I will be getting married this Tuesday and will be getting off-post housing. Will NCOs be able to inspect, like in the barracks?

Therè are ways for your Chain of Command to check on your on post housing, but in practice, it just isn't done. If they are checking on you, they are checking others. Or they have a specific wellness issue with your family, and they send someone under the Familiy Advocacy Program. It will not be frequent and it will be targeted. There is nothing to say that one of your leaders will not roll by just to check on you just for GP, just to see how you are living. They are supposed to do that. They may swing by to see your new quarters to ensure you are ok, the quarters issued to you are in good repair, and your family is settling in, especially being a newly wed. Your commander or first sergeant and or their spouse/FRG may swing by with some welcome gesture. My post was small enough, I visited each resident at one point or another as the Garrison Commander.

If you are worried about this, go talk to your first line leader and legal. It varies post to post, whether it is privatized and which ground lease the Army is using with which partners. There is not a simple yes or no. There is nothing to say that a leader from your unit won't knock on the door and ask to come in, but they are not checking to see that the bed is made or if you hangers are all facing the same direction. They are looking to see if you are surviving. Food in the fridge, the house is not an unsanitary mess. Family members are cared for etc. children are safe.

If you live on post, you will be subject to exterior upkeep standards from your area mayor that if you fail to comply, your first sergeant will get a call. Those will be inspecte by the mayor and NCOs from Garrison.

Not without cause, I did it only once. My daughter was 13 and was asked to babysit for a junior and neighbor. when she returned home she told me of the horrible conditions at their quarters. It smelled of urine and feces, was infested with fleas and cockroaches. After I went over to his quarters to see for myself, I confirmed what she had reported to me. I counselled him and gave him 30 days to clean it up. I reported it to our CO who agreed with my actions. When he didn't do as instructed it was taken out of my hands.

Only time I did them was when we got a call from housing or a landlord. Welfare check and by that time it was so extreme the guys basically were chaptered over it and whatever else was going on.

You might find the information paper at the following link quite helpful:

http://www.knox.army.mil/garrison/supportoffices/sja/docs/papers/adminlaw/HealthWelfInsp.pdf

AR 190-22 CHapter 2 says No, they cannot. Military authority starts and stops at the front gate. To inspect off-post housing, that requires the same procedures civilian law enforcement require; probable cause leading to a warrant being issued by a civilian judge, and served by civilian law enforcement. Military cannot participate in civilian search warrant cases, but can observe if the civilian LE allows it.

The whole "The Military pays your BAH, so they can inspect your housing" argument is pure BS. If that were true, then anything you bought using your pay would be liable to government search and seizure.

Just because something sketchy might have been done in the past does not make that act, or any similar future act right. Know the regs, or pay the price. Or just check with your SJAG before doing anything that might get you in trouble/relieved/thrown in jail.

Can they? Yes, they can. Will they? Don't give them a reason to. For the most part off post personnel are left alone unless they are dirty or they see family issues where you need to get pulled back into the barracks. For example, domestic violence, possibly suicidal, your wife calling saying there is no food at the house, or always smelling bad like you don't shower. The check will primarily be for health and welfare of the Soldier

If you are worried about them harassing your spouse, if they come to inspect and you are not home, your spouse has the right to say no, leave my residence. That doesn't mean hide in the closet and tell your spouse to say you're not home, because you can get in trouble for that.

No we cannot inspect off-post housing or even most on-post housing units (they are privatized) unless we have permission from the occupant or the land lord.

We can ask, and the Soldier can tell us no. If we still think something is going on, we have to notify the proper agency, i.e. provost marshal, local PD, Family Advocacy, etc.

There's some instances that leadership inspects off-post and even on-post housing. It's like a command prerogative. Trust me, they been doing this to ensure everyone Is living favorably . its also a health and welfare. I've seen before in Fort Eustis, VA that one of the houses there has "poop" inside the house, molds on a/c's, I've also seen one of my buddies when I was an E-4 that their house is like that TV show, Hoarder: Buried Alive. It was really nasty and clothes both dirty and you cant even tell which one is clean because its scattered on the floor. I was even paid a visit by my commander to check my house. But of course its up to you if you will get permission to your NCOS. But trust me, just live clean and I cant dictate how you gonna live your house but home inspections are also a must

A health and welfare inspection is applicable to everyone regardless of where they live. 24-48 hours notice and be ready. They've been done to me, and I've done them on off post Soldiers under me. It's not a dick move. If you live like shit in the barracks, there is a good chance you'll live like that off post, and to keep the CO out of it, NCO led H and W's are important to see and verify a Soldiers and their families welfare. Remember this; housing is not for you, it is for your family. If you cannot control how you and your family live within loose standards, you can find yourself back in the barracks. Don't be that guy. Please.

Don't make your family life an issue and their will be no reason for command involvement at your off-post residence. Pay your bills, take care of your family responsibilities, don't turn your residence into party central and be on time for formation and the commander will have little reason to check your living conditions. Keep in mind that as an E-2 the off post billeting is a privilege, not a right so do not abuse the freedom.