4 Reasons You SHOULD Live on Base

Base housing. Is it the right decision for your family? The answer will be different for each military family, and can be different from one PCS move to the next. We have lived both on base and off... and I have my lists of pros and cons. You can read the other side of this coin, "4 Reasons You Should NOT Live On Base" ... but for now, let's focus on those positives, shall we. 1) It's usually pretty dang easy. Moving is not ever easy, but when you move on base, unless there is a huge waiting list, it is pretty much a "sign here and collect your keys" kind of proposition. That can be amazingly refreshing when you have just spent four days trapped in a vehicle with a husband who won't follow the GPS directions because "they don't know what they are talking about", a dog that never had gas until you decided to move him cross country, a toddler who isn't happy unless that weird Dora CD is playing, and a few other kids who you are sure are buried beneath all of the things you just couldn't bear to let the movers pack but you are now prepared to ditch on the side of I-10. When you live on base you don't have to look at 400 rental properties, don't have to come up with first and last month's rent and utility deposits, and as long as you have the right number and kind... you don't have to worry about pet deposits either. Easy, breezy... lemon squeezy. 2) A sense of community that understands YOU. The Fresh Prince was on to something. But its civilians... they just don't understand. And that can make living among them challenging, especially if you are far away from family and friends or if your spouse is never there. It can be hard to see the neighbors whose kids have gone to the same school K - 12, or the family that always has grandparents in attendance for every backyard barbecue. You may find yourself fielding lots of crazy questions (5 Questions that Make the Military Spouse Cringe), and trying to explain your way of life to people who might have good intentions, but just can't get it. On the other hand, when you live on base... all the children have been the new kid on the block at least once before. You neighbor will not think twice when you knock on her door at 2 am to kindly ask you to help capture the enormous spider/rodent/or unknown critter the dog proudly placed on your bed three days into deployment. When your neighbor sees that your recycling is still full at 3 pm and on your curb, he brings it up to the side of your house for you and kindly knocks to remind you that it is actually supposed to go out on Friday. Your spouse is surrounded with people who actually know what they are talking about when they speak in acronyms and can understand some of the frustrations that go along with the job. There is a kind of camaraderie that can be hard to duplicate with civilian neighbors and friends. No one understands what it is like to be a military member... better than a military member. Or what it is like to be a military spouse, military kid... military family. You get the picture. 3) We do have some well-deserved amenities. Your service member has earned the use of the amenities for the entire family with their service. Living on base can make it easier to utilize them. Military installations offer a lot. Shopping at the commissary just makes more sense when you live ¼ of a mile away, you can attend a worship service at the chapel, and even scout out the clinic parking lot on your way home from the gym to see if you think the pharmacy will have a ridiculous wait that day. Every branch has services/programs specifically for the military family, including things like classes on resume writing, playgroups for small children, volunteer opportunities and sports for all ages. Living on base might mean you can actually walk to many of these places. During the school year our current installation is filled with families and children walking to school. We can walk to the chapel, several parks and even the commissary from our house. If you are a family with only one car, that can be a huge selling point. I also feel more informed when I live on base. To get home I have to actually pass all of those signs that tell me what is going on that week. I am reminded of different activities by my neighbors or when I see folks at the different facilities on base. I need a million reminders to make sure I attend that awesome free concert on base. 4) Safety. Yes, we know that bases are not always 100% secure and bad things can happen... but we all know it can be a lot safer, depending on where you live. For us, that was a big concern. Simply because when we moved here I was so unfamiliar with this part of the country and the area. I knew the schools would be right there on base. The neighborhoods are laid out on our base so that it is a very safe environment for kids to play and smaller children can be easily supervised. Since we have moved here and are now comfortable, I would be fine living off base. But moving is stressful enough and there are many things to worry about. If moving on base when we arrived meant that was something I could check off the worry list, well then that was the right decision for us at the time. There is a level of security on base that you may not have out in town. And that can be a big reason to move on base when it comes time for your next move. Uprooting your family and moving to a new area will always mean lots of new decisions to be made. One of the big ones for the military family is living on base or off. These are the four reasons I have on my current pros list. Which reasons are on yours? 4 Reasons You Should NOT Live on Base Photo Credit: www.photopin.com

A Day in the Life of a Military Mom

For four Marines, reunion photo after 50 years means getting it right

For four Marines, reunion photo after 50 years means getting it right

Latest

Valentine’s Day Alone Again? How Military Spouses Reclaim the Day Without the Guilt

Valentine’s Day in the Military: When Love Is Real But the Timing Is Trash

Love Languages, But Make it Military…

Loving Someone in Uniform: How to Stay Connected When the Schedule Isn’t

The Resume Gap, Explained: How PCS Moves Turned Me Into a Professional Starter-Over

Jobs That Actually Work With Military Life (And Won’t Side-Eye Your Upcoming PCS)

In Case You Missed It

Why So Many Military Spouses Start Businesses (Hint: It’s Not Just the PCS Moves)

Using MyCAA Without Crying: A Beginner’s Guide to Free Education for Military Spouses

Going Back to School While Holding Down Literally Everything Else

Making Holiday Traditions That PCS With You

Creating Holiday Magic for Yourself as a Solo Spouse

Making Room for the Hard Stuff: Holiday Homesickness & Triggers

Fall 2025

Employment

Family

Lifestyle