My husband is currently in Army Basic Training. I know almost nothing about the military lifestyle and am having a very hard time coping without him. I'm trying to decide what I'm going to do when he gets his first duty station. 1) I could stay where I am, which is close to my family and where I have a decent job. Or 2) I could relocate and move with him. I'm leaning towards 2.
If I decide to stay where I am for the time being, will my husband still get the BAH for my housing, or will he have to live off base and only get it for him? Will we get separation pay? Will the Army help me move to be with him at a later date?
If I decide to move with him, how should I prepare for that now? He will probably be graduating AIT in early March. What resources does the Army have to assist spouses in moving with their soldier? How can I ensure a quick and smooth move? If I decide to move with him, I would hate to waste time living somewhere else with time ticking away on his first deployment...
And one more question: If I do move with him to his first duty station but decide to move closer to family when he deploys, will the Army help with that? Will I receive a housing allowance if I move while he is deployed? And when he returns, will the Army help me move to be with him again?
Thanks for your help. I'm so lost in all of this...
You are married. your place is with your spouse at all times the military permits it.
now that I have stated my personal opinions:
if he gets accompanied orders and you choose to not move, his BAH will be based on his duty station. he will NOT be allowed to live in the barracks and he will not be allowed to live in base housing. he will NOT get Family Separation allowance unless he actually does deploy. That means he will have to live in town and pay for two households on one BAH.
If you chose to go.. he gets ONE paid move. if you want to wait a few months and he has his stuff moved out there sooner YOUR move will not be paid for. even if he did not use up all of his weight entitlement. He has to set up the first move and it will most likely be easiest in the long run for him to arrive at the duty station and make arrangements from there to move your stuff out. he would be allowed to live in the barracks for a month or so while your HHG move is being arranged.
absolutely NO costs associated with moving home for a deployment will be covered. only authorized PCS moves. BAH will remain at the duty station location. also if you are living in base housing you lose it when you are gone more than 30 days and must go to the bottom of the list when you return.
additiaonally.. if you move somewhere away from the base, you will NOT have the same access to base facilites and medical care. many times information about a deployment can only be given out in person. if you aren't in the area, you can't get the info. you will not have priority access to Tricare medical care if you are away from your sponsor's home command location. you cannot get the support and help from those that are BTDTs if you run home .
Though you say he gets one paid move. In order to get that coverage I would have to move at the same time he moves his stuff to his first duty station?
And is this one paid move period? Or will the Army pay to move us when his duty station changes somewhere down the road?
Though you say he gets one paid move. In order to get that coverage I would have to move at the same time he moves his stuff to his first duty station? Not necessarily at the exact same time, but within a certain time frame.. past 6 months it would be more difficult for him to get permission to have it done. People wait for many reasons.. finishing up the shcool year is often used as an acceptable excuse. or waiting for him to actually be able to get housing is another, especially if you want Base housing and there is a waiting list. My cousin had to wait 4 months before she could join her spousal unit in Germany becuase he couldn't get housing any sooner.
And is this one paid move period? Or will the Army pay to move us when his duty station changes somewhere down the road? One paid move per Accompanied PCS orders. or if he gets Unaccompanied PCS orders he might be able toget them to pay fopr you to move someplace else for the duration.. like if he gets sent to Korea and you don't get to go with him.
