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
In response to assertion by a 'single' soldier, would like to counter with a comment made by newly married soldier, decades ago; to member of unit command staff, by his wife. "Sir, I understand that your command are cavalry. Really. Still, several months ago, doctor told me that due no fault of mine nor my husband, if we wish to have children, we should do so what comes naturally, sooner than later. We would both really appreciate if 'he' could be home long enough to do his part in helping make that possible."
My wife was a good military wife and dealt with all that entails though multiple deployments, with few (when any) complaints, prior making joint decision to retire from active duty 25 years ago. While serving we did our part to at least try to be a home away from home for some 'single soldiers'. As a both a track commander & as a section sergeant, we opened our home to 'single soldiers' with same goal during multiple holidays every year. As a Platoon sergeant, I did my best to be supportive of 'all' my troopers 'equally' and insured junior NCOs & troopers that did not live in unit quarters were held to the same standards my 'single soldiers' were. Only time I can recall ever seeing 'any' difference was when directive came down that to inspect unit equipment I had signed for, then hand receipted to 'single soldiers'...I had to make 'an appointment'. At that, I balked, and I'll admit it, freely. Having lived barracks myself early/occasionally in career, I was not without some knowledge of how things could go. (Young soldiers today have no grasp how much things improved for...'single soldiers' living in CONUS since Vietnam Era. Really. But being military still requires standards. During year unaccompanied rotation stationed South Korea, upon arrival as an E6 though nice new barracks had replaced old & scattered Quonset huts, that's precisely where I was put 'temporarily'. While there were a few drawbacks, I made do. Within a couple of months, was told by an S3 E9 I'd served with during a previous CONUS assignment, that I was living better than senior noncoms in hotel-like billets. As an NCO I kept my part of that old (all but forgotten Quonset hut) neat as possible until a new E7 upset my cozy little applecart, mere weeks prior rotation back to CONUS. My point? The Army didn't issue me a wife. We made a choice and various commands accomadated the choice, within reason. If junior noncoms or troopers (mature enough) to maintain quarters off base, I had/have no problem with their being paid housing allowance & separate rations as well. On other hand, if not mature enough to handle added responcibility; should conversely be housed by within available unit quarters.
My wife was a good military wife and dealt with all that entails though multiple deployments, with few (when any) complaints, prior making joint decision to retire from active duty 25 years ago. While serving we did our part to at least try to be a home away from home for some 'single soldiers'. As a both a track commander & as a section sergeant, we opened our home to 'single soldiers' with same goal during multiple holidays every year. As a Platoon sergeant, I did my best to be supportive of 'all' my troopers 'equally' and insured junior NCOs & troopers that did not live in unit quarters were held to the same standards my 'single soldiers' were. Only time I can recall ever seeing 'any' difference was when directive came down that to inspect unit equipment I had signed for, then hand receipted to 'single soldiers'...I had to make 'an appointment'. At that, I balked, and I'll admit it, freely. Having lived barracks myself early/occasionally in career, I was not without some knowledge of how things could go. (Young soldiers today have no grasp how much things improved for...'single soldiers' living in CONUS since Vietnam Era. Really. But being military still requires standards. During year unaccompanied rotation stationed South Korea, upon arrival as an E6 though nice new barracks had replaced old & scattered Quonset huts, that's precisely where I was put 'temporarily'. While there were a few drawbacks, I made do. Within a couple of months, was told by an S3 E9 I'd served with during a previous CONUS assignment, that I was living better than senior noncoms in hotel-like billets. As an NCO I kept my part of that old (all but forgotten Quonset hut) neat as possible until a new E7 upset my cozy little applecart, mere weeks prior rotation back to CONUS. My point? The Army didn't issue me a wife. We made a choice and various commands accomadated the choice, within reason. If junior noncoms or troopers (mature enough) to maintain quarters off base, I had/have no problem with their being paid housing allowance & separate rations as well. On other hand, if not mature enough to handle added responcibility; should conversely be housed by within available unit quarters.
