Hunt housing in Great Lakes is not military only. It's not the greatest housing you'll ever live in, but it's nice enough and only about 10 minutes from base. People say really negative things, but my husband, and I loved it and never had problems last year. Lake Bluff, Gurnee, Libertyville, and Vernon Hills are a bit of a drive, 20 minutes to base depending on traffic, but they are nice areas with shopping and plenty to do. I met a few people who lived in Lake Forest, IL and Kenosha, WI as well, but it's a bit longer of a drive, up to an hour depending on traffic, but usually it's really only a little over half an hour if you can time it right. When I was working in Kenosha, there was construction, and I didn't want to use the toll roads, which is probably why it would take so long during rush hour.

I would say avoid the North Chicago area/anything on the

North side of MLK from base. Sorry. It's hard to comment on my phone.

We never had a problem personally, and I used to volunteer teaching a piano class in Waukegan, but it is generallly the area to avoid according to fellow wives. Once you hit Beach Park and Zion, you'll find more military families again.