Minot AFB info

[Guest Tokyo]

Lost my pilot slot in ROTC on a eye technicality, going to Minot as a contracting officer.

Anybody know anything about the base such as what the VOQ are like, living off base and what that is like, typical rent, wx info etc etc?

Any input from those in the know would be great, thanks.

[Guest Xtndr50boom]

Wx info.....Cold as a mofo. I hear the summer weeks are nice though, except for the monster mosquitos

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

DUDE!!!!

That really is an eye opener (pun intended).

Did you special request that assignment? Cause from what I've seen, guys who lose their slots due to a medical technically are "usually" give a fairly decent selection after the fact.

Just seems like you got pretty much shafted. :confused:

Anyway, "Why not Minot? Freezin's the Reasin'."

Best of luck

[ 03. May 2005, 11:27: Message edited by: C-21 Pilot ]

[Guest twood]

just a suggestion......get one of those plugs for your vehicle that keeps the oil and engine block warm so you don't destroy your engine cranking it during the winter. They have posts all over the base to plug into.

[Guest grsckoro]

I spend two wonderful years in the mountainous country of ND. Lots of ski resorts, and .....jk flatter than helll in ND. I did spend two years in Grand Forks and flew to Minot several times. Winters: 9 hard months of -10++++ winters with 20-60kts of wind blowing the bjesus out of your bones. Summers in ND are hot, humid and very very buggy. Mosquito’s (sp) the state bird are the biggest little bit$h's. You can't even play a round of golf. Minot isn't as bad as the Forks, but its' still ND.

Rent is great; we paid $900 for a 1500sq ft brand new townhouse apt. Never went to Minot AFB but here it is nice, the Grand Forks Base was pretty nice with nice new facilities and my 135 neighbor said it was better than expected.

Sorry about your slot man, but good luck with everything. We look at back at our ND stay and actually enjoyed it, nice simple life and the locals are all really nice. Watch out for those 80's neon bright pink, green and yellow snow suits those. They apparently just hit the market over there!

[ 03. May 2005, 12:28: Message edited by: TUG ]

[Guest Wxpunk]

RT said:

Lost my pilot slot in ROTC on a eye technicality, going to Minot as a contracting officer.

I hate to be the first to ask, but who'd you piss off? Minot is one of the worst, if not the worst, CONUS assignments and technicalities can usually be waved.

I'm not trying to ruffle your feathers or make you disclose any personal information, I'm just curious, what kind of technicality?

Either way, sorry.

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Wxpunk

[Mambo]

Just be glad you didn't get Cannon AFB, NM....truly the worst base I have ever been stationed at!!! I'd rather have cold and snow than constant 25-30 kt winds blowing dust and sand everywhere in 90-100 degree heat!

[Guest Tokyo]

Thanks for info thus far...lost slot because of high eye pressure...have been tested a few times at low levels...so AF said they'll give me a couple months and then I can retest...off to Minot in the mean time.

[Guest beylund]

Dude screw the naysayers. North Dakota is a good place, it's just what you make of it. I've heard a lot of people tell me they liked being staitoned there because the people they worked with became more tightly knit because there weren't as many locals to hang with. It can get really hot and really cold in North Dakota but usually it's not too bad at all. Most people only know what they've learned of ND in "Fargo" and are morons for it. Wow I guess I'm really passionate about this. Anyway the people are as nice as you'll ever find, educated and not all that sheltered although the mean age might be a a little more than you're used to. I've always caught hell for being from "backward" "boondock" North Dakota but compared to some places I've seen in the South, wow. Not South bashing here ladies and gents, just saying... wow. Also, the accent is rare and more of a Fargo/Minnesota thing.

[Guest grsckoro]

Originally posted by Uncle Rico:

Dude screw the naysayers. North Dakota is a good place, it's just what you make of it. I've heard a lot of people tell me they liked being staitoned there because the people they worked with became more tightly knit because there weren't as many locals to hang with. It can get really hot and really cold in North Dakota but usually it's not too bad at all. Most people only know what they've learned of ND in "Fargo" and are morons for it. Wow I guess I'm really passionate about this. Anyway the people are as nice as you'll ever find, educated and not all that sheltered although the mean age might be a a little more than you're used to. I've always caught hell for being from "backward" "boondock" North Dakota but compared to some places I've seen in the South, wow. Not South bashing here ladies and gents, just saying... wow. Also, the accent is rare and more of a Fargo/Minnesota thing.

If you think Minot is better than Fargo you are out of your mind, Bismarck is the best place in ND by far, but they all aren't anything to fight for. Yes, North Dakotans are very nice, some educated, some not, I haven't been to the south so can't compare, but a lot are very sheltered. About 75% of the people and friends I met there all thought driving in Fargo, GF or Bismarck was tough and had a lot of traffic? They even refused to drive on road trips to places like Denver? Sheltered I'd say.

After all this, I did enjoy most of the time in ND, met a lot of great people, but to call us morons for stating the obvious is stupid. You must be a local. Also try spell check.

[ 04. May 2005, 18:38: Message edited by: TUG ]

[Guest grsckoro]

The bird hunting is also amazing in S and N Dakota.

