What am I thinking...?
 

Update- 04 Jan 09

Well, had a rough last couple of months with the ole lady. Was browsing on her computer and noticed she was looking for apartments....nowhere near where we've been planning on going. The writing was always on the wall but this is the closer. We haven't spoken in 3 days, but I'm sure when we do it will be the goodbye talk. I will still be coming to KC and look forward to tailgaiting with yall! :thumb:

I think OP is going to be the place I settle due to the proximity of my school. Twenty-six year old college kid, should be fun!


=========================

I get out of the good ole Army in 2 years and have convinced my wife that we need to move to KC. 1. Who moves to a city due to their love of a football team? 2. What are the decent neigborhoods/surrounding towns?

3. Is it a nice place to live or should I say **** it and go back to South Dakota?

Look forward to all of your insights....

*****Edit*****

Ok, I've made the decision to move to the Kansas City, Kansas area. My wife will arrive there in June '10 and I will be there in November '10. I will be attending Cleveland Chiropractic College and my wife will be working on Ft. Leavenworth for the base Morale Welfare and Recreation department. I need to purchase a place happily in the middle of the two by taking I70(unless you guys know a quicker way). The cities that I see on the map that fit that description are, Lansing, Bonner Springs, Fairmont, Wallula and Basehor with a few others. Are those ok areas? Are there better places around that with traffic reduces travel times? Im trying to keep my wifes travel time down to a max of 30 minutes and mine to 45. (Oh yeah, we have two children 9 and 7 so the schools are important as well.

And yes, I am moving to Kansas City to be close to the Chiefs. I do not know anyone who lives there and have only been there a few times. Fortunately, I can also make a bunch of other things fall into place. The new GI Bill is going to allow me to go to school and pay for my house. Anyway, the wife wants me to bbq some ribs now so who am I to argue.


I appreciate any advice and look forward to becoming a local:D

>>>>>edit<<<<<<again...


guess im just gonna live in the overland park area...

what is the best 1 bedroom apartment area?????

thanks...

retire from the military
or forever kick yourself in the ass/common rant

Army life just ain't my style.....


all the vets are singing the rest of this....

STAY ARMY.

The economy is really tough, you have great experience and loads of benefits, and technology will allow you to track the Chiefs in real time almost anywhere the Army sends you.

Seriously dude. I signed up for four years and I'm in my 16th now. Its a great career once you pin on those stripes and become a leader.

KCJ

Get out and go to school.

It's your life. If you're not comfortable in the army, don't continue.

take their money go to school. Let the wife support you, work part time.....

Well, been in long enough to be an NCO (E5) and have my associates. The monotony, politics and lack of self ownership have pushed me on my way. I have my plan, just not sure if I can follow it out in the KC area.

Personally I would love to go back to SD, the wife wants to live somewhere a little more diverse so I pushed KC on her and she bit. Just wondering if it is a good place for a family or if there may be a better place in surrounding areas.

Leverage your career experience and see if the Swiss army will offer you a better deal. You've got a good resume for them, other than maybe needing some pike experience.

Are you wanting the Kansas side or the Missouri side?

I assume you are in the 173rd Airborne Regimental Combat Team. If being a paratrooper during a time of war is 'monotonous', you'll really dig 9-5 in the KC metro area.

Good luck, buddy.

Either... my options are open. The wife would like to live closer to the Leavenworth(KS) area to keep up with her army civilian job but it's not a deal breaker.

Move to Olathe, it's always 75° and sunny there.

This sarcastic know-it-all attitude cements my opinion...

I'm sure you have your reasons for staying, but I have my reasons for leaving.

Olathe seems like a good place. Overland Park is nice, but kind of pricy from what I hear. In MO, you'd have Lee's Summit, Grandview, or someplace towards the north.

I'm biased, but I'm not sure why someone would pick Missouri if they can go anywhere. Denver is the finest city in the world, in my opinion.

thanks...

I honestly considered Denver...heard a bunch about the crime tho...

and I'm not sure if I could stand the donkey fans.

I wouldn't think that the crime here is notably greater than in Kansas City. In fact, I'd bet it's lower. The Broncos are annoying, but I think of them as a way to get the Chiefs to come to town once a year. And being in an AFC West city makes it more likely that you'll get the Chiefs on TV, unless of course they've got an idiot coach and lose a couple of dozen games a year or something.

I've never lived in KC, but I would heartily recommend Denver to anyone who's looking to make a start.

