So, I come home from supper with my wife and daughter and head down to the soda machines to get something to drink and encounter this disgusting mess.  Apparently someone decided to grab some chicken and a drink from the NEX and instead of throwing away their refuse, they just tossed the bones all over the table and ground.

You aren't alone in your observations. The rudeness on this base amazes me. I've been around the Navy and Marines for over 24 years and have yet to experience anything as rude and inconsiderate as some of the people on this base. However, there have been some good people too. It does get better once you are out of the Lodge.

Getting off base is what works for me. Even though Yokosuka is not pretty, there is a serenity in how people treat each other.

Welcome to Yokosuka & have fun living on base.

:o)

I am #1 on the list for Ikego. I am hoping that the "remote" location provides a greater sense of community; hence a higher level of responsibility.

My suggestion is to forget about the towers if this kind of stuff bothers you.......you're only going to see more of it if you move into one of 'em. This is one of the main reasons I live off base. Rude and inconsiderate people drive me bonkers. The small dosages of this kind of behavior is about all I can handle....I couldn't imagine being around it 24/7.

You must not have seen that post about cheating spouses ;o)

Bright side, few to no single sailors and the teenagers that are there usually live there, so yeah, from everything I've heard its better. However it's still on base so... thanks but no thanks.

Spoiled brats. And less and less people having the backbones to say anything to anyone to fix themselves (Just like that thread we had about the Subway employees getting yelled at).

I've corrected people when appropriate but usually just get attitude instead of them recognizing their issue... there in lies another problem...

My Japanese wife doesn't want to live out in town. Go figure.

We have a little one and want her to have easy access to the parks and playgrounds on base. I also prefer the security since I will be traveling.

I will be in the senior officer/civilian designated towers I hope. Not that it matters as pigs will be pigs no matter what their ranks. I just hope to get lucky.

The lodge is really out of control. My neighbor just got home (9:25 Pm) and is yelling at her kids right in the kitchenette while my baby daughter is sleeping 15 feet away. Nice.

I actually live in a tower right across the street from the Lodge. I really only have two complaints. Kids playing outside after dark and people leaving shopping carts out on my floor. Base quiet hours are from 2200 to 0500 on the weekdays and 2400 to 0500 on the weekends. If someone is making excessive noise during quiet hours, call the front desk or base security. If somebody is making a huge mess, the Lodge should be taking care of that. The Navy Lodge is absolutely ridiculous, but you don't have to stay there. TLA money is every bit as good for a hotel out in town as it is for the Lodge. Life in the Lodge is very frustrating, but your experience here will get better when you move out and start really experiencing Japan.

I know everyone whines that Negishi is too far away, but I think it is the quietest and most peaceful place to live. Besides the occasional loud, drunken sailor/spouse walking home on a Friday or Saturday night, I have very few complaints.
I don't expect to sway your decision, just my 2¢.

There isn't rank designated housing in Ikego as far as I know. Tower living is ok, but there are neighbor problems here as well.

I've got agree with felinious on the tower issue. I rarely hear my upstairs neighbours (They even apologized once for any noise --which was never an issue) and never my neighbours on my floor unless they're in the hallway. The carts are a PAIN but at least it's not trash. There is a few issues every once in a while but it's rare (like why people can't hold elevators??? RUDE).

All the "bad" behavior, for the most part, is around the shops and restaurants/clubs on base.

I'm here on the first floor and near the door that leads to Chili's! OMG!!! Do people not care that every time that door slams shut it vibrates our door besides the noise and if that doesn't successfully startle my little ones awake the talking and yelling down the hall with rude loud laughs does! It gets worse as 6 o clock rolls around and I'm trying to keep the infant asleep for a little longer. I've told the front desk and they said sorry bit never do anything about it. The traffic at this end is so frequent but what gets me is the disrespect at 3 o clock in the morning! Oh and the noisy traffic out the windows of people trying to blow their speakers just hanging out and drinking in the front parking slots at midnight! The lodge does nothing about going out there to quiet them down or keep them from loitering on a weekday in the middle of the night! Not night time or my baby's nap times can go peaceful and without startling them awake at least twice. We've been in the lodge 40 days!!! Can't wait for our house to be ready in another week or so!!!

