Your Name (if you would like it to appear):
Laura Jackson
Base Location:
Newport News, Virginia
How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)
Feb. 2006-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?
we were able to get into housing immediately. they have housing for enlisted and officers. the enlisted housing goes from 2-3 bedrooms and are built like townhouses. they’re kinda old. some of them have mold problems but mostly they’re pretty nice. over the last year, they’ve been building brand new housing. the square feet in the new homes is larger then the houses now. they also range from 3-4 bedrooms instead of the previous 2-3. eventually, they will be moving everyone out of the old housing into the new but of course, officers and higher enlisted get moved first. I have no opinion about off post housing because I don’t live off base. but, I do know that in newport news schools there are a lot of gangs which kinda worries me a bit.
Rate the PX & Commissary.
PX: on a scale from 1-10, I would give it a 6. they have a variety of things that, if I absolutely couldn’t leave base and I needed something (ie: diapers, milk, etc) I could go there and it would be available. their movie and music selection isn’t too great and the prices for movies are ridiculous. but most things aren’t too badly priced. there is also a small food court. luckily if you were to move to Fort Eustis, you are close enough to about 5 other bases that if necessary, have much larger PX’s or BX’s.
Commissary: on a scale from 1-10, I would say a 10. I love the commissary. their prices beat any of the grocery stores in the area. they’re usually open until 7 which is sometimes a little irritating but they do have good quality fresh food.
Activities on base? there are periodic concerts, marathons, an annual Fort Eustis day with rides and games, etc; they have bowling, go-carts, mini-golf, paint ball, full golf course, MWR with a full computer lab open to the military public, two inside gyms, indoor aquatic center with continuous swimming lessons, movie theater, The Fort Eustis Club(officers/NCO’s), The Lakeside Club (enlisted, host a DJ)
Active Spouses Club? yes. they meet once a month.
Things to do in area? newport news is in the historical triangle. you are within 30 min. of Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown-all of which are open year round and run tours. they offer anyone with a military id discounts. you are also with in 20 miles of Busch Gardens and Watercountry USA which offer discounts and ‘free days’ to military and their families. also, you are within 1 hour of Virginia Beach.
School System? Newport News School District
Any colleges in area? College of William and Mary, Christopher Newport University, ECPI College of Technology
Jobs? (on post and off) on post there is a waiting list for many jobs(ie: commissary, burger king, px) and off post there are fast food and some retail jobs available. unfortunately, many retailers don’t like giving jobs to military dependants because of the possibility of them leaving.
Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city? my favorite aspect is that everything on base is about a 5-10 min. walk from all housing. local buses run on and off base all day to many nearby shopping areas including the mall, walmart and target, among others.
Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.) main Fort Eustis page; MWR
We lived there for six years and loved it. I strongly recommend Cozzy’s comedy club if it’s still there!
It’s now 2016 and they have yet to tear down the old housing and more people are moved into them daily. Our walls are so thin I can hear the other person on the line when my neighbor is on the phone. The walls are literally falling apart. A cabinet door came off in my hand and almost hit my newborn in my arms. The housing office offers no support if you have a complaint and nothing you sign in your lease is enforced unless you break something (neighbor’s dog tried to attack my husband, MP said to call Balfour Beatty, Balfour Beatty said as long as the dog had food and water there was nothing they could do, it is clearly defined in the pet clause of the lease that an overly aggresive pet is grounds for eviction). It’s an AIT base so on the weekends you almost have to drive at least half an hour just to get away from the hoards of kids but as the OP said there is A LOT to do. We love the VA Living Museum and Newport News Park. Newport News itself if very sketchy pretty much everywhere and you’re guaranteed to have your home/car broken into if you live there so in terms of off base housing I’d suggest trying Williamsburg and Yorktown. There are many hospitals, nursing homes, factories, and restaurants in the area as well as technical/certificate programs so even if you can’t find a job in your field you either should be able to find something to pay the bills, need to lower your standards, or you aren’t looking hard enough.