2 years is a long time
I know the last 3 have felt like forever

I will google Denver just because of this post... thanks!

Could you please clarify whether you are a paratrooper or not?
I was not being sarcastic. Its tough outside the military right now. the types of bonuses and benefits being offered to our servicemembers now are the best in history.

Sincerely (no sarcasm),
Good luck, buddy.

Denver is great but it is not the "finest city in the world." It is not even the best city in America.

San Diego > Denver

I got out in 97 after 12 yrs (E-7). Everyone, military and civilian told me what a big mistake I was making. The day I woke up free from military commitment (March 13, 1997) I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I did go back and work as a GS employee for the Army and now have 24 yrs towards retirement. Only you know what the best choice/option is for you. Don't stay and be miserable just because others tell you to, do what is right for you and it will all come out in the wash, so to speak.

Several points:
1) Thank you for your service. You have and are doing what most Americans don't have the stomach for. Never forget who you are regardless of what you decide.
2) Assuming this is the end of your first enlistment approaching, a lot can change in 2 years. It seems today you have decided to leave the Army. The new GI bill starting in Aug in 2009 is a great counter to re-enlisting that you earned. It makes the decisions concerning any re-enlistment bonuses/ incentives you may be offerred tougher. I have a suspicion those bonuses are going to start being reduced-they are in the USMC. Makes the decision tougher, particularly with the transferrability for continued service clause of the new GI bill for your family.
3) K.C. area. You hit most of the fan favorite locations. Schools drive many decisions for parents. I returned here after 30+ years (promise to my wife) and came back to visit for many of those in between deployments but was a west coast Marine most of the time. Screw Denver. Choose a career/school/geography with equal weight for you and your family.
4) Tough call but it's yours alone. KC Johnny has great points and I've commanded many marines and a few soldiers that I've seen again after they left once. It's an individidual decision. You likely have an IRR committment past your active obligation. Look at it carefully and remember you have reserve options as well. Most hard core guys I've served with either stayed or walked and did not half-step in the reserves. I have known many however that really appreciated the flexibility of the reserves. I am very familiar with USMC IRR involuntary re-calls, don't know much about the ARMY's. I recently commanded several marines deployed OCUNUS that were involled back to active duty. All were not pleased but were doing their duty as they voluntarily signed the contract to do. Ironically about 1/2 of those guys wanted to re-enlist back into the active component. That was tougher to do while deployed then it should have been due to law/policy and we worked through that. About 1/2 just wanted to complete their tour and get back to school, HVAC business, life, etc. All did their duty and are appreciated regrdless of their personal decision. Good luck with yours and Thank you

For what it's worth, I looked pretty heavily into KC after college mostly because of the Chiefs, so don't let #1 get ya down. In the end, though, I went to Denver to be close to the wife's family and because Rain Man decided to give me a job. Overall, I do like Denver, which has been a big surprise for the small-town Kansas kid that I am. It takes a little bit to get used to the fact that the majority of the people you know are Donkey fans, but other than that, they're not half bad.

Take all the opinions with a grain of salt, of course you got to do your own thing and I wish you luck in whatever path you choose.

Echo the thanks for serving, Brother....

Did five active and three reserves before I got out. Out for 6 years, got an education with that G.I. Bill. Civilian life is very different. Wasn't so hard while I was a cop, very paramilitary. But being in an office felt like prision. Corporate Security is full of politics. If you stay the course, get the education. Do it in something you love to study, don't make it a "practical" choice. I got a BS in Business, very practical and doesn't make enough of a difference in what the degree is in, for most cases anyway. Should have studied Art, could still get the job I have, and I could have enjoyed all those long hours of working and going to school, or at least as much as possible...

I decided to go back in the Reserves. Been one year now, and am staying for a Retirement for sure this time. May even go Active again, after I get a few things working for me. Warrant Officer career and retirement will be a bit more profitable/challenging/rewarding than enlisted.

as I said before, grain of salt, and best wishes.

Your right, the Military does offer some great benefits...


But military life or becoming a "Lifer" is not for everyone. Its not as cut and dried as you make it sound.

Alot of guys need to get out for the betterment of the military and themselves.

Plus, military life is hard on a family , with all the deployments going on right now.

I moved to KC from a small town in Kansas and thought I was just moving up here as a temp. thing and would move on to bigger and better things. I moved with my family when I was 18 and 3 months from 21 now and love the place and hope i'll be here for life. It's a great place that is big enough to have plenty to do yet it's not like cities where you go around and can't even make eye contact with people. Traffic is not bad at all, overall I like to think of it as a city that reminds me of small town life.

