I love this base!! It's one of nicest bases I have visited. From my understanding almost everything on the base is relatively new due to rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. The commissary and BX are large, relatively new and well-stocked. There are 3 fitness centers... I only visited one, the Blake Fitness Center. There are so many places to take a walk or run on a nice day: the track beside Blake Fitness Center, the running track near the flight line and Back Bay, and Marina Park. This is great because everyone on this base seems to exercise!! I've been to many military bases and seen quite a few overweight, lazy military members... Not this base. There seems to always be someone out exercising. The following are also on base: a movie theater, bowling alley, post office, car wash, auto hobby shop, youth center with a pool, and an arts and crafts center.
I also have to give kudos to MWR or whoever plans all the activities on base. There was always something going on at Keesler. The first weekend of my visit they had a "Cruisin Keesler Classic Car Show" going on at Marina Park. That same day they also had some Latina dancers performing outside the BX for Hispanic Heritage Month. Football season on base was great because they have Sunday NFL Ticket at Bay Breeze Event Center on base. The base does a great job getting the word out about activities via their website and Facebook. On their website I saw something about watercolor classes at the arts and crafts center as well as a "Ghouls in the Park" for the kids to celebrate Halloween on base. They even advertised for an Oktoberfest event happening at Bay Breeze.
Also, what other base has the beach directly across the street and its own pier, boardwalks, boat dock, and boat launches. You can fish at Back Bay of Biloxi right on base!! It's fantastic.
My biggest and only compliant about this base, and all military bases I have visited for that matter, is the Temporary Family Lodging. First of all, I have yet to visit a base that has TLF as nice as regular family housing on base. These bases seem unwilling to spend money on updating and refurnishing TLF and other lodging. Most have bug problems and are in varying states of disrepair. Furthermore, the bases contract out the maid services, so cleanliness suffers tremendously. I have no idea why any military base would want its visitors and new personnel to have dirty, moldy TLF housing as their first impression. Stop being cheap with the onbase lodging!!!
Everything else on base seems nice and new though. read more