MORALE, WELFARE & RECREATION
Welcome to Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Charleston! At Naval Weapons Station Charleston, you’ve been assigned to one of the most desirable duty stations imaginable. There’s no finer place to be.
By being assigned to the Naval Weapons Station, you have earned “free” membership to a private club that has more amenities than offered by any community resort. All military members and their families, DoD civilian employees, retirees and contractors who have Department of Defense ID cards are eligible to use MWR services and facilities.
MWR offers something for everyone: sporting activities such as golf, bowling, swimming and both intramural and youth leagues; child development programs including daycare and youth center; group and individual fitness programs; and outdoor programs including lake-side cabins with private beaches, boat rentals, and fishing ponds.
Spend an evening at a live theater, or a local amusement park, or exploring Charleston with inexpensive tickets from the ITT office; or enjoy a movie or book at the base theater or library. Quality dining is available at your two private restaurants--the Redbank Club and Cap’n Robert’s Dive Bar & Grill. Other programs include the monthly Road Rage 5K Road Race; Barracudas youth summer swim team; Camp Grinning Gator; Good Times Fun Factory Party Rentals; and exciting special events held year ‘round.
At MWR, our mission statement is: “Improving the Quality of Life for Navy Charleston through Excellence in Recreation Programming.” We work day-in and day-out to fulfill that mission statement, and we have developed a wide range of recreation programs and maintained numerous recreation facilities to help ensure all ages will be “Happy Campers” during their stay at NWS Charleston. We pride ourselves in being the nine-time winner of the South Carolina Recreation and Parks Association’s Outstanding Agency-of –the-Year Award.
During your free time, we invite you to take advantage of everything we have to offer. For more information about any of our MWR programs and facilities, please visit our website at www.cnic.navy.mil/charleston. Again, welcome to MWR Charleston. And remember…There’s no finer place to be!
Auto Skills Center
Building 776, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-7752
Car problems are a thing of the past when you use all the terrific equipment and tools at the Auto Skills Center. The prices are rock bottom and the equipment is top of the line for all you do-it-yourself mechanics.
For the do-it-yourselfer, the Auto Skills Center has four service bays, one outdoor lift and four indoor lifts, and a full line of tools. Services offered to patrons by Auto Skills Center personnel include: scheduled vehicle maintenance, complete engine analysis and repairs, servicing all automotive air conditioning systems; balancing tires; turning brake drums and rotors; fuel injector cleaning; and systems check of batteries and electrical systems, just to name a few.
Bowling Center
Building 784, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-7235
Marrington Bowling Center is a smoke-free state-of-the-art facility featuring 20 lanes with automatic scoring, bumper bowling, Xtreme Bowling and more. A whirlwind of activities are always happening at the bowling center including bowling specials, weekend tournaments, and leagues for bowlers of all ages which run throughout the year. For those non-bowlers in the crowd, video games and a pool table are ready for your after-hours leisure time. Our Pro Shop is just the place to purchase all your bowling accessories to perfect your game. Our full-service snack bar features the best cheeseburger in town and offers terrific daily lunch specials.
Car Wash
Building 1695, Redbank Road
Phone: 764-7601, ext. 29
The MenRiv car wash and detailing pavilion is located on the corner of Redbank Road and Boone Avenue (beside McDonald’s) and is open around-the clock. The carwash and detailing pavilion each have four bays. One bay is large enough to accommodate RVs and has a three-foot platform to help reach the higher points of RVs. The car wash features three different types of cleaning wands, six vacuum cleaners, an electrical outlet in detail area and cleaning products vending machines.
Child and Youth Programs
Military lifestyle offers unique challenges and opportunities for children whose parents are assigned to Naval Weapons Station Charleston. For this reason, special programs are developed to promote your child’s growth and development in a nurturing environment through meaningful learning experiences.
Eligibility - Two special base programs are available to children of military personnel, DoD civilians, reservists on active duty or inactive duty for training, and DoD contractors. All eligible children will be placed on the Central Enrollment Waiting List; however, active duty military dependents with full time working/student spouses will have precedence. Call (843) 764-7984 for details about the programs or to be placed on the waiting list.
Highly trained staff members operate the three separate age-appropriate programs, specially designed to meet the needs of children ranging in ages from six weeks to 18 years. All staff complete an intensive care-giver orientation that includes basic first aid; infant, child and adult CPR; and developmentally appropriate practices. They are also required to successfully complete all background screenings. In addition, all staff members are required to complete monthly ongoing trainings and undergo a comprehensive care-giver training program to ensure that all children are receiving the best possible care.
