Our military deserves the best. They put their lives on the line for our freedom. God bless our troops

Thank You for the information. AS a Navy veteran of 15 years making the rate if E8. BTCS. I was hurt on active duty and was discharge without allowing me to finish my last 5 years FOR retirement. Currently at 80% disability. This has opened many doors for disable veterans in my position. We are full time and just made my first reservation at Little Creek Va. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.

I am 80% disabled and was super excited when I heard about this a few months ago. I went out to Keesler AFB recently (first weekend that the benifit was availble.) Had to register at base visitor center. They were swamped with newly eligible folks like me signing in. I already have reservations made for Pensacola Naval Air Station campground for February. The campground is off the base, but we still have to go to the visitor center and register before we go to the campground. We called the visitor center and found out that they have an area that is large enough for big rigs to pull over while we go inside to get passes. So if you are going to a base, do the research first and find out exactly where the campground is located and where the visitor center is and if there is a parking area for your rig while inside getting the pass. Also, don't bring a weapon to the campground. You will have to turn it in at the base armory. Some bases, if not all, will x-ray your rig. As of now, when the vet registers at the base, his/her ID will be in the system for that base and you can come and go as you please. This is not so for anyone coming onto the base with the vet. The person with you (my non-vet spouse) can get a one day visitor pass, but only one day at a time. So he has to get a visitor pass every day if the campground is on the base. If the campground is located off base, then he only has to get a pass when he comes on base with me to commissary, etc. This is an issue that they are working on for us newly eligible vets, but so far this is the work around that they are having to use. Check with the specific base for exact policies on this. There are still bugs to work out in the system. The military services had relatively little time to get prepared for this change. More than 4 million vets are now eligible. So be patient. The bugs will get worked out. But keep your cool if you come up against red tape and misinformation. If we all go in cussing and fussing and acting like asses because there are still some snags to work out, then bases will begin limiting our access to the privilege of using the campgrounds.

Love camping at the MWR Campgrounds. As a Retiree we get full access, it's nice to see the DOD extend the benefits out to Qualified Veterans. Great information! Thanks . GO ARMY

I got a notification from the VA that we can also use our VA med card to access commissary and the PX which I thought was pretty cool. Closest base to me is Ft. Campbell.

I love using the Military Campgrounds on bases. Clean, secure and fun. Biggest problem is navigating what gates are open and closed and what times of day or week. Also good prices.

Phil and Stacy, Thank you for all the info you provide for us. The things you guys do are a valuable resource and all the links help us navigate much easier. Semper Fi

Thanks for putting this together. This is the first that I have heard of this and as a Service Connected Disabled Veteran I plan on using this when and where I can.

Thanks for the Info, we have been Subscribers for a couple years. Just started full time RV'ing. I was in the AF in the early 70's and have been VA since 1975. The little woman is a Navy veteran. WE really enjoy your videos, please keep them coming.

Found out about your channel from a fellow member of the Tiffin Motorhomes Owners Group on Facebook and subscribed yesterday. Thanks for producing your very helpful videos. I am retired Army and we own a 2018 Allegro RED 33AA, so your videos relating to your full-time experiences with your coach are very helpful. We will begin full-timing for six months each year soon, leaving Florida for cooler parts north during the hot months, and returning during the cooler months. FYI, one of our favorite military campgrounds is Pelican Roost on Naval Station Mayport. Fantastic pull thru sites where you can watch our Navy heading out or returning from cruises.

Glad to hear that. I am a 90% service connected disabled Veteran. I already got a letter in the mail from the VA.

You are both an absolutely pleasure to listen to!

I am a 90% disabled Army veteran and I am super excited about this. I made a short reservation to go test the waters. Thanks for taking the time to put this out.

*I love this....respect for those who gave.....this brought back a bunch of memories for me*

I live in the Phoenix area. I went down to Tuscon yesterday. I went to Davis-Monthan AFB to test the check in process and it was easy. I now have a picture ID card they gave me and I have access to the base til 2024. It is $24 per day for camping FHU. They have 197 sights and they are totally full. They do not take reservation. First come first serve. Thanks for your info. BTW, I am a Viet Nam Vet, 60% disabled. I am very happy to have this new resource for camping.

