Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is one my list of possible PCS options. What are some pro/cons for the base?

2018-11-20T21:10:03-05:00

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is on my short list of PCS options. The area looks gorgeous and I've heard it's great for outdoor activities. The big downside for us is that's is pretty far from friends and family (to be honest that's not always a bad thing). I hear the cost of living is a little steep as well.

Response by SGT Ej P. made Nov 20 at 2018 10:07 PM

2018-11-20T22:07:40-05:00

*edited*

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 21 at 2018 12:01 AM

2018-11-21T00:01:33-05:00

I've never been there, but as a career counselor I deal with a lot of duty station requests. EVERYONE who goes to JBER comes to me, begging me to go back. They all love it.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Nov 21 at 2018 11:02 AM

2018-11-21T11:02:42-05:00

I was stationed in Adak so had to make numerous passes through "Los Anchorage". People either love it or hate it. It's a different lifestyle. You get limited daylight, lots of black ice, etc. during the winter. You wind up staying indoors more. That said, if you get out and experience the area, you have the opportunity to do stuff you can't do in the lower 48. The Fur Rendezvous and Iditarod were my favorites. Things like McDonalds, etc. are pricier because of the added shipping costs. However one of the best NY pepper steaks you'll ever eat is at the Double Musky Inn out on Turnagain Arm. They have to use a small oval serving platter just to hold it and it still hangs off the ends. If you like fishing, then salmon, halibut, etc. are the best you'll find. Real Alaskans will say Anchorage area isn't real Alaska, primarily due to the city aspects. You'll also sense a different culture and some of it you won't like. We'd use to say the Alaska Salute is the outstretched hand for money. There is a larger entitlement culture there. If you're into people watching the two best places are ANC Airport baggage claim and to a lesser extent the indoor mall. Bottom line, I enjoyed Alaska (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan) for different reasons at each location. And there were things at each location that burned my buns. One thing for sure, the MIL culture is better in the sense as being further away from the flagpoles, the independence and more maverick attitudes can be a welcome relief from the Pineapple Admirals who have no clue what that AOR is like.

Response by SFC Marc W. made Nov 21 at 2018 8:22 PM

2018-11-21T20:22:50-05:00

In terms of cost of living, yes it's higher overall there, however you do you COLA and a good solid BAH as AK and HI are treated as OCONUS. I, like many others who have been there, would go back in a heartbeat, but only for AK and not for the unit. 4/25 felt like a cluster of crap. Although, it follows the pattern as the rest of the Army does, if the location is great, the unit sucks and vice versa; although YMMV. Everywhere you drive in AK is an adventure and there's always something to see, snow or not. The summers are to die for, nothing like that midnight sun. I'm not a hunter or a fisher and I still loved my time there. I liked Anchorage due to the city feel and amenities, but if I wanted I was a short drive away from it all. It is the highest per capita of veterans (might be retirees, don't quote me), but there is a large community who just never wanted to leave. The winters can suck, 19-20 hours of darkness, they don't plow the roads until there is a good solid frozen base of ice and the air hurts your face.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2018 5:41 PM

2018-11-22T17:41:55-05:00

I liked JBLM a lot more.
Cons:Much like JBLM, JBER has a constant depressing cloud coverage for more than half the year, but it’s worse. People have to take vitamin D pills and buy happy lights just to keep from being so depressed. And you need a winter vehicle because the Fort Rich side doesn’t take care of the roads, they just throw rocks on the 4 ways. The finance office here is awful, regardless of how efficient your S-1 is. It took 7 months of me going in there once a week, just to fix my BAH and COLA. You have to drive extra careful in the winter and at night because you might hit a whole moose. The commissary sells nearly expired food, so you can’t just choose the cheaper option of shopping at the commissary. The anchorage PD is more anal about window tinting than actual traffic violations, so be careful there.
Pros: Anchorage isn’t bad. There’s good places to eat and good bars and good coffee. There’s good places to ski, snowboard, hunt, camp, fish and drive recklessly on the ice out in the open (don’t recommend, but if that’s your thing.) if you like outdoors, you’ll love Alaska. You’ll also get to see the Aurora if you’ve never seen it.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2018 5:43 PM

2018-11-29T17:43:35-05:00

It’s a good base. Get ready for cold weather and snow. I like the opportunities to hike and do things during the summer. There’s a lot to do here in the winter. For this being my first duty station I can’t complain about hating it. Other people will may tell you different sir.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Jan 3 at 2019 3:19 PM

2019-01-03T15:19:42-05:00

I came to Fort Richardson, now JBER, in October 2008. After almost 5 years on station, I took an unaccompanied tour to reset my clock and return to Alaska to retire. We love it here.