The following programs are available for your children:
Karen Scott Heath Child Development Center
Von Steuben Street, Building 1693
Phone: (843) 764-7408
Ages Served - 6 weeks through 5 years
The Child Development Center program is an accredited NAEYC program,led by qualified professionals in early childhood education, whose major goal is to promote your child’s growth and development in a nurturing environment through meaningful learning experiences. The curriculum is developmentally appropriate, keeping in mind the specific needs of each individual child. Activities are planned; however these plans are flexible depending on the daily interests and needs of the children. Children are invited and encouraged to participate in individual and group activities designed to promote social, emotional, intellectual (cognitive), and physical development.
Education Technicians administer the curriculum and guide the children’s behavior. The ratio of staff to children is always sufficient to maintain constant supervision and implement a developmentally appropriate program. Some examples of skills we foster are: problem solving, socialization, self help, health
and safety, self expression and creativity, independence, communication/language, and motor skills.
Although long-term enrollment is encouraged, hourly care is authorized when space is available.
Child Development Homes Office
66 Von Steuben Street
Phone: (843) 764-7347
Ages Served – 6 weeks through 12 years
The Child Development Homes program is an alternative to center-based care and is often preferred by families because of the small group sizes, the home-like atmosphere and the flexible hours of operation that the centers often cannot accommodate. Child Development Homes provide a warm family setting in which children can participate in developmentally appropriate learning activities, as well as home life experiences. The children are able to build a trusting relationship with a provider who will foster their curiosity and creativity, provide guidance and give them the hugs they need.
Child Development Home Providers must be Navy certified and off-base homes must be state licensed. The certification process is provided through the Child and Youth Programs and consists of basic first aid, CPR, child abuse prevention, child development, activity planning, nutrition, business practices and parent/ customer relations. In addition to the provider’s certification, they receive monthly unannounced home inspections by the Child Development Home staff and must successfully complete all required background screenings. Providers are also required to complete monthly trainings to ensure they provide the best possible care to your children.
The Child Development Homes program can save some active duty personnel money on a regular basis by offsetting fees for children under the age of three. To see if you qualify for the subsidy, take your most recent leave and earnings statement (for both husband and spouse) to the CDH office at 66 Von Steuben Street. By calculating your total base pay, housing allowance and basic subsistence allowance, the CDH office will determine which income category your family falls under. Then, the CDH subsidy scale (available at the CDH office) determines how much money you will pay your CDH provider for child care, as well as how much money the subsidy will pay. The CDH can subsidize up to $90 per week for some families.
School Age Care (SAC) – Applications are being accepted for the Youth Center’s Before and After School Care and Kindergarten Express programs. Participating schools include Marrington
Middle and Elementary Schools, Sedgefield Middle and Intermediate Schools, and Howe Hall. This program is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Youth Center program also provides day camps for ages 5-12 during the winter, spring and summer breaks from school. Call 764-7984 for more information or register on the waiting list, or stop by the CDC to submit an application.
Child Development Home Providers Needed – Military spouses and civilian providers who reside within 25 miles of the Weapons Station are eligible to receive free training as Child Development Home providers. A CDH provider is an individual who has been trained and certified through the Navy. In addition, off-base providers must be registered by the state of South Carolina to provide childcare in their own home. The certification process consists of training in basic first aid, CPR, child abuse prevention, child development, activity planning, nutrition, business practices and parent/customer relations.
Youth Center
Building 788, Chapel Drive
Phone: 764-7809
Action-packed days are the “norm” at the NWS Youth Center where hundreds of children have fun every day! The Youth Center provides hours of activities for your family including parties, holiday activities, dances, crafts, movies, outdoor play, video games and more.
The Youth Center offers a variety of services and activities including: School Age Care; Kindergarten Express; Tiny Tot’s Day Camp Grinning Gator; Friday night youth dances; birthday parties; dance, gymnastics and karate classes; picnics; the
Good Times Fun Factory special event and party rental service; and more.
Teen Center
Building 777
Phone: 764-2125
The NWS Teen Center offers Boys & Girls Clubs of America and
4-H Club affiliated programs for youth between the ages of 13-19. Our mission is to enrich the lives of Naval Weapons Station teens by offering a comprehensive program that includes quality leisure, educational workshops, and encourages positive social relationships with peers and the surrounding community. Field trips, social functions and community involvement projects are just a few of the ways the NWS Teen Center provides our youth with leadership and character building opportunities while building friendships and developing a sense of belonging.
Dining
Whether casual or fine dining, the food is always great at several base restaurants operated by the MWR staff.
Redbank Club Complex & Catering
Building 942
Phone: 764-7797
• The Redbank Club Ballroom - The Galley Ballroom is the ideal location for “putting on the ritz”. Wedding receptions, business parties and banquets are among the many special events that can be held at this spectacular facility. The ballroom features a beautiful oak bar, and an elevated stage and dance floor. We offer complete catering services from light hors d’oeuvres to full course meals for up to 250 people.
• Conference Room - For private parties, luncheons or meetings of up to 50 people, the Conference Room, secluded behind the ballroom, is an excellent choice.
