We are retiring this year, but got delayed because of the virus. All I can say is after 33 years in the military and several joint assignments with the Navy and Air Force all over the place, Hawaii was the best assignment ever. I did travel a lot to Asia and spent a lot of time away from my family, but it was great. My wife loved the mall, Ala Moana shopping center and the air always smells like flowers. If you are trying to decide on whether or not take a assignment in Hawaii I say do it. Think about it the Army or who ever is going to pay for your trip and your housing in Hawaii. You can’t beat that with a stick. After you are there you don’t like it at least you will have the memories and interesting times of living on an island. Have fun in your career and try something new or different not just the same old post after post and repeated deployment and deployment. Have a little fun. Take care everyone. Also the hospital TAMC is excellent. I had a really bad situation happen to me and the took care of all my Soldiers and myself.
I agree it’s a great opportunity it’s cool to say I got to live in Hawaii! However I was shocked at this stuff bc no one told me the bad only the good! I hope it helps some People prepare better with more knowledge about the place! I had amazing experience with TAMC as well I did a video on it! Thanks for sharing your experience too!
@@izzypoole5939 Hi Izzy I forgot I posted this over 8 months ago. And HRC finally let us retire. Anyway i really like your site you have some great info in it for SM trying to decide. One of the great things about being stationed in Hawaii is i could at least see my beautiful wife almost everyday. I might have been late for dinner but at least i was there and I got to tell her when I would be gone. Compared to all the other places we have been through out our long career. Anyway keep the site going and tell us how it is during the pandemic. Take care
I was stationed on Oahu from 2011 - 2015 with my wife and 2 children. Lived off post for a year and then moved on post. We came from Texas. Best place Ive ever lived. The only negatives that come to mind is things being shipped when ordered online. Cost of living didn't affect us, that's the good thing with being military is that we got BAS, BAH and COLA which easily evened out the higher costs. I literally have no complaints about anything.
Hawaii is definitely going on the list, hubby had orders for Yokosuka Japan and San Diego and both been a blast, traveling has definitely been a blessing.
My stepdad joined the army in '77, lol and mid '79 was offered Hawaii or Alaska. Easy choice!! He left us outside of Ft. Sill, Oklahoma then called back here that we were getting a 4/2.5 and we were like "holeeeee...." It was on Ekaha Cir, 1867 B (4 units joined together and unattached carport) on a cul de sac. Basically brand new then with their oldest housing across Menoher (i think). Amazing view out the rear bedrooms of Waianae range and Kole Kole pass which at the time, had the huge white cross on it. Last time i was there in '12, i saw the then newer housing and was amazed at our former was now the oldest and worst left behind incomplete of the whole base housing rebuild. 😢 Made me wanna cry seeing the long dropped set of standards military used to have and the condition of what was basically my childhood home for 3 1/2 years. Brick, cement walls and cement floors covered with some kind of tile I guess. I barely recall if there was central air considering it was far less hot back then. The only thing army provided was a few dressers and a couple of twin mattresses, box springs/rails. Insane to remember back and see in pictures some of the couches my mom would drag home from garage sales or even at dumpsters/curbs and make these half a** pillow cushion type things for them🤣🤣 And couldn't figure out how to hang much of anything on the cinder block walls 🤣 I made bookoo money at 12 babysitting all over SB since everyone's grandma's were back on the mainland. I shudder to think its been over FORTY years now😭😭😭
Hey girl long time no see glad you are back and congratulations on your pregnancy! My husband really wants it but the prices where a huge issue for me and not being able to travel home to see my family for 4 years without having to pay a million dollars was a huge con for us! I'm sure it's beautiful and has a great and rich culture but not enough for me to want to go. Even in Germany flights and cost of living was better!
Thank you! It definitely is difficult to live here but I’m making the most of it! It Will be cool for my daughter to say she was born in Hawaii :) great channel btw love to see what fellow spouses are up to!
I can't remember wanting to leave a duty station as much as I did Hawaii, especially after three years, it just gets old living on an island. As a matter of fact, I left the military because I had orders to Okinawa after my tour was finished in Hawaii. I'd been to Okinawa before and loved it, but couldn't see spending another year on another island so soon. The Okinawan people are great and fun to get to know, but Okinawa is a pretty small island. There is definitely problems with racism and anti-military attitudes in Hawaii, you need to be careful when and where you go, especially at night, some beaches and other locations can be especially dangerous. Its not wise to travel alone at night. I love the weather in Hawaii and I learned to sail, and sailed a lot on Kaneohe bay using a sailboat provided by military special services. I also did plenty of running, and loved running in the heat, and even ran the 1977 Maui Marathon. Maui is a beautiful island and I recommend seeing it. The people there are more relaxed and seemed friendlier. I would also recommend visiting and making friends on the other military bases while you are there. I met a guy at pearl harbor who was stationed on a submarine. He asked me if I would like to take a ride on a submarine, and he said I could after we got approval, and told me it wouldn't be a problem going on one of their dependent cruises. Things may be different now because then You could pretty much walk around anywhere on the base, but I doubt you can still do that, even if you are a member of the military. I lived in a brand new four bedroom, air conditioned condo, that was a five minute walk to the water. I was stationed at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, although I think it has a different name now. The base had everything a person needs to be comfortable, and was large enough so it never felt confining. It was truly a great duty station! I did all my shopping on base, I think I might have bought one t-shirt off base. You definitely won't need any winter clothes in Hawaii, maybe a sweatshirt once in a while if you go to the big island, unless you go up high where there is snow, then you will definitely need something warmer. I spent around ten days on the big island, way up high where it was plenty cold, compliments of a training exercise with my unit. One other thing, if you take a car, be sure to have it undercoated, if you don't it will be a rust bucket after three years, maybe sooner. Even if you have it undercoated it may not save the car. I took a brand new car to Hawaii, had it undercoated, but it still rusted. Just remember, as a member of the military we go places to serve our country, we're not on vacation. We have to make sacrifices for the benefit of others. I was grateful the military gave me a command sponsorship which made going there practical. Traveling to the other islands and trying to take leave to the continental US or somewhere else can definitely help with island fever. Thankyou to all who serve our great country in Hawaii and other parts of the world. We keep you in our thoughts and prayers. God is with you!
