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[iii_likegiants]

Mostly to Marine Wives off base:

How long did your housing application take?

I love how I haven't even set a date for this wedding [have to wait til he's gets stationed] and I'm stressing about stuff already. I'm making myself sick.

Comments

[amphibology29]

I don't really understand why you're asking wives off base?

We currently live off base but we lived on base right after getting married. About two-three weeks after getting married we had a house. Well, they offered us a house the day we went in but we weren't happy with it. It was disgusting and was slated to be torn down in less than a year anyway. So we said no, got back on the list, and shortly were offered a much better house. But really, it will depend on where you're going to be. The housing situation is different at every base. I heard stories of people who'd been waiting for 3+ months to get a house.

[iii_likegiants]

I just said that because we are planning to live off base, and I didnt know if it made a different. Thanks.

[amphibology29]

If you're going to live off base you won't go through the housing office. You'll need to find an apartment or house on your own.

[iii_likegiants]

Thats not what I was told.

[amphibology29]

I saw in a comment farther down that you were told you need to apply in order to get BAH. No, you'll get BAH once all of your paperwork is filed with DEERS. It'll change his status from single to married with dependents, and he'll start to receive BAH pay. Once you're filed with DEERS you can file with TriCare and get your military ID card.

The only reason you'd need to apply with the housing office for off base housing is if it's off-base-military-housing. Some bases have housing developments that aren't physically ON base, so some people consider those off base even though they are still base housing. But if you're not planning to live in housing that is regulated by the military, you won't need to apply through the housing office.

[iii_likegiants]

So ..we can get married, go find our own apartment that is NOT on base [or find an apartment, then get married, whatever] and not "off base military housing" and still get BAH?

[amphibology29]

Yes. Getting BAH is based on whether or not he has dependents, not where you live. And actually, if your live in base housing, you won't actually "get" BAH. They'll deduct the full amount of it automatically from his paycheck to cover your cost of living in the housing and utilities. BAH will only go into his bank account if you live in non-base housing. That was one of the main reasons we moved off base - by buying our own home we were actually able to save some money. Our BAH is more than our mortgage and utilities combined, so after bills are paid we still have an extra $100 or so that we weren't getting when we lived on base. The amount of your BAH will depend on his rank and where he is stationed.

[iii_likegiants]

I was looking at all the BAH in the cities where he might be stationed by, and it's not too shabby. And thats just his rank now, it might change by the time we are married. My friend gets 840 a month and their rent is only 730 so..thats pretty decent.