How does Quality of Life differ from each branch of the service?

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 10:43:37 -0500

Have you ever been to a deployed location or visited a sister service base and felt that they were treated better or had better resources than your branch?

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 29 at 2014 10:44 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 10:44:28 -0500

AF QOL is the best hands down. That said, the best DFAC I ever ate at was on ARCENT.

QOL is the reason all my Military family members (Army, Marine, and Navy) told me to go Blue!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 10:46 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 10:46:27 -0500

Walk into any chow hall (galley, DFAC, etc) and tell me that you can't see the difference!

I don't have any envy towards the other services (OK, maybe with the fitness centers), but there is a tremendous difference on base with housing, chow, services, recreation facilities... the list goes on.

I don't mind not being cooped up in a boat for months on end, though. Out in the field, I think the Army has it pretty good in comparison to the other services.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Nov 29 at 2014 3:41 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 15:41:57 -0500

Air Force + Tents = LMAO!! We always kid the AF about QOL but they got it good. You've got to respect and appreciate the fact that the majority of their mission and personnel are geared towards putting planes in the sky and not ground pounding for real estate like the Army and Marines, controlling the seas like the Navy or securing the beach front property like the Coast Guard. Now The Navy and Coast Guard - how they do their jobs in the confined spaces of ships and hot swapping bunks, I'll never know.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 4:47 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:47:43 -0500

My Air Force serving cousin MSgt Ricky Johnson (not on RP), gets some kind of housing allowance when deployed with the Army. His QOL is certainly better. I should have listened to him.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Nov 29 at 2014 5:33 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:33:26 -0500

My family and I have stayed at a few AF bases across the US while PSCing back and forth. The accommodations were always top notch. Army lodging isn't bad, but in my experience, that AF has it hands down. The Navy Exchange in Hawaii is the best exchange I have ever seen. I guess each has its own set of pros and cons.

On a lighter note, I dug up this old picture and thought I would toss it in here.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 5:37 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:37:03 -0500

Felt? KNOW! I have been on at least one base for each service. I know for a fact that QOL on an Air Force base is 1000% better than QOL on a ship and at least 200% better than QOL living on a Navy base, especially for the enlisted side.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 29 at 2014 9:27 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 21:27:58 -0500

Being AF, I believe you are gloating! (lol)

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 9:40 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 21:40:59 -0500

I felt like I was at a fine dining establishment when I ate at Ramstein AFB back in 1990 sometime

Response by SPC Daniel Edwards made Nov 29 at 2014 11:17 PM

SPC Daniel Edwards — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:17:09 -0500

First assignment was Fort Polk, La. Been to Sam Houston and Benning on training visits and currently assigned to a Marine Base. I believe every base has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Fort Polk:
-Housing is ancient. They are trying to modernize but it is paintstakingly slow.
-Not sure how the rest of the military does but the housing has an outside company to come in and do the yard work. They will do the front yard perfectly and destroy the back because the don't care. My dog would not relieve herself in the yard because of it (she would go on the patio).
-They did have a water splash park installed and awesome playground where kids of all ages would benefit.
-Right after my deployment, they opened a go-kart/mini-golf course.

Marine Base:
-Housing is HOUSING. At most, it is a duplex.
-We are required to maintain the backyard ourselves. The rest is up to the yard crew.
-Because it is such a small base, there is not much to do. The trade off is that there is plenty in town to do.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 11:41 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:41:38 -0500

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member,

All I know is that every Air Force gym I've been to has been outstanding! Huge variety of equipment, all the latest technology, so much cardio equipment that there's never a line, classes galore, and everything sparkling clean. Even their gym in Manas beat the Army one I returned home to.

Of course, we all know that the reason their gyms stay so nice is that they never use them, but that's none of my business. (kidding)

Response by Sgt Jennifer Mohler made Nov 30 at 2014 8:21 AM

Sgt Jennifer Mohler — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 08:21:49 -0500

Everywhere that wasn't run by marines was better then what we got.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 30 at 2014 11:45 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 11:45:07 -0500

I believe this even happens within branches. Walking into a maintenance shop and seeing how they have it and then walking into an STS building and seeing how they are treated, you would be shocked that they are the same branch, although not the same mission.

We all know as AF members that we have it better than most, it just astounds me at the gap that exists.

Response by TSgt Jackie Jones made Nov 30 at 2014 2:30 PM

TSgt Jackie Jones — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 14:30:43 -0500

As USAF stationed on a Naval AIr Station (Keflavik, Iceland), the Navy always thanked us for being there, because their quality of life and overall base structure and cleanliness standards were higher than at a non-shared base. I was overseas most of my career, but the AF bases seemed to be nicer than any or the Army Posts I spent time at also.