He's probably not 'snooty' enough for the Kansas side...:)

How is this even possible with all those Donkey fans?

Yes I am an airborne...and I know this is gonna sound funny... veterinary technician. I am the NCOIC of the vet clinic and take care of all the MWD's (military working dogs). I am extremely aware of the bennies. I will be taking full advantage of the GI Bill and VA Home loan. I'm looking into finishing up a RN within a year of clinicals when I ETS. My main goal is to provide stabilization for my family. I have a 6 and 8 year old and want them to have a steady middle/high school life.

Sorry for assuming the sarcasm, these computers have a way of twisting words....

Thanks for the well wishes.

I grew up in a small town in Missouri... went to college at the University of Kansas... and now I live in Lee's Summit... it is the 7th best school district in the US.

My wife and family love it here.

The only other place that I want to move to... is Vancouver Island in Canada... which is a strong possibility.

Wow, I really appreciate the time it took for you to write this. Fortunately I have given the Army 6 years and will have served the entire 8 by the time I get out so they can't (fingers crossed they don't come up with some crazy law) call me back in. I'm just ready to live my life on my own terms. All you vets out there understand this.... simple stupid stuff like, getting called in on Thanksgiving morning for staff duty cuz some idiot went awol and not being able to say... Sorry 1SG my wife has big plans and I didnt get to see my kids last year so I am gonna have to stay home...

Just ready to grow a beard and let my hair touch my ears for a bit... I know this sounds stupid to you non-mil personnel but do not take it for granted ;)

I was in the Army, and I feel your pain.... it sucked. I can't even imagine being in the Army in today's climate. **** that.

Haha! Grunt. Should've gone into the Air Force, dummy - had my own room as an E-2. :D

I'll be honest about my military career - yes, it does suck when you have to work odd hours or play war games again and again or just basically be put upon because of your job, but there are days I'd give a bunch to go back into the Air Force. I missed it more than I thought I would.

That being said, I totally get where you are coming from in wanting to get on with your own life. Good luck no matter what path you choose.

San Diego has the year-round 70 degree weather thing going for it, but here in Denver you can eat outside in the summer without bugs, and the cats don't have to wear flea collars. That's huge.

My brother was going to get out of the armed services last year, but then he realized how sweet of a deal he has going, so he re-upped and I believe he is going to remain there until he can retire with full benefits and all that at age 39. Then he will start working for an aerospace company as a civilian getting paid double what he does as a military man. He then will retire at 60, tripling his monthly income.... asshole.

edit:

My brother is currently in the USAF stationed at Eglin AF base. He is happily going to remain there, 20 minutes from Pensacola, Florida. He called me on Christmas to let me know that it was sunny and around the mid 60's with a nice warm breeze.

This - born and raised in KC - and it is a great place to be "from".

Denver is great and there is a lot of military around for your wife to keep her job if that is important.

Several really good school districts in the metro area - if you are planning in kids.
Noticed in another post you have kids - there are several sites where you can check out school districts nationally.

Heh - I almost always wear a Chiefs hat or shirt when not at work and always run into Chiefs fans here. My license plate is 1CHIEFN, I have a helmet decal on my tailgate and fly a Chiefs flag on my truck during the season. I constantly have people drive by doing the tomahawk chop.

It's a great place to live and be able to give donkey fans a ton of shit.

I spent 6 years in the Navy and just about everyone from the Captain on down wanted to me to stay in. I had a lot of options. But the Bosslady said "Do what you want, but I'll be in KC." Kinda made up my mind real quick. Then one day she mentioned that had I stayed in that I could have retired with 30 years and had all that money. Darn near decked her!

Back to your question. If you do decide to move to the KC area your options may well be limited. If your wife wants to work in Levenworth, you'll need to move somewhat close to there. If you want to go to nursing school, KU Med Center would be a good choice, but it's not close to Leavenworth. So you may have to split the difference.

To really do anything in nursing, you will need a BSN as a bare minimum. If you can stand the education, you may look at being a nurse anesthetist. These folks can pull in $100k a year.

You read my mind! I didn't wan't to get far into the details on it but that is the plan... finish up the associates in nursing, do the RN-BSN program online while working in an ICU and then off to the 3 year Nurse ansthetist program...

Salary dot com median salary 130,000

and even for RN it's 60K.. and no layoffs in nursing.