Same thing in the Air Force! Single officers work the mid and night shifts, most weekends, all holidays! After 18 yrs of it I was sick of it! And imagine being an LGBQT Service Member with no prospect of ever marrying while in the service. It was real hell doing 28 yrs under Don’f Ask, Don’t Tell Military Policy when you did the right thing and Commanders were still conducting purges to locate Gays on the basis of gossip, rumor and innuendo
for Dishonorable Discharges! Also retraining in to a career field as Special Agent, Air Force Office Special Investigations in the 1980s required your Commander approve your marrying and the suitability of your spouse! Yes sire, its true and happened for 30 plus yrs in the Air Force!
for Dishonorable Discharges! Also retraining in to a career field as Special Agent, Air Force Office Special Investigations in the 1980s required your Commander approve your marrying and the suitability of your spouse! Yes sire, its true and happened for 30 plus yrs in the Air Force!
Sir,
I know I’m old school and proud of it but here’s a sample of what my first infantry 1SG told us back in the day. Whenever family matters would come up when we had to go to field or deployed as voiced by the soldiers around me the 1SG would bellow at our formation, “If the Army wanted you to have a family they would be issued to you”....lol..... having said that the same 1SG would be there day or night if you truly had a family problem. My first NCOs were mostly Vietnam vets they were a special breed. Rough as hell, but always there when you truly needed them with no questions asked. I have the utmost respect for them then and now all these years later.
I know I’m old school and proud of it but here’s a sample of what my first infantry 1SG told us back in the day. Whenever family matters would come up when we had to go to field or deployed as voiced by the soldiers around me the 1SG would bellow at our formation, “If the Army wanted you to have a family they would be issued to you”....lol..... having said that the same 1SG would be there day or night if you truly had a family problem. My first NCOs were mostly Vietnam vets they were a special breed. Rough as hell, but always there when you truly needed them with no questions asked. I have the utmost respect for them then and now all these years later.
I have one question since this post was back about 5 years ago: Are you still in the Army?
IN THE VIETNAM ERA THERE WAS MUCH DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SINGLE GUYS BY THE DRAFT BOARD! IN KANSAS SINGLE GUYS WERE DRAFTED, AND MARRIED GUYS EVEN THOSE WITHOUT KIDS WERE NOT!!
ACROSS THE BORDER, IN MISSOURI MARRIED GUYS WERE DRAFTED!
I NEVER HEARD THE DRAFT POLICIES OF OTHER STATES! A FRIEND AND FELLOW CO -
WORKER WAS DRAFTED IN MISSOURI ,
BUT NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE KANSAS POLICY!
OF COURSE, IN KANSAS IN THE EVENT OF DIVORCE, SOMEONE WAS SURE TO SNITCH YOU OUT TO THE DRAFT BOARD!!
ACROSS THE BORDER, IN MISSOURI MARRIED GUYS WERE DRAFTED!
I NEVER HEARD THE DRAFT POLICIES OF OTHER STATES! A FRIEND AND FELLOW CO -
WORKER WAS DRAFTED IN MISSOURI ,
BUT NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE KANSAS POLICY!
OF COURSE, IN KANSAS IN THE EVENT OF DIVORCE, SOMEONE WAS SURE TO SNITCH YOU OUT TO THE DRAFT BOARD!!
Sgt Eric T, I understand where you are coming from, but I don't understand why you live in the barracks in the first place. Unless the Army rules are different then those in the AF, single E-4's and above could live off base if they wished, and draw single rate BAQ, they would also draw the same BAS as married folks. Those who worked sift jobs and found themselves missing a lot of meals because of their job were able to also draw BAS.
