Active Duty Military with Schoolie??

[Dawson]

Hello!

Anyone working on or have already built a schoolie while active duty military? I am currently in the military and about to be assigned to a new duty station in Virginia Beach. I have been doing lots of research on schoolies and think it would be great to build one.
I'd love to hear from other active duty members who have built their schoolie and any tips and advice they might have with where they built their conversion, if they parked their conversion on base RV parks, and how they stored their schoolie while on deployments. Any help would be great!

Thanks,
-Dawson

[brucemoody]

Hi Dawson, I am at the very first stages of getting and converting a bus, so I haven't done it yet, though I am doing a lot of research. I am retired Navy. Yesterday I called Bolling AFB in DC. They said I could store the bus in the camper storage lot, operated by MWR Outdoor Recreation. But, I had to sign up on a waiting list that is 6-9 months long, and it will cost $90 a month. I know that's only a partial answer to your question, but it's what I've learned so far. I will be doing more research before any concrete moves, so if I learn more, I'll let you know.

Bruce

[Stu & Filo. T]

Ex Air Force here & I remember my base had a huge auto shop & hobby shop with all kinds of equipment. One would think you could find ALL kinds of talent to help you out.

[Dawson]

Thanks Bruce, I'll give MWR a call and see if I can do the same thing. I've also noticed all of the school buses on base for transporting students around for training. I haven't inquired yet, but I bet the military would sell their old school buses pretty cheap. Hopefully even cut a deal for military members...just a thought.

[Dawson]

I've seen those autobody shops and self service centers on base. I wonder if they'd allow us to use it for a 40' bus! Ill ask around. Thanks for the help.

-Dawson

[Velocipedic]

AD USAF here: Most of the Auto hobby shop areas on base are small for bus work. Self help might have tools for rent or for free though. I also highly doubt you’d be allowed to park it on base anywhere but at the RV lot, as anywhere else it would be an eyesore.

I’m just looking at buying a bus right now and it’s looking like off base is the only place to start.

[OD_Vegan]

Hey what's up Dawson! I'm an AD Marine, getting ready to start my own build. Currently OCONUS, but I plan to build mine off base on private property then park on base once it's complete.

For deployments, nearly every large base has an RV and vehicle storage facility which is pretty cheap for deployed Marines. Ask around for the "Rot Lot" that should point you in the right direction.

Glad to hear another AD member is getting into a build. Can't wait to see your progress.

[Schnlarb.doofens]

Dawson,

Might be a little late to your post but wanted to check in and see if you moved forward? I am AD Army and live in Virginia Beach on post. We just bought a school bus and are working on it on post. Pretty sure they are going to come around any day and tell me I have to move it. Also all the RV lots here are full with huge waiting lists that they say you will never get on. Not sure why the Navy does not provide some type of precedence to active members. So we got that going for us.

[Biscuitsjam]

Active duty Army. I live off post from Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

There are a multitude of RV lots around here on and off post, some pretty cheap. A lot of folks park their RVs at the "lemon lot" and list it for sale at twice its actual value (the lemon lot costs almost nothing). Currently, I'm parked in the front yard of my rental house - Alaska has almost no homeowners associations, building covenants, or even much in the way of building codes or city ordinances. People build their own garages, renovate their own houses, and often live in total dumps right next door to huge houses with landscaped yards.

Auto Skills doesn't have a bay big enough for the bus - they said they'd let me pull it into the middle area depending on how busy they are. However, I'd have to drive off-road into the exit because of how tight the turns are (winter snow will make that impossible). Auto skills here has no welding unlike some.

The local community does have a "tool library" though.

My main challenge is work hours and field time.