Base Living

Growing up in a military family (my dad was in the Coast Guard for 22 years), you would think that I would know all about living on a military base. Truth is, this is a first for me! Keith and I moved on to Kirtland Air Force Base right after we got married. We were very fortunate that there was a house open for us, and a beautiful one at that!

Our House

We are very lucky to be in such a nice home- there is no way we'd be able to have one so nice if we weren't living on the base.

During my run today, I thought about all of the things I like, and those I don't, about living on a military base.

Likes:

• Security. As a Security Forces Officer, it's Keith's responsibility to keep this base safe, if that doesn't put your mind at ease, I don't know what would! Even when Keith was in Texas for 4 months training, I felt safe. I remember waking up in the middle of the night after hearing a sound outside and being able to fall back asleep with ease, knowing that there was not much to worry about. Also, if you've ever seen an episode of "Cops: Albuquerque edition" you would surely want to live on base!
• Feeling Patriotic. Every day at 5:00 pm the Star Spangled Banner is played over the loud speakers. This is normally during our family walk, so it is nice to stop and face the flag and take a moment to realize the wonderful country we live in and just how lucky we are to be Americans.  
• Extra time. With Keith being a SF officer, he patrols the base in an SVU and occasionally our paths will cross during my daily run. It is SO nice to see him during the day, if even for just a few minutes. Also, living on base makes Keith's commute to work a very short one, so we get even more time together!( Even when he has to work 12 hour days...which are really 14-15 hour days!)

Dislikes:

I don't usually like to point out the negatives, but sometimes a little venting is healthy :)

• Security. So even though I do love how secure this base is, it can be a bit frustrating at times. Take the night my ID card slid under the center console of my car. Keith was away in Texas and I was on my way home from a long 14 hour day in the PICU. I couldn't get on base, which means I couldn't get to my warm, comfy bed. It was quite an ordeal to get a visitor's pass and prove I was, in fact, allowed to be on the base. Luckily I was able to get ahold of Keith at the time and he was able to call and "sponsor" me on. Another situation happened just last week when I was on my way to a co-workers baby shower at a restaurant off base. Every gate was closed. They were letting people ON the base, but no one was allowed OFF, this went on for at least 45 minutes. So, I missed the baby shower. Of course, I understand that the security of the base as a whole is more important than the individual people who live here's needs, but nonetheless- it can be frustrating!
• Rules, Rules, Rules. I am pretty good about following the rules, but some I just don't feel are necessary. Apparently there is a rule on base that forbids running with earphones. Which leaves the track or park open for running. Now, I understand that it is unsafe to run while not being aware of your surroundings, but shouldn't that decision be left to the runner? It's not like I run in the middle of the street. In fact, there are sidewalks just about everywhere on base and I always use them. This was not a problem until my husband, the ultimate rule follower and now rule enforcer, informed me that I was breaking the laws of the base. Ridiculous.
• Speed Guns. Okay, so my last dislike you most likely would have to experience to understand, and if you ever have you'd totally understand my feelings. The speed limits in the school zones (which happen to be in the front of the housing area) and when approaching the entrance/exit gates are 15 mph. I don't have a problem with the slow speed, in fact, I am happy about it. The problem is the Law enforcement guys who stand there and point a SPEED GUN at you! I feel like a criminal every time they are there, and I haven't even done anything wrong! I'm scared one day I am going to run something over or crash because I am too focused on my speedometer and not going a half a mile over the speed limit. Geesh.

I think I should point out that each one of my grievances with the base have to do with my husband's job. Whoops!

Keith with his cop badge on after his SF officer school graduation in San Antonio, TX.

The reality is, I love living on base because of one thing: I get to live with my best friend and share our life together, in good times and bad. And that is not something I could ever complain about.