Living in Ft. Bragg and not lovin it!!

Brianne - posted on 03/10/2010

Lol. We were in Fort Bragg for 5 years with an 18 month hiatus to Heidelberg Germany! We bought a house off post so as far as living on post can't say too much about it:) As far as things to do in Fayetteville, there are some nice parks and the childrens play center( not sure what it is called) but I think it is down on Hay Street or around there is really nice. Especially for the younger kids during the day. They also have programs for older kids on the weekends and during vacations and summer. My spouse deployed 2 times out of Bragg and it was an interesting learning experience. Previously we had been inseparable since we were 11 but he had just returned from a year long overseas tour in Korea! The pools on post are nice in the summer. I took the kids to the one on the Air Force base. It was less crowded and parents seemed to stay more on top of their kids there. The local YMCA by Terry Sanford High School offers some programs and for me the daycare(although small) was an added bonus. You can workout or go swimming or play some B-ball while the kids are being watched. Private time for mom!! lol sometimes I would just go into the ladies changing room and watch adult tv for a half hour:) As far as spiders and roaches I would keep a fly swatter handy and lay dwon cat nip-crazy but roaches hate it and the cat is cracked out all the time:) Definitely interesting when bored! When we were there my friend moved to Texas but we moved soon after to Fort Belvoir last March-move this June to Leonard Wood and in 2 years head back to old reliable-Bragg. Good luck!!

Jennifer - posted on 03/03/2010

Well my husband is deploying this summer and I will be here. Thank you all for the great ideas. We have done most of them and they where fun. I would just love to be back in Germany. My little one was born in Jan. he is such a cutie. I stay busy with my kids. We are trying to relocate to other areas. We are definately not lifers of bragg. We did get the new housing its made things lots better. I guess most posts suck and any posts in texas would suck i heard its crap there. I am more of a country town person and love outdoors. Hopefully this summer will be somewhat better than last year.

April - posted on 02/01/2010

I live in Fayetteville, NC and all of you are right there is nothing special about it. My husband just got home from deployment 2 months ago and while he was away our beautiful bundle of joy was born and I haven't had time to meet other mothers to hang out with. All day I am at home or babysitting my neighbors kids and nothing else to do other than talk to my 9 month old son.

Nykee - posted on 01/09/2010

Also - if you like One Tree Hill or Dawson's Creek, it was filmed at EUE Screen Gem Studios that you can tour out in Wilmington (a little over 2hrs away) - and aside from the studio, Wilmington is a neat town with a lot of charm. There are shops, restaurants, parks... if you have boys, they may enjoy Battleship Park which has a real battleship that you can tour - the U.S.S. Carolina or something like that... and Carolina Beach is right outside of Wilmington.

Nykee - posted on 01/09/2010

Oh boy, I wish I would've read this sooner... I'm getting ready to move back to PA because I never really adjusted, and my husband is leaving soon, or I'd suggest that we get together for play dates. I barely have friends here. What housing development do you live in? We used to live on N. Lucas in Bougainville, and I know what you mean about the bugs. We finally got moved to Nijmegen and it's MUCH nicer, since the houses on N. Lucas got renovated. If you complain to Picerne enough, they'll send Dobson pest control to your house for free. If they tell you no, and you're up for the challenge - catch a bug in a container and bring it to them and ask if they'd like it where they live? That'll light a fire under their behinds. Stay on their cases - they will do it - don't let them tell you otherwise. The other thing I do is just place roach traps under everything and in cabinets - and keep crumbs off the floor and dry out your sink (since it's dry here, they come in looking for water). We saw a roach when we first moved here, but I got the 12 month combat roach traps and put them under EVERYTHING and haven't seen any since. As a preventative measure, you may want to get ant traps as well. We've gotten sugar ants in both houses, but traps took care of the problem.

I've been stranded here without a car for the past 2 1/2 years, so I've been really stranded... but once you make some friends there are some cool things to do (just a few). There's a place called Monkey Joes on Morganton Rd. - it is a giant bouncie house kind of place (monkeyjoes.com). The other thing is that ACS (Army Community Services) has mommy & me play time things in some of the neighborhood centers (it used to be from 10:00-11:30 in the Casa Blanca neighborhood center on Mondays') - it's pretty fun... a story time, craft, songs, and free play... it could give you a chance to meet a few other moms. I met some there, but they've since moved away :( - anyway, I feel your pain and wish you luck! I don't move until the 5th of February, so if you'd like to get together before then, feel free to send me a message!

