Looks like Shaw is showing up in my virtual for after korea...thanks AF. Anyhow, anyone have any experience with what I should expect working for AFCENT at Shaw? I'll be there in December living off base.

Tips? Comments?

I'm with a tenet unit at shaw, we don't take part in their exercises but they tend to do some serious ones twice a year, 1-2 weeks long. And right now we are in the hot part, so its a heat index of 105ish with 75-90% humidity. Just stepping outside and you start sweating, enjoy lol

I hope someone else who works there chimes in. I had orders to the 9th AF (guessing R-NOSC) October last year and they were expecting me as a 3D072. Luckily I traded the assignment out for another not so nice base because I didn't want to commute from Myrtle beach to work everyday and I sure as heck wasn't going to live in Sumter w/ it's high crime rating. I was a mandatory mover from Keesler AFB. All thanks to my Chief Enlisted Manager for putting in the calls. Probably wasn't that bad of a job either.

All I read about is how much everyone hates it and how bad the crime rate is. I'm not one of those engative people, in fact I'm looking forward to getting there. Anyone else have experience with CENTAF at shaw? Suggestions on where to rent?

I'm at AFCENT Shaw now... S.H.A.W. (Stay Here AWhile). Of course, there are better places to be, but I've seen worse. Sumter does have a high crime rate. Many parents seriously consider private school or living in Columbia (it's roughly 45 minutes away) because of the high crime and SC's very poor public education system. I don't have children, so I can only relay what I've heard on that topic.

As for places to live, stick to the west side of town. The major crime area is largely concentrated around downtown Sumter, which are also where the most poverty stricken areas are. There are dozens of subdivisions renting and selling houses on the west side. You'll notice pretty quickly that most of them have nearly all active duty or prior service folks living in them. Some folks consider that security...others just prefer not to be so close to 'base' all the time.

As for AFCENT... If you've deployed to the AFCENT AOR then you'll recognize the mentality, otherwise it'll probably be a new experience. If you're in ACOMS you will be introduced to the CENTER">AOC/CCENTER">AOC and more. If you end up in A6 you might be in the NOSC or have a desk/admin job up at HQ.

I find that most folks hate Sumter because they say it's boring and doesn't offer much. If you like the outdoors and history, you're set. Camden is 30 minutes up the road. If you like to hunt, there's only a couple of months out of the year that you can't shoot something. There's a State Forest nearby for hiking and camping. Lake Wateree is near Camden and it's has a military recreation center with cabins and boats for rent. Columbia is 45 minutes away. Florence is 45 minutes. away. Charleston is an hour and half away. Myrtle Beach is two hours away. Florida is only about four hours away. So even if you don't like SC, you can just leave for the weekend and come back (Sumter is ghost town on the weekends during the summer for this reason).

Sumter is literally going to be what you make of it... otherwise you'll be miserable. If you have any questions please just ask.

figured as much. appreciate the info!

Granger, what's your AFSC? I'm a 3D0X3 (IA, COMSEC), just curious what type of shop I can expect to enter if not working at the Wing.

I also just found out I'll be headed there after my short tour RNLT Jan 2012. RIP says I'll be assigned to 20th Comm and I'll have to get a TS so not sure where I'll be working since I'm a 3D0X1. Still 50/50 whether or not to go there or do another year causing me to lose that follow-on.

How's 20th Comm for those that are there or been there, If I end up there I intend to live in Columbia as every suggest so I could careless about Sumter since I'll only be there during working hours.

just talked to the functional from AFCENT, I'll be heading to AFCENT / A2 ...and I thought i was getting away!

Sure are many folks heading to Shaw involuntarily lately

Sumter sucks. Leave on the weekends and you'll enjoy yourself much more. And as Granger said, just about all crime is isolated to parts of town you'll probably never go to. Lots of affordable places to live where you'll be safe.

Shaw also stands for Sharing Husbands And Wives. Just sayin'.

Oh, and the rock stations insist on playing AC/DC and Van Halen at least once an hour. So if that's your thing, you may actually like Sumter. And you'll see some weird stuff here. I actually saw a chopper-moped last month. You know it was someone with too many DUIs, too funny. And some of the ghetto population likes to advertise products by putting decals on their vehicles along with rims that cost more than the car itself, yet I don't think they're getting royalties from the company they're advertising for. Walmart is always an adventure, especially when the SWAT team rolls through. Expect to run into illiterate people too, and I hate saying that because they're always nice, but it'll take you off guard when they ask you to read something for them. And be prepared for restaurants to screw up your order on a consistent basis. You know it's bad when the illegal Mexicans speak better English than the average population.

cool! anyone have any good looking wives?

The Shaw/AFCENT AOR is the entire middle east in case you didnt know. Im working in the AFCENT A2 at AL Udeid at the moment. As a 3D youll probably be working in the JWICS admin shop, or in the CENTER">AOC.

Shaw has caused us alot of greif the past month - so thank them for me.

yessir, afcent has like 4 expeditionary wings right?

sorry man, I'll get it alllll fixed when i get there.