99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

ha haa... it is a bit sickening isn't it driving around base and seeing all those blue stickered new cars. Seriously, if you want to see the greatest car shows, just drive around a military base parking lot.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I've noticed that when I go to visit my girlfriends brother. It seems like especially on the Air Force Bases, that new muscle cars are the things to have.

WhiteKnight '01

It depends. I had to wait 9 months for my job to open up.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Well, I have already told the recruiter that I don't want to leave until January, but if I wind up waiting past May I may get into some crap with the school, because I have to be on Military Orders in order to defer my scholarships and stuff. I would really hate to finish my spring semester, because then I would only have like 25 credits left to get my degree. but since my loans and scholarships are already in for this coming semester, I have to finish it.... I'm really not in the best spot right now.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Also, I have another question. My girlfriend and I have been together for over 4 years now and are definitely going to get married one day. My question is should we do it before Basic or after? I know that she will benefit from it and so will I in the form of pay, but I was just curious what some of you thought, because i'm sure some of y'all have been in my shoes on this one.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Toss up on the marriage thing.

If you get married before basic you will get BAH on top of basic pay which is nice (especially after everyone else has half what they earned taken out for uniforms and other items needed for training).

You will however have to show that she is able to care for herself without your financial help as I am not sure if the AF allows you to set up a means of getting money to her or not.

There is also the trust issue. You are young and dumb (no offense) in love and personally in that situation, I wouldn't want a woman with open access to a bank account full of money with no oversight.

Personally I would wait till after. Yeah you lose the BAH in the beginning, but you are also going to be away from her for several months. This will be a good time for the both of you to determine if you are able to handle the separations. I know a LOT of guys whose girls swore up and down they could handle it, only to have them hook up with Jodie a month, 2 months down the line. If she can't deal with the few months of basic and MOS training, she won't be able to handle you traveling for missions or deployed.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

As far as trusting her, I really don't have any worries, because she is in Pharmacy School now and still lives with her family. I would still have seperate bank accounts, and she can support her self without me being there now for the most part. But it is just a big decision and I really need to make sure it's what we should do. But the BAH sure would be nice. haha.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Well as I said, basic is a good way to see if she can handle being apart for long stretches and personally I think it is more fair to her to give her the opportunity instead of rushing a marriage for the benefits, then she finds out she can't handle the life style.

Also divorce in the military can bite you in the ****, especially if she decides to be a bitch about it.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so if I go through basic and then tech school, when I get stationed somewhere and then Marry her, would the AF move me out of an apartment and into base housing and still cover all of her costs to move in with me? One of my main concerns is if I get stationed somewhere across the country or around the world (that would still be elgible for her to move with me) if she would be covered.

Swiat34

iTrader: (9)

Get one document first: prenuptual agreement. Spelling might be wrong but I recommend it for any military guy that gets hitched. You will be surprised how many women cheat, empty the account and leave a guy when he's got one month of deployment left. They do it to get all that extra deployment pay built up. And don't think they get the idea themselves, those military women bond and talk and there's LOTS of drama...potentially. I'm not trying to scare you out of marriage, not a all. But protect yourself. This isn't the 1700s, this is 2011...there is no such thing as true trust anymore.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

The good news is that while I'll be in Basic and Tech school she will be living with my family, so they should keep an eye on her.. haha. but honestly, I've been with her for over 4 years and she comes from a Military family (Dad, Brother, and Cousins), so I really think she knows what she is getting in to.

WhiteKnight '01

Normally you don't get BAH unless you are E-4 or above, this coming from Navy experience, I assume the Airforce is similar. But if you are E-3 or below, you will get BAH if you have a dependent, I.E. a wife, a child, or a brother or sister whose legal guardian you have become. BAH differs depending on the area, I'm in Mississippi, poorest state in the nation. E-4 BAH here is roughly $750 a month. Chicago it's almost $1,700 a month. San Diego is about $1,800 a month. Norfolk Virginia is right around $1,200. Differs from place to place.

robcas47

iTrader: (2)

You should get BAH and BAS no matter what grade you are. It shouldn't matter if you marry before or after you enlist. The military will help with the move but it's up to you if you want to do it yourself and get payed for it or let DOD contracted movers do it. They are getting better about it too. I'm currently in the middle of moving to AL and this time around the Army is doing ten times better with the packing and personal contact throughout the process adn even hired a company to come and disassemble my pool table and crate it. For all the hardships involved with this job, it has some perks you just can't beat.

93Z2871805

iTrader: (5)

Unless it changed recently, AF doesn't take uniforms or gear out of your pay, that's issued (they pick up the tab).

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Must be nice. When I went through boot at Parris island, most guys came out of 13 weeks with barely a months paycheck because of all the things they deduct from your pay.

93Z2871805

iTrader: (5)

My buddy that went through Parris Island said the same thing. He did 4 years as an 0311 then went AF reserve.

WhiteKnight '01

Not sure what branch you're in. But I can tell you in the Navy, you get BAS once you are no longer in bootcamp or A-school (tech school). That's your food allowance, $323 a month. I get $7 in BAH a month, but I still live in the barracks. In the Navy you don't get BAH unless you are married, over E-4, or have a dependent I.E. a child, or someone whose legal guardian you are. There are a few bases in the fleet where you get BAH as an E-3 or below, but those are few and far between.

Swiat34

iTrader: (9)

I think every other branch issues you're uniforms. I can also concur that the Marine Corps makes you pay for em.

WhiteKnight '01

The Marines are a department of the Navy, and I can confirm that I lost about $800 through my two months of bootcamp for having to buy uniforms. Of course every year to the day after you joined you get a uniform allowance, it's small, but adds up with the years you have been in.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

I think ya'll are both misreading each other.

To clarify if you are married you will get BAH from the start of boot onwards. If you are single you will only get BAH if you live off base or are assigned to a base that has no barracks or on base living (you also get a stipend if there is no on base chow hall). E4 is generally the earliest rank that most branches will allow enlisted personnel the choice of moving out of the barracks and into town. Some units may make exceptions, but this is generally rare.