I guess this goes for any military branch. I figure housing and food are provided and, if you are cheap enough, you can basically save almost everything you make. You need to take care of your uniform, but you get an allowance for that(I believe). If I joined the Navy, what expenses should I plan for while living on base??
I can’t tell you exactly about the Navy, but I can tell you about the Army. I would think it is similar. You will not have to pay rent, you will get a room in the barracks. You will get an allowance for food. You will get a clothing allowance. Your health care will be paid for as will your college classes.
Some of the things you will have to budget for are:
Cell phone
Car payments and insurance
Internet and or cable
That is about it. Of course, there are other things like the cost to travel back home when you go on leave, and you off duty clothes, but those you would have to pay for anyway.
SSG Schwartz
Single BEQ, single BOQ or married housing?
Barracks rules are similar to university dormitory - what you can and can’t do depends on the duty station. Enlisted you will get to share a room with from 1 to 3 other guys. You will have a phone in the room if you choose to pay for one [nowadays most guys get cell phones] and some barracks have high speed internet, I don’t know offhand who provides it in NLON, but I know Andrew had it as of last year. He was allowed to have a cube fridge and a coffee maker in the room he shared with 3 other guys, there was a common lounge and a common microwave down the hall. There was a public bathroom, no tub - multistall showers and toilets only, and a laundry room on each end of the floor. Officers get it better, they tend to get a single room, with a shared bathroom between rooms. They have access to the common lounge with a shared microwave. Upper level enlisteds get more room and by the time you get to first classes and chiefs they get single rooms though frequently guys will decide that they would rather group up and get permission to move off base and get a real apartment. Each command will have its own qualifying rules for moving off base. I understand the last open bay barracks in NLON was torn down about 5 years ago…
Sure, if you don’t smoke, drink or date. Or own a car. I spent every nickel I made, but then $70 a month didn’t go far, even 40 years ago.
When I served, your clothing allowance would not cover replacement costs of most uniform items. It was intended to be set aside each month and then used as it became necessary. I doubt most sailors did that…I know I didn’t.
From aruvqan’s post it sounds like the Navy is totally different from the Army, however I would add to SSG Schwartz’s post that in the Army if you are single you will probably get a meal card, which allows you to get free “food” from the chow hall, but if you want a decent or healthy meal you will have to buy it yourself. This eats up a fairly large portion of my paycheck at the moment. Also in the Army your clothing allowance is generally no where in the ball park of what you will actually spend on uniforms if you care about your appearance at all. This plus what Chefguy I would plan on spending pretty much all of my money every month for the first couple years if I was a single enlisted soldier.
Either BEQ or BOQ. I’m degee’d(BS in Nutrition, 2000) and pretty gung ho so I’m interested in being an officer. I would also be more than happy as an enlisted man and work my way from there.
I really don’t know how competitive navy recruiting is, especially since force stabilization. Any input?
That’s me. I used to binge pretty heavily on all three(I guess that depends on your definition of ‘date’). I work 70-80 hours a week so I do the first two sparingly, the last one not at all. I don’t miss any of it. I’ll probably sell my car before (assuming)I go. I’m as bare bones as you can get.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, and you want to become an officer, you have to go through Officer Candidate School (OCS) or Officer Indoctrination School (OIS), either directly from a civilian status, or after you enlist.
With a degree in nutrition, you might be interested in MSC (Medical Service Corps). MSC and other Staff Corps officer candidates go through OIS.
If you are interested in becoming a Line Officer you have to go through OCS. (Line Officers are trained to command warships, submarines, and fly aircraft.)
If you choose to enlist, realize that there is no automatic path to a commission as an officer. Your performance would have to be stellar, and you have to get selected for OCS/OIS. Ironically, already having a bachelor’s degree means that you would not be eligible for some enlisted-to-officer programs, such as the “Seaman-to-Admiral” program or the Naval Academy.
