The reason I started this website is clearly to have your PCSing questions answered. I would like for this place to develop into a site where you come when you can’t find answers anywhere else and you want feedback from people who lived where you are going or even connect with them if you are still there.
The blog AND the PCS Guide is there to answer your questions in regards to PCSing. How to pack? How to prep? How to pay?
To be quite frank most if not ALL information that I publish is available on the net. However, I am researching and collecting THIS information and package it so that you have it all in ONE place. The more I can offer you the happier I’ll get.
That said, please know that this is a user generated content website. This means that www.militarydutystations.com lives from YOUR comments and entries. Therefore, your input is absolutely crucial. You can consider your entry here on “MDS”(Military Duty Stations) as your good deed for the day!
As of now, Militarydutystations.com is not a For-Profit website and it is purely there to help – from one military spouse to another.
At some point I am hoping to be able to receive donations to improve it and make it more usable but this is what i can do and I hope you ‘ll find it helpful enough to recommend it to your friends and to take the time to write up some information yourself.
How to write:
- First of all, let me tell you that ANYTHING you add is great. Know though, that it is more helpful to write a detailed information about ONE thing than just a few general things. Let’s say you did not want to write not more than 5 sentences, it is much more helpful to just focus on one tab or even only one subject. Be it about a specific school district or 5 sentences in Moving Tips
- Feel free to add links to information or Youtube videos. If you add 2 URLs or more, it will go into my ‘approve’ folder. Other comments are published directly
- It’s ok if you DON’T like your base. Don’t flame, as this really doesn’t help any one. Think of it this way: There is a good chance that the next person has NO choice but to PCS to this duty station, therefore tips on how to overcome the not-so-great things are really important and would be tremendously helpful.
- I do keep a close eye on the comments. Unfortunately, there is A LOT of spam coming in. I think I am catching most of it. However, if I missed one -especially if it’s offensive. Tell me immediately so that I can take action and remove it.
Now, let’s get to WHAT to write:
Under the “General” Tab:
- Everything that you think you can’t fit in any of the other categories. General Post/Base info – life in that particular state. Going out, eating out, having fun, entertainment suggestions.
Under the “Housing” Tab:
- Housing: Do you have info about nice/safe housing off Post? Prices? Special tips? + + Housing ON Post: What’s good bad and ugly….don’t we all want to be prepared?
Under the “School” Tab:
- Schools: If you have kids, that’s a biggo. Any school info is important ….Preschool programs, Elementary, Middle, High School. How did you like the teachers? Is there something special about the district? Ie. We DON’T have bussing service in our district. That’s key information! Are there drugs? Violence?
- If you are super happy with a school: share it. Even if you are not: share that (in an appropriate manner
too. I’d want to know, if I was moving there. - Even if you homeschooled your children, are there certain considerations great places to go to support your teaching job at home?
Under the “For Kids” Tab:
Is there anything worse than kids’ boredom. When my husband deployed the weekends were the worst. I would like to come to this tab and see if anyone has listed some resources, places or events that I could go and do with my children. If you have done some great stuff, or if you have just seen something that your inner kids would love…share it here.
- Post the information and tips you have about on or off Post -places/activities
- Where do you go for birthday parties? Are there special summer vacation programs?
Under the ‘Medical’ Tab:
- Have you ever been treated outside off base/post? Where did you go? How did you do that? Are you using Standard or Prime?
- What were the name of the medical facilities and which services did you use? Do you have a recommendation for a good dentist or a pediatric dentist?
- What facilities are on installation? Is the facility big/small or old/new? How are waiting times? How is the pharmacy?
- A lot of expecting moms want to know about the hospital. I don’t blame them. It is not fun to move when you are pregnant. Period. However, moving and NOT knowing where you will deliver is even harder. So, the more we can share here the better.
Under the ‘Moving Tips’ Tab:
- How is life here different from your previous duty stations? Colorado ie. is high elevation living. Ft.Stewart might be hot and humid, with big (?)bugs , maybe? As we do not have any or not many bugs here in Colorado, this would be interesting to me…
You could write a book pretty much about your life in an overseas duty station. I am sure you have plenty of information to share.Long story short. Anything is helpful, and it doesn’t have to be much. If time is short, simply focus on one subject and be specific about that.
