Station/Boat Location~
Alexandria - TISCOM, USCG Ceremonial Honor Guard, NAVCEN
Date there~
August 2002 - January 2005
Weather~
You get to experience all four seasons!! Fall is the most beautiful with the leaves changing colors... it's absolutely breathtaking especially if you go to Washington, D.C. and see all the Cherry Blossoms, Winter is a little chilly and it definitely snows, Spring is pretty wet... that's when most of the rain comes, and the Summer is warm and humid... gets real sticky.
Military facilities~
TISCOM, the Coast Guard base itself is super small!! There is a mini exchange, a galley, a gym with indoor basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields as well as the Anchorage club, a small sports bar on base. Fort Belvoir Army Base is super close... within a 5 to 20 minute drive depending on where you live. It was a nice commissary, a big exchange, a home and garden depot, Burger King, Popeye's Chicken, a gym, baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, daycare center, a credit union, a chapel, beauty shop, nail salon, barber shop, hospital, library, cleaners, swimming pools, thrift shop, and veterinary services. Plus, on-base housing and a lot of them are new!!
Medical~
Fort Belvoir's Dewitt Army Community Hospital. It's an older hospital but it's clean and the people are really friendly. It's also where my DD#2 was born. The doctors offices are also located within the hospital... including audiology, dermatology, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, laboratory, obstetrics and gynecology, opthalmology, optometry, pediatrics, family practice, physical therapy, radiology, plus, they have a pharmacy... which equals free prescriptions!! And of course an ER
Housing~
The CG base itself has no on base housing. But Fort Belvoir Army base does, a lot of it and it's really nice. We lived in Dogue Creek Village which is a little older but it was still really nice. Plus, we only had to waited like a week to move in!! We had an awesome experience there. Also, when we transferred in 2005 they had just built 3 new communities and had plans to build a couple more. You can check out http://www.belvoirfamilyhousing.com/ for more information.
Shopping~
This is my favorite thing and let me tell you, there is a lot of places to go shopping!! There are four malls in the area that I've been to, Potomac Mills, Springfield Mall, Manassas Mall, & Arundel Mills. Of course they have the normal stuff... Walmarts- 4 of them and one being a Super Center if you wanna drive to Fredericksburg (about 45 minutes), 3 Targets one of them in Springfield Mall and is two stories and one other a Greatland, Costco, Toys "R" us, Babies "R" Us, Best Buy, Circuit City, pretty much anything you can think of!! And of course, the commissary and exchange on Fort Belvoir.
Child Care/Schools~
There is Hayfield Elementary School (K-6) and Hayfield Secondary School (7-12) within walking distance of the Coast Guard base (approx. 5 minutes). There is also a really nice daycare center on Fort Belvoir Army base.
Adult Schools~
A lot to choose from... George Mason University, Marymount University (Arlington), Northern Virginia Community College (Annandale), Potomac College, just to name a few.
Fun Activities~
Washington, D.C... there is so much to do there!! The White House, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, The National Monument, Capital Building, The Smithsonians which includes The Anacostia Community Museum (The History & Culture of African American Communities), National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the American Indian, National Portrait Galley (Portraits of Distinguished Americans), National Zoological Park, National Air & Space Museum, and the National Museum of American History to name a few. There are tons of movie theaters in the area, Great Waves at Cameron Run water park in Alexandria, Paramounts Kings Dominion Amusement & Water Park in Richmond (1 1/2 hr. drive), and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg (3 hr drive). The closest beach we found was on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland (1 1/2 hr. drive).
Also... the CG base has little get togethers and fun stuff that is family friendly. Like Coat Guard day they have a BBQ, games, and a CG dolphin that the kids can climb through. Lobster fest in the summer. A Christmas Party for the kids in December where they get to meet & take pictures with Santa Claus and receive a gift!!
Additional Info~
Enjoy, Virginia!!! Like the saying says, "Virginia Is A Place For Lovers". DH & I would go back in a heartbeat if we could!!
