Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-23-2013, 12:54 PM   #1
Camper Less Camping
 
Cajun Po-Boy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NW
Posts: 3,642
Military Campgrounds

Question out of curiosity and self education...why are there military campgrounds and how long have they been around?

Who maintains these properties and why are they only provided for current & retired military personnel only?
Also, why are the benefits of retired military using these campgrounds vs the standard public/private campsites we all tend to camp at?



__________________
2013 Sabre 32RCTS-6 (sold)
Family of 4 whose always on the GEAUX!
Cajun Po-Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 01:06 PM   #2
B47
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun View Post
Question out of curiosity and self education...why are there military campgrounds and how long have they been around?

Who maintains these properties and why are they only provided for current & retired military personnel only?
Also, why are the benefits of retired military using these campgrounds vs the standard public/private campsites we all tend to camp at?
I cannot answer all these questions, but most if not all of them don't limit access to them to only current and retired military personnel only. Other goverment employees can use them, but each site may have differenent rules. I am a retired goverment employee and was the guest at the Air Force Academy FAMCAMP on the behalf of another retired GE.
B47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 01:47 PM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 31
A Veteran

I am retired Army and have visited a few of the campgrounds, though never stayed at one. This is our first year with a TT and may stay at some point.

The campgrounds are typically located on the Base (federal) property and some allow civilian access, such as at Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin.

Us active and retired military types usually like to use our benefits from serving our country, such as the Post Exchange or Commissary. So, staying in the campground can save us some $$, though the campgrounds prices are about the same as a local private campground.

The campgrounds are run as a Non-Appropriated Fund activity as part of the Recreation Services Department. I believe this means they are not funded by government sources.

They provide recreational equipment rentals. The equipment; from volleyball to small boats, depending on the location, may be rented by authorized personnel for limited use.

Military Units permanently assigned or on temporary assignment may rent the equipment for unit organized recreational activities for their members. Us military types like to relax too.

Also, I have observed military members on a short-term training deployment (a few weeks), bring their families to stay in their own camper at the campground.

In summary, the campgrounds are nice, though the location (proximity to attractions) and cost will probably not steer most away from a public campground.

HorseyHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 02:38 PM   #4
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
www.usmilitarycampgrounds.com will explain it better than I could.

They have "been around" as long as there have been military bases; just the facilities have improved (some) since the bases started charging for their use.

They are part of the base "recreational" and morale system and maintained for the sole use of active duty military personnel. However retirees and Government employed civilians can us the facilities on a "space available" basis.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 04:15 PM   #5
Camper Less Camping
 
Cajun Po-Boy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NW
Posts: 3,642
Thanks guys...fulfilled my daily requirement of learning something new!



__________________
2013 Sabre 32RCTS-6 (sold)
Family of 4 whose always on the GEAUX!
Cajun Po-Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 04:58 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Witch Doctor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Clarksville Va.
Posts: 10,422
Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
U.S. Military Campgrounds and RV Parks will explain it better than I could.

They have "been around" as long as there have been military bases; just the facilities have improved (some) since the bases started charging for their use.

They are part of the base "recreational" and morale system and maintained for the sole use of active duty military personnel. However retirees and Government employed civilians can us the facilities on a "space available" basis.
I agree with Herk, but also 100% VA disable can also use them, I'm at one as I write this. The price depends, but I have never paid over $20.00 a night that I can remember.............
__________________
Coachmen M/H
Concord
2018 / 300 DSC