Damn I am about to PCS from Oki to Hawaii after 4 1/2 years out here, and feel the same way about the island thing. I am kind of tired of being OCONUS.
It never ceased to amaze my mom all the military family acting so unhappy in "paradise" and being "stuck on this rock"😡 But like Clooney narrates at the beginning of the movie The Descendants, its life like anywhere else only with incredible views and free smells.
My husband and I often think if we were stationed on that side of the island we might have enjoyed it more than the middle of the island an hour away from everything!
@@izzypoole5939 ...we live in Kaneohe off base and Lovvvve it!! We chose this side because of the tropical feeling and the beautiful Koolau Mountains, we also get a peek a boo bay view. Yes I think if you chose this side your feelings might be different. We hardly ever have traffic into town and my husband works on Pearl Harbor. We don't mind driving through Like Like, Pali Hwy, or H3, it's always beautiful and when it rains we get to see small waterfalls on the mtns.
I am from puerto rico born and raised so me and my husband are from an island. We picked hawaii because we really miss our beautiful island. So if your from an island than you will be perfectly fine in hawaii :) now if you go to hawaii as a military family and you dont know how to manage your money than your going to very broke. I am so glad its just me and my husband but i definitely have been preparing for this months before. I am so grateful for this video tho, alot of the things you said i needed to know. Thank you soo much!
Finally, someone with a positive comment! I leave to be stationed in Hawaii in March! And my husband is Dominican (but I’m the one in the military). And we both are fine with living on an island. People complain too much! You get free housing in the military! And food allowance when you’re married. It’s sad how many people complain when the whole idea of being a military family is doing a service for your country!
@@Ameerah.J im trying to go back at the end of our first 3 years i was so ready to leave but after 6 years of being away I'm praying God gives us the opportunity to make it back for another 3 years, because its beautiful and you can't beat it, even if you get a little home sick from time to time its an experience you'll never forget
Is he 25th ID or 130th EN BDE? I'm looking to PCS. I hear 130th's training schedule is pretty laxed. I've only heard that 25th ID is the one that trains like crazy. If you don't know, 25th ID is a lightning bolt for a unit patch and 130th EN BDE is 3 crowns with a line going through up and down.
@@personofnointerest I believe my mindset is both military and civilian bc I’m the civilian but married to a military service member but I put a lot of cons out there to help prepare other families before they get there so they can enjoy it more and be kind of blind sided. Every duty stations is what you make of it like I said in the video I just wish people were more honest with use about the reality bc almost every family we met there said they had their hopes up too high for the place
Izzy I didn’t realize the training there is that intense. My friend’s bf left a month ago for orders and other than some texts my friend hasn’t heard from him. Must be really long hour days then. This was so helpful. Thanks
Hawaii is considered an overseas station. I would like to add that most of the negatives you’re listing are extremely normal for Overseas Stations and not just for Hawaii. Just a note! - Stationed in Japan 🇯🇵
My husband is in the navy and just got orders to HI (not by choice) and I needed this! We are currently stationed in San Diego and my god, I think I might stay here. We own a home, have 3 pets, and 3 cars. That this is so much 😣 I got quotes it’s almost 4K for our pets and 1500 for 1 of the cars and selling the 3rd one.
Samiiraee it’s so good you’re doing the research now! I didn’t and was blindsided by the costs! There are some fun things here but the cost of living and moving makes you consider if it’s worth it! I’m glad my video helped inform you of some stuff!
Hey girl! Not sure if you PCS'ed yet, but we're leaving our base in Germany to Hawaii soon. The pets are not expensive if you can manage to fly with them! They're only $250 or so per pet instead of $2k.
Lindsey Mosby-Davis I’ll look into it! However both my dogs are over 80 lbs which is why the cost is so high bc they have to fly under the plane as cargo but I’ll keep calling around and ask about the $250! What airline did you use?
Lindsey Mosby-Davis I wish I could do that but I can’t find any airline that will fly a 700 series in cargo because my GSD is almost 100 pounds and then I have a French Bulldog (who is also extra large for the breed he is 45 pounds) so it’s practically impossible without paying for a service for both of them 😭
I was in Madigan AMC then got transferred to Tripler. I was living off post in Waimea then moved to Pearl City...The Army paid the full Rental, I got married and got my wife who I got transferred to Tripler. The things I hated... Intense heat. Lots of Drug Activity. Gets boring after a while. I then got deployed to Kuwait and then Iraq...while there, I wish I was back in Hawaii. When I separated, I had to go to Oakland...I swore I will never go back to Hawaii.
I hate the bugs and lack of space. I like actual camping, but that's basically impossible here. I also can't build or fix much of anything. No real yard, no garage, shared walls. I'm not much of a hippie or beach person, so Hawaii doesn't have much to offer me. Kinda regret choosing these orders.
