- we opted for here mostly because it is close to family and to Texas Children's. I know of Wilms Tumor. . . I would think that MD Anderson would be a good place -- they do pediatrics there as well and have a good relationship with the pedi oncologists at TCH too, so I'm sure collaboration wouldn't be an issue. You could argue continuity of care and possibly still go to Baltimore. I have a friend in AZ who was treated in Los Angeles and Tricare flew her. I think they would likely pay for overnight. . . why haven't I thought of that?! Do you have a case worker? You could probably get good info through them too.
Housing prices are great here and the allowance is pretty generous so I wouldn't be so fast to rule out buying...my wife and I came down 3 months before we pcs'd here (from Langley) and checked out the situation. From what I have seen renting a house here is almost exactly the same as buying accept you get no tax benefits or equity, but to each his own.
I had about with cancer (testicular) and the urology department here has been awesome, there are also several big medical schools and BAMC (BAMC Homepage) here so you should be able to find someone in the area.
As for preschool my 4 year old goes half day to a public pre-k and I have been very impressed with it, you can get info here:
Northsided ISD -- Pre-Kindergarten Program -- San Antonio, TX (http://www.nisd.net/instruction/kinder/pre-k.htm - broken link)
We had a house when we were at MacDill and then again when we were at Maxwell. Both times the houses took several months to sell. Now that it has become SUCH a buyer's market. We are hesitant to buy again...but we aren't ruling it out.
Very bummed about the base housing. I absolutely LOVE living on base. My husband does as well--it is only 5 minutes to his office. He has also deployed a lot, and I like have the "safety" of base housing plus we knoe everyone in the neighborhood. Dover AFB just rebuilt all the housing, and our new house is absolutely gorgeous. you wouldn't believe it is military housing.
Glad to hear you got great treatment locally.
Thanks for your info!!!
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I'll try. . .
Not too bad. . .
Anyhow, I would think it's totally worth it. When you went for scans did your husband go too? He should be able to get TDY to accompany you.
