Pensacola BOQ - Full or Not?

[Herc_Dude]

Dave-
Uncle Sam will give you $xxxx.xx to live out in town (called BAH). If you only spend half of that on your place, the rest goes in your pocket (or spend on bills, booze, etc...). So basically you can make some dough if you plan it right. If you live in the Q, Uncle Sam will keep his money because he is hooking you up with such a sweet room ( ). Yes, you will be closer to work, gym etc ... but in exchange you will not get BAH. Thats the difference.

 

[IrishEagle85]

Dave-
Uncle Sam will give you $xxxx.xx to live out in town (called BAH). If you only spend half of that on your place, the rest goes in your pocket (or spend on bills, booze, etc...). So basically you can make some dough if you plan it right. If you live in the Q, Uncle Sam will keep his money because he is hooking you up with such a sweet room ( ). Yes, you will be closer to work, gym etc ... but in exchange you will not get BAH. Thats the difference.

Which leads me to my next question; BAH for the Penscola area is approximately $800, correct? What's the average rent in the Pensacola area, and is the difference between the BAH stipend and the average monthly rent enough to not only cover utilities and all that electricity you'll spend running an AC, but to also leave you with enough of a profit to be worth the hassle?

Don't get me wrong, I'm just a nasty newly commissioned Ensign. I'm just trying to get an idea of what all the hassle is about ;-)

 

[Harrier Dude]

You're not going to "get rich" on BAH. You might make a few bucks, but generally it's a wash when you consider utilities, etc. If you cram a bunch of dudes into one house, you may come out slightly better, but then you'll either have a blast with your buds, or realize that college is over and you never want to room with a bunch of other dudes again to save a few bucks. You live with them enough on cruise.

Most people avoid the Q either because there isn't enough room to store all of your stuff (furniture, etc) or because they want to get as far away from the base and "The Man" as they can whenever possible.

This will all hold true as well for married dudes wrt base housing.

You might make/lose a few bucks, but you'll always have the base nazis telling you what to do.

 

[BACONATOR]

You're not going to "get rich" on BAH. You might make a few bucks, but generally it's a wash when you consider utilities, etc. If you cram a bunch of dudes into one house, you may come out slightly better, but then you'll either have a blast with your buds, or realize that college is over and you never want to room with a bunch of other dudes again to save a few bucks. You live with them enough on cruise.

Most people avoid the Q either because there isn't enough room to store all of your stuff (furniture, etc) or because they want to get as far away from the base and "The Man" as they can whenever possible.

This will all hold true as well for married dudes wrt base housing.

You might make/lose a few bucks, but you'll always have the base nazis telling you what to do.

After basic utilities (the ones usually included at BOQ) I pocket like 300-400 bucks a month. That is SIGNIFICANT in my world (Single ENS with debt) to paying down debt or saving/investing monthly. My budget factors this excess in (currently). That's not to say I couldn't live without it, but I would have to make some significant adjustments to my budget.

Now, of course, I may pay for extras that would reduce that excess (like digital cable etc) but I am trying to compare apples/apples here.

 

[IrishEagle85]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose I'll use some of those 10 days in the BOQ to shop around town and try to make an informed decision. If it's only a net profit of $100-$200 I would probably stay at the BOQ, but at the same time a net profit of $400 is pretty substantial, as it constitutes a 15.29% increase over basic pay.

 

[NozeMan]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose I'll use some of those 10 days in the BOQ to shop around town and try to make an informed decision. If it's only a net profit of $100-$200 I would probably stay at the BOQ, but at the same time a net profit of $400 is pretty substantial, as it constitutes a 15.29% increase over basic pay.

Or you could find a roommate and make more money. If I was single at the time, I would have done it that way.

 

[BACONATOR]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose I'll use some of those 10 days in the BOQ to shop around town and try to make an informed decision. If it's only a net profit of $100-$200 I would probably stay at the BOQ, but at the same time a net profit of $400 is pretty substantial, as it constitutes a 15.29% increase over basic pay.

Oh, and in addition to making more tax-free money every month, you get to live like you normally live. No room inspections, you can have a pet, a gun and anything else you can normally do. In the BOQ? Not so much...