As for how married verse single military are treated, I guess one of the important reason is that a married person will stay in the service longer for the most part then a single would. Therefore less is spent on training a replacement every two or three years. I'm sure there are other reasons for it too. As for inspections goes, those living in base housing also have standards they have to conform to. I didn't have anyone coming and inspecting the inside of my house, but inspectors did come and check the yards, and if I didn't maintain my yard, i.e. cut the grass, remove the snow in the winter, I would get a notice. If I received to many notices I would receive a letter from the base commander informing me that I would have to vacate my quarters and move off base. So, those of us who lived on base had to conform to certain standards too. You can always get married - smile.
As for how married verse single military are treated, I guess one of the important reason is that a married person will stay in the service longer for the most part then a single would. Therefore less is spent on training a replacement every two or three years. I'm sure there are other reasons for it too. As for inspections goes, those living in base housing also have standards they have to conform to. I didn't have anyone coming and inspecting the inside of my house, but inspectors did come and check the yards, and if I didn't maintain my yard, i.e. cut the grass, remove the snow in the winter, I would get a notice. If I received to many notices I would receive a letter from the base commander informing me that I would have to vacate my quarters and move off base. So, those of us who lived on base had to conform to certain standards too. You can always get married - smile.
i never lived in the barracks, but being marred 90 days after basic, I can tell you that being married was harder on me than being single. 6 years of my wife bitching about duty times and when and where I was going. I would've rather of had my own room to go to, my own bed, etc after an FTX... Having her bitch about dirty uniforms, boots in the mudroom... damn. Getting home at 0300 and getting back up to PT at 0600, her bitching about 1SG calling her to check in on married life. Yes, she had access to the PX, etc... but damn, Walmart and dollar store were our best friends.
Neither of us drinks or smoke, THOUSANDS saved right there, so we were able to buy our house early on.
Neither of us drinks or smoke, THOUSANDS saved right there, so we were able to buy our house early on.
No excuse for housing a soldier in anything but a tent. Marriage should be discouraged as for a profession the person's stated goal is "to die in combat." If you're willing to kill,
(professional killer's the game) then one should be willing to die, no remorse, (either way you're not being civilized). And no, I'm not a draft dodger, will show you me flashing the peace sign in my SP5 uniform. Did my time, enjoyed the experience, glad it's over.
(professional killer's the game) then one should be willing to die, no remorse, (either way you're not being civilized). And no, I'm not a draft dodger, will show you me flashing the peace sign in my SP5 uniform. Did my time, enjoyed the experience, glad it's over.
My view is that if you’re not married, don’t go on active duty. Especially if there’s a war going on: you’re on the top of the ship out list.
I had to chuckle when I read this. I have heard these arguments many times over the years. A couple of salient points . Yes when you live n the barracks (though they don't sound like the barracks I lived in) there are certain standards to be met. Quoting Admiral McRaven, the old Navy Seal, .."make your bed". Barrack inspections primary purpose is health and welfare.....especially on the lookout for illegal drugs and alcohol abuse. Most importantly- the military provides barracks for junior enlisted and they are essential particularly in high cost areas. The average cost of a one bedroom apartment in DC is $ 2200 per month, in Tampa $1100 and at Ft. Bragg $1300 ---utilities are extra, some charge for parking and then add in your commuting costs/ time ( in DC I would guess commuting time is 1-1 1/2 hours depending on I95) and things start looking bad. Food prices are a major factor also ….and will be a big dent in your budget. I spent three tours in DC over the years - and every time it got more expensive. One other point on this topic is that landlords will generally not sign on for more than a year long lease...and you can expect at a minimum of a 10% increase in the rent .
Now it seems to me there are two choices for those who find themselves in SGT Eric's predicament -pursue another occupation where you think they will treat you better or get married and move off-post after telling your bride that your motivation was to save a few bucks.
Now it seems to me there are two choices for those who find themselves in SGT Eric's predicament -pursue another occupation where you think they will treat you better or get married and move off-post after telling your bride that your motivation was to save a few bucks.
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