Consider Negishi - seriously. The commute is well worth the peace and quiet and sense of community. We don't have all the bells and whistles of the main base, in fact we have next to none, but we have many stand alone houses (many are empty right now), yards, the kids don't run the streets at night. We're in Yokohama, so we can take a short bus ride to Chinatown, a Baystars Baseball game (you've got to experience that) and great shopping and restaurants. You learn to shop in the Japanese stores, etc. It's pretty great. We sacrifice things like Purdy gym and decent food in the NEXMart, but we have a decent gym and the area more than makes up for it. Don't be afraid of a commute, that's what the home-to-work shuttle is for. Living out here has it's pros and cons, but I think the pros far outweigh the cons. At least take the trip out here to look around before you commit to living on the main base.

So what you're saying is, I should have my sponsor look into the gateway inn or maybe even yokosuka hotel for our arrival?

Yokosuka base overall leadership is poor, the base is not well kept.

 

Posted By Dave on 06-28-2011 11:37 PM
So what you're saying is, I should have my sponsor look into the gateway inn or maybe even yokosuka hotel for our arrival?

That is what I think and would love to know alternate places to stay when we arrive in September. I have no patience for that kind of crap and am shocked that it actually happens so regularly on a Military base!

Posted By Dave on 06-28-2011 11:37 PM
So what you're saying is, I should have my sponsor look into the gateway inn or maybe even yokosuka hotel for our arrival?

Yes, if it were me, I would.  You'll be closer to the main gate at The Gateway Inn.  You'll have access to a lot of restaurants off base, yet you'll still be on base so you can get to your AOB class when you get here.  The Navy Lodge has a mini kitchen, so if you would rather cook, then I guess that might be a better choice.  But, with your per diem, you'll have plenty of moolah to go out to eat during the first several weeks when you get here (although you probably won't see that money hit your paycheck for awhile, so be prepared and have funds on hand if you go this route). 

Surprisingly, you can find a lot of cheap places to eat here in Japan.  I'm not sure if The Gateway has a fridge or not, but it would be nice to have one especially if you're coming in the summer.  You'll want to stock up on lots of cold water and drinks. 

I wouldn't hesitate to find a place out in town either.  A couple of them offer free breakfast, too.  I like this hotel: 

Hotel Mercure

http://mercureyokosuka.jp/ja/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Kanto.html

It's close to Daiei Mall, so you'll have s/place to go grocery shopping.  Plus, there are lots of restaurants in that area as well.  It's about a 10 minute walk to either the main gate or the pedestrian only gate near the CPO Club (which is a great place to eat as well).  We ate there all the time when we first got here.  Coco's Curry is also right around the corner from this hotel, as well as a small convenience store for snacks and drinks (and meals, too!)

I'm not sure if this hotel is within your govt rate though, so you'll have to check on that. 

Since I made the post about subway I'll let you guts know I did report it. Of course not sure what happened.

I was in the exact same area but second floor as you jjams and that is the exact issues I had, infant and all. I resorted to white noise CDs for all of us.

I haven't been here long enough to see all the issues but have seen the nasty people at the lodge and the rude people during colors, and God help me the teens spending their lunch breaks in the food courts when school was in and them being obnoxious or sleeping in the booths.

I hear a lot of whining from junior enlisted and get sick of seeing the drunk single sailors walking home from out in town.

I like my tower and it's quiet but im on the ninth floor and despite three rude and unfriendly neighbors it's ok-they are pcsing soon anyways.

Customer service sucks but I have thoroughly enjoyed japan and I don't think that will change. I enjoy the company of the Japanese far more than the people on base thus far.