• Palmetto Grill - For great food in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, the Palmetto Grill is the place. For lunch, we feature casual menu selections and a daily lunch buffet. This is the place all base employees gather to enjoy their mid-day meal.
• Storm Pointe Conference Center- Nestled in a sublime area overlooking the Cooper River with old live oaks draped with Spanish moss, the center is the perfect spot for business or catered functions. In the Center, you can enjoy delicious food from our catering facilities as you tackle your business ventures in the river-front atmosphere. The Gazebo is the model facility to shelter and enhance any outdoor occasions including weddings, graduations, command ceremonies and much more.
Cap’n Robert’s Dive Lounge
Building 1680, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-4153
Cap’n Robert’s Dive, located at the corner of Redbank Road and Fletcher Street next to Marrington Bowling Center, is one of Charleston’s most exciting entertainment venues! Our performance stage and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems make it a favorite stop for many well-known music, comedy and variety acts. “The Dive,” which operates seven
days a week, also features a beautiful 40 ft. oak bar, billiards room, darts room, and delicious food and beverage. Bar hours are Sunday-Thursday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. In addition, Karaoke Night is every Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. We hope you will visit the
Dive during these times.
The Dive also features video games, pool tables, and a computer area, complete with free internet access.
Fitness Centers
Looking for some great places to work out and stay in shape?
The base offers three fitness centers that just may be the place for you. We offer state-of-the-art racquetball courts, and a variety of Nautilus, Life Fitness, cardio and selector weight machines
and free-weight areas that await your workout regimen. After your workout, relax in the sauna in Sam’s Gym prior to your shower. A variety of sports equipment is also available for checkout. In addition, group exercise classes are offered at various times during the week in the Group Exercise Room. The fitness centers are open daily except for New Years, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Sam’s Gym Fitness & Racquetball Center
Building 708, MenRiv Plaza
Phone: 764-4173
Eastside Wellness Center
Building 85
Phone: 764-7102
Group Exercise Room
Times vary per class
Building 725, MenRiv Plaza
Phone: 764-4173
Foster Creek Villas and RV Park
Check-In Office: Building 1700, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-2120
Families coming to Charleston for Naval Nuclear Power Training Command graduations, military transient personnel and DoD civilian tourists need wait no longer for temporary lodging at
NWS Charleston because Foster Creek Villas and RV Park are open for reservations.
Foster Creek Villas is nestled in the heart of the Weapons Station’s housing area. Foster Creek Villas offers spacious two, three and four-bedroom vacation rental units. Each unit
features a furnished living room, dining room, fully equipped kitchen, and a front and back yard with covered parking.
Some amenities include a full sized refrigerator, icemaker, microwave, oven and stovetop, cookware, dinnerware, toaster, coffee maker, telephones, televisions, DVD players, and an iron and ironing board.
Guests who want to stay at NWS Charleston but prefer to drive or pull their RVs rather than stay at the villas are welcomed to stay at Foster Creek RV Park. Foster Creek RV Park is located just behind Foster Creek Villas.
The RV park has 46 RV sites with full hook-ups (water, sewer and 20-amp, 30-amp and 50-amp electrical service). The RV park features concrete pads, shower and laundry facilities, a picnic table and grill at each site, WiFi Internet access, playground, riverside picnic area and river access for canoes.
Golf
Club House Building 290
Phone: 764-7802
Redbank Plantation Golf Course is located on 125 acres of rolling terrain, nestled between huge live oaks and bountiful wildlife. Lush, wide-open fairways and natural marshlands surround you as you play this challenging 18-hole course. The course is open every day except Christmas.
Authorized Naval Weapons Station personnel can bring guests to play at Redbank Plantation Golf Course. Guests are permitted access through the NWS Main Gate (with photo ID) when accompanied by authorized personnel.
Friends who would like access to the golf course without having to be accompanied by an authorized patron may apply for a Golf Patron Pass. Applicants will be issued a Golf Patron ID Badge and a vehicle pass. To apply, pick up an application at the Redbank Plantation Golf Course or the MWR Administrative Office (Bldg. 708, MenRiv Plaza).
Information, Tickets
and Travel (ITT) Office
Building 1700, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-2120
The Information, Tickets and Travel (ITT) office is your one-stop shopping place for discount tickets. The ITT office has discount tickets to most Charleston area entertainment, as well as to many attractions throughout the southeast. The ITT office can also book your next cruise vacation! The ITT office located with the Outdoor Adventure Center and Uniform Shop in Building 1700 on Fletcher Street, right across the street from Cap’n Robert’s Dive. Stop by the ITT office for your discount tickets and attraction brochures or to book your next cruise.
