Uniformity

Since becoming a fulltime RVer almost four years ago I have stayed at every military run RV park in my path that I could get into, from NH to CA to the tips of TX & FL and all points in between. I consider it a great privilege to be able to park alongside other active, retired or DOD rigs. Uniformity - in my opinion - is not attainable and in lots of cases not desirable. Every FamCamp that I have stayed at has it's own personality. It may be on base or off. It may have direct management personnel or be run by an outside source. But it seems the goal of each is the same, to provide us with a place to park at a very reasonable rate while we visit their community and enjoy the other benefits we are so accustomed to receiving. Go to North Boston, NH and spend a few nights and then go to MacDill AFB in FL and spend a few nights and then tell me you can uniform those two, they are both on a military post run by the same service. HEHEHE-HOHOHO-HAHAHA!

FastEagle

I agree with the Eagle. Uniformity moves toward bland and always to the lowest common denominator. Let's keep them individual and interesting.

USN RET

I agree with navyzone and eagle -- but my take on the uniformity is not the area or CG itself, but rather the ability to reserve sites and the length of stay, and the way we operate the mechanics of the campground services.

I'd much prefer to know that I can stay at a campground whenever I arrive, and that the fees were similar and the ability to use the facilities. I've noticed some have two month restriction, some six months etc -- and one site (Meade, I think) charged $30 a night, and most charge around $15-18 usually. When I acted surprised at the high fee, the host laughed and said "It's near Washington, where else can you get anything this cheap?" -- which was a ridiculous response -- how can the geographic location of a campground in the middle of a military base have any effect on the campground fees?? And the CG itself is nothing special ... same hook-ups etc ... It just struck me as an odd response which had no merit.

But back to the subject -- if the campground operation becomes similar in each CG, then we know that we all get to use each under the same guidelines insofar as our planning. To have the same individuals reserve a six-month site at MacDill, for example, is not in the interest of sharing the CG with all of us that would like to use it ... and I understand MacDill has the two-week overflow rotation policy too, but the necessity for that is based in a six-month stay for all those that pre-register a year early ... and we should use the CG's as recreation for all of us, not as half-year snowbird condo-like sites.

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara got us all to wear black shoes (except some sailors who managed an exemption) but when he tried to get all services to wear the same belt and buckle all hell broke loose.
If the services can't get together on a belt buckle how can you ever expect them to do something so complex as standardize campgrounds.
Right now the Air Force is doing away with base stickers, lets see how well this one works out. But anyone who is willing to ride his horse up a hill aiming his lance at windmills should be allowed to do so. The rest of us will watch in amusement and ride the roller coaster of military campgrounds.
Glenn

Standardizing campgrounds will probably never happen, and would be an uphill battle from the maingate, unless of course that same McNamara -- wherever he is now, or his counterpart -- became a camper and banged his head against the same issues we all have with campgrounds -- and I like all of them, and stay in many of them, and do not complain no matter what I find. If I don't like it, I leave and find one I do like ... problem is, sometimes I get to one and can't get a site because several, or many, other guys stay longer than they should.

My only point was that allowing some campers to remain in sites long enough that others equally entitled to use the sites have to rotate through an overflow site for an undetermined amount of days is and always will be unfair.

I agree with navy zone and eagle -- but my take on the uniformity is not the area or CG itself, but rather the ability to reserve sites and the length of stay, and the way we operate the mechanics of the campground services.

I'd much prefer to know that I can stay at a campground whenever I arrive, and that the fees were similar and the ability to use the facilities. I've noticed some have two month restriction, some six months etc -- and one site (Meade, I think) charged $30 a night, and most charge around $15-18 usually. When I acted surprised at the high fee, the host laughed and said "It's near Washington, where else can you get anything this cheap?" -- which was a ridiculous response -- how can the geographic location of a campground in the middle of a military base have any effect on the campground fees?? And the CG itself is nothing special ... same hook-ups etc ... It just struck me as an odd response which had no merit.

But back to the subject -- if the campground operation becomes similar in each CG, then we know that we all get to use each under the same guidelines insofar as our planning. To have the same individuals reserve a six-month site at MacDill, for example, is not in the interest of sharing the CG with all of us that would like to use it ... and I understand MacDill has the two-week overflow rotation policy too, but the necessity for that is based in a six-month stay for all those that pre-register a year early ... and we should use the CG's as recreation for all of us, not as half-year snowbird condo-like sites.

We stayed at Ft Meade, when they first opened, and off and on since (family live in area) We were told by an owner of a MD campground, that Ft Meade invited all the area campground owners/managers, to FT Meade before they opened. They wanted to get an idea on fees.. The fees you pay at Ft Meade, were not based on Military campgrounds, but the local prices. I find this outrageous. When the new base commander came on board, they told him they needed more money for staff, so he let them do away with winter rates. They have more people working there, than any place could need, and a large turnover. They also charge extra for pull thru, another idea picked up from the local campgrounds. Last year they implemented the two week rule :'( :'(, to try to get rid of homesteaders. Many of which, just move to another site in two weeks. We are now in our motorhome, heading for Ft Meade for 2 weeks, and I always feel full of dread going there. If it wasn't for grandchildren, I would never stay there.