Juanita - posted on 01/09/2010

I have never lived on base @ Bragg... truthfully, I don't even go to base that often at all. However, in comparison to Ft. Bliss, I am totally with Liz. I HATED Ft. Bliss. I am so glad to be back in NC where there are actual seasons, and green grass, and a beach!

Hubby is deployed, but this year I am taking our kiddos to the zoo (about 2 hours from Fayetteville), the beach (also about 2 hours), and to visit friends in VA and GA. Also, I plan on taking them to Monkey Joe's a time or two... Chuck E. Cheese another time or two, and we'll probably spend lots of time at the park. I've considered ice skating & horseback riding, but I'm no good at those things myself LOL.

Hmm... what else... we took a trip to Carowinds, which our kids love, and the Ripley Aquarium at Myrtle Beach, SC (which they also love) and to the NC Aquarium in Wilmington too. They also enjoy going to Cross Creek Mall & walking around, and we recently took them to see a movie for the first time at Marketfair and will probably be doing that again.

I may be biased, but I love living in NC. I've never been to Germany, though. As for the roaches, try the electronic bug away thingies. I hear those work pretty well. :)

Liz - posted on 01/08/2010

oh, i lived offpost and we didnt have any roaches. I gave birth to my son in womack and it was a great experience. my hubby is trying to reenlist back to bragg and im praying we go back quick. if i move back im hoping maybe we can do a playdate or chill together. i really hate ft. bliss with a passion.

Liz - posted on 01/02/2010

i luved bragg when i was there but i lived offpost. im in ft. bliss and i would give anything to be at bragg again. i hate ft. bliss with a passion.

Shana - posted on 12/31/2009

Hi my name is Shana we are stationed at ftbragg. We have been at Bragg for all most 4 years. We live in the new housing and it is not that great. Hopefully your unit has a good frg that can really help. I know when we first moved here in 06 my husband deployed a month later. The frg was a great way to meet people. They do call fort bragg the post u never leave. lol But there is a lot to do if you just do some research. All so great vacationing if you don't mind the drive. I have lived in the housing you are talking about and feel for ya. Hope things get better.

Betsy - posted on 12/30/2009

I wish I was there stead of in Va. My family lives near Ft braggs. Here they have HUGE bugs. I dont ever see my husband. He never gets family time like he is suppose to. Oh and get this here the housing is SO bad they have to pay AF to live in them. They are now changing our base over to AF and kicked everyone off base so they can put nicer houses up for AF.

Erika - posted on 12/01/2009

My aunt is at bragg with my uncle and they love it. You can take a 4 hour drive to the outer banks. Im not at bragg ... im actually in oklahoma - wanna trade lol . its not a bad place, im partial to anything NC because i vacation there. It will get better soon!

Sharalyn - posted on 11/24/2009

Ft. Bragg is nothing to brag about. Sorry can't help you here. In Ft. Hood, the wackest base ever! Just make the best of it as much as you can. I wish i was in Germany now!

Heather - posted on 10/19/2009

Ahh I'm so sorry you got stuck here. I'm from the Fort Bragg area. I wasn't born but i was raised here since 1 yrs old. It sucks and there really isn't much to do but go to clubs or bring the kids to the park lol. It's def. not like the city. I know what you mean about them housing on fort bragg, I know some ppl that stay there...I told my husband there was no way of me moving on post...so im off post. If you need anything just let me know...im pretty familiar with the area.

Leona - posted on 10/07/2009

Hi i personally would love to be at Ft. Bragg instead of this hell hole we are currently in. My hubby is in the army and we are stationed at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The only thing that we have is desert and what couple things we have on post like the commissary andpx clode by dark. The nearest shopping is at least 30 miles from post in either direction. And that is just to reach a wal-mart. Be glad for what you have cause the desert is much worse. And the housing is really bad here like huge spiders and scorpions. We have had 6 major water leaks in our house since may and electrical problem. God bless none of us will be retiring in our current location. Hang in there.

Elizabeth - posted on 10/06/2009

I see no one has comment yet, I been here for a year this past Sept. I have not found much to do here ither cause my hubby is deployed. But befor he left we went bowling, out to small sports bars. We also went to ripley's aquarium myrtle beach, and Cape Fear Botanical Garden, and the Crown Coliseum in Fayettevill always has somekind of event going on. I hope that helps, I'm still looking for other thing to do also. All my friends left too so i know how u feel.