Somehow got lucky
SO talked to a recruiter today over the phone and he told him they are accepting GEDs right now but he doesn't know how fast it will fill up. So we went to talk to the recruiter in person today and if you saw my last post I was really iffy about the whole situation because I was going to probably have to give up school so SO could get his 15 credits and I wasn't sure how it worked and things like that but after talking to the recruiter I feel more comfortable about it. Still a little scared about the whole marriage thing though. SO took a practice test today and they told him to bring in an official copy of his transcripts since he was in JROTC during high school and he can be moved up a rank or something like that and then he is going to call next tuesday about something and schedule an appointment to take the ASVAB. Does it always happen this quickly lol?
But my question is, what are the pros and cons to living on base and off base as a WIFE? I obviously couldn't ask the recruiter this because he was a man lol. Also did you stay where you were during deployments or did you move back with family?
Re: Somehow got lucky
We've never lived on base, mostly because I prefer living in the civilian community. I couldn't really tell you how living off base is different now than it would have been if DH wasn't in the Army, but I will say that at our current post we've really liked having neighbors who are also military. There are four other families on our block who are either military or civilian contractors at DH's hospital, and we take turns helping one another out when someone's spouse is deployed. We didn't realize how many military families lived here until after we moved in, but it's something I'll be looking for the next time we PCS.
I didn't move back to my hometown with this deployment (mainly because I have a job and good support system in place here) but would have if we'd PCS'd shortly before the deployment started. I don't recommend single parenting a preschooler and a newborn if you can possibly avoid it. Still, it's been nice to re-assert my ability to live completely independently after being married for nearly a decade and relying on DH to handle a variety of things for so many years.
Experiences living on (and off) base are going to greatly depend on where you're stationed, so I'm not going to go into personal detail on that.
I don't go home during deployments. I'm an adult, I'm fully capable of living without a man in the house for a while, and I have no personal situations or reasons that would make it worth it for me to move back in with my parents or IL's (I'm not saying either decision is wrong or right, it's just what works for me). We already have a home here, and really a year isn't THAT long in the grand scheme of things, and I feel like we already move so much that I'm not about to add 2 more moves to the list every single time he deploys. No freakin' way, it's just not for me.
True, I never thought of that way and I HATE MOVING also.
Also thank you everyone for your replies!
The Blog
Wow, congrats on all the big changes on your horizon! I know you've got mixed emotions, but focusing on the positive will really be helpful - and it is a good habit to be in as a military wife because things are often out of our control, so we've just gotta try and be optimistic (easier said than done, I know)! As far as on base and off base living, like pps say, it depends on where you are and what you want in that particular community. With our last station, we lived on base and I LOVED it. We were surrounded by our closest military friends, the commissary and NEX were so close and they were doing extensive work on the community - so there were lots of new playgrounds and parks for walks and outdoor activities with DS. Plus, we had a fabulous view of the water because the base was on waterfront property
Our current location, we live in town. We are in Italy and we decided that while it would be very comforting to live on base while overseas, we wanted the full Italian experience. We are glad we chose this route. We love our house and have met some great Italian neighbors that we wouldn't have otherwise. It did mean we went through tons more culture shock than we otherwise would have, but there's always a trade off and you simply have to decide where your priorities lie.
Before deciding where you want to live in any one location, definitely scout out what the housing at that particular base looks like. Not all bases have great housing. Some are being privatized and updated and they're even doing new construction in some locations. But some housing is still old and rundown. So be sure that you even like the on base housing before you move in
you are going to get lots of different answers regarding living on base. Some people love it, some people hate, some base housing is awesome, some is really not worth it at all.
We love living on base. I like that if DH is gone, I know I have a support and people I can rely on. Our houses are really new and pretty nice, we'd have to rent something far away to get something comparable for the price. I like the convenience of it, DH loves coming home for lunch most days (out dog loves that too) He can come home really quick after PT and shower. If future base housing is as nice as what we have now, we would be ok living on base until we decide to buy (that will only be if we want to live there after he retires most likely)
I changed my name
Things may be moving quickly with the recruiter, but that does not necessarily mean that your FI will be leaving for basic training soon. He might, but, I've also seen posters whose DHs have ton wait for months for a spot to be available.
As for living on base/post, it is a very personal decision. DH and I prefer to live on post. We like for him to be close to work, able to come home after PT, to come home for lunch and to live in a military community. It is not for everyone. I also like that it is easier on pet owners. We had to pay a very high pet FEE (not deposit, we won't see that money ever again) for our current townhouse. At one post, we had to pay a $200 deposit (which we applied to the move out damages) and the other post where we have lived, we were in old housing, so we didn't have to pay anything extra.
As for moving home during a deployment. . . I had always said that I would not move home, but our circumstances were for me to stay where we were, at a base where I knew nobody and DH was not deploying out of, or, I could move, on the Army's nickel, to be near my family. I rented my own house because I am an adult and want/need my own space. It worked out for the best as I ended up needing a ton more help for myself and my son than any of us could have imagined. I could not have done it without my family, but, if/when DH deploys again, I would not choose to move to be near family again. I want to keep life as stable and consistent as possible for my son. And, as pp mentioned, purposely moving two more times is crazy. DH and I have been married for 4.5 years and we are living in house number six.