Your Name (if you would like it to appear): Krystle Miller

Base Name: Schofield Barracks/Wheeler AAF

Base Location: Oahu island, Hawaii

How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)

Wheeler from summer 2008-Dec 2008, during my hubby’s deployment I moved back home, then Schofield feb2010-present

What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy?

The wait list for both Wheeler and Schofield is a few weeks, so get with them asap if you plan on living on post. Housing conditions differ from slummy apartment style to really nice newer housing. Housing management are really friendly but they take awhile to get back with you on anything, so be persistent. It is worth it though to live on post here. Off post housing is expensive, about $2000 for 2 bd apt in slummy areas. There’s Wahiawa right outside of base, a few things to do there but i don’t recommend living there, a lot of Wahiawa doesn’t look safe and you wouldn’t catch me there at night. Some people stationed here at SB live in Ewa Beach area, which i’ve heard is nice but a bit of a drive.

Rate the PX & Commissary.

The PX is very nice on SB, clean with friendly employees. there is some venders there usually that sell some really cool hawaiian stuff too, and the food court has an indoor play area for kids. The Commissary is ok, the prices are competitive and usually low but the produce is slim pick’ins and sometimes they aren’t well stocked. i recommend Safeway on Mehula rd for produce. Also, there is a really awesome NEX that is huge and worth checking out.

Activities on base?

There’s an Arts and Craft bldg that always has fun classes if you’re into artsy stuff too with pottery to paint, sewing classes, and a full schedule of activities. There’s a Swimming pool, plenty off parks, a small movie theater & bowling. The weather here is usually nice and perfect for being active outdoors.

Active Spouses Club?

I don’t really know any specific ones but i think there’s a few

Things to do in area?

The best thing about being here is being close to so many gorgeous beaches. SB is located on the middle of the island but a fun day in the sand is not that far away. There’s so many cool beaches to check out and some are government owned that are a bit cleaner and you can rent gear for surfing, kayaks,& snorkeling. I recommend going to the Wahiawa Botanical Garden, it’s free and a nice walk through some gorgeous greenery. Mililani Town is right down the road for some close shopping and dinning without having to battle too much traffic. North shore Historic town is nice too. Traffic can get really really bad sometimes here so try to avoid rush hours, a short drive can take FOREVER if you time it wrong. Sometimes it feels like a different country, so far away from home, with street names I can’t even pronounce and outside of base the locals are not always friendly but don’t let that stop you from getting out there and having fun. It is gorgeous here, enjoy the natural beauty and have a blast !

School System?

Our son is too young for school but i’ve not heard good things about the schools on post. Friends whose kids go to school here have said how over crowded it is, one friends daughter was switched classes three times in one year just because the school is shuffling kids around trying to accommodate the surplus of students. from a couple different moms i’ve heard complaints that their kids teachers have attitude and seem to not care. It’s unfortunate but there’s not a lot of options here since on an island.

Any colleges in area?

Not sure but if you’re interested in going to college here, check out the ED center located on the second floor in Sgt. Yano Library.

Jobs? (on post and off)

I haven’t looked into that.

Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?

The people on base here are really nice. Be nice and you’ll get niceness in return. The best thing about being stationed here is the natural beauty of the island. It rains a bit but ya can’t have a such greenery without it. The Hibiscus bushes on base are always in bloom with amazing colors and some of the trees here are just absolutely breath taking. Mother nature really goes all out.

Least favorite aspect?

The surrounding city is my least fav aspect. Wahiawa has a nice garden that i mentioned but other than that it’s a thumbs down. though Mililani isn’t bad. The locals are not the nicest and i’ve been cut off in traffic off base here more than anywhere else we’ve lived combined. Since it is very tropical here, there’s alot of bugs. the insects can be a nuisance but you just got to be extra clean. keep all food sealed up, we use alot of tupper wear, and if you keep your home clean and yard cut short the bugs don’t get too bad.

Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)

http://www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/haw.asp

Your Name (if you would like it to appear):

Jamie

Base Name:

Schofield Barracks

Base Location:

Wahiawa, HI

How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)

2009-present

What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy?