Just wanna add to what Yoko-girl said:

At the Gateway Inn, the room I stayed in had a fridge and stove and everything. It was MUCH nicer than the Navy Lodge. Much quieter too.

Guys I work with went out to Yokosuka to help with radiation and contamination surveys during the voluntary evac. Some stayed at the Gateway inn and highly recommended it. They told me all the rooms had kitchens with fridges and stoves. I'll have to call my supervisor and have him book us there. I'm sure he'll understand.

Once upon a time Yokosuka Naval Base was a fairly tolerable place to be. Then, the Navy decided to homeport an Aircraft Carrier there. The population suddenly increased by several thousand more sailors along with their dependents. Mind you, the base remained the same size. Down came the post WW2 woodframe duplexes and quonset huts to be replaced by one tower after another. A drastically increased population competing over essentially the same amount of resources. That was almost 40 years ago and the struggle continues. If you could go back and interview folks from 1980, 1990 or 2000, you would hear the same complaints. I was stationed or lived in Yokosuka off and on from 1973-1994. I never lived on Yokosuka base. I loved Japan but never wanted to spend any more time on the base than necessary. Hayama, Akiya, Nagai, Kurihama, Mabori etc. are all preferable.

I first stayed in that Lodge in 1994. Like "Sailor" just said, the issues were the same then. A lot of this is amplified by the fact that 1/2 the families there are jet-lagged & waking up at 2 AM. But that doesn't excuse their pig-like behavior. I guess that is just "normal" to some people, and they are beyond redemption.

I will also say that all the gripes I read here about dismal customer service, rude neighbors & cheating spouses is exactly the same as back then. I was on Blue Ridge in '83 (different Navy Lodge back then) and base conditions were exactly the same. So on a positive note, you can say it ain't getting any worse! You might make a case that things are better: In '82: No food court, no McD's, no Starbucks, an antique Exchange/Commissary, and the good ol' Seaside Club (which is now Chilis) You wanna know about cheating wives? They didn't have to go outside the gate back then; they would just hookup with a new guy right at Seaside Club, and give the community plenty of fresh gossip during the battle group's deployment.

Not that I am happy to read any of this, but I am really glad that it isn't just me. I was convinced that I thought the base itself was horrible because I'm pregnant and moody. That said, I will consider myself lucky to have nice neighbors and only have to put up with rudeness at the shopping areas.

For people PCSing - If you are interested in the Gateway Inn, make sure you call them before you arrive. Some of them will not take children under 12. There is one near San Diego that will not take children and their reason is that air crew stay there and they have to be guaranteed so many hours of uninterrupted sleep. I am not sure the rules for the one on Yokosuka.

My best advice for anyone who doesn't like the base... don't go there. Live off base and shop off base. I live off base and I only go to Yokosuka base once a week to check the mail and go to the commissary. I'm not at all bothered by the base, I'm not there long enough. Besides the commissary, everything I buy is from out in town or online. I eat at off base restaurants. If the only you thing you have to complain about is Americans on base then make yourself happy and stop constantly being around the base all the time. You will enjoy Japan much more. I mean it just doesn't make sense to me. You (general) hate the lodge, yet stay there months waiting to get a house around the same people on the base you can't stand. If you are unhappy stop making decisions that will continue to make you unhappy. I wasn't happy in the lodge. I quickly found an off base house and was out of the lodge in 10 days. I'm very happy.

Yeah I am basically the same way, love Japan- HATE the base. Just the overabundance of people and multiple rules and regulations about EVERYthing down to what I wear outside in summer, it is damn near the same as prison. So I come to base, do my job, get paid and leave.

The Gateway inn was the BOQ, on Yokosuka at any rate. When it was the Q, they did not allow children there but since it's changed I don't know if that is still the case.

can someone tell me the number to the Yokosuka Gateway Inn. I think the number on their webpage is wrong. I can't seem to get through even using the DSN number.

