Posted on May 18, 2014
Why does the Army discriminate against single soldiers?
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First let me say I am biased in my opinion since I am a single soldier. The Army stacks the deck against single soldiers, in a variety of ways. There are standards that single soldiers are forced to obey that married soldiers are not. Purely just because of their marriage.
Housing is my personal biggest area of concern being a single soldier. I am a 27 yr old college graduate. I get the same "rights" in my living quarters that a single 17/18 yr old straight out of high-school would get. If that same soldier is married, they get considerably more freedom, pay, and budget control than I do.
I as a single soldier get no say in where I live. At my current duty station the BAH for my rank and dependent status (Single, E-4) would be $1,068. So I essentially pay $1,068 dollars a month to live in the barracks. The barracks I live in have two separate bedrooms, with a common kitchen and bathroom area. Since there are two soldiers in each little barracks apartment, we collectively pay $2,136 a month for this set up. That is FAR more then what a similar apartment style would cost in the surrounding communities. If single soldiers were allowed to have BAH and live where they choose we could potentially save several hundred dollars a month by controlling our living expenses. That's not including the approximately $300 a month we are forced to pay for the DFACs.
There is also the issue of furniture in the barracks. Again we have no say, we get whatever the Army already has in the room. Personally I would love to have an actual nice mattress, instead of these cheap plastic blue ones.
Barracks inspections. I can't stand barracks inspections. The inspections are completely up to the person doing them and what they "think" the standard should be. One inspection your could be fine, the next one your getting lectured about how to make a bed. Last summer I had to write a 2 page paper for an LT about personal standards in the barracks. All because my bed didn't have hospital corners. (That morning when I get up I tossed my blanket off to the right of me, where it was just sorta crunched up against the wall running the length of my bed.) If I want to know what I am allowed to have and not have in my room, I have to read three different policy letters to find out. Division could allow something, Brigade could say no, and then Battalion have nothing about it at all. I get that lower commands are allowed to restrict privileges as they see fit. I'm just saying it's cumbersome to have to read three different levels policy to find out what is what.
It annoys me that I have to have periodic inspections(currently every morning before PT for my company) while married soldiers receive no inspections just because they are married. I get that they have a family, I just don't see why that should stop a squad leader from making a planned, announced, and visual walk-through of the house of the married soldier. Keeping the same standard of living as a single soldier should be part of the military life.
Meal Deductions. I don't think the DFACs are worth the $300 a month I have to pay. I hate having to "play" the "I am a Meal Card Holder" card to get lunch sometimes during work. It's usually followed by a married soldier saying "I'm working thru lunch, you don't see me bitching about wanting to leave for food". True. However when we miss our lunch it's gone. The money we paid is gone rather we ate that meal or not. Married people if they bring their lunch it'll still be there later. If they eat out, then well that's just money they didn't spend that day. They can use it tomorrow to get twice as much for lunch or eat somewhere more expensive depending on their budget.
We get no say in what sounds good for dinner. It's whatever the DFAC has. Sometimes that means either fried or grilled chicken. If they run out of one thing, it'll be whatever they have left. It's not right. It leaves married people with control over their diet and single soldiers with whatever the Army needed to clean out of the fridge.
The above is just Big Army things, the discrimination continues all the way down to the company level. At my company single soldiers who live in the barracks are not allowed to park in the lot in front of the company. Now our barracks is approximately 3/4 mile down the road. Our motor pool is another 3/4 mile the other direction. I find it silly that an entire parking lot is reserved for married people. Sure single soldiers can drive to work, but we have to park in the barracks across the street. Which is not the barracks we live in. Married people can't park in that same lot if the one in front of company is full? To a point I can understand the reasoning behind this, but single soldiers have to leave and run here and there just like our married counter-parts. Why should they get special parking treatment? I don't see anyone stopping married people from using the barracks washers and dryers to avoid buying their own/going to coin laundry mats. Why are married people allowed to dip their hands in our honey and slap ours away from theirs?