I lived in Hawaii from 6-8th grade on a military base but the island was beautiful, most of the people were nice but i’ve experienced my fair share of racism lol. The base housing sucked, it was expensive and everything else was pricey too. However, I got to spend a night on the USS Missouri for a field trip so that was awesome. I took it for granted while I was there though, I’ve been missin it man!
I lived on Schofield in '79-'82, 6th-8th grade as well. I only cry now thinking of how its been over 40 years ago! 🤣🤣 And the pitiful excuse for their removal of the huge, white cross that used to stand on kole kole pass visible from our back bedroom windows AND the two like no other dogs we had to give up to live there.😭😭
Hey girl - this was helpful. My partner just got stationed at Wheeler and we are trying to pick a good location to live and are interested in Kailua and Kaneohe, but are weary of traffic... any thoughts on that?
Hello! Thank u for sharing This is my first PCs with my husband just got married going to hawaii hickham haven’t seen a good housing there looking elsewhere he is deployed I’m trying to do research. Any tips and name of communities safe clean and more updated ? Thank you
If you don’t enjoy being landlocked that’s numero uno. Hurricane season sucks but also geography, in wahiawa valley it gets muggy but fresh air rather than waianae where it can get quite hot and salty. It’s definitely an outdoorsy place hiking beach trips park walks bike rides etc. traffic sucks, 5 min can make or break your work day or taking your kids to school. It’s a very Asian based culture so if you like Asian food, culture etc you’ll love it but of course it is also normal westernized culture there. Cost of living is expensive for sure but my experience being a Pacific Islander it’s home for me and I could stay for life but it’s not for everyone, hope this helped but definitely try to get stationed there just for the experience and if u like it and can manage. Consider retirement there :) good luck
Shannon Bartelmie majority of people here that I personally have spoken to about it all agree the unit morale is horrible and makes the time here less enjoyable. I can’t speak on behalf of all units but it is a common pattern of what I hear and what I have experienced
Haley Simpson we went to HEB! And always made a list of recipes for the week and got what we needed just for those meals! Helps with cost and to prevent us from snacking on junk food!
Easier meal prep, less temptation for snacking, and you know what meal you’re having so you don’t need to stress about what to make! HEB was always cheapest for us and had the best stuff! This is just how I organize but I highly recommend it
I live in Oklahoma right now and just came from Texas (I miss HEB so much!), but I never seem to make it out of the grocery store for less than $100. I buy a lot of pre-made stuff though, don't do much true home cooking
Cost of living caused me and my family to leave. I been there almost 30 years and my wife and kids was born and raised there. Hopefully one day we can go back.
Hi there, we thought so too but we spoke with financial office on post and ask them this and they told us If you have a GTC you will only be granted TLA not DLA and the GTC can not be used for vehicles or animals
Wow I came across your video while trying to see what housing looks like in Hawaii. Hearing you explain the cost of living alone has made me decide we’re not coming to Hawaii. The husband is up for orders and the choices was to stay put or transfer to Hawaii. in my opinion neither was a good choice but I’d rather stay put and deal with it than come to Hawaii and deal with all of that.
You shouldn't live your life by other peoples experiences. Unless you live in a small town with a super low cost of living, you won't be too jarred by Hawaii prices. I shop at Walmart here in Honolulu, I pay the same for food as I did on the East Coast...some foods are cheaper here in Hawaii, gas prices are about the same, and I found a 3 bedroom house for $300 cheaper than what I paid in rent on the EC. You just have to know where to shop and take your time finding an affordable home. They're out there. The people who are surprised about the cost of living clearly has never lived in a major metropolis...Or either lived in a cheap low-cost slum within the metropolis their whole lives. Just stay out of the tourist area when shopping. You'll find prices that you are familiar and comfortable with. At the end of the day, the cost of living is high all over the USA.
My family was stationed at Hickam AFB in 1965 and after my brother got us kicked off base because he and his buddies decided to break into the NCO Club and steal a bunch of liquor and, of course got caught. So we ended up living off base in Makiki to Waikiki and I loved it. You need to learn to step outside your comfort zone and deal with it, you'll be better for it. This little mid-west wifey needs to go back to the farm in Kansas and not leave. She has no sense of exploration and how to fit in and quit crying. My god she's SO whiny !
With all due respect the island is a lot different than it was in the 60s. The population and cost of living surged. The point of the video is to help prepare others for the reality of living on the island the stuff no one wants to talk about. It’s not fair for military families to be blindsided by most of this information and learn the hard way. But thanks for the view and comment it. Also I went to every beach and did almost every hike in my time there I explored all there was to explore unfortunately there’s just not all that much to do there.
At least your not stationed in Germany! Born and raised in hawaii and haven't been home in almost 3 years cause of this stupid covid shit. Cost of living is somewhat high because their currency is in euro and the US dollar has Less value. Where I'm at the language barrier is quite large. On the pet thing, if you have housing and you have a pet it would be easier to give them away than to try take them home. What I'm trying to say is it can be much worse
I'm loving being in Kaneohe from San Diego. We moved just before Covid and we always say....so glad we are on Oahu during covid compared to other places, still can go to the beach, hike, drive and see the Koolaus, go to North Shore, sail, kayak, Kbay Sandbar, etc. Really appreciate the beauty of the islands
Which unit ? What rank is your hubby ? It has to be better than Europe & Japan right ? Is the lockdown bad over there can you eat in restaurants at least or just take out ?
@@labellabeach631 ...we are loving Hawaii. Moved here two years ago from San Diego. Yes the groceries prices and eating out are high but I cook most meals and is affordable. Our rent is high but we don't mind it for 3 years. Our place is more affordable for the views we get than what it would be in CA.