Edelique,

You can try this post:
http://www.japanbases.com/forums/aft/6424.aspx

It has some helpful info on it, and a collection of links.

I live in a tower in Ikego and have been here for 2 years.  Ikego is a very quiet, peaceful, laid-back kind of place.  I never see my neighbors (which is unfortunate, really) and only occasionally hear the neighbors directly on top of my apartment.  We all seem to throw our garbage in the dumpsters and the housing/maintenance people have awesome customer service.  I think you will love it here.

Yes, I have heard there is.  In fact, I live in one of the officer/civilian towers.

Posted By Sailor on 06-29-2011 7:07 AM
Once upon a time Yokosuka Naval Base was a fairly tolerable place to be. Then, the Navy decided to homeport an Aircraft Carrier there. The population suddenly increased by several thousand more sailors along with their dependents. Mind you, the base remained the same size. Down came the post WW2 woodframe duplexes and quonset huts to be replaced by one tower after another. A drastically increased population competing over essentially the same amount of resources. That was almost 40 years ago and the struggle continues. If you could go back and interview folks from 1980, 1990 or 2000, you would hear the same complaints. I was stationed or lived in Yokosuka off and on from 1973-1994. I never lived on Yokosuka base. I loved Japan but never wanted to spend any more time on the base than necessary. Hayama, Akiya, Nagai, Kurihama, Mabori etc. are all preferable.

do you remember in 1995 when the 2 Marines and 1 Sailor raped the Japanese girl? It was a nightmare being on a Japanese military base after that. Daily protests at the front gate, and it was SCARY going out in town.

Posted By NeedSomeHelp on 06-29-2011 10:15 AM
"multiple rules and regulations about EVERYthing down to what I wear outside in summer, it is damn near the same as prison"

I have a different perspective than you. I LIKE the regulations and rules on bases and accept the sense of order. Many bases that we have been stationed at have a really gross immediate surrounding community and I loved driving onto the bases where everything looked nice and orderly- it seemed like night and day. I personally hold Military members (and their families) to higher expectations than I do civilians not affiliated with the government in town because we are all expected to adhere to regulations and should be held accountable for our actions if living, working, driving or shopping on base. Maybe this is because prior to becoming a Navy spouse I was an Army NCO so I understand the need for regulations and have no problem adhering and enforcing them... or speaking up if I see someone not doing the right thing. To me, having access to base is a privilege, not a right.

I don't think it is the rules/regulations on Yokosuka that many posting in this thread have a problem with, it is the fact that is sounds like those rules and regulations are not being enforced.

Shannon W. ~

I don't think it is the rules/regulations on Yokosuka that many posting in this thread have a problem with, it is the fact that is sounds like those rules and regulations are not being enforced.

BINGO! At least for us. Though we are not perfect, we are rule followers by nature, but when rules are not enforced or unenforceable, what is the point.

But to get more on topic, the Lodge was a living nightmare for us (we got out in 10 days by finding a house off-base). Not so much because of the staff not doing their jobs, I feel they tried their best, but becasue our culture has declined so much and so few people have/ or are taught respect or personal accountability anymore. It is not only young people/teens, but definitely full grown adults that I witness being completely selfish and inconsiderate. Our standards as a culture seem to have become that anything goes and it seems to always be someone else's fault if something is wrong. Very sad. However, when I try to discuss this with others I often get a cold shoulder. It seems that a lot of people are too busy with their own lives ~ another one of society's issues, too much busyness. Thus we do what we can, speak up when we can and stay focused on trying to be a better example, at least our own peace and conscience is good. It is not easy sometimes.

do you remember in 1995 when the 2 Marines and 1 Sailor raped the Japanese girl? It was a nightmare being on a Japanese military base after that. Daily protests at the front gate, and it was SCARY going out in town.

Yes, I believe that occured in Okinawa.