Like I said from the start I'm biased. I look over the fence and see greener grass. Perhaps this is all just one single soldier bitching and complaining.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Update FEB 2019: Since I originally posted this message, I have gotten married. My view on the subject has not changed. I want to respond to some of the overarching themes in everyone responses.
“Quit bitching/whining/complaining.” I feel there is a difference between logically laying out issues and grievances and just bitching about them. The number of leaders who contributions on this post/topic amounted to “quit saying words” is disheartening.
“Get married/Army will issue you a wife.” Saying to get married just to move out of the barracks is a failure of leadership. Those of you (in my opinion) with that mentally should reconsider what you do/did and what your job is/was. As a former Infantry NCO I have dealt with the countless issues that arise when a soldier quickly marries someone for the wrong reason (example: get out of the barracks). The domestic issues, spouse calling in to the Staff Duty, soldier isn’t training because of counseling/FAP/court/Divorce related nonsense, greatly diminishes readiness which the last I checked the Army still considers to be pretty important.
“I had more money/I wish I was back in the barracks/ but but bills! etc.” Bull. I wish I could challenge anyone who says that to actually prove it. As stated, I am married now. I have more money, flexibility, and financial freedom then I did as a single E-4. Now some of that is because I’m a higher rank. Part of it is because I use BAH as intended to cover housing/bills, my BAS for food, and having the control over how much I spend on those two items is very important. Also, my spouse works. I have come to realize that is less than common for married soldiers in the Army. However, I would argue that getting married and not having both spouses working is a decision that you made going in to it. I’m not arguing/stating if it’s the right or wrong choice. It’s what you decided worked for ya’ll. To me it’s the equivalent of a private going out and buying that 23% interest Mustang then complaining about how much money it costs and how he used to have it so much better without that car payment. If you choose (by getting married/having kids) to feed/house/care for additional people (spouse/kids) and yet do nothing to increase your income than yeah…you’ll have less money. That is a very poor argument for what the original post was about.
a. Hopefully ^above^ I’ve made my point clear and concise seems a little muddy to me, I guess we shall see in future comments.
“Move off post.” That’s not an option. Well I guess it is, however single soldiers still have to maintain the barracks room they get assigned, they still wouldn’t get the BAH entitlement, and they would have to still pay the DFAC out of their BAS. Do I need to continue on the ignorance of that statement? Sure, there’s a packet you can submit and ask to receive those allowances, I’ve only ever seen get accepted once and that was when my BDE changed from Light to Armored, only for E-5s, and it was suggested only if they were on orders and would be PCS’ing soon anyhow. They wanted non-PCS’ing E-5s still in the barracks. I don’t recall if I stated it in my original post but that unofficial additional duty of being an NCO at the barracks is crap. “You’re an NCO at the barracks keep everyone in line down there after work and on weekends”, thought that’s what CQ was for. I’ll also comment on the “single people off post would party to much/be late to formation/traffic at the gates/ get in trouble in town more” line of nonsense. It’s ignorant. Along with the “paying dues” comments.
Veterans- I appreciate you are still active in the boarder military community, and recognize that your time in the service paved the way for what we did/do/have accomplished today. However, pointing out how things were worse yesterday compared today and to “suck it up” is lazy. There is no reason we can’t keep pointing out things today to make tomorrow even better. I’m sure there is crap I can’t even fathom that ya’ll dealt with back in the 60s, 80s, and what have you that were fixed because of people continuing to bring the issue up.
Lastly, I’ve enjoyed reading the varied amount of responses everyone has on the topic. If mine come off as aggressive or across the line it was not my intention. When I posted the original stuff above 4+ almost 5 years ago I never expected it to get attention and still receive emails notifications years later. I’m fairly sure I’ve read 90% of the comments because Rally Point sends me an email every time someone comments. No I did not add that picture at the top, it’s the website. Sorry if you clicked on a Rally Point ad somewhere that linked to this post only to see it’s from 2014. I don’t control those. It’s the website. Yes I’m sure there are a few grammar and spelling errors. If you point it out at the beginning of a comment, I’m more likely to see it and correct the issue. Cheers to several more years of being told why I’m wrong.