Thank you for this video. Are there any bugs or spiders that are common that would freak a person out... like I'm in Arizona now and the tarantulas are VERY common and the scorpions and little critters... I love the weather here and the beautiful scenery (mountains), but I hate the critters and some ppl have experienced snakes often... the housing here and cost of living is nice too...
S. Strength I hear Arizona is wonderful! Here in Hawaii there are cane spiders that a lot of people see. Other than that roaches and geckos are the most common issue in the homes, even the cleanest of homes they find their way in. Good news though there are no snakes in Hawaii!
S. Strength You can have pest control come and spray! If you live on post its free once a month! It for sure helps but you can tell towards the end of the month when it starts to wear off. I noticed in my first home without central AC there was a bigger insect problem and now that I have central and keep my house cold (68-70) there’s hardly any coupled with the monthly pest treatment!
Well if you go to the Air Force or the Navy Commissary is there a little bit cheaper than the Army's commissary because I've lived in Hawaii been there it is beautiful I adapted to the cost of living cuz that's anywhere you go and she lives on Schofield Barracks up there on Schofield be careful of the wives of theories Close Quarters they love to gossip and and everything if you have kids be careful cuz they run around in the backyard just with a diaper or a t-shirt you get the MPS called on you I've been there done that so stay safe and have fun in Hawaii but there is one thing as a place on the beach I can't remember the name of the hotel where you cook your own food and it's a lot cheaper that way on a grill and a cook shows you how to do it I don't know how expensive is now but back in the nineties it wasn't that bad when I was there I loved you didn't want to come back home here to the states China Mainland I wanted to stay in Hawaii so enjoy I'm just telling you from a military wife be experienced and looked at a lot of years with the military so stay safe and stay cool use common sense cuz they don't want your dogs to have fleas or other Little Critters or any disease to come to the islands they're all that way even when you go to Germany or anywhere else in the world it's like that everywhere okay this is one military wife telling another and like I said I've got a lot of years on you and I've been around the military all my life and I know how it is
I'm in the military, born and raised native Hawaiian as well. After growing up there my entire life, and my entire family all being from there. Its safe to say that alot of locals, including alot of my family, hate the military. Look up the history of hawaii and why we are no longer the kingdom of hawaii
You are absolutely right! I was stationed at Schofield Barracks in the 80s. Locals definitely not military friendly there. But I can understand why. Young military males with money to spend. Homesick, just back from the field! Drinking up their paycheck in 1 weekend. What can possibly go wrong?
People like her are so sheltered and uninformed as to the reasons why things are the way they are. Her time in Hawaii was temporary yet she chose to make this video which is literally the case for almost every duty station out there.
Hawaii is not for everybody. Military stationed here are basically tourists that are just here longer. If you live on base then you're practically back in the mainland.
@@jaxripper251 not sure what branch you are in however we lived there for 3 years and it was after 2016 and all three years it was included on post. Also I worked as a leasing agent on post and I know for a fact it was Included with base housing. You should talk to your leasing center if you are not getting it taken from you bah. There is a limit and should you exceed the monthly limit you have to pay the difference but I’ve seen that happen very rarely
@@izzypoole5939 I lived in the coast gaurd housing. So yes no electricity is free there stop fkn arguing with me. Like I said im still here living in kaneohe damn
We are retiring this year, but got delayed because of the virus. All I can say is after 33 years in the military and several joint assignments with the Navy and Air Force all over the place, Hawaii was the best assignment ever. I did travel a lot to Asia and spent a lot of time away from my family, but it was great. My wife loved the mall, Ala Moana shopping center and the air always smells like flowers. If you are trying to decide on whether or not take a assignment in Hawaii I say do it. Think about it the Army or who ever is going to pay for your trip and your housing in Hawaii. You can’t beat that with a stick. After you are there you don’t like it at least you will have the memories and interesting times of living on an island. Have fun in your career and try something new or different not just the same old post after post and repeated deployment and deployment. Have a little fun. Take care everyone. Also the hospital TAMC is excellent. I had a really bad situation happen to me and the took care of all my Soldiers and myself.
Rah
I agree it’s a great opportunity it’s cool to say I got to live in Hawaii! However I was shocked at this stuff bc no one told me the bad only the good! I hope it helps some People prepare better with more knowledge about the place!
I had amazing experience with TAMC as well I did a video on it! Thanks for sharing your experience too!
@@izzypoole5939 Hi Izzy I forgot I posted this over 8 months ago. And HRC finally let us retire. Anyway i really like your site you have some great info in it for SM trying to decide. One of the great things about being stationed in Hawaii is i could at least see my beautiful wife almost everyday. I might have been late for dinner but at least i was there and I got to tell her when I would be gone. Compared to all the other places we have been through out our long career. Anyway keep the site going and tell us how it is during the pandemic. Take care
Fort RUGER Hawaii was the best place I have ever lived! And I have lived all over the place including Europe!
I was stationed on Oahu from 2011 - 2015 with my wife and 2 children. Lived off post for a year and then moved on post. We came from Texas. Best place Ive ever lived. The only negatives that come to mind is things being shipped when ordered online. Cost of living didn't affect us, that's the good thing with being military is that we got BAS, BAH and COLA which easily evened out the higher costs. I literally have no complaints about anything.
Hawaii is definitely going on the list, hubby had orders for Yokosuka Japan and San Diego and both been a blast, traveling has definitely been a blessing.
Thank you sooo much for this video!!! It is very helpful to have a real idea of things to consider 🙏🙏🙏
My stepdad joined the army in '77, lol and mid '79 was offered Hawaii or Alaska. Easy choice!! He left us outside of Ft. Sill, Oklahoma then called back here that we were getting a 4/2.5 and we were like "holeeeee...."
