Military pay

[softtouch]

When enlisted in the Air Force in 1950, I lived in a barracks (a Quonset hut when overseas) and ate in a mess hall. A Private's pay was $80 a Month.
My Granddaughter has enlisted in the AF and will enter the service next summer when she finishes High School.
I understand single enlisted people must pay for their meals and lodging now. Is living in something like a barracks and eating in a mess hall an option anymore?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

They are given an allowance for lodging and meals. Some places no longer have a mess hall.

 

[glhs837]

Cheaper per member to just give them the money for food and rent than trying to provide those things. Seems counterintutive, perhaps, but that's the way the math works.

 

[BlueBird]

Yep the bean counters have determined that it saves us money if we just give the service member an allowance for food and lodging vice pay to maintain a BEQ and mess hall. On bases with barracks and mess halls most of those facilities are run by civilians now. Save us money because we're not paying for a larger military and all the benefits for more retiree's down the road.

 

[softtouch]

So, they are on their own to find housing and someone to buddy-with etc.?
Sounds like a heavy burden to put on a teenager.

 

[BlueBird]

So, they are on their own to find housing and someone to buddy-with etc.?
Sounds like a heavy burden to put on a teenager.

They're young men and woman. Adults.... If we can't trust these young adults who graduate from basic and then advanced training to figure out how to live on their own like adults do then how can we expect them to go to war and win for their country? Besides the senior enlisted leadership is intrusive enough to keep them on the right track. Most bases have enough barracks for the E-4 and below.

 

[PsyOps]

When enlisted in the Air Force in 1950, I lived in a barracks (a Quonset hut when overseas) and ate in a mess hall. A Private's pay was $80 a Month.
My Granddaughter has enlisted in the AF and will enter the service next summer when she finishes High School.
I understand single enlisted people must pay for their meals and lodging now. Is living in something like a barracks and eating in a mess hall an option anymore?

If you live on base in the dorms you get a meal card that you would use at the dining facility (they don't call it the chow hall anymore). For these airman, there are no allowances. If they are married, they have the option of living in base housing or off base. On most bases, once a single airman reaches Senior Airman they have to move off base and start receiving their housing and food allowances.

 

[vraiblonde]

So, they are on their own to find housing and someone to buddy-with etc.?
Sounds like a heavy burden to put on a teenager.

Lots of kids move out right after high school and find jobs, apartments, feed themselves, etc, without benefit of being in the military. And many enlisted personnel don't care to live in barracks and find civilian housing. Most bases have temporary lodging she can stay in while she's finding a place to live.

Don't worry about her, she'll be fine.

 

[softtouch]

If you live on base in the dorms you get a meal card that you would use at the dining facility (they don't call it the chow hall anymore). For these airman, there are no allowances. If they are married, they have the option of living in base housing or off base. On most bases, once a single airman reaches Senior Airman they have to move off base and start receiving their housing and food allowances.

Thank you. I was worried about lack of money management experience. It sounded like she was going to need a car (which she doesn't have and can't afford) to get to work.
I didn't want her to have to jump right into signing leases and taking out a car loan.
The only thing I had to worry about while in the AF was running out of beer and cigarette money.

 

[DoWhat]

When enlisted in the Air Force in 1950, I lived in a barracks (a Quonset hut when overseas) and ate in a mess hall. A Private's pay was $80 a Month.
My Granddaughter has enlisted in the AF and will enter the service next summer when she finishes High School.
I understand single enlisted people must pay for their meals and lodging now. Is living in something like a barracks and eating in a mess hall an option anymore?

Your granddaughter will be fine.
The military (AF especially) will take good care of her.
It is tough to see them grow up and move on.
Let her spread her wings.
You are a Great Grandfather/Mother for caring.
I wish her the best and I thank her for her service.

 

[edinsomd]

As I recall, junior folks would soon tire of barracks life and go in with a friend or two and rent a nearby apartment, and share transportation to and from work. They can also grocery shop at the base commissary (or whatever the Air Force calls it) for meals, and save money by cooking at home. It'll work out just fine, Gran.

 

[PsyOps]

Thank you. I was worried about lack of money management experience. It sounded like she was going to need a car (which she doesn't have and can't afford) to get to work.
I didn't want her to have to jump right into signing leases and taking out a car loan.
The only thing I had to worry about while in the AF was running out of beer and cigarette money.