Housing is my personal biggest area of concern being a single soldier. I am a 27 yr old college graduate. I get the same "rights" in my living quarters that a single 17/18 yr old straight out of high-school would get. If that same soldier is married, they get considerably more freedom, pay, and budget control than I do.
I as a single soldier get no say in where I live. At my current duty station the BAH for my rank and dependent status (Single, E-4) would be $1,068. So I essentially pay $1,068 dollars a month to live in the barracks. The barracks I live in have two separate bedrooms, with a common kitchen and bathroom area. Since there are two soldiers in each little barracks apartment, we collectively pay $2,136 a month for this set up. That is FAR more then what a similar apartment style would cost in the surrounding communities. If single soldiers were allowed to have BAH and live where they choose we could potentially save several hundred dollars a month by controlling our living expenses. That's not including the approximately $300 a month we are forced to pay for the DFACs.
There is also the issue of furniture in the barracks. Again we have no say, we get whatever the Army already has in the room. Personally I would love to have an actual nice mattress, instead of these cheap plastic blue ones.
Barracks inspections. I can't stand barracks inspections. The inspections are completely up to the person doing them and what they "think" the standard should be. One inspection your could be fine, the next one your getting lectured about how to make a bed. Last summer I had to write a 2 page paper for an LT about personal standards in the barracks. All because my bed didn't have hospital corners. (That morning when I get up I tossed my blanket off to the right of me, where it was just sorta crunched up against the wall running the length of my bed.) If I want to know what I am allowed to have and not have in my room, I have to read three different policy letters to find out. Division could allow something, Brigade could say no, and then Battalion have nothing about it at all. I get that lower commands are allowed to restrict privileges as they see fit. I'm just saying it's cumbersome to have to read three different levels policy to find out what is what.
It annoys me that I have to have periodic inspections(currently every morning before PT for my company) while married soldiers receive no inspections just because they are married. I get that they have a family, I just don't see why that should stop a squad leader from making a planned, announced, and visual walk-through of the house of the married soldier. Keeping the same standard of living as a single soldier should be part of the military life.
Meal Deductions. I don't think the DFACs are worth the $300 a month I have to pay. I hate having to "play" the "I am a Meal Card Holder" card to get lunch sometimes during work. It's usually followed by a married soldier saying "I'm working thru lunch, you don't see me bitching about wanting to leave for food". True. However when we miss our lunch it's gone. The money we paid is gone rather we ate that meal or not. Married people if they bring their lunch it'll still be there later. If they eat out, then well that's just money they didn't spend that day. They can use it tomorrow to get twice as much for lunch or eat somewhere more expensive depending on their budget.
We get no say in what sounds good for dinner. It's whatever the DFAC has. Sometimes that means either fried or grilled chicken. If they run out of one thing, it'll be whatever they have left. It's not right. It leaves married people with control over their diet and single soldiers with whatever the Army needed to clean out of the fridge.
The above is just Big Army things, the discrimination continues all the way down to the company level. At my company single soldiers who live in the barracks are not allowed to park in the lot in front of the company. Now our barracks is approximately 3/4 mile down the road. Our motor pool is another 3/4 mile the other direction. I find it silly that an entire parking lot is reserved for married people. Sure single soldiers can drive to work, but we have to park in the barracks across the street. Which is not the barracks we live in. Married people can't park in that same lot if the one in front of company is full? To a point I can understand the reasoning behind this, but single soldiers have to leave and run here and there just like our married counter-parts. Why should they get special parking treatment? I don't see anyone stopping married people from using the barracks washers and dryers to avoid buying their own/going to coin laundry mats. Why are married people allowed to dip their hands in our honey and slap ours away from theirs?
Like I said from the start I'm biased. I look over the fence and see greener grass. Perhaps this is all just one single soldier bitching and complaining.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Update FEB 2019: Since I originally posted this message, I have gotten married. My view on the subject has not changed. I want to respond to some of the overarching themes in everyone responses.