Intramural Sports
Building 725, MenRiv Plaza
Phone: 764-7530
A wide variety of team sports comprise our intramural competition at NWS Charleston. Soccer and softball leagues are offered in early spring, with basketball leagues offered in fall/winter. Individual sports such as racquetball, tennis, disc golf, etc., are offered as intramural competition throughout the year. Sports like table tennis, darts and horseshoes are also offered.
LIBERTY Program
Building 1700, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-7002
The LIBERTY program offers a wide range of high-adventure, cultural, holiday, athletic, skills development and theme event recreation activities for Active Duty military, ages 18-25,
stationed aboard the Naval Weapons Station. LIBERTY offers exciting programs such as skydiving, horseback riding, pool and volleyball tournaments, live bands, paintball, kayaking, snow skiing and lots more!
Library
Building 732, MenRiv Plaza
Phone: 764-7900
At the Naval Weapons Station Library, you can check out many interesting things in addition to the 25,000 books that are available. The library offers magazines, newspapers, videos, books-on-tapes, free Internet access, typewriters, compact discs, notary public service, copy and fax service and lots more.
Movie Theater
Building 715, MenRiv Plaza
Movie Hotline: 764-7516
Manager: 764-7601
The finest motion pictures that Hollywood has to offer can be seen at the Naval Weapons Station’s Cinema One Theater where admission is always free! The theater concessions offers hot, buttery popcorn, nachos, assorted candy and ice cold soft drinks at reasonable prices. Come early and test your skills at the video arcade. Special movie showings can be arranged for private groups with hundreds of movie titles to choose from. The theater is also equipped with everything you’ll need for meetings, briefings and training sessions.
Outdoor Adventure Center
Building 1700, Fletcher Street
Phone: 764-2120
The Outdoor Adventure Center includes outdoor recreation equipment rental, classroom space and retail sales. In addition, the highlight of the Outdoor Adventure Center is a 30-foot-high climbing wall. The climbing wall is available to provide visitors an opportunity for informal or “drop-in” recreation, seven days a week. Everyone is welcome to climb during the Outdoor Adventure Center’s open hours. Just walk in! Beginners are encouraged. The Outdoor Adventure Center provides all the necessary equipment for climbing.
Rental items such as campers, tents, mountain bikes,
canoes, kayaks and much more are available at the Outdoor Adventure Center.
Short Stay Outdoor
Recreation Area
211 Short Stay Road
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Phone: (843) 743-2366
One of Navy’s finest outdoor recreational opportunities is located just about 25 miles north of the Naval Weapons Station. Short Stay, located on beautiful Lake Moultrie near the town of Moncks Corner, is operated by the Naval Weapons Station Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department to provide a quality outdoor recreation experience for military and DoD employees as well as military retirees.
At Short Stay, you’ll have swimming, camping, boating and wonderful fishing opportunities right at your fingertips. Short Stay is where the famous Battling Bass Fishing Tournament is held each year—perhaps, you might even catch a large mouth bass while you are there! If you go without a fishing pole, stop by Short Stay’s convenience store in the main office, where you can find affordable fishing poles, lures, bait and other fishing accessories (our bait shop is the largest on the lake).
Accommodations include log cabins, two and three bedroom villas, “roundettes,” and camp sites. Reservations can be made 12 months in advance for active duty members, nine months in advance for retirees, and six months in advance for all other eligible personnel.
If boating or fishing isn’t your “bag of worms,” you might want to wake up early one morning in time to catch the beautiful sunrise over Lake Moultrie. Or, later in the day, you can hoof it down the 2-1/2 mile exercise trail or take a leisurely hike on the Palmetto Trail, which goes all the way from the ocean to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Or, you can get together with your family and friends for an entertaining picnic under one of the picnic pavilions.
No matter what you do while you are there, you’re sure to have a quality recreation experience at Short Stay, NWS Charleston’s premier Outdoor Recreation Area.
Swimming Pool
Phone: 764-7033
The New Wave Aquatic Center provides hours of cool, summer fun. The pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day and
hosts a variety of programs such as the Youth Swim Team, swimming lessons, life guarding courses, water aerobics and special parties. Family and individual passes may be purchased for a very low price.
Youth Sports
Building 725, MenRiv Plaza
Phone: 764-7530
The MWR Department’s youth athletics program is one of the finest around. A variety of sports activities are offered with an emphasis on fun and sportsmanship. A youth soccer league is featured in the fall, a basketball league is held in the winter, and baseball, softball and tee-ball are held in the spring.
The Naval Weapons Station Charleston Newcomers' Guide is published by Benchmark Publications Incorporated, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy, under exclusive written contract with Naval Weapons Station Charleston. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts and supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Navy or Benchmark Publications, Incorporated of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. The Naval Weapons Station Charleston Newcomers' Guide is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-81. Editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of the Naval Weapons Station Charleston. All photos are provided by the Public Affairs Office unless stated otherwise.