I'm on Andrews right now. The dorms are all within walking distance of just about anywhere they would work and to the dining facility, bx, commissary... with maybe a couple of exception. I think they have a shuttle that can cart folks around if it's too far to walk. Just about every base I've been to (except maybe Scott AFB) the dorms were typically centrally located to make walking to work and other places on base doable. At Eglin, the Fighter Sq was all the way on the other side of the flightline and was not within walking distance from the dorms. So there are some exceptions. I think it's always good to have a car so they can get off base and have some fun and not be confined the limits of the base. But I know so many folks that don't and do just fine. They make friends that can get them around. When she seeing all these other folks with cars, hopefully it will motivate her to save her money to get a car.

As far as money goes... if she has no bills (credit cards, car payment, etc...) her paycheck is pure income. She could essentially save every penny and never have to worry. If she is living on base, she is housed for free (all utilities and such included), and food is provided. Of course she would have to pay for basic needs (soap, shampoo, snacks, drinks...), but for all intents and purposes her paycheck can be nearly fully banked to save for whatever - especially a car.

God bless your granddaughter for her service!

 

[FED_UP]

Thank you. I was worried about lack of money management experience. It sounded like she was going to need a car (which she doesn't have and can't afford) to get to work.
I didn't want her to have to jump right into signing leases and taking out a car loan.
The only thing I had to worry about while in the AF was running out of beer and cigarette money.

Definitly don't let any car dealer get over on her with high interest and hint to her to start a small savings plan for emergencies, etc.

 

[glhs837]

Definitly don't let any car dealer get over on her with high interest and hint to her to start a small savings plan for emergencies, etc.

Agreed, Saving for a few months and getting a good used car would be a better bet. Virtually any military command has gearheads who are willing to go and teach a shipmate (or whatever the air force calls it, buddies maybe ), and most bases have an auto hobby shop where you can learn to do most stuff yourself. Never been in one where a person learning and asking questions wasn't almost immediately helped by others there.

 

[PsyOps]

As I recall, junior folks would soon tire of barracks life and go in with a friend or two and rent a nearby apartment, and share transportation to and from work. They can also grocery shop at the base commissary (or whatever the Air Force calls it) for meals, and save money by cooking at home. It'll work out just fine, Gran.

The general rule for the AF is you are required to live on base in the dorms from E-1 through E-3. There are some exceptions like being married or having kids. I was told that if you have a house-full of furniture you can request off base in order to avoid paying for storage. Airmen at E-4 may opt to live in the dorms or move off base; but some bases require E-4s to move out of the dorms because of limited space. Most opt to move off base and start getting those allowances anyway. E-5s are required to move off base for space reasons.

So softtouch, your daughter might want to start planning now for a car for when she reaches that rank where she would be required to move off base.

 

[Booboo3604]

Like others have said, if she can find some other military members to get a place with, she will be set. I think things have changed a lot since you were in the military. I know of 4 AF staff sergeants (E-5's) that are stationed at Andrews who share a beautiful, very large home in Calvert county. They each receive about $1800 a month for BAH. What does this mean? Not only do they have a really, really nice house, they also have some pretty expensive vehicles (BMW's, brand new trucks, etc.), and still have money to spare. The AF takes care of them and then they get the opportunity to bank while deployed as well.

 

[Misfit]

When I was stationed in the Pacific, during World War II, Pappy took care of us, and we spent most of our time playing cards in the chow hall. There were all sorts of shenanigans going on at base then, but everyone seemed to pull together when that air raid horn went off, I guess we were just poor little lamps that lost our way.

 

[BernieP]

So, they are on their own to find housing and someone to buddy-with etc.?
Sounds like a heavy burden to put on a teenager.

I don't think they are on their own, but it does give them options. I don't think it was just the bean counters, I think they realized that with varying situations (married, single, w/children, etc.) and no two bases being alike, using allowances added some flexibility. There is a base housing office to assist.

 

[GURPS]

The dorms are all within walking distance of just about anywhere they would work and to the dining facility, bx, commissary... with maybe a couple of exception.

going back to the 80's, our barracks were 50 meters from the company HQ, and 150 Meters to the Motor Pool, the Mess Hall was in the same quad as the barracks
the entire Battalion was around a rectangle, we ever had our own 1st Brigade EM Club

38.732771, -104.769907


the quad has changed a bit .... looks like new barracks

 

[softtouch]

Thank you all for the feed back. Looks like she will have plenty of time to get her feet on the ground.
I found a web site that lists the time in grade requirements to advance through the ranks in the AF.
6 months as E1 to move to E2.
10 months as E2 to move to E3.
28 months as E3 to move to E4.
A minimum of 3 years 8 months before she can advance to E4.