“Quit bitching/whining/complaining.” I feel there is a difference between logically laying out issues and grievances and just bitching about them. The number of leaders who contributions on this post/topic amounted to “quit saying words” is disheartening.
“Get married/Army will issue you a wife.” Saying to get married just to move out of the barracks is a failure of leadership. Those of you (in my opinion) with that mentally should reconsider what you do/did and what your job is/was. As a former Infantry NCO I have dealt with the countless issues that arise when a soldier quickly marries someone for the wrong reason (example: get out of the barracks). The domestic issues, spouse calling in to the Staff Duty, soldier isn’t training because of counseling/FAP/court/Divorce related nonsense, greatly diminishes readiness which the last I checked the Army still considers to be pretty important.
“I had more money/I wish I was back in the barracks/ but but bills! etc.” Bull. I wish I could challenge anyone who says that to actually prove it. As stated, I am married now. I have more money, flexibility, and financial freedom then I did as a single E-4. Now some of that is because I’m a higher rank. Part of it is because I use BAH as intended to cover housing/bills, my BAS for food, and having the control over how much I spend on those two items is very important. Also, my spouse works. I have come to realize that is less than common for married soldiers in the Army. However, I would argue that getting married and not having both spouses working is a decision that you made going in to it. I’m not arguing/stating if it’s the right or wrong choice. It’s what you decided worked for ya’ll. To me it’s the equivalent of a private going out and buying that 23% interest Mustang then complaining about how much money it costs and how he used to have it so much better without that car payment. If you choose (by getting married/having kids) to feed/house/care for additional people (spouse/kids) and yet do nothing to increase your income than yeah…you’ll have less money. That is a very poor argument for what the original post was about.
a. Hopefully ^above^ I’ve made my point clear and concise seems a little muddy to me, I guess we shall see in future comments.
“Move off post.” That’s not an option. Well I guess it is, however single soldiers still have to maintain the barracks room they get assigned, they still wouldn’t get the BAH entitlement, and they would have to still pay the DFAC out of their BAS. Do I need to continue on the ignorance of that statement? Sure, there’s a packet you can submit and ask to receive those allowances, I’ve only ever seen get accepted once and that was when my BDE changed from Light to Armored, only for E-5s, and it was suggested only if they were on orders and would be PCS’ing soon anyhow. They wanted non-PCS’ing E-5s still in the barracks. I don’t recall if I stated it in my original post but that unofficial additional duty of being an NCO at the barracks is crap. “You’re an NCO at the barracks keep everyone in line down there after work and on weekends”, thought that’s what CQ was for. I’ll also comment on the “single people off post would party to much/be late to formation/traffic at the gates/ get in trouble in town more” line of nonsense. It’s ignorant. Along with the “paying dues” comments.
Veterans- I appreciate you are still active in the boarder military community, and recognize that your time in the service paved the way for what we did/do/have accomplished today. However, pointing out how things were worse yesterday compared today and to “suck it up” is lazy. There is no reason we can’t keep pointing out things today to make tomorrow even better. I’m sure there is crap I can’t even fathom that ya’ll dealt with back in the 60s, 80s, and what have you that were fixed because of people continuing to bring the issue up.
Lastly, I’ve enjoyed reading the varied amount of responses everyone has on the topic. If mine come off as aggressive or across the line it was not my intention. When I posted the original stuff above 4+ almost 5 years ago I never expected it to get attention and still receive emails notifications years later. I’m fairly sure I’ve read 90% of the comments because Rally Point sends me an email every time someone comments. No I did not add that picture at the top, it’s the website. Sorry if you clicked on a Rally Point ad somewhere that linked to this post only to see it’s from 2014. I don’t control those. It’s the website. Yes I’m sure there are a few grammar and spelling errors. If you point it out at the beginning of a comment, I’m more likely to see it and correct the issue. Cheers to several more years of being told why I’m wrong.
