Expert: Rod Powers - 10/8/2007

Question
My fiancee has recently enlisted in the Coast Guard and is going to boot camp in February.  After he graduates and is posted at a base, I was hoping to join him there, but would it be possible to live on base together if we are only engaged and not actually married?  Does he have to be on a certain pay grade to be able to live in an apartment off-base? We dont want to rush into marriage if there are other options, but so far as I know, marrying is the only way we could possibly live together. What are our options?

Thank you so much,
Meg

Answer
Hi Meg,

You'll want to read my article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/milmarriage.htm

If you get married to him before he reports in to his first duty station (after basic), the Coast Guard (in most cases) will pay for your relocation costs, including your transportation expenses, and the cost of shipping your personal propterty (furniture items) to his duty location.

If you get married *after* he signs into his first duty station, the cost of relocating is out of your pocket, until he receives his next permanent change of station orders, after the date of your marriage).

Military members are either given free housing on base, or are given a monthly monetary housing allowance (tax free) to live off-base. You can read more about this in my Article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/military6.htm

I'm afraid that is you are not married to him, you are not authorized to reside with him, on base.

After he arrives at his first duty station, as a single (unmarried) person, he will be assigned to a barracks (dormitory room) on base, in most cases. Usually, he can elect to live off-base in a rental house or apartment, if he wishes, but the Military won't pay for this -- it would be at his own expense.

If he was married, he would be eligible to live in on-base family housing at his base (if available), or would receive a monthly (tax-free) housing allowance to help pay for housing off-base.

As an unmarried (single) person, he would likely not be authorized to reside off-base at government expense until after he's gained some rank (E-4, or E-5, or so), which takes three or four years of service to obtain. Even then, if authorized to reside off-base, it would be at the monetary rate of a single person, who receives a lesser hoursing allowance rate than a member who has dependents (spouse and/or children) to live with (see my housing allowance rates at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/housingallowance/a/07bah.htm).

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com