Base Location: Columbus, GA
How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)
2002-2009
What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy?
Housing on post is alright. We lived on post for over four years in the old housing. It wasn’t that bad. We made it our home. Just know there are roaches and you will see them occasionally no matter how clean you are. Disgusting! They would crawl out of our vents. Ew.
They have as of two months ago put new restrictions on who moves where. E4 and below can no longer get new housing. If you go to the Villages of Benning website there’s a memorandum on there that will tell you which neighborhood you qualify for. No exceptions!
We moved off post eventually and lived in Greystone properties. I highly recommend those apartments if your looking for the best quality apartments in Columbus. My best advice is to live above Macon Rd (exit 6). Stay away as far as you can from South Columbus. Its not the best area. I could tell you many things about that area. Gangs, prostitutes, druggies, etc. Just for your own safety stay in North Columbus. Lots of military also choose to live in Phenix City AL. About 20 or so minutes to the gate of post. Average rent is around 800 to buy depends on what you can afford. Most choose to buy in AL because its cheaper and you get more for your money than in GA
Rate the PX & Commissary.
New PX opened a couple years ago. Very big and very nice. 2nd largest PX in the Army. I used to work at the commissary and its pretty decent too. Usually have everything your looking for. As most people know though, stay far away on paydays and weekends! It gets pretty crazy in there.
Activities on base?
There’s Uchee Creek Campground. You can rent a cabin for pretty cheap (based on rank) you can rent boats, pontoons, canoes, etc. and go cruise on “The Hooch” aka the Chattahoochee river. Take a picture of the beware of alligators sign if you can!! There’s a pretty new doggie park on main post too. Nice size movie theatre. The CYS programs are pretty awesome too if you have kids.
Active Spouses Club?
I don’t know much about that area.
Things to do in area?
Columbus is a great city. Not too big not too small. Every restaurant is just about here. The mall is okay. Kinda small compared to what I’m used to. Columbus Park Crossing is a nice strip mall. That area has grown tremendously since we moved there originally in 2002, its amazing how much its changed. Pine Mountain has an Animal Safari which is pretty cool to drive thru. Callaway Gardens, Roosevelt State Park. Um The Little Grand Canyon south of Columbus. Towards Atlanta you have Stone Mountain. Atlanta is an hour and a half away and of course tons to do there including Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags White Water, and Six Flags American Adventure (more for kiddies). Panama City Beach is about 3 hours or so from Columbus. Oh my gosh, so much to do within a days drive of Benning!
School System?
Muscogee County School District is pretty good.
If you live in Alabama I recommend Lee County and NOT Russell County
Any colleges in area? Jobs? (on post and off)
good variety
Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?
Great Military town. Always stuff going on catering to Soldiers and families. We actually hope to make it back to Columbus one day and retire there.
Least favorite aspect?
It is hot pretty much year round, but I love it
Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)
mcsdga.com (schools)
Any other tips?
Fort Benning is a GREAT post if you can get past the boiling heat and weird southern bugs!
Thanks for the info on housing. I’ve looked at the Villages of Benning site and wondered what we might get- we’ve never been given new housing but seeing that they have rank requirements, it looks like we will this time 🙂 Also, great info about all the things to do in the area! I go off of this site every time we move and we always look up the places of interest that people recommend.