[Guest Wxpunk]

TUG said:

Also try spell check.

TUG also said:

...but allot are very sheltered.

...and had allot of traffic?

...met allot of great people...

Given your spell-check comment, I had to call you out on this.

www.Dictionary.com

ALLOT

1. To parcel out; distribute or apportion: allotting land to homesteaders; allot blame.

By the way, I used allot instead of a lot in my family web site for several years before my wife call me out too!

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Wxpunk

[Guest beylund]

Amen TUG. Anyone need an honest hookup as far as hunting goes hit me up. Serious inquiries only please. We'll call it a welcome to heaven deal.

[Guest beylund]

Originally posted by Wxpunk:

"Minot is one of the worst, if not the worst, CONUS assignment."

-Now how you gonna act? People?

[Guest Wxpunk]

What?

Anyway, fine, I retract my statement on the grounds of never actually going there. I initially based it on all the jokes and first hand accounts that I've heard over the last 12 years.

Good luck in Minot, RT, I'm sure it's just lovely.

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Wxpunk

[Guest Tokyo]

no doubt

[Guest twood]

Speaking of hunting how does the license thing work for the military? Lets say you move to another state and you've only been there for a couple months and (insert game here) season starts soon. Do you have to pay the out of state license fee to hunt until you're a state resident (I think its 1 year)? Any help would be great. I'm an avid waterfowl hunter and if anyone knows what AFBs are near good duck, goose, etc. hunting it would be great if you could share the info.

[Bergman]

In my experience with Nebraska, I was always able to get state resident rates by using my military I.D. and recent LES. Other states may be different. Call or surf the DNR/county web site for a definitive answer.

[Guest grsckoro]

As Military you always get "in state" licenses.

My time in ND, I was not military but if you have a Drivers license and a current address they will give you in state. They never asked how long you have been there.

[Guest Rainman A-10]

I was born 125 miles west of Minot in a little town called Williston. My Grandparents are Norwegian farmers (right off the boat types) who moved west from Minnesota to western ND in search of cheap land.

I moved from ND to Minneapolis when I was 18 months old but we went back every year when I was a kid. I was the "city kid" cousin from Minneapolis.

That part of ND appears to be extremely flat. there is actually a fair amount of terrain but you need to be on the ground to notice since the terrain consists of "coolies" or mini-canyons formed by small streams. The deer hang out in the coolies.

The locals are very friendly. They are unassuming and unpretentious. They live simple lives. The population in very homogenous. It is small town America...house doors unlocked and keys that never leave the ignition of your car. Softball is a huge deal up there and everyone plays it.

The hunting is awesome and the farmers/ranchers are very cool about letting you hunt on their land.

I have been stationed in the south a few times and the people are also friendly down there but the overall culture is very different. We were in Fayetteville for 30 minutes before my kids heard a local farmer at a produce stand use the N-word 5 times in one sentence. That does not happen in Minot.

Big picture, I don't think I could live up there but I like to visit and my kids all get off playing on their cousins farms.

Minot, like any assignement, will be fun if you get out there and get involved. If nothing else, you'll be telling stories 50 years from now about how COLD it was.

[B52gator]

i am stationed at minot and love it. if somebody says "it sucks" they probably have never been here. most people i know who have been here have had a great time. now for a single guy, you have to work a little harder...but there are plenty of locals and basers to go around. no matter where you go though, it is what you make of it. if you have a bad attitude, then your time here will suck. plus the mighty BUFF is here!

[Guest grsckoro]

Rainman,

I have flown to Wiliston several times while at UND. Nice little town, and some of the best terrain in the state of ND. The rest is flat as a hell.

The cold is bad, but the flatness killed me being from the NW. When your flying there, you don't feel like you went anywhere, just a new airport showed up.

Have a good one Rain,

[Guest SnakeT38]

First assignment was GFAFB. Was about 36 hours

on a 360 heading from Baton Rouge La. Once you get to Omaha..........you can "roll" a bowling ball the rest of the way and it won't stop until

Canada. My kids WERE VERY EXCITED when I told them

Santa Claus could walk to "their" house he was so close.

Agree with comments about nice people. Agree with comments about the WORST weather in the US.

Summer starts June 1st, ends Aug 31st.......winter then starts AGAIN. The mosquitoes have your standard red/green wingtip position lights so UND flight school won't have midairs with them.

Coming from LA. the "block heater" took some explaining. Never understood how 2" of snow could "cover" your car while at the same time

allowing the neighbor to cut his grass (severe wind).

Local women seemed to all be "built" for surviving outdoors in winter (thick, lots of padding, did not say fat).

Soil is so rich, you can get two gardens in 3 months. Had to cut tomatoes down from the roof of my house.(dinosaur bones must be good fertilizer)

Lastly, IMHO, Custer was wasting his time, if the

Indians (Native Americans) wanted to live in tents on a river, in the winter, in the Dakota's

they should have let them.........

Not intended to "piss" any "No Dakers" off but I think they should take USAF personnel FROM the local area to these assignments first, then "fill" the holes with everyone else.

[ 25. May 2005, 21:57: Message edited by: SnakeT38 ]

[Toro]

F***ing hilarious, Snake!