What is life on fort Polk like?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:52:30 -0400

I am transferring from Wisconsin national guard to active duty as a 91B my first duty station is gonna be fort Polk I am married no kids I’m wondering what it is like on fort Polk, give me the good the bad and the ugly please

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 1:39 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:39:01 -0400

... Did you piss off someone at MEPS? I have not been to a lot of active bases, maybe a dozen or so.... Polk is the worst (IMHO) simply due to the weather and climate. However, my experience is drawn from JRTC rotations there. Not sure about the active, non-training side of the base. I understand there is not much around the area. Always hot and wet. Hopefully you are not there long...

Response by COL Randall C. made Nov 3 at 2022 2:10 PM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:10:28 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member, welcome to active duty and good luck at the home of JRTC . Depending on how you approach the assignment, it will be great or it will suck (if you DON'T turn into a homebody, you'll have a much better change of the former than the later).

There are lots of outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, hiking, etc) if you're so inclined and of course, if you're a LSU fan, Baton Rouge is about a three hour trip away. If you're a big fisherman, then Toledo Bend is supposed to be the #1 bass fishing lake in the country. New Orleans is about five hours away.

There have been many changes since I was there last (about 25 years or so ago), so I'll point you to some of the sites that will give you a good run-down.

https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/fort-polk (more of the 'encyclopedia description' of Ft. Polk)

https://armywifenetwork.com/pwtm-fort-polk-louisiana/ (good site from the point of view of "what can I do and what's around")

Again, it can be a 'good' assignment or a 'lousy' one. It does have a new commissary and PX on post as well as a good hospital, but if you want activities, there are a lot to do as long as you're not a "base bunny" and get outside the wire.

Fort Polk | Base Overview & Info | MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Find key information & resources for Fort Polk in Louisiana including contacts, important messages, directions, cost of living, and more.

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Nov 4 at 2022 11:08 AM

MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:08:45 -0400

COL Randall C. has provided some excellent advice. To what he has listed, I will add from my own experience at Barksdale AFB, consider home schooling or find a private school for your children. Granted a lot may have changed since I was in Louisiana in the early 2000's but 70% of the Bossier Parrish school teachers home schooled their own children due to the poor standards of the public schools at the time. Hopefully that's changed for the better by now. Beauregard Parish may be a totally different situation.

Louisiana is an outdoorsman's paradise and the cultural opportunities can't be matched anywhere. There are tons of things to experience if you have the initiative to seek them out. Don't be one of the "Base Bunnies" who never go outside the fence of the Post.

Response by SPC Gehr Kirgis made Nov 6 at 2022 2:03 PM

SPC Gehr Kirgis — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:03:00 -0500

It's not to bad, but it's been a good while since I was there. Flat terrain, and easy to navigate around!