I know this is a fairly old video but I wish there were more veteran videos on KZfaq! I’m a navy veteran and my husband is about to retire from the navy after 23 years.. we are planning to be full timers. We’ve been doing a ton of research and watching all of yalls videos and a few other channels. It’s nice to see some veterans out there living their best life like we’re about to be doing 😊 yalls videos have us so ready to buy our rv and get started!

Thanks for putting this together! I've studied up on this myself, and have been asked for clarity from many of our guests here at Midway! This could make getting reservations ahead of time even more important! Great job, as usual! ~Roxi

Thank you soooo much! You just made my day! I never thought it was fair to keep us from the base accommodations when my husband fully intended to retire from the Navy, except a service connected disability kept him from finishing his last 8 years 😢 So now we should be able to join the community that we devoted our lives to once again! See ya soon!

Disabled Vet here, just stumbled upon this. Thank you for sharing! Will be working on getting a VHIC now

Thank you for this. I am retiring from active duty in about 34 months. I recently bought a class A to upgrade from our pop up camper. I am slowely renovating it during the end of my hysterectomy recovery. I have found many military bases to have nice and quiet environments for myself and the kiddos.

As a retiree, reservations for prime Mil CG sites were difficult to get - now they’ll be impossible 🙁. It really should be open to ALL Vets. But that’d require a big increase in the Fam Camp system and prices would go up even more than they have under the non-subsidized rules change of years past.

I get a lot of VA info and post it on my website. This is the first time I read about the Campgrounds. Thanks for this update.

On our local Air Force Base the camp ground is managed by Billeting not MWR. You call and make reservations just as you would for a hard billet. Thanks again for the info on the access pass! We love our Army Corp of Engineers camp grounds.

Thank you for your Service

I loved this video! I am so impressed with all the options we vets have out there

I agree. Military campgrounds are a great deal,if you are eligible. I have stayed at several and have saved a lot of money. Also the MWR office is a great place to get discounted tickets for local activities. The exchange and commissaries didn't seem to be cheeper than Wal-Mart.

Good Video you two for those of us who are Veterans.

So sad we will not be attending the Tampa RV show this year. We would have loved to have met you both. Hope you have a Great Time! Lou & Angie 💚❤

I just found you! We are new to all this, my hub is retired Navy/Army NG so we're taking advantage of this!! We're in Washington state, the facility at Pac Beach is open and above the ocean! Beautiful! The one on Ft. Lewis on American Lake is fairly private, with a beautiful lake! These are a great benefit for all eligible members who've dedicated their lives to service and country!

Thank you so much, I had no idea. I will check it out.

So grateful for this info!

Thank You!!! Guys!!!

Thanks Brother n Sister. Y'all coming to the RTR? Saved this video for future knowledge of myself.

ELKS Lodges often, not always, have good RV camping. Usually full hookups. Cheap, usually 1/3 the going rate for the area or make a simple donation. You have to be a member of any Elks Lodge and then you can use any Elks lodge.. We use them but rarely venture into the Lodge bar to drink with the more than occasional problem drunks. You can just use the hassle free and safe camping. Also most always dry camping at most Elks if you find yourself with no place to stay. Hey, it happens for lots of reasons beyond your planing.

Thank you SO very much for sharing this! Next time y'all come through central texas lets have coffee!

Great video! We have heard that Eglin AFB is doing a pilot program for online reservations. Have you guys heard or have any further info on that? MWR for lodging does it all over the world...MWR said they are going to use the same concept. Thank you guys for the great videos! Safe Travels!

Hey Guys, I'm new and fixing to have my first RV. Can't wait to do it!!!!

Thank you

So nice of you all to specifically review so that everyone has access to their benefits! @JustVistingRV/@PamTrain

This is so helpful!! Thank you!

We're at Fort Sam Houston now...nice park, we'll be here 10 days, looking for to seeing the Alamo, the River walk, and the zoo.

That is good information for all the veterans. I think they should have fair access. My dad is retired Air Force and we are allowed to camp with him. Camden SC Has an awesome Military Campground. Kurk runs the place and is the best. Shaw Recreation Area Lake Wateree, SC If in the area you should visit. Boats, Kayaks, Game Room, Garden for guest, Camp store and much more. Thanks for your support and your service!