Posted in these groups: 
Barracks
BAS
Marriage
DiscriminationBetter Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) President
Barracks BAS Marriage DiscriminationBetter Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) President
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 488
You are correct in most of what you say. But the Army isn't a job, it is a lifestyle that you choose to stay in or leave when ETS time comes around. I chose to do one tour and out. I've been in the reserves forever and love it. Why you ask? I have a great civilian career, less of the active duty BS that you describe and I still get to deploy and kick ass when I want...
This is something that is very interesting to me. I am actually conducting a research study on this very topic.
I need participants for my doctoral project research study on the factors that influence the decision to marry. If you meet the following criteria, you are eligible to participate (Please review the criteria carefully and let me know if you have any questions):
1. Male
2. 18-50 years old
3. Currently or previously married
4. Employed full-time when you got married
I am looking for civilians as well as Army soldiers to participate in this study.
Army soldiers MUST have been serving on active duty when they got married.
This link will take you to the survey. It should only take you 5-10 minutes to complete. SPREAD THE WORD! Thanks!
https://mspp.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cOtWClm9JtqMXcx
I need participants for my doctoral project research study on the factors that influence the decision to marry. If you meet the following criteria, you are eligible to participate (Please review the criteria carefully and let me know if you have any questions):
1. Male
2. 18-50 years old
3. Currently or previously married
4. Employed full-time when you got married
I am looking for civilians as well as Army soldiers to participate in this study.
Army soldiers MUST have been serving on active duty when they got married.
This link will take you to the survey. It should only take you 5-10 minutes to complete. SPREAD THE WORD! Thanks!
https://mspp.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cOtWClm9JtqMXcx
show previous comments
CW3 (Join to see)
I'm doing it now. I don't turn 50 for another 3 years, and I was a 24 year old active duty SPC when I got married. This Saturday will be our 23rd.
Cpl (Join to see)
Unable to complete, cannot play your reindeer games, Aloha....
TSgt (Join to see)
Why's it gotta be a male? I'm a single SGT living off post and having to "maintain" a barracks room just because there is room at the B's.
CPT (Join to see)
Thank you all for your participation! I greatly appreciate it. My criteria is restrictive so that I can find enough participants in order to make valid and reliable conclusions. If I included female Army soldiers, it would take me much more time to find enough participants to fill that sample. It is incredibly important to look at how marriage in the military affects both genders and I am going to suggest it for future research, but I have to graduate sometime... haha.
Wow. First I gotta say that I am feeling really old after reading a lot of these posts!!! I got out in '92. I was in the Marine Corps and stationed at Camp Pendleton. Based on one comment I saw, just because someone has a college degree doesn't mean they can always be an officer and be in the MOS they would like to be. I would say about 40% of my unit had at least a bachelors degree and maybe 25% with a masters. So the fact that this soldier has a degree and is a 27 year old E-4 I think is kind of commendable. I have no idea how he lived in college, but a vast majority live in the dorms. Basically the barracks. That being said, it sounds as though he feels he has already "put in his due". Unfortunately for him, in this instance it just doesn't count. He does have to suck it up for now. As an E-3, I shared a 20 x 20 room with 1 bath with 3 other Marines and we were glad we did not have to live in the squad bays. No kitchen. Obviously no cable, phone (including cell) and no internet. We made our way to the phone banks. Basically 40 pay phones under what looked like an overgrown bus stop. No chairs there either. Privacy was most definitely an issue. Lets just say I saw more of my roommates than I ever cared too and vice versa I'm sure. As far as the pay/benefits goes, unfortunately, that also falls under suck it up. However, there are some things that he is absolutely correct on. Multiple policies do nothing but break down unit cohesion and, although I would not exactly use the word discrimination, favoritism never has a place in any unit or family for that matter either. That is definitely a leadership issue, or rather a lack of leadership issue. I would just hope he uses it as an example of how he won't treat those troops under him. The post that someone wrote about the roaches, I don't think so. It would have taken me about a day to request mast and get that issue dealt with in short order. I would have busted out my 