I was stationed at Leavenworth for a year. Don't know anything about the schools except that they are on the main drag thru town and they change the speed limit at 7:30. Cop gave me a $100 ticket at 7:25 because his watch was 10 minutes fast compared to the radio. Safe, quiet little town because almost everyone there is 1.) in the Army or 2.) prison guard and the criminals know it's easier and safer for them to go on down to KC to do their nefarious deeds.

Although your efforts are admirable, I don't think we'll ever recruit enough to become the majority.

The bureaucracy and lack of being able to tell someone to "go **** yourself" without fear of being sent to jail has been what always kept me away from joining the military. I'm a firm believer there are people in this world who deserve a crack in the chops or at the very least being told to "go rub some salt on your asshole and call me in the morning".

I never wanted to be put in that situation where I can be put in jail for telling someone those words.

As far as I know I missed the opportunity to meet some of the best people in my life. But after 12 years of private school I've met way too many people who hide behind stripes. When I can evaluate who I'll be working for like in civilian world I'll be first to sign up.

Or anywhere in the midwest for that matter...it's a good place to live and all, but there's nothing great about it. If it was up to me I'd be somewhere else.

I came to Kansas City because I opened a store here at Bannister Mall (15 years ago). My wife and I loved it the moment we came to town. We still live in the city limits of Kansas City and I doubt I will ever leave the city.

And my real estate checks seem to point to very cheap houses...

Is that a consensus in KC?

1 more reason.... 4 day new years weekend right? Going to Florence with the family? Naw, just found out I have 24 hour staff duty on friday 9am to saturday at 9am.... Guess the powers that be new about it for a month.

Suck it up Soldier. Quit cryin', you signed up for this shit.......

23 months......so ready....

Since you have school aged kids and your wife would like to work in Leavenworth, I would suggest you live in Olathe or Lenexa on the Kansas side. Both cities have excellent schools and Leavenworth is a straight shot up highway K-7.

Kansas City Kansas, Edwardsville and Bonner Springs would be closer to Leavenworth, but I don't think the schools are up to par. I think they are getting better though with all of the development going on in Wyandotte County (not 100% sure though).

The problem with living on the Missouri side (where I grew up) is that unless you want to send your kids to private school you would probably want to live in the Lee's Summit area like Luv suggested and that is on the extreme opposite side of town from Leavenworth and would make for a long drive for your wife.

Housing in Olathe and Lenexa is more expensive than what you would find in KCMO (in general), but there are always houses out there that are a good value. We've found Olathe pretty reasonable by "Johnson County Standards" and it doesn't seem to feel as snooty as other areas of JOCO. I'm sure there are special veteran loan programs available to you which will help you with your move wherever you go.

Good luck with whatever decision you make and as has been said here before, thanks for serving.

There are several planeteers in the KC area burb of Lees Summit.

The schools were just rated the 7th best in the nation by Money magazine.

Low crime rate.

Easy access to highways to get around the metro area.

Despite the downturn in housing market my house has went up $25K in the last 6 months.

I got out in 99, was in a rapid deployment combat unit. Always getting called out in the middle of the night, weekends, holidays... etc. From my experience there are 2 kinds of lifers, those who just love that shit, and those who fear "real life". The second variety are usually not very smart, have no real skills, no chance at realistically and successfully completing college. The Army is definitely better than most jobs (benefits and pay wise) you would get without some education past high school. I have been out almost 10 years and now have a bachelors degree and job that pays 4 times what I would be making had I stayed in as an enlisted soldier. It sounds, according to your plan, that you are making the right decision, IMO. I do have some great memories and buddies and that I would not trade, and without the GI bill I would probably be in debt up to my eyeballs... Take all they have to offer and run with it... you earned it. Good luck, and thanks for your service. As far as moving to KC, I would go south to the Kansas side, but that's mostly cause I'm bias having grown up there.

Thank you... I like the school stats.. On a map all those cities look so close together. I appreciate your input.

All houses go up? Or just your neighborhood? My real estate checks seem to show very inexpensive housing around there...

KC is great for family. The values here are second to none. Stay away from Olathe, no matter what anyone says, Overland Park too. Unless of course you like more traffic than anywhere else in the city and chain restaurants on every corner. Look to Shawnee, fairway, anywhere north of the river except independence, or the lees summit area. KC really is a nice town, and I have lived in many (chicago, san diego, san francisco to name a few). I'm not anti Johnson county, heck, I grew up there. It has just become so blah. It is the same story everywhere in OP and Olathe now. Plow down all the trees, flatten the landscape, then build 500 similar looking houses, plant one tree in the front yard, and have everyone throw up a wooden fence. Then misplan the street grid so everyone has to go down the 5 or 6 thouroughfares (ie. 135th st) and you have the makings for major traffic all day long, 7 days a week. And besides, you have to sit in your garage or driveway to drink beer there. On a positive note, it is always 70 degrees in Olathe.