Witch Doctor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2013, 05:20 PM   #7
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by gljurczyk View Post
I agree with Herk, but also 100% VA disable can also use them, I'm at one as I write this. The price depends, but I have never paid over $20.00 a night that I can remember.............
Ah, but you are military retired. Medical Military Retirement is a "less than 20" retirement from the military.
Medical Separation and Retirement
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 10:49 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Full timing around the states
Posts: 101
for those of us that are military or x-military, there is a military RV club in the U.S.
SMART Special Military Active Retired Travel Club
Blank
give it a look see!
Ron Chamber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 11:21 AM   #9
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
BombDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SC Lowcountry
Posts: 1,449
To the best of my knowledge, the campgrounds have been around for years. In the mid 90's the government decided to not allow service members to bring mobile homes on base and live there as their permanent residence. My sister-in-law (USAF) had to sell their mobile home in down in Mississippi because the government refused to move it when they transferred. In the 70's my dad purchased several trailers and we lived in them, moved them when he moved, and eventually moved into base housing when he was promoted to a rank that gave him (in his opinion) acceptable living quarters. The Marine Corps has done away with mobile homes on base for years. But, they have converted some of the old mobile home parks into campgrounds. The infrastructure is already there, why not? Here at Parris Island, almost every Thursday is family day. Where the recruits get to visit family the day before they graudate. On Fridays, they grad. The RV Park here is full most every Thursday and Friday. It is all about the $$$$. This base is opened up to the public for those days.
__________________
John & April & "Scout"
2013 Sabre 32RCTS-6
Nights Camped 2013-(44) 2014-(59) 2015-(47)
2016-(32) 2017-(13) 2018-(20) 2019-0
BombDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 05:06 PM   #10
Member
 
dvgrif's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 35
There is an app CRV-military, that lists all "Famcamps across the country.
Or just search military campgrounds in the App Store. It is very useful.
dvgrif is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 05:48 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
mjones12's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lexington, NC
Posts: 2,621
It might be good to point out that guests of military retirees are also allowed at some of these facilities. I camped with a friend (retired Army major) at Fort Fisher, NC, and was given the same nightly rate that he enjoyed. Perhaps all the military campgrounds aren't like this, but we were made to feel very welcome at that particular campground, which is at the beach. Of course, we couldn't have camped there unless our host was also camping at the same time.
Retired military deserve the facilities like this, and we felt honored to be there as guests.

All of you military guys already know this, but I was surprised to see that the little store at this campground was selling liquor on Sunday in North Carolina. My friend was quick to point out that, for all practical purposes, I was no longer in North Carolina, where we have very archaic alcohol laws.
__________________
2018 Coachmen Apex 249 RBS
2010 Silverado LT 5.3 V8


The world is a great book, of which those who never stir from home
read only a page. - St. Augustine
mjones12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 07:53 PM   #12
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Many FAMCAMPS will allow a member camping or living on the base to sponsor a guest on a space available basis.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2013, 08:05 PM   #13
B47
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjones12 View Post
It might be good to point out that guests of military retirees are also allowed at some of these facilities. I camped with a friend (retired Army major) at Fort Fisher, NC, and was given the same nightly rate that he enjoyed. Perhaps all the military campgrounds aren't like this, but we were made to feel very welcome at that particular campground, which is at the beach. Of course, we couldn't have camped there unless our host was also camping at the same time.
Retired military deserve the facilities like this, and we felt honored to be there as guests.

All of you military guys already know this, but I was surprised to see that the little store at this campground was selling liquor on Sunday in North Carolina. My friend was quick to point out that, for all practical purposes, I was no longer in North Carolina, where we have very archaic alcohol laws.
I agree - we were guests of a fellow retired FAA inspector who was also a retired Army Warrant Officer at the FAMCAMP at the U.S.A.F Acedamy at Colorado Springs, Co.

"no longer in North Carolina" is very true as it is also on any other U.S. Military installation. When you go past those gates, it is a whole new world - police, speed limits, parking, commissary hours, etc.
B47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 08:11 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Chamber View Post
for those of us that are military or x-military, there is a military RV club in the U.S.
SMART Special Military Active Retired Travel Club
Blank
give it a look see!
Yes Ron and I both belong to SMART. I belong to the Southern California Chapter. Great rallys



Also you must have a valid military ID to get on most bases to use these campgrounds. That is one reason why it isn't open to the general public.
Iggy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:09 AM.