As military servicemen, you are faced with two living options that is either the military barrack or the off base housing. New recruits usually opt for the military dormitories while officers that have served the military for 4 years or more can choose to live off base and be awarded a living stipend.

Military Housing

A new enlistee more often than not lives in military dorms that they call barracks. Barracks are housing blocks or complete complexes for permanent military accommodation and are sometimes called discipline factories for soldiers. They can still be found around military bases.

What Its Really like?

If you think barracks are rooms each with 20 single beds and a small wardrobe besides them for personal belongings along with a single washroom with communal showers and restrooms then you won’t be entirely wrong. But military housing is slowly replacing barracks with dormitories.

 The new construction is intended for two junior single personnel per room having a private bathroom but this too is slowly being phased out in favor of single occupancy. The air force calls all accommodations open bay barracks and are more similar to traditional barracks.

Military Dorms:

With the exception of training bases and hostile deployment locations all military bases are working to give junior enlistees their own rooms with private baths.

Off Base Housing:

With the increase of rank and the numbers of years served, an enlistee can choose to move out of the base. In this case the government awards the serviceman a monthly housing and food allowance but then the meals at the chow hall/mess are no longer be free. The living arrangements may vary depending upon the services and bases.

Deployed While Living Off Base:

If an officer living off base is deployed somewhere, he is still entitled to the stipend he receives by the government. In case of a broken lease, the Service member’s Civil Relief Act protects the officer against penalties. The officer might even choose to terminate the lease during his deployment and keep the allowance for him.

Inspections:

When living with the military an officer needs to respect the rules and regulations imposed by higher authority personnel. There are two types of inspections in a military dorm to ensure that the code of conduct is being followed. A periodic inspection; typically carried out by the First Sergeant or the commander to ensure hygienic conditions. And the other a Health and Welfare Inspection to make sure there are no drugs, knives, guns, etc. in the dorms. This inspection is unannounced and typically takes place at odd timings usually at 2 in the morning.

Choosing Where To Live:

Living in a shared space might become uncomfortable for some. Especially people in relationships and having guests stay overnight. The military does not entertain such pleasantries. Thus new recruits deciding to live off base will need to pay their bills out of their enlisted pay. The upside for them is the food in the chow hall/mess will be free.