Yes, its just my neighboorhood, probably? I live in a high end middle class neighboorhood.

There are many nice raised ranch style homes in very good neighboorhoods for $150K and up.

Also check Greenwood, Mo. They are a little town next to Lees Summit that is a part of the Lees Summit school district. It's a little less upscale, small town appeal but your kids will get to go to the newest LS Junior high and High schools living in Greenwood. I'm sure houses are a lot cheaper there. Phobia lives in Greenwood. He could get you some info on the houses etc there.

I hate to break the truth to people outside the service.... but, well, lets face it, a lot of people in the army are STUPID as shit. That is the hard thing for me, dealing with incompetence. When you know that you are smarter than your boss and they can be dicks to you just cuz.

The GI Bill is even better now. I am gonna milk out the 80 grand.... You know that they even pay for housing when you get OUT of the army, just as long as you are in school.

I think im gonna go about 6 months without shaving or a haircut... And I will wear a beer helmet....

like this guy

Thanks...

I must be missing the inside joke....

By the way, my wife and I moved up to Liberty a few years ago, and you couldn't pay me to go back to JOCO. I could be risking pisssing off anyone else that lives north of the river because the saying up here is to tell anyone interested that it sucks up north and JOCO is the place to be. That way we can maintain our little secret.

Ok, I was gonna say it, but declined to to avoid the pile on... but you nailed it. There are many many stupid people in the Army.

Sooooo many opinions!!!!! As the time grows nearer I will toss out more specific questions and even post the areas of particular houses im looking at. All these answers are crowding in my head.......

Thank you for everyones advice!! :rockon:

Definitely do that. If you choose to live in the KC area jobs, schools and desired amenities/lifestyle will help determine what are is best for you. For us, Olathe made the most sense, but there are plenty of great places to live.

And 8 months of winter?

Plus they give you one of those cool knives.

Stay out of Grandview!

noted.

Are you buying a house right away? I live in western Shawnee and getting to Ft. Leavenworth is easy. K-7 is divided four lane all the way there and not real busy.

The Piper area north of Bonner Springs is nice and probably a good compromise.

Since she will be arriving in the summer I will probably have her get a rental with a 1 year lease and then buy a house the following summer.

How long is the drive from Shawnee to Leavenworth and KC?

FWIW, I would try to avoid the K-7 and I-70 interchange, because during rush hours, it is a mess.

There are plenty of good houses for sale in the KCK area, close to the Legends, yet, it's only at least 10 minute drive to Lansing/Leavenworth area, and also not that far off to get on I-435.

kc, is def the place to be, everyone there is nice, and they are willing to help you with any problem that you have. plus its a nice place, very green and beautiful. i would one move there for the chiefs and royals, devoted to both, but also because it is a change of everything. so dont worry, kc is the place to be :)

If you have teeth you will fit in better on the Kansas side! :)

hell, i am so kansas that i still have my baby teeth... haha.. KS-MO rivalry seems interesting:D

Welcome to the KC area-best of luck!!

It doesn't matter what you love. It could be a person, the landscape, the nightlife, the weather...or a football team.

Don't belittle your love of the Chiefs. It's part of your life. You should be happy. If being close to the Chiefs makes you happy, and your wife isn't a roadblock, there is no ****ing reason not to move.

Welcome to Atlanta where the playas play
And we ride on them things like every day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangsta's roamin'
And parties dont stop til' eight in the mornin'

Let me understand this. You can pick anywhere you want to live, and you're choosing Kansas City?

I mean no offense against that fine city at all, and it may be nirvana to some people, but if I had your options I'd pick someplace really nice to live and buy NFL Sunday Ticket. Laguna Beach, Hawaii, Telluride, Santa Fe, wherever. There are some pretty nice places to live in the U.S., and (again, no offense) I don't think Kansas City is at the top of the standard list.

Some people don't like going outside.

Plus, Laguna Beach, hawaii, Telluride and Santa Fe don't smell like barbecue and touchdowns in the Fall.

Yup, me and my wife are moving to KC once i graduate from Wichita state this spring