Re: Re-enlisting to go to AK
I have made the drive many times, never again. Being from Alaska, we never got hassled at the boarder when they see the Ak plates. I have not driven since early 90s. Winter is better, less traffic and road is smoother. Its very pretty but a long way but if you take your time and make a vacation of it. Us, we are the move and go go go to get to the states. If you can, might try to buy 4x4 truck with a box trailer there, drive it up DITY move, sell it make some coin. This is big business buying in Idaho, drive it up selling in AK. Some guys make a lot of coin doing this. Not sure of the prices in your AO though.
Get a freeze plug type heater no matter where you PCS. They work better than the heater hose type. Get a timer for your pug in. My Squarebanks rig had battery wrap, oil dipstick heater and inside space heater sitting on a cookie sheet. All cords ran to an electrical box on the fender well, then one cord out the grill to a timer.
Run steel studs once you get here, pay the tax, alloy studs do not work as well. Snipped tires are the rage, never used them but steel studs work I do know and alloy do not last as long and give the same traction as steel once they get some wear. Buy a set of steel wheels to mount your winter tires, savings over the long time. Can sell very easy when you PCS.
Lemon lots are full of; I cannot afford this rig once I PCS so I will take a loss to get rid of it. AK rigs have many miles on them for the time owned, lots of driving here to get anywhere. Its nothing to drive 300 miles for a day trip.
I beleive you have to be command sponsored at least you had to.
Post / base housing can be superb, good and not so good. Major construction projects over the last 2 decades. Many now have garages even for E4s which is the rank for housing. I think the new leased housing is open to all ranks.
Fort Rich and Elmo are now one base, its all AF command and I understand all of Alaska Command will be under AF.
Gas heating is all you want, have electric heat and if you do, monthly bill will be outrageous. Many older houses have boiler forced water heat. Not as good as gas, many cold areas around the house. Wood fireplaces are a nogo now, only can have gas fireplace. Fireplaces are for mood anyway, get a wood stove if you want to heat by wood.
Once you cross the Canada boarder your residency starts for military; driving up can give you the extra month if you cross on the last day of the month for hunting and the PFD.
Develop an active life style; winters can be tuff sitting at home, ski, snowshoe, just go shopping to get out. In the old days, malls opened up for kids to ride bikes, skate and get exercise but the liberal lawyers have shut all this down with liability but you can walk and run in the malls.
Its hard not to with all around you saying otherwise especially the military, but I would recommend not buying into you need wheeler to hunt. Add up what it cost to buy and maintain an wheeler Vs fly out to hunt and you will discover flying is cheaper. If you can wheel there, so can a hundred other wheelers and yes they do run right through your camp.
The bad side, do not expect to go anywhere in the backcountry and NOT see people. The days of leaving camp, your rig or your cabin and come back to it all there are mostly gone. You will get robbed. We got a huge influx of inner city people last few years and they brought it all here. Last week, thugs put a hit on an APD cop, called in bogus call, as the cop sat in his cruiser at the call, a small rice grinder pulled up next to him and shot him 5 times.
Come on up and welcome, need anything just ask
Add on, I have been retired for 10 years but E5 is the cut off or was for living comfortable here. E6 and above can live OK on one income, E4 and below wife must work, E5 is the yes or no depending on how you live and what you want to do and spend. It is not a problem spending $500 for a weekend trip.