It was on Ekaha Cir, 1867 B (4 units joined together and unattached carport) on a cul de sac. Basically brand new then with their oldest housing across Menoher (i think). Amazing view out the rear bedrooms of Waianae range and Kole Kole pass which at the time, had the huge white cross on it.
Last time i was there in '12, i saw the then newer housing and was amazed at our former was now the oldest and worst left behind incomplete of the whole base housing rebuild. 😢 Made me wanna cry seeing the long dropped set of standards military used to have and the condition of what was basically my childhood home for 3 1/2 years.
Brick, cement walls and cement floors covered with some kind of tile I guess. I barely recall if there was central air considering it was far less hot back then.
The only thing army provided was a few dressers and a couple of twin mattresses, box springs/rails. Insane to remember back and see in pictures some of the couches my mom would drag home from garage sales or even at dumpsters/curbs and make these half a** pillow cushion type things for them🤣🤣 And couldn't figure out how to hang much of anything on the cinder block walls 🤣
I made bookoo money at 12 babysitting all over SB since everyone's grandma's were back on the mainland.
I shudder to think its been over FORTY years now😭😭😭
Hey girl long time no see glad you are back and congratulations on your pregnancy! My husband really wants it but the prices where a huge issue for me and not being able to travel home to see my family for 4 years without having to pay a million dollars was a huge con for us! I'm sure it's beautiful and has a great and rich culture but not enough for me to want to go. Even in Germany flights and cost of living was better!
Thank you! It definitely is difficult to live here but I’m making the most of it! It Will be cool for my daughter to say she was born in Hawaii :) great channel btw love to see what fellow spouses are up to!
@@izzypoole5939 thanks if time permits in the future I'd love to collab I know you have alot going on with baby on the way and new home!
At Home With Troy would love to collaborate! Let me know how you’d like to I’m all settled and would love to collab soon!
I can't remember wanting to leave a duty station as much as I did Hawaii, especially after three years, it just gets old living on an island. As a matter of fact, I left the military because I had orders to Okinawa after my tour was finished in Hawaii. I'd been to Okinawa before and loved it, but couldn't see spending another year on another island so soon. The Okinawan people are great and fun to get to know, but Okinawa is a pretty small island. There is definitely problems with racism and anti-military attitudes in Hawaii, you need to be careful when and where you go, especially at night, some beaches and other locations can be especially dangerous. Its not wise to travel alone at night. I love the weather in Hawaii and I learned to sail, and sailed a lot on Kaneohe bay using a sailboat provided by military special services. I also did plenty of running, and loved running in the heat, and even ran the 1977 Maui Marathon. Maui is a beautiful island and I recommend seeing it. The people there are more relaxed and seemed friendlier. I would also recommend visiting and making friends on the other military bases while you are there. I met a guy at pearl harbor who was stationed on a submarine. He asked me if I would like to take a ride on a submarine, and he said I could after we got approval, and told me it wouldn't be a problem going on one of their dependent cruises. Things may be different now because then You could pretty much walk around anywhere on the base, but I doubt you can still do that, even if you are a member of the military. I lived in a brand new four bedroom, air conditioned condo, that was a five minute walk to the water. I was stationed at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, although I think it has a different name now. The base had everything a person needs to be comfortable, and was large enough so it never felt confining. It was truly a great duty station! I did all my shopping on base, I think I might have bought one t-shirt off base. You definitely won't need any winter clothes in Hawaii, maybe a sweatshirt once in a while if you go to the big island, unless you go up high where there is snow, then you will definitely need something warmer. I spent around ten days on the big island, way up high where it was plenty cold, compliments of a training exercise with my unit. One other thing, if you take a car, be sure to have it undercoated, if you don't it will be a rust bucket after three years, maybe sooner. Even if you have it undercoated it may not save the car. I took a brand new car to Hawaii, had it undercoated, but it still rusted. Just remember, as a member of the military we go places to serve our country, we're not on vacation. We have to make sacrifices for the benefit of others. I was grateful the military gave me a command sponsorship which made going there practical. Traveling to the other islands and trying to take leave to the continental US or somewhere else can definitely help with island fever. Thankyou to all who serve our great country in Hawaii and other parts of the world. We keep you in our thoughts and prayers. God is with you!
My sister will be station in pearl harbor hawaii in two weeks her and her family will be living there for three years cause shes in the air force
Damn I am about to PCS from Oki to Hawaii after 4 1/2 years out here, and feel the same way about the island thing. I am kind of tired of being OCONUS.
@michaelmontana4825 What does Island fever feel like?
It never ceased to amaze my mom all the military family acting so unhappy in "paradise" and being "stuck on this rock"😡
But like Clooney narrates at the beginning of the movie The Descendants, its life like anywhere else only with incredible views and free smells.
Stationed there for 4 years. The big difference between living there and vacationing there is after your vacation is over you have to leave. We don’t.
This person talks about food costs a lot. But what if someone lives on base? Isn't food covered?
@@mikailbriggs2232 no
Where in Hawaii do you recommend to live? Which town in Ohau is the most preferred area for military families?
I was station a k bay and loved it there best duty station I had
My husband and I often think if we were stationed on that side of the island we might have enjoyed it more than the middle of the island an hour away from everything!
@@izzypoole5939 ...we live in Kaneohe off base and Lovvvve it!! We chose this side because of the tropical feeling and the beautiful Koolau Mountains, we also get a peek a boo bay view. Yes I think if you chose this side your feelings might be different. We hardly ever have traffic into town and my husband works on Pearl Harbor. We don't mind driving through Like Like, Pali Hwy, or H3, it's always beautiful and when it rains we get to see small waterfalls on the mtns.
