Before you Arrive

Interstate 95 is the most direct route to this area and you can reach the base by taking exits 1, 3 or 6. Exit 1 takes you down St. Marys Road and ends at the Franklin Gate. From Exit 3, take Georgia State Highway 40 east toward St. Marys and turn left onto Kings Bay Road, which will take you to the Stimson Gate. Exit 6, Laurel Island Parkway, also leads to Kings Bay Road and to the Stimson Gate.

For those who choose to fly, Jacksonville International Airport is approximately 30 miles south of the base off Interstate 95.

PASS AND ID OFFICE

The Stimson Gate Pass and ID office hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Franklin Gate Pass and ID office hours are 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

While the requirement for base decals has been removed, all privately owned vehicles on Navy installations must continue to be licensed, registered, inspected and insured in accordance with federal, state and local laws. Additionally, all privately owned vehicles of personnel permanently assigned (active duty, civilian, contractor) to SUBASE still must be registered in CLEOC at Pass and ID during in-processing — valid until the individual’s identification (CAC) card expires — and will be de-registered during out-processing due to PCS or otherwise. Enforcement and verification of these requirements will be conducted through the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) and Random Antiterrorism Measures (RAM). Rental vehicles are considered privately owned vehicles for the purposes of base entry and access control. The vehicle rental contract will suffice as proper licensing, registration and proof of insurance for base access.

Motorcycle operators must meet the same aforementioned minimum requirements. In addition, during STEP and the RAM program, operators of motorcycles will be required to provide proof that mandatory motorcycle education requirements have been met.

A 2005 DOD regulation restricts the use of cellphones while driving on all military installations. If taking a call, it is required for you to safely pull off to the side of the road. Seatbelt use is required on and off base and as always, keep safety in mind and practice sound risk management whenever driving or traveling in motor vehicles. Georgia state law requires headlights on for safety whenever it rains. Never drink and drive. If you do drink, use a designated driver or call a taxi or friend.

SPONSOR PROGRAM

So, you have orders to Kings Bay and the big question is what to do to prepare for the move. Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay has a great program to aid you with all the necessities of your move. The key to your smooth transition is your sponsor.

Once your orders are received by your prospective command, a welcome-aboard package will be sent to you and a sponsor assigned. In the welcome-aboard package, your sponsor will enclose a personal letter to welcome you and offer help with any concerns. Your sponsor should contact you further to ensure your transition is as trouble-free as possible.

Whatever questions you have — big or small — your sponsor will help you find the answers. For more information about the sponsor program, call your receiving command or the base sponsor coordinator at 912-573-9620.

TEMPORARY LODGING

It is advisable to locate and reserve temporary lodging in advance. Your sponsor can help you make local arrangements.

Navy Gateway Inns & Suites

The Navy Gateway Inns & Suites, located on base, provides temporary lodging for military members and their families transferring in and out of the area. Incoming personnel are authorized a temporary lodging expense of 10 days at the inn or by use of other commercial lodging within local per diem rates. The Navy Gateway Inns & Suites offers free laundry facilities and in-room kitchens. Call 912-573-4871 for more information or to make reservations.

Navy Lodge

The Navy Lodge, just inside the Jackson Gate, offers 25 rooms (one ADA compliant room). The rooms were recently renovated and include new flooring, window treatments, toilets, vanities and closet areas. Each of the rooms has a kitchen, Wi-Fi accessibility and cable/satellite TV. The lodge offers a complimentary breakfast and is a pet-friendly establishment (fees apply). To schedule a reservation, call 912-882-6868.

Hotels

There are several major chain hotels in the Camden County Kings Bay area. Accommodations are usually plentiful year-round, and your sponsor can provide a list of the hotels in the area.

WEATHER

The climate in southeast Georgia is generally temperate. Summers are long and warm with an average relative humidity of about 75 percent. Winters, although punctuated with periodic invasions of cool to occasionally cold air from the north, are mild because of the southern latitude and the proximity to the warm Atlantic Ocean waters.

The annual average temperature for the Kings Bay area is 68. June, July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures averaging above 90 degrees. December, January and February are the coolest months, with temperatures near the mid-50s. Temperatures exceed 95 degrees during the summer months, and evening temperatures are usually comfortable, rarely falling below 75 degrees.

The greatest rainfall occurs during the summer. Summer thunderstorms usually occur before noon along the beaches, while afternoon thunderstorms are the rule inland.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 1, but tropical cyclones can form earlier or later if the conditions are right. Although it has been more than 100 years since Camden County has been directly impacted by a significant weather event, this area has had at least nine major storms within 60 nautical miles.

Hurricane is a name given to a strong tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph (34 knots) are called tropical depressions. Once winds reach at least 39 mph, they are typically called a tropical storm and assigned a name. If winds reach 74 mph (64 knots), they are called a hurricane.

Residents should have evacuation kits prepared prior to the season starting and should be ready to leave when a hurricane watch is issued. A watch is issued when there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 36 hours. All evacuation orders will be issued by the governor through Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Camden County Emergency Management officials. If you reside in an area where evacuation orders have been issued, you should evacuate.

Emergency shelters will open, as needed, in areas unaffected by the event. If the event is a hurricane evacuation, then shelters will be opened in counties farther inland. Camden County will open shelters if needed after the hurricane has made landfall. Information regarding shelter locations and community resources can be found at the American Red Cross of Northeast Florida Chapter website at www.redcross.org/fl/jacksonville.

There are established evacuation routes for Camden County and the outlying areas and residents should become familiar with which route pertains to them. Georgia State Highway 40 is the westbound route for most residents in the southern part of Camden County. For those in the Woodbine area, Highway 110 south will lead them west and south to join Highway 40 west into Charlton County. Evacuees in the middle part of the county may also take Highway 252 south and west into Charlton County. Highway 259 leads west from Tarboro into Brantley County, while Highway 110 north will take them west to Highway 82 in Brantley County. Highway 17 and Interstate 95 are north-south corridors. Additional information regarding traffic routes and preparation guides can be found at the Camden County website at www.co.camden.ga.us. The last coastal evacuation occurred in 1999 with Hurricane Floyd.

Regarding work schedules, closings and delays, Trident Training Facility employees should call 912-573-3453. Trident Refit Facility employees are to call 877-811-8078. Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic employees are to call 912-573-4110. Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay employees and all other commands are requested to monitor WKBX-FM 106.3, Florida and Georgia public radio, WJXT News 4, First Coast News, CBS 47 or Fox 30 News for updated information.

Following an evacuation, Navy personnel within the affected area and uniformed and Department of the Navy civilians are urged to muster with their commands or within the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) support website at https://navyfamily.navy.mil. Displaced personnel who have been ordered to evacuate by military authority can call the Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center at Norfolk, Virginia, at 866-239-0303 for evacuation travel-related questions.