Can we get help putting together a Military campground

As a retired military person, I would love to help put together military campground near my hometown of Springfield Il. We have an Air Guard base and the Army Guard camp and a Army reserve unit all here in Springfield. It is also the Headquarters for the National Guard in Illinois. We have several great things to visit here from the State Capital to all the Abraham Lincoln sites. We also have the military monuments from the State World War II, Vietnam, and Korean Monuments. It really is a great place to visit. Is there any way to lobby someone for mwr funds to build a military campground here in Springfield Il.

This is a great idea and a good question. I would think your best bet is to come up with some suggested ideas and plans then talk with the MWR directors and installation commanders at the various installations. It doesn't take much to get a campground operational. Perhaps you can try to get much done with a self-help project. Talk to any military retiree offices in the area, the VFW and any other military social organizations for ideas and help. Perhaps there's a "Good Sam" chapter in town that has a large retired military membership that would help.

It wouldn't take much to get a campground started. Land is all you need to begin with. Identify a location and establish the layout of the campground. Perhaps the campground can start off as "dry camping", than add utilities and facilities as funds, supplies, and man power become available.

There's a few military campgrounds that are like this. There's a spot designated for camping, perhaps in a remote part of the base. No facilities, no hook-ups, no fees, and "maybe" a dumpster.

Good luck and keep us informed!

Thanks Larry, When I was still active in the air guard in Springfield we had a training site just off base the was a little remote, that would work great. I am going to start talking to retirees in our area and see where we can start. We have a lot of local support for the military, our units have done several deployments to Iraq and the gulf area. I'm going to call our reps, Our US Senators are Dick Durbin and Barack, Or wait a minute he's president now! anyway thanks for the input, I want to help our military people out in any way I can, and this is something I want to work on..If we get one up and running, hope people will come and visit us in central Illinois. We are all family you know..!

You get one up and running ane we'll be there. For short trips from home, that would be perfect.