–robby (former Navy LCDR)
I don’t know what “pretty gung ho” means or how it’s relevant, really. Any guy in boot camp or OCS will tell you he’s gung ho. What are your goals? What are you interested in doing in the Navy? Do you understand the difference between O and E? How old are you?
Anyway, as an O living on base, you receive no BAH (housing allowance), but do get $220/mo for BAS (food). O’s get no money for uniforms; it all comes out of your own pocket, and buying uniforms (khakis, whites, service dress blues, and jackets/shoes/collar devices/shoulderboards/covers) will run you a pretty penny. After that, you’re looking at your base pay, plus anything extra, like bonus/fly pay/sub pay/whatever. As an brand new Ensign, you probably won’t be getting any of that. You’d be getting a bit over $2600/mo base plus the $220 BAS, minus taxes and SGLI (life insurance) and one or two other odds and ends. Living in base housing, your utilities are provided, and I think trash, and maybe cable (not sure about that), but beyond that, it’s all up to you.
actually yes, all the branches are different. There is a common joke:
How to Tell the Difference Between the Branches of the US Armed Forces!
If you give the command “SECURE THE BUILDING”, here is what the different services would do:
The NAVY would turn out the lights and lock the doors.
The ARMY would surround the building with defensive fortifications, tanks and concertina wire.
The MARINE CORPS would assault the building, using overlapping fields of fire from all appropriate points on the perimeter.
The AIR FORCE would take out a three-year lease with an option to buy the building.
When the army or navy build a base, they put in the military bits first … then run out of money for the amenities like nice barracks, hobby shops and the like. When the Air Force puts up a base they build the barracks and exchange units first, then run out of money and get a new appropriation to finish up the hangars and flightlines … You make [enlisted] rank faster in either the army or navy because the airforce is topheavy [as a buddy joked you had to make rank by divine ascension , wait until every guy above you died or retired]
AmunRa is right, you can eat free at the chow hall … but the food sucks [take my personal word for it] and you have to buy uniforms even though you get a ‘replacement allotment’ it is rediculously tiny [IIRC something like$250 a year for enlisted] which might buy a quarter of what you will be needing. To be perfectly blunt, most guys I know eat more off base than on base and a major amount of their money goes towards food and entretainment.
That being said, there are great programs for taking classes free, and arranging to transfer work knowledge to college credits, and savings for education. If you can ‘control’ yourself to the point of investing 10% of every single paycheck you get while you are in, you can save an amazing amount of money towards your retirement plans, and at 20 years you retire at half base pay. If you opt to go in as an officer, as was suggested by going into the medical program, IIRC the navy would arrange for your continuing education so you could probably end up with at minimum a masters, and more likely a doctorate by the end. And have the money to buy into a practice/start your own …
As far as my interests, I have a broad range. I lean towards science/math related fields. A brainstorming list I made from the officer section of the Navy recruiting site included, but in no way is limited to engineering, health care, intelligence, info warfare, nuclear and oceanography.
Navy goals? As an officer I would probably plan on a long(er) term career in the Navy. As enlisted, without likelihood of being promoted to officer I would probably serve the 4 years only, take advantage of the education money and work in the private sector. If I’m officer material, then obviously longer.
Difference between E and O? Umm…different levels of authority, security clearance, OCS/OIS after boot camp? Besides that not much. Most of what I know about the Navy is from what I’ve read on the recruiting site and about.com. I don’t have a military family and don’t know anyone in the military so if any of my statements don’t make complete sense, I’m still learning.
I’m 32 so my military clock is ticking. If I don’t get there within the year then I guess there’s always the Army.
Why would one have to go anywhere but the chow hall (we call it the mess hall in the Navy) for a decent or healthy meal? During my time in the Navy, 3 squares a day were served, there was always a wide variety of food at each meal and you could eat all you wanted. There were periods I would go weeks at a time eating in the mess hall and I never went hungry or was derpived nutritionally. This was back in the 70’s, I am sure that the food served today is probably even more nutritionally balanced. My last duty station, a submarine tender in San Diego, we had steak and lobster every Wednesday for lunch and the Sunday brunch would have put many better restaurants to shame.
