AECF Wives Club for our ET and FC wives

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

There seems to be so many of you lately!!! It is wonderful that you will have each other's support while going thru the process together.

Thought I would start this thread so you can at least connect and share stories together. Seems like there is a fair amount of you in Great Lakes and just as many more trying to decide if you can more to Great Lakes.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

My advise is...pack up your flip flops and buy some snow boots :-)

[Navy Wife Ginnibean]

oh already have!! I'm knitting like crazy too...ha ha

[priscilla; FC wife]

Does anyone know approximately how long the wait for base housing is (or typically is from experience)? Also, do they offer fenced in backyards? Thanks. :)

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

We do need an update on base housing - hope we get some current info soon!

[Amanda(proudnavywife)]

Hey Priscilla, so about Great Lakes base housing....we lived off base while we were there and I definitely preferred it that way. You save money, and you get to choose everything, where you want to live, how many bedrooms and baths, even what internet and tv service you want....where as base housing you get what you get. You could be stuck in an apartment, which are not very nice, or a townhome or real house, which isn't bad but it is still old and run down. Also I have never met anyone with a fenced in backyard. And if they stick you in an apartment, you will not get a yard at all. Only officers and Chiefs get nice houses and only some of them have fenced in backyards, so that give you some insight on that... We had atleast 5 close friends that all lived in base housing, and some liked it because it was easier, you don't have to mess with the bills and stuff, but some wished they had lived off base. Also, there is SO much drama on base housing, people are always calling the cops on each other and getting into fights and stuff, it's so ridiculous, we were able to stay out of it by living elsewhere. Lastly, just to let you know base housing in not actually on the base, and you do not have to go through a gate or give ID to get in.

[Erin Marie]

My husband finally got his orders, after being in GL for over a year. We got his order the same day our son was born, last week, so this is kind of overwhelming. i was hoping someone could tell me a bit about Norfolk? Is base housing a good idea? I am really excited to move and a bit sad because our families are so close to us. I would love any words of wisdom, advice, encouragement that anyone can offer.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

Hi Erin,
Congrats to you and your hubby on the birth of your son! And...orders too, yep must be a tad overwhelming! When does he report to his C school and is an an ET? Most of the wives from this group that have move to the Norfolk area all live off base. Not sure if that is due to a wait list for housing or just a choice. I am friends with a few on facebook and will ask them for suggestion. Did your hubby get his ship orders as well...life begins with ship orders!

[Erin Marie]

Thank you! Yes my husband is an ET he graduated A school in September and a few weeks later got his verbals for his ship. When he got his hard copies he was told to report no later than January 3rd to C school and I believe 45 days later to his ship. We are detaching from GL on the 20th of December, visiting family and then heading on down. Should be an interesting drive with a small dog and a baby.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

Got some information regarding housing:

Automated Housing Referral Network (AHRN.com) v7.0
www.ahrn.com
The Automated Housing Referral Network (AHRN) is a Department of Defense-sponsored site featuring available off-base housing referrals for service members PCSing to their next duty station.

[Amanda(proudnavywife)]

Hey Erin, I live in Virginia Beach, most people I have met live off base. Also, most people live in surrounding areas such as Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News because most of Norfolk is not a nice place....a lot of crime and such. I do not know much about the actual base housing though. I found our townhome on militarybyowner.com. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions that I might be able to answer.

[xxpaprincessxx]

Me and my fiancee are planning on getting married in april 2011...my question is what all do we have to take care of before hand and once we do get married how does living on base work or off base....anything to do with housing...he is still in a school and he just got his orders yesterday and they say he may be there for a while please any help and i would be very greatful oh and he is stationed in great lakes for a school

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

He should speak to his LPO and let him know that you are planning on getting married. The Navy will not pay for your move to GL because you are getting married after his orders so you will have to get there on your own, nor will they move any of your clothing/furniture.

When you marry, he will need to take a certified copy of your marriage license to have you added to his page 2, this will provide you with insurance benefits immediately thru TriCare and it will allow you to get a military id card.

I don't know what the current wait is for base housing at GL but you can go to: www.ahm.com and look at some off base housing options to get an idea. Once you are married, your sailor will receive BAH for your housing allowance, the amount is based on his rank and location. Some parts of the country are very expensive so the Navy provides more allowance for rent in those areas.

If you live on base, 100% of the BAH goes to your housing - you really don't even see it. If you live off base, it is added to his check and if the BAH is $1000 for your area and your rent is $800, the other $200 of it is your money to spend towards your utilities or whatever you need.

Once your financee is settled into school, he will probably meet some of the married students and can get some good recommendations about housing and different things that you may want to consider when moving to GL. Good luck to you.