I am from puerto rico born and raised so me and my husband are from an island. We picked hawaii because we really miss our beautiful island. So if your from an island than you will be perfectly fine in hawaii :) now if you go to hawaii as a military family and you dont know how to manage your money than your going to very broke. I am so glad its just me and my husband but i definitely have been preparing for this months before. I am so grateful for this video tho, alot of the things you said i needed to know. Thank you soo much!
Finally, someone with a positive comment! I leave to be stationed in Hawaii in March! And my husband is Dominican (but I’m the one in the military). And we both are fine with living on an island. People complain too much! You get free housing in the military! And food allowance when you’re married. It’s sad how many people complain when the whole idea of being a military family is doing a service for your country!
@@Ameerah.J im trying to go back at the end of our first 3 years i was so ready to leave but after 6 years of being away I'm praying God gives us the opportunity to make it back for another 3 years, because its beautiful and you can't beat it, even if you get a little home sick from time to time its an experience you'll never forget
@@Ameerah.J This video talks about how food costs a lot. But what if someone lives on base? Isn't housing and food covered?
I was raised on an Island too...New York City.
Is he 25th ID or 130th EN BDE? I'm looking to PCS. I hear 130th's training schedule is pretty laxed. I've only heard that 25th ID is the one that trains like crazy.
If you don't know, 25th ID is a lightning bolt for a unit patch and 130th EN BDE is 3 crowns with a line going through up and down.
It's basically a tropical deployment. I'm headed there this year and I AM SO ANXIOUS!
She’s saying all these things about how far Hawaii is and how expensive it is but I think she forgot the fact that Okinawa and Guam is still a thing
Yes and add to the mix sometimes you can’t choose it , it’s your duty to go.
@@personofnointerest I believe my mindset is both military and civilian bc I’m the civilian but married to a military service member but I put a lot of cons out there to help prepare other families before they get there so they can enjoy it more and be kind of blind sided. Every duty stations is what you make of it like I said in the video I just wish people were more honest with use about the reality bc almost every family we met there said they had their hopes up too high for the place
@@izzypoole5939 More honest how? Everyone knows Hawaii is expensive. It's not a secret by any means.
Izzy I didn’t realize the training there is that intense. My friend’s bf left a month ago for orders and other than some texts my friend hasn’t heard from him. Must be really long hour days then. This was so helpful. Thanks
So glad I could help! They do train often but
Hawaii is considered an overseas station. I would like to add that most of the negatives you’re listing are extremely normal for Overseas Stations and not just for Hawaii. Just a note! - Stationed in Japan 🇯🇵
We’re a family of 4…. We live on Hickam and spend 1k a month in groceries…. And we don’t eat much meat at all!
My husband is in the navy and just got orders to HI (not by choice) and I needed this! We are currently stationed in San Diego and my god, I think I might stay here. We own a home, have 3 pets, and 3 cars. That this is so much 😣 I got quotes it’s almost 4K for our pets and 1500 for 1 of the cars and selling the 3rd one.
Samiiraee it’s so good you’re doing the research now! I didn’t and was blindsided by the costs! There are some fun things here but the cost of living and moving makes you consider if it’s worth it! I’m glad my video helped inform you of some stuff!
Hey girl! Not sure if you PCS'ed yet, but we're leaving our base in Germany to Hawaii soon. The pets are not expensive if you can manage to fly with them! They're only $250 or so per pet instead of $2k.
Lindsey Mosby-Davis I’ll look into it! However both my dogs are over 80 lbs which is why the cost is so high bc they have to fly under the plane as cargo but I’ll keep calling around and ask about the $250! What airline did you use?
Lindsey Mosby-Davis I wish I could do that but I can’t find any airline that will fly a 700 series in cargo because my GSD is almost 100 pounds and then I have a French Bulldog (who is also extra large for the breed he is 45 pounds) so it’s practically impossible without paying for a service for both of them 😭
Beautiful Roses They are but it has to be done very specifically and it’s extremely limited and always a risk.
I was in Madigan AMC then got transferred to Tripler. I was living off post in Waimea then moved to Pearl City...The Army paid the full Rental, I got married and got my wife who I got transferred to Tripler.
The things I hated...
Intense heat.
Lots of Drug Activity.
Gets boring after a while.
I then got deployed to Kuwait and then Iraq...while there, I wish I was back in Hawaii.
When I separated, I had to go to Oakland...I swore I will never go back to Hawaii.
Fellow Military Wife , and we might be moving there !!! Thanks for being there.
I live in NYC it sounds similar in price would you say it’s the same in pricing
I hate the bugs and lack of space. I like actual camping, but that's basically impossible here. I also can't build or fix much of anything. No real yard, no garage, shared walls. I'm not much of a hippie or beach person, so Hawaii doesn't have much to offer me. Kinda regret choosing these orders.
I lived in Hawaii from 6-8th grade on a military base but the island was beautiful, most of the people were nice but i’ve experienced my fair share of racism lol. The base housing sucked, it was expensive and everything else was pricey too. However, I got to spend a night on the USS Missouri for a field trip so that was awesome. I took it for granted while I was there though, I’ve been missin it man!
I lived on Schofield in '79-'82, 6th-8th grade as well. I only cry now thinking of how its been over 40 years ago! 🤣🤣
And the pitiful excuse for their removal of the huge, white cross that used to stand on kole kole pass visible from our back bedroom windows AND the two like no other dogs we had to give up to live there.😭😭
Hey girl - this was helpful. My partner just got stationed at Wheeler and we are trying to pick a good location to live and are interested in Kailua and Kaneohe, but are weary of traffic... any thoughts on that?
