Station/Boat Location~
Base Kodiak (MWR Boat House)
Date there~
June 2014-Present (leaving Summer 2017)
Weather~
Beautiful summers with June, July, and August are the best months of the year with long days (think between to 12-18 hours of daylight) and mild temps in the upper 60s to mid-70s. I'm a southern girl and although the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees it still feels hot in the sunshine and I've been surprised at how much I miss A/C. Fall through spring is a mixed bag…..typically rainy with little snow and unpredictable high winds (30mph+ is normal here). Temps in the 30s and 40s. It gets icy in November/December. Short days with only about 6 hours of daylight by winter solstice. This winter has been colder and snowier than the previous two, but nothing compared to what they get on the mainland. Rain gear is definitely more useful than snow gear.
Military facilities~
Base Kodiak is awesome when it comes to all that it has to offer CG families. There is a commissary (small but will save you lots of $$), an exchange with two levels (department store style upstairs and convenience store downstairs), a bowling alley, a pizza parlor, and the Golden Anchor (all hands club with great food, a bar, and an area for large events). There is a movie theatre that offers new movies (about 6 weeks after release in the lower 48) and older movies (free movies about 3 times a week). The base has a Child Development Center for ages 6 weeks through elementary (after school care) and they started a new half-day preschool program this year. The gym is open long hours and has an awesome pool plus great cardio and weight training facilities. It also has a parent room where you can work out and bring your kids. The Star of the Sea Chapel is located on base as well and offers Sunday services (I believe non-denominational now but there used to be Catholic services too).
Medical~
The Rockmore-King Clinic on base is predominantly for active duty. They do give vaccinations and provide physicals and sometimes see family members. There is a hospital with an excellent ER (we've been for my son twice and they have been amazing both times). For our regular healthcare we go through KIMA (Kodiak Island Medical Associates) and we have loved all the doctors there. Great with kids and with last minute appointments if you need them (although you probably will end up seeing a PA). They are mainly family practice doctors (no OB/GYN) but I have heard that there is a new one on island now. For Tricare, we started out as standard and then switched to prime remote (they pay but you can still choose your doctors here). There is also a community health center, urgent care, eye doctor, and several dentists (but orthodontics they do primarily in Anchorage). If you are pregnant here, the hospital is wonderful for normal pregnancies but anything unusual or even slightly high-risk will send you to Anchorage (for up to weeks depending on the situation).
Housing~
Housing is mandatory in Kodiak. You can be released if you purchase a home here or if housing is full. There are four areas of housing including Upper and Lower government on base as well as Aviation and Lake Louise which are both off base. A wide variety of housing units can be found ranging from two bedroom to four bedroom and including apartments, duplexes, and single family homes. Most units are duplexes. A great majority of the homes have garages. Some homes are brand new and others are remodeled from the 1940s, and everything in between. We were given a fourplex unit (apartment) with a large shared basement, no garage, and no fenced in yard, but most homes have fenced in backyards with patio/porch areas. It is kinda just luck of the draw when it comes to what you get. Electric and water are included so it is really awesome since things can be very expensive here.
Shopping~
Aside from what's on base, Kodiak offers a small Wal-Mart (not a supercenter so it has limited groceries with none of the extras but it does have a pharmacy) plus Safeway grocery store (very expensive but you can find a great selection there including a fantastic meat/seafood department, floral area, and a deli with both Chinese food and American comfort food….like fried chicken and mac-n-cheese). There are a couple of sporting goods shops, a small toy store, a couple of sewing/quilting stores, a pawn shop, a gift shop, an organic store of some kind, and a few other things thrown in the mix. Most people have Amazon Prime and shop online…but delivery often takes longer than expected.
Child Care/Schools~
Aside from the CDC on base, there are options for childcare in town at St. Paul's Lutheran and Kodiak Baptist Mission. Heard good things about both. The base also has an in-home childcare program that often has active participants (although the numbers and availability fluctuate).
Kodiak has four elementary schools (Peterson-where most CG kids go, Main, East, and North Star) plus a middle school, high school, and two religion based private schools. Peterson, as well as the middle and high schools, provide buses to all the housing areas. There are plenty of extracurricular activities including sports and band. Students travel off island or host mainland schools in competition.
Adult Schools~
University of Anchorage-Kodiak College offering two year programs
Fun Activities~
Kodiak is an amazing place for outdoor activities! Camping, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, berry picking, Aurora/star gazing….the list goes on and on. You just can't be afraid to get out and try what's available. Salmon and halibut fishing are AMAZING here. The MWR program on base is a great resource! You can rent boats and fishing gear from the Boat House and borrow camping and sporting goods equipment from Gear Issue at the gym. Just be smart and BE BEAR AWARE! Kodiak is home to Kodiak brown bears and they are frequently seen across the island, including in town and on base. It is a big deal here so educate yourself about being BEAR AWARE when you arrive. Lots of folks have ATVs and campers (something to think about buying in the lower 48 where they are more inexpensive if that's something you are looking for)…..
You can also travel to Anchorage via the Space-A program on board the C-130s through the Air Station. Lots of info on that when you get here. Or you can travel via the Alaska Marine Highway System (ferry up to Homer) and see the mainland that way.
Additional Comments~
Kodiak has an amazing community and you can find support all around. The Spouse's Association of Kodiak is a great resource….they provide fun activities for spouses and families as well as provide a great deal of support to the local community. The short days in the winter can be very dreary so it's important to understand that it's easy to become depressed. Stay positive! The summers are well worth the winters here! It's a small town environment where you will get to know your neighbors and bump into people you know everywhere you go!
