NAS Whiting Local area info

[Guest beylund]

Hey, just found out I'm going to Whiting, anyone have any good links for gouge, local housing, general hookups? I have horrible study habits, so that place is going to be the death of me.

[ghost_ttu]

www.airwarriors.com

Is a good site for those headed to whiting.

[Guest pinko]

FWIW- I've been in P-Cola since June and I've been to the beach twice. Whiting hasnt been all fun and games at the beach for me or most of my friends. Just thought id try to disspell that misconception. True, we arent in lock-down for 12 hour days, but we still study quite a bit. The latest word for track selects is that Navy slots are mostly helos right now, Marines are looking for jet jocks (and are trying to get navy pilots to cross over to the dark side), and AF pilots out of whiting are mainly getting what they want as long as they do alright. Does anybody know if we are definitely vance-bound if we select t-1s?

"how could i be asleep in your car if i was high on crack.... RHONDA!!??"

[pcola]

I've also been here since late may, and have a slightly different take. The Navy definitley has a different approach to training than the AF does. If you are one of those dudes that can read something once or twice and know it, then yes, you can sit on the beach. If you are like the majority of the world and have to study alot to learn all of the stuff they throw at you, then you won't spend much time at the beach, not if you want to do well. You have to know your sh1t, no way around it. If you are self-motivated and enjoy learning about flying and are motivated to be the best and safest pilot then Pcola is for you. Additionally, if you have the ability and the desire, then you will get a T-38. At least that's the latest word. The good thing about Pcola is that you don't really have to worry about "the drop" (at least not presently). The deal is that if you get jet grades (an NSS of 55 or greater) which is not easy to do, then you will get a 38 if you want it. You don't have to worry about competing against everybody else in your class or about how many 38 drops your class gets. It's as simple as that, make the grade, get the jet. Now, that doesn't mean that anybody that wants a 38 will get it. You have to make the grade, which means you have to do pretty well in the program, which goes back to the whole motivation thing. Nobody here will make you study. I know some dudes (who are much closer to selection than I am) that really want the 38, but may not get the grades to get one. It's all about ability and desire, not so much chance like I've heard about the AF UPT bases.

[Guest lronsin]

so--i'm headed to pensacola in january (commissioning af next month), was wondering how the pensacola/whiting commute thing actually works--where is a good area to rent from? also. where's a good spot to find stuff to study from for the t34--they've got t37 and t6 info all over the place but i havent been able to find a whole lot...? cant wait to get back to the beach, i've been in arizona for too damn long!

[pcola]

I live in the married base housing, so I don't know much about where to rent. Most guys live in apartments in North Pensacola, either near I-10 or Highway 90. This makes it about 20-25 minutes to either NASP or Whiting. Your first 10 weeks or so will be at Pensacola, after that you'll rarely go back there. Milton sucks, single folks avoid living here like the plague, but even in Milton, you're only 30 minutes from the beach (Navarre), so I think it's ok. I also like only having to drive 10 minutes to get to base.

Good gouge for the T-34 can be found at www.Navygouge.com or http://www.brimble.com/index.html

I wouldn't worry much about studying now, you'll have plenty of time off when you get here. If you must, start looking at the API stuff first. That's the 6 weeks of general aviation stuff you get to muddle through at NASP. You won't even start learning about T-34 specific stuff until after API.

Good Luck!

[Guest pinko]

I'm just north of I-10- the commute is usually 35 min. It seems like quite a few whiting studs live in the area (Univ w. florida) and the area isnt bad at all.

Pcola- are you up for 9 this weekend???

[ 15. November 2004, 21:50: Message edited by: tktktk ]

[Guest beylund]

How about cell phone carriers in/around Pcola/Milton? Still looking for a place to live...

[Herk Mafia]

I had Verizon the whole time. They have full service in PCola but service is shady in parts of Milton. I usually had to walk outside to get a signal when I lived in the dorms.

[ellsworb]

I live at Davis Highway and I-10.. its between 25-40 min. commute depending on when I get through traffic to get up to Whiting. There's a lot up here in terms of stores and what not. If i say anything. . its that there isn't really much up in Milton. But some of the guys really appreciate the quietness to study. . it just wasn't for me.

[Guest beylund]

This is a strange one, and keep in mind I'm a small town hick from North Dakota and a mid-sized town in Montana. When there are squadron mandatory-fun nights, etc and everyone gets drunk in PCola or Whiting do they take a cab? I can imagine a sober driver would log a lot of miles in one night the way it's all spread out so much.

So I called BOQ at Whiting and PCola today, upon arrival we can stay there for 10 days, while we find a place to live. So basically it's no good to find a place right now because we don't know if by then we will HAVE to live on base at Whiting following API. People can live off base now, but new housing is coming online soon, so occupancy will be down. Sucky deal, dude.

[Guest baileyf16]

I'm headed to whiting in a couple of months for pilot training with the Navy, I am in the AF. I will be taking my wife and baby son with me. My question: Where would be the best place to live there? I understand that for the first month or two I will be doing training in a different location than for the rest of the time. With this in mind, should I plan on living in between the two locations or live close to the first base, then move after the first few months so that I will be closer to the second? Thanks for those that respond.