Thank you, a lot of great information

My parents are retired USAF and I would love for them to get into a rig and find a great community of fellow wanderlust Veterans to meet up with and travel our Beautiful Country that they spent 33 years in service of. Thank you for the video and your Service too 🎖

Great info. Just a side note...no weapons allowed. And don’t lie if caught that’s a fed charge. Not good...

Great information! Thanks for sharing!

Fantastic video, as usual. You guys rock. Is there a directory for what bases have a campground?

Just spent a week in Key West for business. While there we went over and checked out the campground at the NAS. The way the young lady at the office explained it to us is that if you are able to get a reservation you will be in a dry camping site (Boondocking) then move to a full hook up site in a rotation. Here is the kicker, the rotation takes 4 weeks. So basically, if you are going to stay in Key West for the entire season (winter) then it may make sense. Active can reserve a year out and retirees can reserve 6 months out. Dry sites are $17 and full hook ups are $27. We also looked at the “overflow” area. No hook ups, saw lots of generators sitting out next to RVs and....um...basically looks like a big junk yard. I would not recommend it if overflow is the only option. With that said, if you are looking for a VERY cheap way to stay in Key West and can keep your expectations quite low it may be ok for you.

Thanks for the additional info

I have done a lot of research on this topic. DOD finally came out with the regulations and decided that access to the bases will be your VA medical i.d. card. It's the blue and white card with a bar code on the back. Your card MUST say "service connected" underneath your photo on the top right. It can also say "Purple heart recipient" or "medal of honor'. Veterans who are not service connected will not be granted access. Your rating can be anything from 0% to 100%. You can also use the commissary and BX. Your spouse or visitors who are riding with you must check in at the visitor center and you will need to sign them in.

I’m a retired Marine and we really enjoy camping at the Onslow Beach Campground aboard Camp Lejeune, NC.

I just watched your video about military campgrounds. My wife and I are in Central Florida from Virginia. Yesterday we drove over to MacDill AFB and registered in the visitors center. Once that was completed, we drove over to the campground to take a look at it. The font part is a little congested, but the back part has very wife sites. Hers's the problem with Mac Dill AFB. The only way to get onto the base w/ a rig is thru the commercial base. I then would have to unhook, drive over the the visitors center to get a pass for my wife. Drive to the campground office, check in and then go back to hook up and head to the assigned site. I can't go thru the gate where the visitors center is. There is no RV parking there and I would be to high to get thru security. I am a veteran of Vietnam and this is the first time I have been on an active duty base in 52 years. It feels almost like "home". Love your videos. My wife and I have decided to go full time so now comes the the task of getting rid of 47 years of "stuff". Safe travels and maybe one day we will meet you on the road.

Great information.

Hi Phil and Stacy, I cannot wait for my first on base camping to share my personal history with my wife.

Thanks for sharing.

I am a Vet, but not a retiree or fall into the new added groups. I am appalled that a Purple Heart recipient, a past Prisoner of War or aDisable Vet (service related) does not hold a HIGHER position - they should come first!

It really should be all vets!!

Quick question off topic. Have you ever thought about using a air cooker in the kitchen? Didn’t know if this is been covered what are the negatives other than power draw.

Hey you two, enjoyed the episode. When you get to San Diego, please let me know. You might be familiar with the reputation and burgers at Rocky's Crown Point? Let's meet there for San Diego's best burger!

Great news, another option thank you

Veterans(any) can now shop online at shopmyexchange.com. It at least allows veterans who aren’t able to access military bases the chance to shop at an exchange. Hope this information helps some folks. 😃

Thank you for the info! I am retired Army/Navy. Looking forward to traveling once I retire from civil service. I am looking into buying a class B RV.

All Vets have Exchange and I believe Commissary privileges now. The Commissary does have some deals, but the Exchanges aren't really that cost competitive on many things. They will usually match but you need a current ad from a local store. On line doesn't count. Most of the bases I've been to in the last few years had Exchanges and Commissaries inside the security perimeter. A few you could reach without going through a gate, but even those were subject to being pulled inside when conditions warranted.

Only 17 percent fully retire. Most of us have honorable separation I still don’t qualify but am glad others that it can help.

Thanks guys. BZ

Don’t forget The Department of Homeland Security, more specifically US Coast Guard bases. There are several that have RV spots that veterans can partake in.