32 is way too old for all the Navy officer programs I’m aware of (unless I’m having a senior moment), which pretty much limits you to enlisting (and I’m also wondering, in my cynical mode, where the ‘gung ho’ has been for the past ten years since you graduated…does your desire to join have anything to do with job prospects and the economy?). I don’t know about Army officer programs, but if the age requirements are similar to the Navy’s, then you’re going to have to ask yourself which service you’d rather be enlisted in.
There is a chance to get an age waiver to be an officer in the Army. There are a lot of hoops to jump through, but it is possible. I haven’t put together an age waiver for an officer yet, but I can get check through the regulations if you are interested, IKN.
PM me and let me know what questions you have or if you want some information about the Army.
SSG Schwartz
I guess the navy’s mess halls must be much better than the army’s dining facilities. It varies widely from post to post in the army. When I was in training the chow hall would serve spaghetti with sauce that was literally watered down tomato paste. Throughout the army only the lowest quality meats are used. Vegetables are left in water to keep them warm, so they are universally mushy. Everything is greasy. Portions are small.I suppose I could get enough calories from the chow hall if I loaded up on the salad and cake, but the main meals are too small and hard to keep down anyhow.
In the best chow hall I have been to the food was decent, but portions where still small, the food was still very greasy, and they served the same stuff every week, without variation.
The chow hall here at Fort Irwin serves steak every Friday, but is so overcooked and full of fat that there is hardly any edible meat in the single, small piece of steak you are given. There sure as hell isn’t any lobster in any army chow hall outside Iraq and Afghanistan.
ETA: In the army you can only go through the line once, if you want more than one serving you have to pay for it, and variety is non existent. Hell, they usually serve the same thing for lunch and dinner.
I knew a few guys like you: we weren’t sure what to make of them. ::looks suspiciously at IKN::
Now what makes you think you’re going to be spending all your time on a base? You join the Navy you’re going to** sea **mate. After the initial training, be it boot camp, OCS, “A” school or whatever your chances of shore duty are mighty slim. A typical cruise will last from 6 months to a year and most of the time will be spent on the water. When you return to your home port you still live on the ship. You don’t have to but you are obliged to be there for daily work, overnight duty or anytime the Captain says so.
Now as far as expenses go your meals, laundry, haircuts and medical treatment are covered. The only neccessities not covered are things like toothpaste, soap, razor blades, etc. If you can live without any extras like restaurant meals, tavern visits, movies, etc. you can save a lot of money. I don’t know if they still have the same system as when I was in (1968 - 1972) but you could put, I believe it was, up to 90% of your pay into a military banking system account that paid a very high interest rate. Something like triple what a civilian bank would give you.
A final word. After looking at my old cruise book (kind of like a high school yearbook when a ship returns from a cruise) after 35 years *everyone *looks like a kid. Even the Captain. So, not to hurt your feelings, but you’re going to look awful sillly going through boot camp (or even OCS) at the age of 32.
Good luck to you. And if you do decide to join keep in touch with us here on the SDMB when you can.
Anchors aweigh,
Peanuthead EM3 (electrician’s mate third class)
Not everyone does. I spent 4 years in the Navy and spent a total of 3 weeks at sea when the sub tender I was on went to Matzatlan and Acapulco. After boot camp and school, I was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island for 2 years (shore duty) then 17 months on the USS Sperry (AS-12). The Sperry would take a trip every 18 months or so and never was gone very long. If I had re-enlisted, I was offered a nice was of cash and orders to the USS Independence which was scheduled to go into dry dock for a 2 year refurb 3 months later. I said no and went home.
racer72 ETN3 (electronic technician, communications third class)
I spent 23 years in the Navy and never set foot on a ship.
Chefguy, CEC, Ret
I only knew one guy, a Radioman, who did 4 years without being assigned to a ship. **racer72 **- you lucked out. Chefguy - 23 years! Your daddy must be a congressman.