Homeport AK
Base Kodiak (MWR Boat House)
Date there~
June 2014-Present (leaving Summer 2017)
Weather~
Beautiful summers with June, July, and August are the best months of the year with long days (think between to 12-18 hours of daylight) and mild temps in the upper 60s to mid-70s. I'm a southern girl and although the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees it still feels hot in the sunshine and I've been surprised at how much I miss A/C. Fall through spring is a mixed bag…..typically rainy with little snow and unpredictable high winds (30mph+ is normal here). Temps in the 30s and 40s. It gets icy in November/December. Short days with only about 6 hours of daylight by winter solstice. This winter has been colder and snowier than the previous two, but nothing compared to what they get on the mainland. Rain gear is definitely more useful than snow gear.
Military facilities~
Base Kodiak is awesome when it comes to all that it has to offer CG families. There is a commissary (small but will save you lots of $$), an exchange with two levels (department store style upstairs and convenience store downstairs), a bowling alley, a pizza parlor, and the Golden Anchor (all hands club with great food, a bar, and an area for large events). There is a movie theatre that offers new movies (about 6 weeks after release in the lower 48) and older movies (free movies about 3 times a week). The base has a Child Development Center for ages 6 weeks through elementary (after school care) and they started a new half-day preschool program this year. The gym is open long hours and has an awesome pool plus great cardio and weight training facilities. It also has a parent room where you can work out and bring your kids. The Star of the Sea Chapel is located on base as well and offers Sunday services (I believe non-denominational now but there used to be Catholic services too).
Medical~
The Rockmore-King Clinic on base is predominantly for active duty. They do give vaccinations and provide physicals and sometimes see family members. There is a hospital with an excellent ER (we've been for my son twice and they have been amazing both times). For our regular healthcare we go through KIMA (Kodiak Island Medical Associates) and we have loved all the doctors there. Great with kids and with last minute appointments if you need them (although you probably will end up seeing a PA). They are mainly family practice doctors (no OB/GYN) but I have heard that there is a new one on island now. For Tricare, we started out as standard and then switched to prime remote (they pay but you can still choose your doctors here). There is also a community health center, urgent care, eye doctor, and several dentists (but orthodontics they do primarily in Anchorage). If you are pregnant here, the hospital is wonderful for normal pregnancies but anything unusual or even slightly high-risk will send you to Anchorage (for up to weeks depending on the situation).
Housing~
Housing is mandatory in Kodiak. You can be released if you purchase a home here or if housing is full. There are four areas of housing including Upper and Lower government on base as well as Aviation and Lake Louise which are both off base. A wide variety of housing units can be found ranging from two bedroom to four bedroom and including apartments, duplexes, and single family homes. Most units are duplexes. A great majority of the homes have garages. Some homes are brand new and others are remodeled from the 1940s, and everything in between. We were given a fourplex unit (apartment) with a large shared basement, no garage, and no fenced in yard, but most homes have fenced in backyards with patio/porch areas. It is kinda just luck of the draw when it comes to what you get. Electric and water are included so it is really awesome since things can be very expensive here.
Shopping~
Aside from what's on base, Kodiak offers a small Wal-Mart (not a supercenter so it has limited groceries with none of the extras but it does have a pharmacy) plus Safeway grocery store (very expensive but you can find a great selection there including a fantastic meat/seafood department, floral area, and a deli with both Chinese food and American comfort food….like fried chicken and mac-n-cheese). There are a couple of sporting goods shops, a small toy store, a couple of sewing/quilting stores, a pawn shop, a gift shop, an organic store of some kind, and a few other things thrown in the mix. Most people have Amazon Prime and shop online…but delivery often takes longer than expected.
Child Care/Schools~
Aside from the CDC on base, there are options for childcare in town at St. Paul's Lutheran and Kodiak Baptist Mission. Heard good things about both. The base also has an in-home childcare program that often has active participants (although the numbers and availability fluctuate).
Kodiak has four elementary schools (Peterson-where most CG kids go, Main, East, and North Star) plus a middle school, high school, and two religion based private schools. Peterson, as well as the middle and high schools, provide buses to all the housing areas. There are plenty of extracurricular activities including sports and band. Students travel off island or host mainland schools in competition.
Adult Schools~
University of Anchorage-Kodiak College offering two year programs
Fun Activities~
Kodiak is an amazing place for outdoor activities! Camping, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, berry picking, Aurora/star gazing….the list goes on and on. You just can't be afraid to get out and try what's available. Salmon and halibut fishing are AMAZING here. The MWR program on base is a great resource! You can rent boats and fishing gear from the Boat House and borrow camping and sporting goods equipment from Gear Issue at the gym. Just be smart and BE BEAR AWARE! Kodiak is home to Kodiak brown bears and they are frequently seen across the island, including in town and on base. It is a big deal here so educate yourself about being BEAR AWARE when you arrive. Lots of folks have ATVs and campers (something to think about buying in the lower 48 where they are more inexpensive if that's something you are looking for)…..
You can also travel to Anchorage via the Space-A program on board the C-130s through the Air Station. Lots of info on that when you get here. Or you can travel via the Alaska Marine Highway System (ferry up to Homer) and see the mainland that way.
Additional Comments~
Kodiak has an amazing community and you can find support all around. The Spouse's Association of Kodiak is a great resource….they provide fun activities for spouses and families as well as provide a great deal of support to the local community. The short days in the winter can be very dreary so it's important to understand that it's easy to become depressed. Stay positive! The summers are well worth the winters here! It's a small town environment where you will get to know your neighbors and bump into people you know everywhere you go!
Homeport AK