[mmkk111]

It depends on what you want to do in your off time. I lived right in the middle, more towards the northwest side of town, and it took me about 30 minutes to get to either base (granted this was back in 2003, before the hurricane hit, so I'm not sure how the drive is now. All though, most of the roads should be back up and running by now???). Some guys lived by the beach in P-cola and made the longer commute to Whiting, while others did the opposite.

There's not much to do in Milton, so your wife will be bored if she likes to go out and do things. My wife was going to the University of West Florida at the time, so we chose to live right down the street from there.

P-Cola is a fun town and you’ll enjoy your time there. Keep yourself motivated, because it’s very easy to get lazy and go to the beach all the time! I’m speaking from experience…but hey, I knew I wanted T-1’s and my tan was top-notch

MK

[DC]

If you're taking a family with you, live in the Whiting Field housing. Its called Whiting Pines (though after Hurricane Dennis it should be called Whiting Stumps) and its located approx 6-8 miles south of Whiting in Milton, FL.

Yes, you'll be going a bit longer to get down to Pensacola for the first approx 6 weeks (not including inprocessing) but you'll spend much more time up at Whiting than at Pensacola. But you won't be alone up there and carpools will certainly be a viable option.

Single guys can consider finding an apartment in the Milton area, but if you want any sort of life whatsoever live in the NE part of Pensacola. That way you aren't out in the sticks where there is nothing to do. The biggest issue from here is the drive to Whiting. From where I live its approx 25 miles to Whiting and 20 back. Its less back because due to I-10 bridge (re)construction I take a different route home.

I'd highly reccomend NOT living near the beach. Get up high and away from the water. It'd be very awesome to sit on the porch with a beach view every day to study, but the oceans have proved to be especially fierce lately and .. frankly .. you don't want to lose everything you own.

[NUKE]

I am a Navy student down in pcola now, so I spend most of my time in NAS Pensacola. I have seveal Whiting guys that live in my Apt complex, ( NE Pcola) but most of the are single, although we do have a few married folks. We also have a good bit of other service folks that live here. Its nice to live in NE Pcola, we have a lot of stuff to do, and all stores, resturaunts, ect are real close. The drive to NASP is about 30 min, to Whiting its about 35, so its right in the middle.

As for moving somewhere close in Pcola, and then moving to Milton, dont do it, API is 6 weeks, plus 2-3 inprocessing. Its not worth moving twice and some places wont give you your deposit back, military clause or not, since you didnt stay over 6 months.

If you have any questions hit me up!

[ellsworb]

Lets See. . what were they. . Governor's Gate, Kings Mill, etc. All up on the NE side. . pretty much badass. . mix of kids in Training and girls going to UWF. I want to go back. . bad. . Enid is killing me.

[ 06. September 2005, 19:28: Message edited by: ellsworb ]

[POKESC17]

I live in Whiting Pines (stumps is more appropriate) and its not bad. There are plenty of people around that you can carpool NAS Pens for API so that really isnt the issue. It's nice being able to pull out of my driveway at 0800 and have my briefing board set up and ready go at 0820. If your wife gets a job in Pensacola then you might want to consider some of the places ellsworb mentioned.

[ 06. September 2005, 20:18: Message edited by: wannafly ]

[Murph]

They must make Governor's Gate out of granite or something. I went to Pensacola after the hurricanes and it was the only complex seemingly untouched.

[Guest rare21]

I lived at Whiting Pines...great place, quiet, good neighbors and a mini mart right there for the booze. I'm Navy but i had quite a few Air Force neighbors..overall good guys. about 10 minutes to the base..which is great if you value sleep like i do.

[Guest Veeknat]

My bad if this has been covered but I couldn't find it...

Is living in Navarre too far for an inbound stud to NAS Whiting Field (w/ the 6 week API at Pensacola)? I read the differing options with the hurricane and so far have heard its about a 45 min commute which is probably barely acceptable. Thanks.

[ellsworb]

one of my good buddies in my class did it. Lived with his brother out there. . didn't have a problem with it. . but made those 0445 shows really suck. . BUT, he went fishing everyday too!

[Guest LwNSlo]

that would get old pretty fast..id try to live in north pcola if I were you

[Guest KoolKat]

A 45 minute drive to/from base during UPT would have made me want to shoot myself in my head.

But, that's just me.

BENDY

[Guest NDwife]

a friend got stuck living there because his roommate picked the place and he pretty much did want to shoot himself in the head. spent most of the time spending the night in our extra bedroom just so he wouldnt have to drive home everynight..

you are by the beach.. but then again if you live north the beach is just a 45 minute drive away. your choice but most people don't end up thinking living in navarre was worth it. a few guys lived in the apartments at 9th and olive in pensacola.. they seem to be happy with that locale.

[Zippy]

If your going to primary at whiting, live as clost to whiting as possible and suck up the drive to NASP for your time in API... You might be able to find people to car pool with, or people in your class who have a couch you can sleep on when you have early show times the next day, or late nights before a test.

[ 09. April 2006, 11:14: Message edited by: Zippy ]