Military Housing, rentals, home buying, real estate, VA home loans - Army Times

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Housing and moving


Some of the toughest decisions in the military revolve around housing and moving. Should you live on base or off? Should you have a moving company deliver your household goods, or should you move them yourself? Before you make any decisions, you can get smart on those issues and more here.
  • ‘Erosion’ of quality-of-life funding chafes lawmakers
    Sharp declines in funding for military quality-of-life programs may signal a lack of commitment by service officials, lawmakers said April 17.
  • Services slow to set standards for barracks
    The definition of “inadequate barracks” is ... inadequate.
  • Sharing can lead to saving
    JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Martineu gave up searching the Internet for a one- or two-bedroom apartment in the Jacksonville area while he was still deployed to Iraq last year.
  • Fair play: Boosting BAH for singles
    The current system of Basic Allowance for Housing payments is split between haves and have-nots — those with families and those without.
  • Paying more for homeownership
    By the Pentagon’s standards, single E-7s are paid enough housing allowance to rent a two-bedroom townhouse.
  • Single doesn’t mean fewer expenses
    Alaska has some of the highest rent districts in the country, but the money available to soldiers for housing there is still not quite enough for Army Sgt. Romesa Fantroy.
  • Living within the allowance
    SAN DIEGO — Southern California’s sun-splashed, sandy beaches attract sun worshippers and surfers — Navy Lt. Jared Gianquinto included.
  • Study suggests raising partial BAH
    About 65,000 single junior enlisted members live in housing that is below Defense Department standards — and they should be paid extra for that hardship, military pay experts say.
  • As full replacement coverage kicks in, confusion remains
    Some service members have misperceptions about the new policy providing full replacement value coverage for damaged or lost household goods, officials say.
  • Private developers replace, fix base housing
    With the bulk of the family housing privatization projects already awarded to private developers, defense and service officials are now focusing on making sure the deals — and the military...
  • Marine barracks policy focuses on privacy, comfort
    JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Four off-white cinder block walls with matching tile floors and one window — welcome to your standard Marine Corps barracks room.
  • Military construction 2008: Army
    “Grow the Force” projects designated for the Army by the Senate Appropriations Committee in its version of the 2008 military construction appropriations bill:
  • Military construction 2008: Marine Corps
    “Grow the Force” projects designated for the Marines by the Senate Appropriations Committee in its version of the 2008 military construction appropriations bill:
  • Senators OK 2008 base construction plans
    Seventeen more Army barracks projects and two bachelor enlisted quarters projects for wounded Marines are part of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s plan to help installations handle an...
  • Moving: Pay and allowances
    Service members with permanent change-of-station orders can receive advance pay and allowances with their commander’s approval. These include advances on basic pay and Basic Allowance for...
  • Moving: Where to find help for your next PCS
    The Air Force Crossroads Web site has an extensive relocation section for members of all services, with links to installations and other Web sites related to moving.
  • Moving: Stop-Movement
    The stop-movement program is a tool that each service can use to keep members in place by suspending permanent change-of-station moves and some temporary duty assignments.
  • SITES
    You can get detailed and timely information about any major installation from the Standard Installation Topic Exchange Service. You may be able to find information about local housing, schools and...
  • Moving: Help for moving children, pets
    Moving can be difficult for the entire family. It can affect a family financially when one spouse has to leave a job to follow a military member to a new location. Younger members of a military...
  • Moving: The rules on automobiles
    The government will ship one privately owned vehicle — an automobile, motorcycle or scooter — overseas for a service member.
  • Moving: The rules on baggage
    Accompanied. Accompanied baggage is the luggage service members and their family carry on an airplane, bus, train or car. It also refers to personal documents and property such as jewelry. It is not...
  • Boats
    Small watercraft — canoes, skiffs, sailboats, light rowboats, motorboats, dinghies or sculls of any size, as well as boat trailers — may be shipped as household goods and count against...
  • Moving: Damage claims
    On the day of delivery, make sure the carrier notes any loss or damage on the Joint Statement of Loss or Damage at Delivery form (DD Form 1840).
  • Moving: Firearms
    Firearms are considered part of household goods, but national, state and local laws govern their transportation. Foreign countries also have rules about firearms.
  • Moving: Professional items
    Professional items are not counted against your weight allowance.
  • Moving: The rules on storage
    Permanent storage is permitted when the amount of household goods that can be transported overseas is restricted or when service members don’t take all their possessions with them. Under such...
  • Moving: Weight allowances
    The government sets weight limits for what it will ship. The allowed weight depends on your rank and whether you have dependents.
  • Moving: The rules on leave
    Defense Department policy gives service members up to 10 days for house hunting at a new assignment location, but policies vary among the services.
  • Moving: The rules on lodging
    Service members and families can find temporary lodging at most bases. Reservations may be necessary, and most military facilities do not accept pets. Policies and prices vary from base to base. In...
  • Self-procured moves
    Service members have the option to move their own possessions. The transportation office at a service member’s current duty station must authorize a self-procured move. The government will pay...
  • Moving: How to arrange transportation
    Moving is a fact of life when you are in the military, but you can make it less stressful if you know what to expect.
  • Off-base housing — what you need to know
    Housing can be one of the most difficult aspects of military service because of frequent moves. The services offer many programs and benefits to ease the situation and ensure that adequate and...
  • Base housing: Privately-owned family quarters
    Privatization — having private firms build, own, maintain and operate housing on government land — is helping the services repair or replace inadequate housing and build new housing much...
  • Base housing: Government-owned family quarters
    Defense Department policy calls for relying on the civilian community first to house military families. But all service personnel with family members are eligible to apply to live in privatized...
  • Base housing: Barracks and dormitories
    The services call unaccompanied housing by different names, such as bachelor enlisted quarters, barracks and dormitories. All branches are upgrading their facilities through renovation and new...
  • Housing allowances explained
    Housing can be one of the most difficult aspects of military life because of the frequent moves most service members must make. The services offer many programs and benefits to ease the situation and...

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