782 gear and bunked it under the stars before I would have stayed in there. That falls under the heading of just not taking care of the troops. Totally inexcusable. I did have some friends that did get an apartment out in town on their own dime and came back on field night to clean. They complained that they shouldn't have to, but were quickly shot down because the Marine Corps still had to provide the space for them, they couldn't put other Marines there so they lost that one. But they still did things like bring their laundry back to the barracks to save a buck, so it wasn't too bad for them. It use to be that junior enlisted would not be granted permission to get married for all sorts of reasons. The biggest one at Camp Pendleton was that even with all the "benefits" that married troops get, almost 80% of the married Marines E-4 and below actually qualified for food stamps. So, I do not believe the argument that married troops make so much more money, I believe that after several decades they may just now be receiving a "living wage". Personally I do not like the argument that getting married is a choice that is made so troops can have additional benefits. If that were really true, there simply would not be the very high divorce rate in the military. For the single Marines that pulled holiday duty for their married peers, I never saw one single Marine that wasn't invited to someone's home for a holiday meal or a party paid for by the married Marines for the entire unit before or after the holiday. Now, I do realize that I may have been in a close knit unit, but I doubt it was all that unique with other units or service branches for that matter. The military is not a job. It is a way of life and not everyone can do it. That's why enlisted troops don't sign 20 year contracts. Also, there is no way the military could put up everyone in off base housing. Even if there were tons of money to do this, it simply is not practical, and I think everyone here knows the reasons why. Can things be better? Of coarse they can. But from what I have read here, it sounds as though they are better. Is change slow? Sure it is. It is the government after all. If you think it should be faster, try changing something about yourself first just to see how long it really takes you. Then make that ten fold for the government.
Got are complaining about living in the barracks with a kitchen and one person The Corps requires at least three to a room with no kitchen, but things are changing for them. Hell try living on a ship where the size of your rack is the size of a coffin and the only privacy is a curtain even the senior leadership have to share a stateroom unless you are an O-5 then you have your own and that depends on what you are on. So, quit your bitching suck it up and live with you got.
LCDR Mike Morrissey
SSgt Joseph Baptist - As a ship’s senior watch officer (responsible for all watch-standing underway and in-port), your Cruise vs Warship comparison is a red herring. Granted, this thread addresses Army issues, your comment just begs to be addressed. The differences between the Military and Naval Services are such that comparisons have little in common.
Living and working conditions...
While ship deployed—shipboard: usually 4 to 6 hrs on rotation 24hrs a day and lucky to have 6 hrs uninterrupted sleep. Not deployed: In port- 1 in 3 days on 24 hr ship duty, other days regular work days. At sea training-weeks on end. Norm is 100 hr work hrs/wk.
Sailors get sent to very different assignments over a career and seldom in echelon of command structure as Army.
As to watch standing in port? Our schedules for Os and Es NEVER took into account marital status. If a crew member wanted a “guaranteed” night before or after deployment, and was in the duty section on that night, find a substitute in a section and submit leave papers. All knew that heavy Art 15 was in the wings if money was exchanged and got caught. Singles may “bank” a liberty day for deployment if the married (or whomever) had the equivalent watch qualification. Each duty section had to be structured so that the ship could get underway and operate on a moments notice with only 1/3rd the crew.
This happened to us when a Soviet Task Force showed up entering the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico. Much of the crew caught up with us in Guantanamo several grueling day’s later.
Is life harder in the Navy than the Navy...no.. but very different. The difficulty has to do with the individual. As a single shipboard officer in my early days, there was no ashore qtrs allowance. Same for enlisted. At the same time I knew I had a hell of va’ lot more disposable income than my married counterparts. I easily took free weekends and left town...not so my married friends with family issues—even the happily marries ones.
But then about 7 yrs into my career, I struck gold. 46 yrs ago, I married a Naval Officer. I figured that in just a few short yrs we made up for the pay differentials. Two single BAQs then later one Married (claimed child) and 1 single BAQ.