Okinawa while technically part of Japan is culturally and historically distinct. The local dialect though becoming spoken by fewer people is also unique. During different periods of history, Okinawa has been dominated by China or Japan and been an independent Kingdom. Consequently, Okinawans do not consider themselves essentially Japanese. The are agrieved about the suffering imposed on them during WW2 by both the Japanese Imperial forces and the subsequent occupation and legacy of U.S. Bases in a confined geography. They are understndably anxious to see the dimishing if not complete withrawal of miltary forces.

During my time in Japan, I always felt quite comfortable wherever I went from Hokkaido to Kyushu;however, the first visit that I made to Okinawa was an eye opener. I did not feel welcome.

Yeah, i forgot it was Okinawa, but there were still hundreds of protesters outside the gate in Yokosuka. I don't remember if Sasebo was as bad- but Yokosuka made me a little nervous out in town. Whomever said one bad apple spoils the whole bunch was dead on when it came to those 3 individuals.

anybody know the phone number at gateway inn? i'll coming in July 3 need a place to stay, navylodge is full, please help.

We've been here at the Yokosuka Navy Lodge for only three days now and I've only noticed the noise in the hallways (like right now at 12:50am). Other than that, I've been too busy or still suffering jetlag to see much else. However, I'm going to check out the Gateway Inn site as well if that is a better place to be.

hmm prior to me moving here i requested gateway inn for this reason as i did what you guys are and read on these forums. our mysterious sponsor said only the navy lodge is where we could stay but now that im here why would it make a difference? you pay up front and just add it to the claim and you get reimbursed. i would double check but think its fine. needless to say our sponsor dropped off the face of the planet after two weeks and we never heard from him again. my husband found out he had some legal issue here and was dropped to a 3rd class so i guess what can you expect. lol. btw ive heard its much nicer and thats what i would have chosen.

haha, how does the command pick a sponsor that gets busted? Great choice.

In general, I would not recommend Gateway Inn for families with kids. This is where TAD people stay, it is not primarily meant for traveling families. The TAD people have to get up early each day and would not appreciate a jet-lagged kid crying all night. Yes, I know your little angel would never do that, but in general I'm just sayin...

Some Gateway Inns prohibited children for that reason. I don't think Yokosuka prohibits, but it definitely invites a clash of cultures.

Does anyone know if you can get TLA for off base? I didn't think you could - I think you have to have a non-availability letter from the lodge to get TLA for temporary housing off base. Meaning, the Lodge would have to say that it's full for you to get reimbursed for staying off base.

Does anyone know? Because that seriously is a WAY better option.

I spent my first two weeks off base, didn't require a Non-availability, but then again I'm civilian and my HRO is not local.

Well ThaiGuy I guess it would depend on how "little" your angel is. My little Angel is 6 feet tall and wears a size 15 shoe. So, I would say it would be a case by case situation, as I'm sure you well meant.

Though the boy can be very whiney at times. Something about making him run with his ol' man every other day and whooping his butt at it.

@littleredninja
I think you have to get some type of letter saying that because when my husband was here without me they were trying to make him stay in bachelor housing. But there wasn't any room so he had to stay at the navy lodge and he had to have something called a SNA letter from bachelor housing. So i think it is possible if they don't have room at either the hotels on base!

Posted By Dave on 07-01-2011 7:02 PM
Well ThaiGuy I guess it would depend on how "little" your angel is. My little Angel is 6 feet tall and wears a size 15 shoe. So, I would say it would be a case by case situation, as I'm sure you well meant.

Though the boy can be very whiney at times. Something about making him run with his ol' man every other day and whooping his butt at it.

I was referring to the one in the photo above my post. But yours sounds like a real sweetheart.  What, complaining about 5 AM runs along the seawall with his old man? In 90 percent humidity?  What a wuss!!