Kaneohe is gorgeous but that commute will easily be an hour or more to wheeler
I just got orders to Hawaii. I'm still new to the military. Does the military pay for you to live in a hotel while you wait on housing?
You get TLA (temporary lodging allowance) however it is only for 10-14 days then the rest is on you and your BAH
Hello! Thank u for sharing
This is my first PCs with my husband just got married going to hawaii hickham haven’t seen a good housing there looking elsewhere he is deployed I’m trying to do research. Any tips and name of communities safe clean and more updated ? Thank you
We'd love to be stationed there but I was curious about the pros and cons! Thanks for the video!:)
If you don’t enjoy being landlocked that’s numero uno. Hurricane season sucks but also geography, in wahiawa valley it gets muggy but fresh air rather than waianae where it can get quite hot and salty. It’s definitely an outdoorsy place hiking beach trips park walks bike rides etc. traffic sucks, 5 min can make or break your work day or taking your kids to school. It’s a very Asian based culture so if you like Asian food, culture etc you’ll love it but of course it is also normal westernized culture there. Cost of living is expensive for sure but my experience being a Pacific Islander it’s home for me and I could stay for life but it’s not for everyone, hope this helped but definitely try to get stationed there just for the experience and if u like it and can manage. Consider retirement there :) good luck
@@Marc_Davila Sounds like an adventure! Thanks for the info❤
Everywhere has pros and cons, and some pros and cons are opinion, not facts. Always find out for yourself.
How are the units there? We are coming from a horrible unit and if the units are good in hawaii want to request it.
Shannon Bartelmie majority of people here that I personally have spoken to about it all agree the unit morale is horrible and makes the time here less enjoyable. I can’t speak on behalf of all units but it is a common pattern of what I hear and what I have experienced
We’re in Texas now. How did you spend $75 per week for you and your husband? 😅 I need to know
Haley Simpson we went to HEB! And always made a list of recipes for the week and got what we needed just for those meals! Helps with cost and to prevent us from snacking on junk food!
Easier meal prep, less temptation for snacking, and you know what meal you’re having so you don’t need to stress about what to make! HEB was always cheapest for us and had the best stuff! This is just how I organize but I highly recommend it
If there is a Joe Vs that’s a big save also highly recommend borrowing a friends Costco or sams card
I live in Oklahoma right now and just came from Texas (I miss HEB so much!), but I never seem to make it out of the grocery store for less than $100. I buy a lot of pre-made stuff though, don't do much true home cooking
Thank you for the honesty 💙
And congrats to you both! 👶💕
Carolina Pina of course! Honesty from others is the only way to get a real idea for the place! And thank you !
Cost of living caused me and my family to leave. I been there almost 30 years and my wife and kids was born and raised there. Hopefully one day we can go back.
This video talks about food costs a lot. But what if someone lives on base? Isn't housing and food covered?
@@mikailbriggs2232 no cost of food is not covered on or off base
I take it you wouldn't like major East Coast cities. Boston, Philly, New York, because the cost of living in these cities are similar to Honolulu.
I'm from New York so everything is going to be a big shock
Great video, congratulations on the baby ✌️
Thank you, your video was very informative 👍
God; i wish I’d seen this before we accepted the duty station
Half these things are cons of literally everywhere.
Kinda reminds me of Alaska
Dislocation Allowance (DLA) should cover a second POV.
Hi there, we thought so too but we spoke with financial office on post and ask them this and they told us If you have a GTC you will only be granted TLA not DLA and the GTC can not be used for vehicles or animals
Wow I came across your video while trying to see what housing looks like in Hawaii. Hearing you explain the cost of living alone has made me decide we’re not coming to Hawaii. The husband is up for orders and the choices was to stay put or transfer to Hawaii. in my opinion neither was a good choice but I’d rather stay put and deal with it than come to Hawaii and deal with all of that.
You shouldn't live your life by other peoples experiences. Unless you live in a small town with a super low cost of living, you won't be too jarred by Hawaii prices. I shop at Walmart here in Honolulu, I pay the same for food as I did on the East Coast...some foods are cheaper here in Hawaii, gas prices are about the same, and I found a 3 bedroom house for $300 cheaper than what I paid in rent on the EC. You just have to know where to shop and take your time finding an affordable home. They're out there. The people who are surprised about the cost of living clearly has never lived in a major metropolis...Or either lived in a cheap low-cost slum within the metropolis their whole lives. Just stay out of the tourist area when shopping. You'll find prices that you are familiar and comfortable with. At the end of the day, the cost of living is high all over the USA.
POOOLEEEEE DAMN I MISS YOU BRO!!!!! (:
My family was stationed at Hickam AFB in 1965 and after my brother got us kicked off base because he and his buddies decided to break into the NCO Club and steal a bunch of liquor and, of course got caught.
So we ended up living off base in Makiki to Waikiki and I loved it.
You need to learn to step outside your comfort zone and deal with it, you'll be better for it. This little mid-west wifey needs to go back to the farm in Kansas and not leave.
She has no sense of exploration and how to fit in and quit crying. My god she's SO whiny !
With all due respect the island is a lot different than it was in the 60s. The population and cost of living surged. The point of the video is to help prepare others for the reality of living on the island the stuff no one wants to talk about. It’s not fair for military families to be blindsided by most of this information and learn the hard way. But thanks for the view and comment it. Also I went to every beach and did almost every hike in my time there I explored all there was to explore unfortunately there’s just not all that much to do there.