The quality of housing on Schofield really depends on the neighborhood they assign to you.  The housing built post-privatization is very nice, with central air, carpeted rooms and quality appliances.  The older housing has no carpeting and no air conditioning, but other than that, it is still very livable (we were thrilled with all of the storage in the kitchen).  You are permitted to install window a/c units, this being Hawaii, but there are restrictions on BTU’s and appearance; I would advice contacting your local community center before installing anything.  At least one neighborhood on base is of very low quality, and the housing office will inform you if this is the neighborhood they are assigning to you, as I’m told they will not collect full BAH if you choose to accept it.  As for off base, avoid Wahiawa.  Mililani is a little further away, but it’s a much nicer neighborhood.  Wahiawa’s pretty much only good for restaurants.

Rate the PX & Commissary.

My husband and I don’t like crowds, so we prefer the Schofield PX to the nearby Pearl Harbor NEX, which may have (a lot) more shopping options, but is regularly a madhouse.  The PX has a decent food court and typically has quite a few tables and kiosks of local crafts.  Because the prices at off-base grocery stores are so much higher, the much cheaper commissary is almost always super crowded.  I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the stocking cycles; if you show up at the wrong time of the week, you are likely to find there isn’t a cut of meat left on the shelves.

Activities on base?

There is a bowling center both on Schofield and on nearby Wheeler.  There is also a movie theater, which only shows one or two, slightly older movies at a time.  There’s a sports bar on base, too, which I’m told has a weekly salsa night.  Most communities also plan activities for residents of their neighborhoods, usually child-centered.

Active Spouses Club?

If there is, I never heard tell of it, and none of the other spouses I knew attended.

Things to do in area?

Lots!  Hawaii’s reputation for being expensive is warranted, but we’ve found plenty to do that hardly costs a thing.  The North Shore provides scores of free, beautiful beaches and roadside produce stands with tasty, cheap tropical fruits.  And don’t pass up those shrimp trucks just because they look a little sketchy!  They are some of the tastiest restaurants around.  Also, the Dole pineapple plantation is within a few miles of the base.  It’s a big tourist destination, but it is still fun, and the pineapple ice cream is worth the trip.  Iolani Palace, the only royal palace on US soil, is in downtown Honolulu, not far from the Honolulu zoo and Waikiki beach, which are also worth checking out.  Our favorite place is the North Shore town of Hale’iwa.  Check it out on Sunday mornings for a small but lovely outdoor market – we bought a locally farmed Christmas tree there, and added a tropical feel to a normally cold holiday!  There are also a number of gorgeous golf courses, some military-run, all across the island.

School System?

We don’t have kids yet, so I’m not sure.

Any colleges in area?

The University of Hawaii is the big one around here.

Jobs? (on post and off)

I am currently unemployed, as are a number of the other spouses I have met.  Quite a few people I’ve talked to have either had trouble getting a job, or could only find one nearer to Honolulu, and the traffic makes that a rough commute.

Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?

We love so much about living in Hawaii.  The weather is amazing 90% of the time, great food is everywhere (particularly if you enjoy Asian cuisines), and there is always something to do, even if it’s just strolling down the Waikiki strip, people-watching.  They refer to the Hawaiian mentality as the ‘aloha spirit,’ and we enjoy how relaxed and friendly that spirit is.  Some people say the islands feel too foreign to them, too far and too different from home, but we are thrilled with the opportunity to experience new things here.

Least favorite aspect?

The bugs and the mud.  We love the geckos (they’re cute, and they eat the ants), but pests like cockroaches and centipedes are unbelievably large and gross, and we learned quickly not to leave the backdoor open for the dog.  Also, Hawaii is covered in red dirt, and with frequent morning showers (Schofield seems to get more rain than other areas of the island), the dog was ALWAYS tracking mud in, and lots of it.  I recommend some serious rugs at the entryways of your house, or you may be spending an unreasonable amount of time mopping.

Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)

Any other tips?

Take advantage of the endless summer.  We’re from Minnesota, and strolling down Waikiki Beach in flip flops and aloha wear on New Year’s Eve was an amazing experience that will stick with us forever.   The flowers here are always blooming, so stop and smell them.  Oh, and drive down the H-3 sometime, just for the sights.  It’s beautiful!