We makes our choices (no draft now) und ve lives wit dem. I certainly didn’t join for the pay scale...which, by the way, was WAAAAYYY below what a Merchant Marine deck Officer was paid.
Sadly, a lot of guys don’t really investigate a life choice that leads to a time as a service member.
Living and working conditions...
While ship deployed—shipboard: usually 4 to 6 hrs on rotation 24hrs a day and lucky to have 6 hrs uninterrupted sleep. Not deployed: In port- 1 in 3 days on 24 hr ship duty, other days regular work days. At sea training-weeks on end. Norm is 100 hr work hrs/wk.
Sailors get sent to very different assignments over a career and seldom in echelon of command structure as Army.
As to watch standing in port? Our schedules for Os and Es NEVER took into account marital status. If a crew member wanted a “guaranteed” night before or after deployment, and was in the duty section on that night, find a substitute in a section and submit leave papers. All knew that heavy Art 15 was in the wings if money was exchanged and got caught. Singles may “bank” a liberty day for deployment if the married (or whomever) had the equivalent watch qualification. Each duty section had to be structured so that the ship could get underway and operate on a moments notice with only 1/3rd the crew.
This happened to us when a Soviet Task Force showed up entering the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico. Much of the crew caught up with us in Guantanamo several grueling day’s later.
Is life harder in the Navy than the Navy...no.. but very different. The difficulty has to do with the individual. As a single shipboard officer in my early days, there was no ashore qtrs allowance. Same for enlisted. At the same time I knew I had a hell of va’ lot more disposable income than my married counterparts. I easily took free weekends and left town...not so my married friends with family issues—even the happily marries ones.
But then about 7 yrs into my career, I struck gold. 46 yrs ago, I married a Naval Officer. I figured that in just a few short yrs we made up for the pay differentials. Two single BAQs then later one Married (claimed child) and 1 single BAQ.
We makes our choices (no draft now) und ve lives wit dem. I certainly didn’t join for the pay scale...which, by the way, was WAAAAYYY below what a Merchant Marine deck Officer was paid.
Sadly, a lot of guys don’t really investigate a life choice that leads to a time as a service member.
PO1 RIchard Petty
SSGT Joseph Bapist, you say that there is a difference between married and single sailors in there living conditions on post housing and barracks and if your single soldiers are getting extra duty and the married ones are not then you should say something. I know in the Navy the only time you get extra duty is when you Capt's Mast and its issued as part of the punishment that is handed down. We don't give extra duty just to give extra duty. And single sailors can request permission to live off base once approved by the skipper of the squadron and usually that happens as long as the barracks are manned at 95%.
I am sure you are going to read more then once how it is better then it was back in the day. And they are right. I slept in 3 man rooms on a bunk bed while in Korea and had to walk down the hall and shower in open bays. It has gotten better.
I feel your pain, I hated living in the barracks, and yes you have it better then I did, but its still the barracks. The thing is barracks life is designed for young kids living there. Your 19-22 year old. it can be said that your 19-22 year old single person really does not have the maturity to live off post by themselves, it leads to issues, not making rent, not showing up on time, wild parties etc. The whole dorm lifestyle gets old when you start creeping towards 30. At 27 you are close in age to your squad leader, if not older. But because you came in later in life, due to your rank you have to live in the barracks. Again it comes down to the major demographics of E1-E4, young 19-22 year olds. I'll be real with you. Its not going to change. You will not be able to get BAH untill you have some more rank. People have been asking, complaining, lobbying whatever for E4-E5 to get BAH, and I'll be honest I wish that it was like that. But in this day and age of budget cuts, the barracks will not get better or bigger. The barracks you live in now were conceived about 12 years ago, so it will take another 15 years before there are major revisions in the system. Maybe more with the budget cuts. As for inspections, well all I can say is welcome to the army.
Your options are simple,
Stay living in the barracks
make rank
go OCS, you have a 4 year degree make it work for you! Go OCS or Warrant!