Aw come on ThaiGuy, I'm not that mean. It's a run at 6 pm. About 80 to 90 degrees out and yeah, about 90% humidity. It'll be good for him when he goes to marching band camp or so I tell him.

The OP made me laugh so hard. The Navy Lodge IS gross. One night I opened my door to find that someone had played soccer with pieces of broccoli all up and down the hall. Then there were half eaten chicken bones just laying outside someone's door. SO UTTERLY disgusting.

Not to mention when we first arrived and were getting over jetlag, there was a couple staying the weekend in the room next to ours who did it ALL NIGHT LONG. I thought those headboards were mounted to the wall....oh no....no sir. It sounded like someone was throwing a football against the wall all night and to top it off they turned on this horrible baby-making music and turned it all the way up. I should've complained, but I was so horrified, I put headphones in my ear and tried to rock myself to sleep by chanting, "They're just playing with a football......it's just a late night game of toss..."

Then one night we had the delight of having two rooms on our hall taken up by someone's 21st birthday party. They had balloons tied to the doorknobs, the hall reeked of cigarettes and people were being let in the back door all night long.

I am so glad to be out of that Navy Loge. SO GLAD.

I stayed in the Navy Lodge for a month and half. My only complaint was we were there during typhoon season and rain was coming in through the windows and soaking the floor. I got fed up waiting for the hubby so looked into off base housing myself and got us an awesome "mansion" within a week. Love it here! Quiet neighbors, easy acess to public transportation and a Family mart just around the corner.

I've stayed the night at my friends' house in the tower before. They always complain about their neighbors. We are all ranked 2nd class or lower families. Those who live in the townhomes don't seem to complain as much. I also think queit hours are ridiculus. If you live in a tower/apartment building be respectful. That means no matter what the hour, don't play music as loudly as possible, don't have kids running around at home like a stampede (that's what the playgrounds are for) and be considerate always. Just because it turns 8pm doesn't mean now you keep the noise down. If you want to live with whatever rules you want, go live in a house away from neighbors.

There are positives and negatives to all living places. I think all the civilians should live out in town. They chose to live in Japan. I also think there shouldn't be rank specific towers. If the upper ranks knew what the other places were like maybe they'd equalize it out for everyone. Of course many don't feel the way I do.

Also it is a PRIVLEGE to live on base. You can live out in town.

And finally to the main point of this rant...I hope that whoever gets caught being a pig in the Navy Lodge gets in serious trouble. Their lack of manners is appaling. Gross!

Wow. I sure am glad you aren't making the decisions around here.
First off, unless there are stripes or bars on your personal collar, you are a civilian too.
Second, it costs the government less money on an average annual basis to enable civilians to live on base. Civilians are entitled to base housing if on a travel agreement and per orders. Due to my family situation (young daughter) my wife feels better living on base, and she should be able to do so in accordance with the entitlement and without judgment from others.
Rank specific housing is a fact of military life. After your husband progresses in rank, you will be surprised on how your views change. There is generally a different level of decorum that comes with different levels of rank. It is inappropriate to expect a junior person to live under the same scrutiny at home as they do at work. The same principles apply to the clubs. Do you want to drink with your husband's boss? You probably don't want to live with him/her either. The feeling is reciprocated.

It isn't a privilege. It is an entitlement. It is specifically written into the civilian orders. As civilians we have to pay the same (or often much more) for the same services as the military. We are subject to the same rules. We pay the same prices when someone gets a DUI or does something stupid. We have the same dress codes, and the same working hours as our military counterparts.

I lived out in town for many years. I know EXACTLY what I am missing.

Makami, thank you for saying to Jlynn exactly what was on my mind -- but you said it much nicer than I would have. And people accuse officers of being arrogant jerks; it just shows you that such qualities pass all paygrades, and to dependents as well as active duty.

Last I heard, this was an all-volunteer force. So I guess we could say that all military ought to be kicked off base since they are volunteers. It makes just about as much sense as her proposal.