MWR regulations need to be changed.

I am an Active Duty spouse and veteran, and we are new to the RV world and fulltiming here in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I have an issue I'd like input on.

First, a little background to hopefully stem any flames. We have a home in Jacksonville, Florida that we have been unable to sell or rent since being PCS'd here to NAS Oceana (2 years so far, 2 to go), and the financial burden that incures. This situation seems to be fairly typical of the other Active Duty members here at Ocean Pines RV park. On top of that my elderly mother had been living with us, but with Alzheimers and cancer, is now in a assisted living home and we are financially responsible for that. Of course the enonomy is crap and I'm unemployed on top of it all. In short, we NEED to homestead. There are 7 others (that I know of) here in similiar situations.

Now on to the topic. My biggest gripe is that the MWR policy, without exception, the maximum stay is 2 months at at time, with a minimum 14 day period out of the park. And for elaboration, this includes off season, even if there are only a few people here and the park is almost empty, this rule is enforced!! Available space is not the consideration, only adherance to the friggin' rule!!

My second issue with this rule is that recently the base CO put out "Oceana and Dam Neck parks are to be considered one federal facility so when the guest vacates either park, they will need to go somewhere other than Ocean Pines or Sea Mist durring the 14 day period." This change is due to people complaining about not being able to get reservations over the 4th of July.

There is a volunteer option, check this out. One can volunteer, and in exchange for 25 hours per week, the guest can stay beyond the 60 day period, but only as long as they are volunteering the full 25 hours per week, once they stop, they must leave. This is the ONLY compensation, no free rent, no discount, or compensation of any kind. Money is tight, I cannot put in that kind of time if I am fortunate enough to find a job.

So, any suggestions?

We can all come up with a "hard luck" story to justify bending the rules ... I can easily do it myself if need be. Even so, it does not make the financial burden any less a tragedy --

AND to Quote: "Money is tight, I cannot put in that kind of time if I am fortunate enough to find a job."

So, you put in the volunteer time UNTIL you find a job -- THEN you find housing you can afford.


BUT, because one can find a reason, does not justify bending the rules -- There is no such thing as a "Need to Homestead" -- MWR faciltiies are for recreation, not housing. You can always appeal to the CO for a hardship consideration, but that still means going by the book ... and if you win it, then you're within the rules ... but too many find a way to get around the rules, and others pay the price -- that is as often as not, finding a MCG or MWR full of folks that "Need to Homestead" ...

You made life choices buying a home -- and we all take care of relatives at one time or another. I personally lost a house to foreclosure in-part because the military and VA made a mistake on some medical paperwork, which then became "official" until my appeal -- took me four years to win the appeal ... but didn't get my house back, nor any equity from it. USA may be the best country in the world to live in, but there's lost of hard luck here too.

So, to answer your request -- go to the base commander and plead your case, if you win, you're able to stay, if not, you're bending the rules. One reason some CO's take a hard line with MWR facilities is because too many individuals abuse the rules.

As Monkey mentioned the parks are for "Recreational Vehicles", not temporary housing. Why not stay in base housing and rent your home out?

I have been to the VA Beach campground, and am glad they have implemented this rule, because the time we were there they had quite a few homesteaders, in a small park. The park had an ideal location being on the beach, though we were there in early spring. I can imagine it is busy during the summer. Fair is fair, while you are homesteading there are some deserving people who have served there time, and want to spend it there. If you look the Homesteading post on this forum it iis the longest one on this site, and most RVers are opposed to it. Yes, it is a cheap way to live, but the purpose of the Famcamps are for recreation, not housing.

Like Monkey many of us have hard luck stories, and I won't go into mine, but I believe that rules are made for a reason, and should not be broken for a few, unless for medical or emergency reasons.

??? :'(

I agree, the parks are for recreation period. Exactly where should the rule bend to allow longer terms? Where is the cut-off? All of us who has been in the military has had some kind of hard time. I am not trying to lessen your hardship but you need to look into base housing or some other low cost housing.

You guys apparently didn't read or understand my main point, so let me re-state. As long as there is space available, NOBODY should be forced to leave, for as long as there is space.

I NEVER said or implied that I have, or anybody should, bend the rules! In fact, when I see people enforcing rules as it suites them, and not to their full extent and fairly straight across the board, it makes me very mad.

Speaking of being very mad, you guys have certainly achieved making me extreemly mad. You DISGUST me with your selfish and self centered lack of support for the active duty! You also show an alarming lack of empathy for anyone that is struggling to get by while serving their country NOW durring the real estate market crash, economic turmoil, and a dragged out ongoing war. The demands and stress placed upon us now far exceed anything you went through. I am so sorry if we get in the way of your precious vacation. You expect rights and respect for your service, yet can't seem to give the same to those who have the watch NOW. It makes angry to think that those who have served before us have no appreciation or respect for those who serve now.

You tell me/us to go find housing, how about you go to another camp ground? Those of us that are stationed away from our homes have NO choice, you DO. Why do you want to camp at a military site so bad, to save money maybe? How about staying home and save the enviornment from the fuel you burn? Why should we spend money we can't afford just so you can save a few bucks to stay here? Tell me please, why DO YOU DESERVE MORE THAN US?

Fulltiming = living in your RV moving around. Whether it be around the country or around a particular duty station. The ability to set mooring stations and get underway in a couple of hours.

Homesteading = living in your RV planted in one spot NOT moving around. It takes two weekends to move all your crap since it won't fit in your rig.

I'm stationed in Jacksonville and fulltiming; staying in the MC up to the prescribed limit and then moving locally checking out other campgrounds in the area. Making the circuit so to speak. I also maintain a B-6 status; being able to move out in 3 hours.

However, I do agree with the "volunteer" issue...all the volunteer spots are taken by retirees who are homesteading. There only a few retirees here who are actually transients (rv'rs) who choose to volunteer to help out their financial situation...but they are only here for the lenght of their contract and then moving on.