Garrison welcomes first travel camp visitors

By Tim Cherry, Belvoir EagleMay 22, 2013

Travel Camp
Brothers Roderick, 2, left, and Abraham Allgeyer, 4, begin to pull out their toys with their father Jesse Allgeyer at the new Fort Belvoir Travel Camp Friday. Allgeyer has been stationed to an installation in the area, and he, his sons; wife, Briita;... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Belvoir's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation opened the installation's new Travel and RV (recreational vehicle) camp to campers May 16 and held its grand opening Wednesday.

The 52-pad camp provides a short-term outdoor rest and relaxation area for guests at $60 per night for a maximum of 14 days. The camp, which can accommodate up to 40-foot RVs, rests in the Tompkins Basin Area along the shoreline of the Potomac River and is open to use for an outdoors experience in a scenic environment. The camp is available to servicemembers, Reservists, Guardsmen, Department of Defense civilians and contractors, Families and guests eligible under U.S. Army regulation 215-1, paragraph 7-1.

DFMWR conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday to officially open the camp.

A couple of the first visitors to Fort Belvoir's Travel and RV camp arrived relieved and happy to use the site.

"We can finally settle down," said Capt. Jesse Allgeyer, National Intelligence University student, whose Family arrived at Belvoir's Travel Camp after traveling cross country from Washington State. "This camp is probably going to be one of those secrets until more people learn about it. You can tell this place is going to fill up because it's in a great location."

Pads 1-14 and 36-52 on the lot are back-in types, while pads 15-35 are pull-throughs. The facility features Wi-Fi, electricity, sewage, cable connections, a laundry facility and a shower facility. The shower area will have six bathrooms -- three for men and three for women -- with one handicap accessible shower each for men and women.

Jesse and his wife, Briita Allgeyer, stay-at-home mom, traveled from Washington with their three children as part of Jesses's Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move to Fort Belvoir. The Family traveled to various military and civilian travel camps on their way to Belvoir. Jesse and Briita weren't sure if Belvoir's camp would be open by the time they arrived but they were relieved once they learned DFMWR was accepting reservations.

"It's neat to be one of the first to use the camp," Briita said. "I'm just glad it was open."

Housing won't become available to the Family until June 6 so Jesse and Briita will use their RV for traveling and lodging while they wait. They expect to use Fort Belvoir's Travel Camp for the majority of that time.

Jesse and Briita expect the new facility to draw a large number of visitors each year because of its location along the Potomac River and the area is near Washington D.C.

"My kids can run around and play, we can do laundry and I can do physical training," Jesse said. "This is a good way to PCS."

For more information regarding the travel camp contact ODR at (703) 805-3081.

Editor's note: read the Belvoir Eagle's May 30 edition to view information and photos from the Travel Camp ribbon cutting ceremony.