Save your pennies and rent a room off post. My friend did it for years as a SGT with no BAH, he lived off post and rented a room, had a car payment, made rent etc. It can be done. (if your command allows it)
And last but not least, get married (I don't recomend this one unless you are doing it for the right reasons)
I feel your pain, I hated living in the barracks, and yes you have it better then I did, but its still the barracks. The thing is barracks life is designed for young kids living there. Your 19-22 year old. it can be said that your 19-22 year old single person really does not have the maturity to live off post by themselves, it leads to issues, not making rent, not showing up on time, wild parties etc. The whole dorm lifestyle gets old when you start creeping towards 30. At 27 you are close in age to your squad leader, if not older. But because you came in later in life, due to your rank you have to live in the barracks. Again it comes down to the major demographics of E1-E4, young 19-22 year olds. I'll be real with you. Its not going to change. You will not be able to get BAH untill you have some more rank. People have been asking, complaining, lobbying whatever for E4-E5 to get BAH, and I'll be honest I wish that it was like that. But in this day and age of budget cuts, the barracks will not get better or bigger. The barracks you live in now were conceived about 12 years ago, so it will take another 15 years before there are major revisions in the system. Maybe more with the budget cuts. As for inspections, well all I can say is welcome to the army.
Your options are simple,
Stay living in the barracks
make rank
go OCS, you have a 4 year degree make it work for you! Go OCS or Warrant!
Save your pennies and rent a room off post. My friend did it for years as a SGT with no BAH, he lived off post and rented a room, had a car payment, made rent etc. It can be done. (if your command allows it)
And last but not least, get married (I don't recomend this one unless you are doing it for the right reasons)
PO3 Jonathan Cooper
SSG Zachary Vrba That rule still exists for the Navy about E4 over 4. All it takes is the paperwork being submitted and not lost.
I spent a large portion of my 21yrs as a single soldier uving in the barracks and I have to say your gripes have merit. Expecially the barracks inspections. I was an E6 and was required to stand room inspections with full TA-50 layout on my bunk all the while my married Soldiers in my section was not required to go thru the room inspection. Also the DFAC has been a problem that no one is willing to resolve. Soldires on meal card can file for missed meals but will only get 65% of the sperate rations cost while married soldiers get 100% as they receive separate rations.
This is an age old argument. What I will say is your Lt is a Dick and needs to refer to the NCO for handling the issue. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that the lieutenant doesn't have the right to come in and check out facility when checking on the standards of a soldiers, but to me that's a little Overkill. this 1SG would have had you put your feet up on the end of your bunk and knockout 25 push-ups and call it a day While saying "Don't let it happen again, now lets move on to Hip Pocket Training"
Why don't you get family SEP Pay when you're Deployed as a single soldier? A single soldier is also separated from their family during a 6-12 month deployment where they cannot take leave or pass to see family.
SSG Genaro Negrete
SGT (Join to see) , the tax purpose was an assumption. I never gave it much thought either as a single soldier or married soldier. The reason I assumed the determination for SEP pay was based on dependents is because of the cost of, as mentioned above, maintaining a household. I wonder if a single soldier with dependents can draw SEP pay? Saying a single soldier should get SEP pay because they can't visit their parents, grandparents, or other family was a weak argument. Not that I'm against the SEP pay going to single soldiers. If this is about financial support, it doesn't really make sense to pay a single soldier w/ no dependents SEP pay simply for the sake of sentimentality.
SGT (Join to see)
SSG Genaro Negrete - The soldiers already recieve BAH to maintain a household. You might be missing my point. In a socialistic society you will get paid on a basis of needs and not on a basis of how good of an employee or soldier you are. I suppose it just really depends on your fundamentals as to whether or not you feel somebody who has a wife and or kids should receive more benefits than somebody who does not.
LTC (Join to see)
If you were/are still living in mommy's basement, then you should get SEP pay when you're deployed. If you are a grown adult and living on your own, then you don't get SEP.
LTC (Join to see)
SSgt Joseph Baptist - If a service member is married to their "baby momma" then, no, I don't have a problem with it. Bottom line: If you are not living with someone, then you shouldn't get SEP pay.
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