What are your thoughts on on-post and off-post housing?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:08:33 -0400

On post housing E4 and below:

- Expect you chain of command to be all up in your business
- Don't expect any privacy
- If your neighbors call the cops guess what? Your NCO 1SG and CMD ALL know about what happens at your house...
- Be prepared for power outage be prepared not to get refunded a dime for that.

Bottom line off post definatly.

Off post:
- Expect to have to be financially responsible
- Expect to have to leave the house way early to make it to PT
- EXPECT TO BE MATURE if you live off post

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jun 17 at 2015 11:09 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:09:06 -0400

Both have their pros and cons!

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Jun 17 at 2015 11:16 AM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:16:34 -0400

There is something to say about growing up and being a responsible adult living in a community that is safe and somewhat close together. We ALL make sacrifices and we ALL expect to be respected and that everyone will have a certain level of respect for each other - especially if living on post. For those families that live off post, you are often closer to many attractions (mall/restaurants/stores/CRIME and etc. There are differences living on post as compared to off post - you have to be a responsible and good neighbor in either location.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jun 17 at 2015 11:51 AM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:51:20 -0400

I've lived both on and off in various locations and what I can tell you is that the best thing you can do is make the best of every situation because none will be "perfect". If you have major issues you cannot resolve, move. In ALL cases, you need to expect both good and bad and make the most of the good and mitigate the bad.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 11:53 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:53:37 -0400

Every post is different. I lived on post at Ft. Riley for 8 years in a house built in the 30s that had a coal chute meant for a furnace. One bathroom (upstairs) and 3 bedrooms (one was really like a walk-in closet). The floors creaked and the place was just plain old. Being historical there wasn't much that they were able to do.
The pro: schools.
Now I am off-post at Bragg. I don't mind the commute as I enjoy the freedom and the choice we had in the house we live in. If I had turned down the house at Riley I would have been put at the bottom of the list (2003 mind you).
The con: schools. There are not many good schools around here. My kids get straight A's and I give them credit for that but I wonder if there would be a couple of Bs in there with another school system.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 12:02 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 12:02:30 -0400

Both lists can be applied to both living situations. Example, if you are not acting mature and cops have to be called, your chain of command/support will be notified, even if you are living off base. Whatever bills you have while living in base housing, see how fast you get noticed when you don't pay any bills you may have. You have to be financially responsible no matter where you live. If you live off base, and happen to miss your alarm and miss PT and not answer your phone, I would be up in your business and knocking in your door.

Basically, both have good points and bad.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 12:07 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 12:07:53 -0400

Military housing is privatizing on some bases, it would be like renting on the outside. You deal firectly with the private landlord not the government.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 1:04 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 13:04:00 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member if you are a trouble maker, it won't matter if you live on or off post, you will get in troubles. When I got here, 1st Unit Station, everybody told me to go off post to get a house below BAH. Well I found one on post with a below bah offer. I'm coming from Puerto Rico where we celebrate even dolls birthdays, here is way different. From where I come from, a BBQ is for everybody, your family, your guests, your neighbors AND your neighbors guests, we are like that. I haven't see that rapport between neighbors here. I've been here for a year now and I like it, I haven't live off post yet but, when I PCS, if I found another below bah offer on post, I'll take it.

Response by GySgt James Blassingame made Jun 17 at 2015 1:51 PM

GySgt James Blassingame — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 13:51:46 -0400

No one will be in your business on or off base if you take care of your own business. Living on base allowed me to save up enough money to buy and furnish a very nice home upon getting orders a few years later. You need to be mature wherever you live. There will be issues on and off base you will have to deal with, that's life. Base housing does give your family a sense of security during your deployments and time way, it gave my family a support system as well. I would encourage all junior service members especially to take advantage of the benefit. And it is one of your benefits!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 2:35 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 14:35:34 -0400

Off post housing is 98% of the time better. Been there, done that. Not only the lack of privacy on post, but no chance to truly "get away from work" and relax!