 

[Gatordev]

As a recent attrite from the hell hole of Nuke School I can tell you the NFOs are PCS'd here and dont have to worry about living in the Q. You do get 10 days at the Q that the Navy will pay for...after that your on your own (BAH). I did run into some resistance getting my orders stamped at the Q...The ladies at the front desk did not understand that I PCS'd the Pcola. Had to talk to the right person. I really dont know much about the SNA road. Most people have been saying its hit or miss with the front desk.

Glad it worked out for you, but some clarification... Being "PCSed" has nothing to do w/ whether you have to live in the Q or not. Guys get PCS'ed to Whiting and (if the rule is currently in place) still have to live in the Q. It's a base policy, not a DFAS or PERS policy.

My personal take on why one WOULDN"T want to stay in the Q (after having lived in the Q for the last 2 months) is along w/ what HD and BS are saying. Being in the Q is close to work, but onboard both NASWF and NASP, you're pretty damn far away from anything not work related. Also, having personal items like guns or a comfortable couch don't happen.

 

[nittany03]

Oh, and in addition to making more tax-free money every month, you get to live like you normally live. No room inspections, you can have a pet, a gun and anything else you can normally do. In the BOQ? Not so much...

And you can keep your room reasonably clean 85% of the time, and they will pick the other 15% to come in, inspect your room, flunk you, and give you that night to clean it up for a re-inspection before they report you to the Base XO. Double-pumped all week and got a flight tomorrow early? Well, too bad. Vee haff our vays off keeping zee Ensigns een line! I got good at passing reinspections. Sheesh.

 

[IrishEagle85]

No room inspections

I've never stayed in BOQ housing at Pensacola, although I've been in BOQ's for Norfolk, Camp Lejeune, Mayport, and NAS Jacksonville. Do they really have room inspections for officer housing?

A second question which will play into my decision is this; I know it's been mentioned you get complimentary storage for 90 days. Is there anything you have to do to secure this storage, or do you automatically get it during the check in process? Please excuse my ignorance, but the only way to learn about this stuff is from you guys.

 

[Gatordev]

I've never stayed in BOQ housing at Pensacola, although I've been in BOQ's for Norfolk, Camp Lejeune, Mayport, and NAS Jacksonville. Do they really have room inspections for officer housing?

They inspection is for students. They just happen to be officers. Although, I'd love to hear how failing an inspection really affected anyone. I know MB had his Coke can story, but really, who's going to deal with a student in the middle of flight school? It's not the base XO, it's STUCON, and if you state your case, I seriously doubt the world will end, as long as all your other shite is in one sock.

A second question which will play into my decision is this; I know it's been mentioned you get complimentary storage for 90 days. Is there anything you have to do to secure this storage, or do you automatically get it during the check in process?

The 90 days is for your household goods. The moving company will coordinate w/ the PPO and store it w/out your input if you're not available to accept it. It has nothing to do with living in a Q.

 

[ggrx3]

SNAs required to stay in the BOQ?

I have heard this from some academy guys and it's in the welcome aboard packet I found online. Can anyone confirm this or give anymore details?

 

[nittany03]

Do a search and you will find your answers.

Edit: Better yet, threads merged.

 

[IrishEagle85]

So I checked into the BOQ today for my 10 day reservations, and I asked about the housing situation from a BOQ standpoint.

Basically, they have a ton of openings for standard rooms, like the one I'm staying in for the next 10 days. It includes a bed, sink, small fridge (waist high), bathroom, TV, and a closet. She said if I so chose, I could just opt to live in a room like this for my Pensacola stay.

She said they also had suites they sent a lot of people to for longer term stays, but that those might be slightly backed up. I told her I would wait until I do my checklist tomorrow, and then come back and make a decision on where to house.

In the end, I'm thinking I'm going to live on base, and by choice, assuming I can get one of these larger units she was telling me about.

 

[Gonzo08]

Update

I am going to be an SNFO starting at the beginning of September, but my roommate from the Academy who is hopefully going to be my roommate in Pensacola is going to be an SNA reporting 1st week of August. Does anyone have an update as to whether the ladies at the Q are still being nice and stamping non-availabilities for SNAs?

That would be a big help because we're looking to try and get settled on an apartment in the next few weeks.

Thanks!