Unfair, unreasonable and ridiculous

I'm new to this forum but perhaps have found a place where I can vent about this situation. This is what I've observed at military parks in Florida and Mississipi during the winter. Starting in Nov of every year the retirees start piling in to the park to spend the winter. All these parks have 14 day type restrictions on length of stay. They get to know the manager, kiss butt, do a few chores and next thing you know they are there for all winter. I know how they do it because several are acquantices and they brag about it. In some parks they do make them move occasionally to a new site so it looks good. At other parks they give them temporary do nothing type jobs to make it official. The worse violaters appear to be Air Force, they are money driven but turn away 3 to 9 people a day all winter long plus overflow is always full so there is no real excuse. It may not be fair to include Keesler in this group at present because of the construction and they were forced to take in FEMA trailers. However you couldn't get in there this winter after Feb.
It's my observation that parks that restrict length of stay are better run and always full so I don't see the logic for violations of the length of stay rules. This isn't an officer privlige thing, most are enlisted retirees in their 60ties.
Most of us hate to complain and perhaps screw it up for some deserving individuals but it is getting out of hand. As for me, I'm traveling to Texas this winter and giving up on Florida. Probably won't be any better but we'll see.

Boy it sounds like about half of the responders go into a Famcamp with a chip on their shoulder and find someone to knock it off.

I've not seen many of the problems mentioned, I've probably stayed at a dozen or more Famcamps and for the most part they are well run. I try to make reservations where allowed, where they are not allowed I usually call to see how full they are. Never have I been led astray. The only time I've really seen a trashy site was at Hurlburt AFB in FL. It was obviously a homesteader with old cars,trailers etc.
I passed the info on to management and in several days improvement was noted.

Ft. Sam has a definite length of stay policy, but for medical stays they will waive it. The same at McChord AFB WA. All very reasonable. Hanscom has some units that look like they can't/haven't moved, but they are in an area that is not very desireable. This year 29 Palms Marine Corps station they said they had reservists in some sites and wern't sure when they would be leaving, but call in a week or so for reservations.

All in all Management/Hosts were helpful, pleasant and interested in their park and sometimes just as frustrated as the guests.

Allynne

Starting in Nov of every year the retirees start piling in to the park to spend the winter. All these parks have 14 day type restrictions on length of stay. They get to know the manager, kiss butt, do a few chores and next thing you know they are there for all winter.

This is so true I don't even try to get a spot on base anymore. I always call and stay at the KOA and use their military discount.

I am currently at Shields Park in Corpus Christi and was just talking to one of the host here and he told me they have had people here 3+ years. In Tuscon, I couldn't get in for 5 days the overflow had 8 people, this is mostly because of active duty people. A lot of active duty in Ft. Bliss also. Now don't get me wrong I don't blame them, there are not enough facilities on base for all the new active duty and if it was me, I would do the same rather than pay the high rents out side post. Try to get into Macdill in FL --- next to impossible.

It is time to go to your Congress person to bring these CG back to what they were build for

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short term not a residence.

Ron

Ron, I am interested in a few more details about your stay in Tucson. Was this at Agave Gulch FamCamp? You mentioned having to wait 5 days in overflow? with only 8 people in overflow? And you blamed this on active duty people? I am the manager of the Gulch at D-M. I do not know of a small group of active duty guests causing your problem. If there is such a problem please let me know your dates and I will tell you our totals for those days. I believed you were misinformed of the reason for your 5 day wait. If there is an issue that can be corrected I am happy to try to do so. Thanks..Gulchman

In Tucson it was Agave Gulch that had 8 in overflow when I drove by. I had called ahead and ask what the wait looked like and was told could be 3-5 days in overflow and I decided to go to a private CG instead, I only wanted to stay for 5 days. Regarding the active duty, I was refering to Ft. Bliss, I would guess what I saw there was half the site with active duty.