Homeport VA
Alexandria - TISCOM, USCG Ceremonial Honor Guard, NAVCEN
Date there~
August 2002 - January 2005
Weather~
You get to experience all four seasons!! Fall is the most beautiful with the leaves changing colors... it's absolutely breathtaking especially if you go to Washington, D.C. and see all the Cherry Blossoms, Winter is a little chilly and it definitely snows, Spring is pretty wet... that's when most of the rain comes, and the Summer is warm and humid... gets real sticky.
Military facilities~
TISCOM, the Coast Guard base itself is super small!! There is a mini exchange, a galley, a gym with indoor basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields as well as the Anchorage club, a small sports bar on base. Fort Belvoir Army Base is super close... within a 5 to 20 minute drive depending on where you live. It was a nice commissary, a big exchange, a home and garden depot, Burger King, Popeye's Chicken, a gym, baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, daycare center, a credit union, a chapel, beauty shop, nail salon, barber shop, hospital, library, cleaners, swimming pools, thrift shop, and veterinary services. Plus, on-base housing and a lot of them are new!!
Medical~
Fort Belvoir's Dewitt Army Community Hospital. It's an older hospital but it's clean and the people are really friendly. It's also where my DD#2 was born. The doctors offices are also located within the hospital... including audiology, dermatology, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, laboratory, obstetrics and gynecology, opthalmology, optometry, pediatrics, family practice, physical therapy, radiology, plus, they have a pharmacy... which equals free prescriptions!! And of course an ER
Housing~
The CG base itself has no on base housing. But Fort Belvoir Army base does, a lot of it and it's really nice. We lived in Dogue Creek Village which is a little older but it was still really nice. Plus, we only had to waited like a week to move in!! We had an awesome experience there. Also, when we transferred in 2005 they had just built 3 new communities and had plans to build a couple more. You can check out http://www.belvoirfamilyhousing.com/ for more information.
Shopping~
This is my favorite thing and let me tell you, there is a lot of places to go shopping!! There are four malls in the area that I've been to, Potomac Mills, Springfield Mall, Manassas Mall, & Arundel Mills. Of course they have the normal stuff... Walmarts- 4 of them and one being a Super Center if you wanna drive to Fredericksburg (about 45 minutes), 3 Targets one of them in Springfield Mall and is two stories and one other a Greatland, Costco, Toys "R" us, Babies "R" Us, Best Buy, Circuit City, pretty much anything you can think of!! And of course, the commissary and exchange on Fort Belvoir.
Child Care/Schools~
There is Hayfield Elementary School (K-6) and Hayfield Secondary School (7-12) within walking distance of the Coast Guard base (approx. 5 minutes). There is also a really nice daycare center on Fort Belvoir Army base.
Adult Schools~
A lot to choose from... George Mason University, Marymount University (Arlington), Northern Virginia Community College (Annandale), Potomac College, just to name a few.
Fun Activities~
Washington, D.C... there is so much to do there!! The White House, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, The National Monument, Capital Building, The Smithsonians which includes The Anacostia Community Museum (The History & Culture of African American Communities), National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the American Indian, National Portrait Galley (Portraits of Distinguished Americans), National Zoological Park, National Air & Space Museum, and the National Museum of American History to name a few. There are tons of movie theaters in the area, Great Waves at Cameron Run water park in Alexandria, Paramounts Kings Dominion Amusement & Water Park in Richmond (1 1/2 hr. drive), and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg (3 hr drive). The closest beach we found was on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland (1 1/2 hr. drive).
Also... the CG base has little get togethers and fun stuff that is family friendly. Like Coat Guard day they have a BBQ, games, and a CG dolphin that the kids can climb through. Lobster fest in the summer. A Christmas Party for the kids in December where they get to meet & take pictures with Santa Claus and receive a gift!!
Additional Info~
Enjoy, Virginia!!! Like the saying says, "Virginia Is A Place For Lovers". DH & I would go back in a heartbeat if we could!!
Homeport VA
