Living on Base You save by only owing for rent whatever your service member's basic allowance for housing is. You save by having life's conveniences like the commissary, px, gas station, library and medical clinic—all within a small radius, which means spending less on travel.
Base housing is typically dated and small compared to newer construction homes off base. Living on base means forfeiting your entire BAH while living off base often costs the same (or even less) each month. It's possible to get a larger, newer home off base and still pocket some of your BAH at the end of the month.
Single or unaccompanied military installation housing such as “the barracks,” or “bachelor quarters,” are rent-free, but you may share a room or bathroom. Privatized military installation housing is owned by a private-sector company.
Living on Base
You save by having life's conveniences like the commissary, px, gas station, library and medical clinic—all within a small radius, which means spending less on travel. You save by paying less for housing utilities such as electric and water.
Military bases can be quite large and living on one is a lot like living in a town. There are post offices, shopping centers, medical and dental clinics, and other businesses. The base amenities are open to all resident service members and may be open to guests on a case-by-case basis.
Service members and their families can use Space-A flights to travel around the country and world at little to no cost. Though sometimes unpredictable, military flights are perfect for families with flexible plans and limited travel budgets.
For starters, an unmarried couple cannot live on a base outside of certain extenuating circumstances that would have the non-service member defined as a caregiver for the service member's children. As a result, unmarried military couples typically live off-base.
Food. The Army provides meals at dining facilities for enlisted Soldiers, at no cost. The Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) is a stipend of more than $250 per month provided to commissioned Officers, and to enlisted Soldiers who don't have access to Army dining facilities, to pay for food off base.
The military does not pay closing costs or give you money to buy a new home.
Air Force policy allows E-4s and above with at least three years of service to live off base, regardless of the on-base dormitory occupancy rate.
Specifically, they can live in "privatized military housing." As part of the base housing privatization process legislated by Public Law 104-106, the Defense Department says that, when the number of vacant homes on any base rises above a certain level, the contractor can rent them to anyone it likes.
Can You Live Off Military Retirement Pay? The short answer is, yes, absolutely. But it takes a lot of planning to make this work. A good friend of mine, Doug Nordman, wrote the book, The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Early Retirement, and founded the website, The Military Guide.
In the U.S., nearly all barracks are coed, though individual bedrooms are still segregated. Once you are deployed, however, men and women often share the same quarters, especially if the base is in a remote location like Afghanistan.
To qualify for on-base housing, you must be residing with a dependent (in most cases, that means a spouse or minor children). The number of bedrooms you'll be authorized depends on the number and age of the dependents residing with you.
Girls are allowed to visit men in the barracks, but you cannot spend the night. You must sign in with the duty at the front desk. The door to the barracks room is supposed to be propped open during the visit.
Welcome to the Navy Family! As the wife or husband of a service member, you are eligible for many benefits, including health care, shopping privileges on base, and access to base facilities and programs.
In the military, officers and members of enlisted ranks are prohibited from having certain personal interactions outside of their professional duties and orders. It's of no consequence whether the parties involved are in a direct line of command.
You cannot walk and talk while in uniform and areas where classified materials exist usually do not permit electronics use. No due to high security reasons. Cell phones are allowed in most places. Cell Phone use is prohibited unless specifically authorized during the workday.
If you are enlisted in the U.S. Army and reside in the dormitory or barracks, you will be given your meals for free in most cases. Most chow halls offer four meals per day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight meal.
Military retirees and vets get free access to services including home repair, health and dental, mental health, lawn maintenance, and free transportation. Additionally, free food and lodging is obtainable along with access to theme parks, prestigious museums, sporting events, and national parks.
The short answer is YES! Most people can visit a military base with no issue. However, it's not like visiting grandma where you can just pull up and walk in. You must bring all required documents and be willing to submit to a background check.
There is no military spouse pay or stipend, but the military offers a number of benefits to help service members and their families. Your first stop after the wedding should be the nearest military ID card issuing facility to enroll in DEERS, the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.