This has likely been discussed before, but does anyone know why AF Famcamps will not take reservations? Very convenient that the Navy Famcamps do take reservations, but why not the AF?
You'll quickly learn that the military campgrounds are not very organized. Each installation pretty much operates on their own, using their own local methods. Yes, there are "regulations" that govern a little of their operations, but these are sometimes vague. In many places, the regulations are even followed (how they get away with it is a mystery).
The Navy just recently implemented their reservation system for campgrounds, and is still in the process of getting all Navy campgrounds on the system. The Navy also has many of the highest costing campgrounds in the military.
The USAF has a "Frequent Camper Program", for free nights of camping. But this is only good at USAF FamCamps. Even this program isn't managed very well and has had problems for many years.
Had to chuckle at your first comment Larry as I have said this so many times. It would sure make things so much easier for us if they all accepted reservations. Why they think we just drive around willy-nilly in our RV's with no idea where we are from one day to the next is mind boggling. We make an itinerary as to where we want to go and do not just show up at a military installation hoping we get lucky to have a site for us. A military campground is our first choice and if no reservation allowed we always make a backup reservation at a non-military campground in case the military campground cannot accomodate us. We call the military campground when we are about an hour away to see if we can get in but when the non-military campground has a rigid cancellation policy and we gave a deposit we normally we will not try to get in the military campground.
Some of the Army installations take reservations also but again not all of them. Charleston AFB does not take reservations and they tried to do away with reservations at Foster Creek this year but Foster Creek told us today it was not working for them without reservations so they are going back to taking reservations, another example of not very organized.
As for the Navy implementing their new reservation system I hope they also establish rules for every Navy campground about the length of stay for all persons elgible to use the campgrounds.
I know of 5 AF FamCamps that take reservations. I've made reservations at them. They are F.E. Warren AFB,WY, Offutt AFB, NE, Scott AFB, IL, Robins AFB, GA and Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
My problem with not being able to make reservations is to arrive at the campground and be told nothing is available and see empty sites. One case in point: Two years ago I arrived at the Keesler Famcamp unannounced. While my wife went into the office to check availability with the host, I walked the campground to check for "real" availability. When I returned to the office the host had told my wife nothing was available. On my walk I found two site empty. Well, the host said this one site was being held for a person who had taken his RV to the shop. OK. What about the other one? I didn't give her a chance to make up a story about who she was saving that one for. I reminded her that this CG does not accept reservations and is first come first served. She said "I guess I could let you have that one". Well, when I arrived at the site I found the reason she didn't want to give me that site. The site next door had visitors and the visitors were using the site for parking. Neither party was very happy when I arrived and announced that this site was mind. For a week I never got a responce to my "Good morning" to my neighbors. That's OK. And by the way, after 5 days someone pulled into the site being saved for the RV in the shop.
