Very new Navy Girlfriend, a bit confused....

[Cassie]

Ok so I'm VERY new to being a Navy girlfriend I've been doing research like crazy for the past few months.  My sailor left for boot camp about a week ago and I'm attempting to spend the next couple months doing research about our life together.  I know he will be doing A school in California and I just graduated from college so I plan to go to California as well when he gets out of boot camp.  His recruiter told us he would be going straight from boot camp to California which means I need to figure out as much as possible by then. I would really appreciate some advice from people who have been through a similar situation and know how it works.  So I've heard a lot of different things about how A school works as far as his living requirements.  I've heard that you have to live on base for a while before you're even allowed to leave the base and I've also heard that if he request it they will allow him to live off base either through off-base housing provided by the military or just live off base and he would have to pay for it depending on what is available.  Does anyone know for sure how it usually works?  His A school will last about 9-11 months.  Also could anyone give advice on the best way for me to go about this?  I would be willing to whatever works but I WILL be going to California one way or another I am just trying to figure out the easiest way to go about this.  

Thanks to anyone who can provide any insight on this, I feel very confused and in the dark about this whole situation.

[meagan5220]

Well as far as A school I dont think he will get to live off base with you. Typically for most A schools there are phases, phase 1 he would not be allowed to go off base I think at all (I cant remember for sure, def look for a group for his  a school to figure out their phases), then phase 2 typically they can leave base with a liberty buddy (typically most A schools will not allow a gf to do this. Must be a spouse, family member, or another sailor), and then phase 3 typically they can stay off base for weekends but still have to have a liberty buddy. Remember if he signs out with another sailor they must stay together! If they sign out and leave each other and go hang out different places for the weekend and something happens to one they could get in trouble, they are supposed to look out for each other. Typically to live off base though, thats for married sailors who are getting BAH due to being married, and not all A schools even allow married sailors to live off base. This is rate specific so but either way if he is single I dont see him allowed to live off base, and he probably wont get BAH at all. Unless the barracks are somehow full. So yall would be paying out of pocket completely for rent and bills. and CA is pricey to live in. So just something you need to think about on that end too. I dont mean to be a downer or for you to think I am telling you not to do this, while I wouldnt do it myself its your life. :) Just want to ask you all the tough questions now and give you the reality so you are prepared for it when you do move over there. But if he is single (which not to be rude but the military considers them single unless they are married so thats why I keep saying single), typically they do not get permission to live off base in A school. Its not like being at a command where they can live off base even if they arent getting BAH. Its completely different. Also, realize some bases do not allow non dependents on base. Without a military ID getting on base can be a pain in certain places. Basically the living off base privelages that are afforded some married sailors in A school are typically not extended to single sailors.

 

Also, know when you get a lease in your name it becomes tricky to get out of the lease, even if his name gets put on somehow they dont have to let you out of the lease, they can make you stay and pay it out or pay to cancel it. (Unless you are married and even then I think it has to say on his orders that they are accompanied with dependents. there are regulations and rules about it. you cant simply go in to your apt complex or where ever you end up living and say oh hey I want to move out next month because my boyfriend got orders.)

[Cassie]

Thank you and I understand all of that I kind of figured I would have to get an apt and pay rent and bills myself.  I of course plan to work while I'm there to help with that.  I will certainly look for more information on his specific A school to see how all of the phases work.

Thanks again! :)

[meagan5220]

lol I just wanted to put it out there because I have seen many many girls expect the military to pay for everything and expect that they will get the same benefits as a spouse. While I dont judge against gfs or discriminate the navy certainly does only take care of spouses. lol I didnt want to come off rude but wanted to make sure you knew before you got out there. Better to possibly offend someone than see a frantic message of a girl alone in a city where she knows no one. :) Def do some research about hold times to class up and about leases in the area and have a contingency plan jic he leaves for his command before your lease is up. Idk how the job market is there but here in VA where I am its REALLLY hard. so def start looking at jobs now. I have two degrees and I have been looking for 4 months. Finally got in two interview processes and they are taking 4 weeks to 6 months. Obviously if you look for something not like a corporate job it would be easier but I knwo girls in my area that have been looking for a few months with no luck. If you have any questions and I can help out def feel free to ask. I dont know much specifcally about A school in CA but I dealt with it in FL and some of the basic stuff is the same :)

[Cassie]

Don't worry I was fully aware that they probably wouldn't pay for much being that we're not yet married but as I said I know little to nothing about this whole process so I thought I might as well ask.  And yes I've already been looking for jobs, apartments and back up plans.  As I said I had considered moving to California for a while prior to even meeting him

[meagan5220]

What all do you want to know about the process exactly? Like I said totally willing to help if you need it :)

[Cassie]

I'm just trying to figure out the best course of action for moving there, for how often I will get to see him things of that nature.

[abuon18]

If he is able to live off base in A school (which some single Sailors are with an A school that long) he will not be allowed to live in the off base military housing. That is only for married Sailors and families, not single Sailors. Do you happen to know what job he will be training for? My husband's A school and C school are in California, we are here now and I'd be happy to help you if they're in the same school!

[Cassie]

CTI in Monterey

[Anti M]

The only time single sailors below E-5 (E-4 in a few cases) can live offbase and draw BAH as student sailors is if the barracks are 100% full. C school is a bit different, but the Navy wants to save money; if they have open rooms, they will fill them.

San Diego also has really nice suite style condo-barracks for fleet sailors, one for E-3 and below, one for E-4 and E-5. There is BAH, but it all goes to the contractors running the place. They can have visitors for limited overnights, but you can't live there too. If they get assigned one of these rooms on C school, they have to use it most of the time.

[Cassie]

Well he is going into boot camp E-3 already so I don't know what he will be by the time he comes out.  

[sailorwifenmom]

He will still be an E-3. Some people can ger meritoriously promoted in boot camp, but those promotions are to E-2 or to E-3. You can't be an E-4 or above until you are rated (meaning you have finished your school). After that, most require them to take advancement exams to get E-4, but some of them (usually the ones with the longer schools) are what they call "push button" E-4, meaning they get promoted right after they graduate. Then, no matter how they got their E-4, they have to spend so long at that paygrade before they are allowed to test to see if they make E-5.

So it will be a few years at least before he is authorized BAH as a Single Sailor. I'm not trying to discourage you, just hoping to give you an idea as to what sort of timeliness you're looking at for promotions.

Do you know what language they're going to train him in? We have several friends who are CTI's, and one of them is stationed in Monterrey - he's a Russian linguist.

[Angie]

What is his job going to be?  Lots of "A" Schools are in different states, but they have to take some classes in Great Lakes first