At least your not stationed in Germany! Born and raised in hawaii and haven't been home in almost 3 years cause of this stupid covid shit. Cost of living is somewhat high because their currency is in euro and the US dollar has Less value. Where I'm at the language barrier is quite large. On the pet thing, if you have housing and you have a pet it would be easier to give them away than to try take them home. What I'm trying to say is it can be much worse
I'm loving being in Kaneohe from San Diego. We moved just before Covid and we always say....so glad we are on Oahu during covid compared to other places, still can go to the beach, hike, drive and see the Koolaus, go to North Shore, sail, kayak, Kbay Sandbar, etc. Really appreciate the beauty of the islands
I spend like $600-$800 a month of groceries.
For how many people? I just got orders.
@@beccathering7035 2 adults, 2 kids. With inflation its way more now.
@@ashleichefleilani2377 it's 1600 to 2000 a month now here in Oahu for family of 4
I ain't leaving🤷
My husband and I have been here for about 5 months and his unit is horrible lol 😂 I hate the cost to live for sure!
Which unit ? What rank is your hubby ? It has to be better than Europe & Japan right ?
Is the lockdown bad over there can you eat in restaurants at least or just take out ?
Sorry for all the questions . Family .
@@labellabeach631 ...we are loving Hawaii. Moved here two years ago from San Diego. Yes the groceries prices and eating out are high but I cook most meals and is affordable. Our rent is high but we don't mind it for 3 years. Our place is more affordable for the views we get than what it would be in CA.
I’m counting down the days until we can leave. I can 100% relate to this!
As bad or a good way?
Thank you for this video. Are there any bugs or spiders that are common that would freak a person out... like I'm in Arizona now and the tarantulas are VERY common and the scorpions and little critters... I love the weather here and the beautiful scenery (mountains), but I hate the critters and some ppl have experienced snakes often... the housing here and cost of living is nice too...
S. Strength I hear Arizona is wonderful! Here in Hawaii there are cane spiders that a lot of people see. Other than that roaches and geckos are the most common issue in the homes, even the cleanest of homes they find their way in.
Good news though there are no snakes in Hawaii!
@@izzypoole5939 roaches??? Girl, I don't want roaches!
@@izzypoole5939 so there's nothing to prevent the roaches and spider??
S. Strength You can have pest control come and spray! If you live on post its free once a month! It for sure helps but you can tell towards the end of the month when it starts to wear off. I noticed in my first home without central AC there was a bigger insect problem and now that I have central and keep my house cold (68-70) there’s hardly any coupled with the monthly pest treatment!
@@izzypoole5939 is there central ac on base?
Well if you go to the Air Force or the Navy Commissary is there a little bit cheaper than the Army's commissary because I've lived in Hawaii been there it is beautiful I adapted to the cost of living cuz that's anywhere you go and she lives on Schofield Barracks up there on Schofield be careful of the wives of theories Close Quarters they love to gossip and and everything if you have kids be careful cuz they run around in the backyard just with a diaper or a t-shirt you get the MPS called on you I've been there done that so stay safe and have fun in Hawaii but there is one thing as a place on the beach I can't remember the name of the hotel where you cook your own food and it's a lot cheaper that way on a grill and a cook shows you how to do it I don't know how expensive is now but back in the nineties it wasn't that bad when I was there I loved you didn't want to come back home here to the states China Mainland I wanted to stay in Hawaii so enjoy I'm just telling you from a military wife be experienced and looked at a lot of years with the military so stay safe and stay cool use common sense cuz they don't want your dogs to have fleas or other Little Critters or any disease to come to the islands they're all that way even when you go to Germany or anywhere else in the world it's like that everywhere okay this is one military wife telling another and like I said I've got a lot of years on you and I've been around the military all my life and I know how it is
You sound like a dependa.
I insist!
I got my head kicked in by three locals in the Ala Moana parking so yay me
I'm in the military, born and raised native Hawaiian as well. After growing up there my entire life, and my entire family all being from there. Its safe to say that alot of locals, including alot of my family, hate the military. Look up the history of hawaii and why we are no longer the kingdom of hawaii
You are absolutely right! I was stationed at Schofield Barracks in the 80s. Locals definitely not military friendly there. But I can understand why. Young military males with money to spend. Homesick, just back from the field! Drinking up their paycheck in 1 weekend. What can possibly go wrong?
People like her are so sheltered and uninformed as to the reasons why things are the way they are. Her time in Hawaii was temporary yet she chose to make this video which is literally the case for almost every duty station out there.
Girl, try Guam. It’s sooooo much worse😂
Moskitos are terrible there
Hawaii is not for everybody. Military stationed here are basically tourists that are just here longer. If you live on base then you're practically back in the mainland.
I'm sorry but Electricity is NOT INCLUDED IN BASE HOUSING
You forfeit your entire BAH and your housing and utilities are covered this was true in Hawaii and Texas.
@@izzypoole5939 no they changed it back in 2016 all military housing electric is charged now. Btw im still in Hawaii I should know!!+
@@jaxripper251 not sure what branch you are in however we lived there for 3 years and it was after 2016 and all three years it was included on post. Also I worked as a leasing agent on post and I know for a fact it was Included with base housing. You should talk to your leasing center if you are not getting it taken from you bah. There is a limit and should you exceed the monthly limit you have to pay the difference but I’ve seen that happen very rarely
@@izzypoole5939 I lived in the coast gaurd housing. So yes no electricity is free there stop fkn arguing with me. Like I said im still here living in kaneohe damn