Response by CPL Norma Brown made Jun 17 at 2015 2:58 PM

CPL Norma Brown — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 14:58:06 -0400

I've done both, spanning 18 years..... I had better housing off post, but felt more secure on post. It was a toss-up, depending on deployment cycle, and what the school district was like...

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 17 at 2015 3:05 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 15:05:43 -0400

My experience was living off base all the time with the exception of Adak (duh!). Out there people tended to be more of a slob, not getting everything into the dumpster. They didn't care if they dinged up the homes. I didn't like living in a fish bowl, but that's what you have anywhere in the middle of nowhere regardless.

You can come out better off base if you invest your BAH into a mortgage in a home value growth environment. I know a number of military who would rent out the home, get another at the next duty station and by the end of their career had a number of properties to flip, retain, rent, or whatever. That does require a lot of work and discipline.

Response by CPL Steve Brady made Jun 20 at 2015 12:42 PM

CPL Steve Brady — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 12:42:40 -0400

loved it

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2015 12:54 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 12:54:10 -0400

You've got to be a grown up in both situations. The only difference in having your command notified is the speed with which it happens. On post, the number to your staff duty desk is on speed dial. Off post they just have to call the post operator and get it from them first.
The same thing is true about your command calling all the time, but that's just common sense. Something happens, the people who live closest get called first. Ask a sober single soldier in the barracks what happens when someone scheduled for CQ didn't show.
Such is life in the service.

Response by SSgt Scott Schwerman made Jun 24 at 2015 12:09 PM

SSgt Scott Schwerman — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 12:09:12 -0400

Command all up in your business? No privacy? You're misinformed. I have lived in on-base housing for the past 3 years and my command has never bothered me and never known anything that happens at or around my house, nor anything that I do off duty. Privacy wise, most houses, especially if you have kids, you have privacy all around. If it's just you and your spouse, then slightly less.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 3:00 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:00:37 -0400

My experience with living on post was not a positive one. I had to threaten the housing manager with sending pictures of the black mold covering the bathroom to the local Congressman before they would fix the water leak in the wall. On this particular base, these houses were pretty old and most were being condemned as soon as people were moving out of them.
Another issue I had with living on post was an off-handed remark from the chief of police for the installation. On post you have to register your guns, I don't like it, but whatever. He made the comment that if you moved off post, he would share what guns you had with the local police department because "Who knows if you're crazy or not." He said that in a gym with about 2000 servicemembers in it!
Now, I live off post, own my own home, and save about 200 after ALL my housing costs are paid. Obviously if something breaks, its on me to fix it, but at least I don't have to threaten the landlord with contacting my Congressman :).

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 3:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:03:20 -0400

Not true. So far so good living on post.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 3:19 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:19:07 -0400

All depends on the individual Soldier's situation. Single income, with a few kids, alot of time "on-post" is the cheapest way to get a larger house to put them in. Yes, due to the nature of the beast, your neighbors ar well informed of your business, but no trouble-no problems, off post has more variables, more options, but less direct support.i prefer off-post, but I also enjoy living out in the back 40. It is to each thier own.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 3:45 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:45:34 -0400

I live on base with my wife and daughter and no one fucks with me lol. I've not had any problems whatsoever. However, my view may be biased because of my career field.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 24 at 2015 3:48 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:48:08 -0400

I have always lived off base, and have had no experiences with on base housing. I prefer to be off base anyway, as I get to see my full BAH.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 25 at 2015 3:04 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 03:04:43 -0400

I lived in on base housing ONCE. They don't care how big or how small your family is, they take your entire BAH regardless.

Example: My next door neighbor in base housing in Pearl City, HI was an E5 with a wife and 2 kids. I was an E6 with a wife and no kids. Based on my higher rank, I received more BAH. But my neighbor had a bigger house (justifiably so since he had kids) yet his rent was less than mine. WTF???