Veterans should be able to go on any base to camp if there is space for them. Veterans deserve better.... (discluding those that are at risk or those that are problems. There out there.) Disabled should be 0 to 49%

thank you

Thank you!

I’m curious with your experience and would love to see either a response or a video on how difficult it is for retirees to actually get into campgrounds because we have to wait six months out versus a year out for active duty. For instance how difficult is it to get into a campground in Utah?

Hey ya'll when you went to McDill did you just follow the GPS directions?

Just ran across your channel and thank you for posting this video. I'm a disabled Retired vet and do qualify for MWR access. But I'm wondering about my camper...will it qualify for access. I converted a cargo trailer to a camper. I know some campgrounds do not allow DIY built campers onsite and just wondering do some of the military campgrounds have the same rules.

Some useful and helpful information. As 💯 disabled veteran I plan to use these benefits. In the video you said 0 to 90%. What about rated higher?

Great video as always guys! My wife and I will begin using military campgrounds as we travel. I'm retired USCG (no puddle jumper cracks!). What has been your experience on military campgrounds as far as availability of campsites in these campgrounds?? Wondering if they are usually slammed and generally full or usually have sites open. Thanks guys!

Thanks for the video! Hope you have an opportunity to camp at MacDill while at Tampa. It's right on the water overlooking Tampa Bay. Side note: Phil, you must be as old as me. MAC was inactivated in 1992. It's now AMC (although I still call it MAC flights too - lol). Hope to see you at the RV show on Friday -George

I do qualify under service connected disability. My only concern is getting spouse on base for recurring RV Camping. The access is all over the place for sponsored guests. NAS Jax requiresdaily background check for sponsored guests, others don't.

It's too bad this turned into a debate about who should and shouldn't have these privileges. The fact is everyone who signed up committed to serving. War or no war they were there. How many civilians make that commitment when they take a job. Thank you for sharing this information, it is appreciated.

Do you travel with weapons? What do you do with them when going on military bases?

Ty I am Ret vet

👍

Sweet!

We found a great deal at White Sands Missile Range up near Las Cruces, NM. $10 per night full hook up. Problem is only 8 spaces but the overflow parking is $5 a night with water and power! If you ever get there, Las Cruces has an awesome military memorial Park.

Also, as a Civilian DOD, I stay at military campgrounds and as an older Single woman 64 yo, I prefer them.

Just a comment. (I have no problem with the new inclusions.). I believe their should be a tighter limit on the length of stay at the RV sites. This homesteading mentality (active duty, excluded) on military bases is pretty ridiculous. Some of these Base commanders need to step up and set these limits. A majority of Air Force bases cannot be reserved, they are first come first serve basis. I’d be really taking a chance traveling long distance and trying to get into a space without a reservation. We’ve been going where we can reserve, but we’re retired AF.

Does my Fiance need to have a REAL ID drivers licence to get on the bases?

You have idea How much parking rent for active duty army?

I served in the early 80’s and there was no war involvement during that time so I’m still left out. I think the only benefit I still have is my VA mortgage and a burial, which I won’t be using.

Appreciate the info but it’s actually 0% - 100% service connected C&P rating or disability rating.✌🏽

Do you know if retired Canadian Vets can access the campgrounds?

I was in The Vietnam War and knocked off my top bunk bed n hit a metal locker. But I can’t prove it ruined my back! I just got a stroke that came from the same area now my right leg is partially paralyzed. But even if I spent 4 years in the Navy n almost half of it in Vietnam (combat action ribbon holder) I still can’t get access to the campgrounds? I am somewhat confused! about access?

Is there a site that consolidates all the military campgrounds?

I'm 51 and my Dad is a recently deceased retired Colonel in the AF. Can I camp in my Rv?

Do you have any info for 100% disabled VET discounts?

Can non-veterans get in if a veteran is in their party?

Total disabled vets such as I you can reserve a site 6 months out.

Retired Air Mark Guard....

Where can I find the prices for the campgrounds on different bases? I’m a medically retired vet with service connected disabilities at 80%.

i am a dutch veteran that is all possebel for my

Cut off is at 90% even if you are a disabled veteran with a rating of 100% service- connection? Also carry the DOD card 🇺🇸

Can a veteran get sponsored by a retired vet to stay on a base