Need answers plz!

Quintana - posted on 01/26/2011

Yes you can use BHA for your housing, since your husband is new to the military, he has to make sure that he submitted all the required paperwork. He can get things situated even from basic and AIT, all you have to do is find a place. But make sure you guys have the BHA coming in. You really can't do anything far as making sure you guys are receiving the housing allowance, unless you have power of attorney. Do you know where you guys are going to be stationed at when he finishes? Trust me, he can get everything squared away in basic and AIT for you guys. I hope this helps.

Shelly - posted on 01/26/2011

Well I know right now it sounds really hard and some areas are different than others. My husband has been in the Army for 27 years total he will retire when he reaches 30. We have gone through numerous deployments and PCS moves but the kids and I have always stayed in Kentucky. My oldest son is from my first marriage and I am not allowed per the court becasue of his father to move out of the state so we have had to stay here. We live near Fort Knox and being near a post has made it easier. My husband PCS this time to Fort Lewis Washington. THat is Washington State not DC. he will have to be there until he retires in October 2013. It's very difficult for me and the kids for him to be gone and so far away and becasue he is an upper level NCO and what the Army calls a geographical bachelor he can't live on post there on no Barracks for him to stay in. We are paying for him to live there in an Apartment and our house payment here. I don't work even though I have three degrees becasue our youngest son has Lupus and a bleeding disorder. No childcare facility will take him do to his medical issues. They say that their insurance wont cover him and they don't want to be responsible if something happens. Unfortunately, you will discover that the Army does not care as much about the family as they do about the soldier and to be honest they don't care much about the soldier. My husband has been injured in combat (shot in the head) which caused him to have memory loss for years he didn't even remember who I was. His knees are in bad shape and the military doctors along with 2 other Ortho doctors have told us that he needs complete knee replacement but they will not due it becasue they say he is too young and would need to have it done again in his 60's. He also has PTSD, but all things considered we are making it work and my point is this. It's not going to be easy for you, him, or your children. It's something you have to work at everyday and never forget him much you love each other, always support him and he should support you. Be there for one another and make the best out of it cause there are no jobs to be had right now and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I wish you the best if you need anything we will all be here for you.
Good Luck

Andrea - posted on 01/25/2011

ok will do!...thank u all so much

Amanda - posted on 01/24/2011

Just a piece of advice. When you get to whatever base you are going to, go talk to the Family Advocacy office on that base. Pretty much every base offers a "Newcomers Class" for new military wives. They will pretty much give you a heads up on everything you need to know and how to deal with military life. I'm so sorry you're having problems! I've been a spouse (Air Force) for six years now, and I still run into issues with people telling me "Ma'am you can't do that, only your husband can" crap....LoL. Good luck to you and I hope you get into the swing of things.

Frances M - posted on 01/23/2011

Is there an Army base near you? If there is, someone at the gate can help you get a dependants card. If he call ahead and talk to someone there, they will tell you what paperwork to take with you. I was a Navy wife so the terms are different for the Army - so if I use a wrong term, please forgive me. You need a dependant's card more than anything else. That card can open doors all over the base for you. Somewhere on base is an officer that takes care of dependants problems for them. It may be called an umbudsman in the Army. Unless things have changed, you get your ID card at the gate office and that person can tell you where to go for everything else you may need. You can also save money at the PX (department store) and Commissary (grocery store).

Jessica - posted on 01/21/2011

o ya and you will need access to whatever account his money is going to

Jessica - posted on 01/21/2011

you can as long as he has you and the kids as dependents than you can do it

Andrea - posted on 01/21/2011

Oh ok thank u

Ty - posted on 01/21/2011

The army flew us there. He went there first to get housing for us. Some ppl cant wait so they drive. But we r from Michigan and thats a 27 hr drive. So we had to wait for the military. But yea he went without us. :( i was sad! I told him u need to hurry up and find a house. He found one in 3 weeks. We were luck! Whn we moved in i had neighbors who were on the waiting list for 6mos to a yr. But i called Hunter army airfield in Savannah they said i can get on the waiting list 90 days b 4 we get there. So whn yall find out tell ur hubby to call them. U have to fill out a appt online and fax them yall orders. That way yall can get a head start.

Andrea - posted on 01/21/2011

So when he got back frm basic and ait he had to leave w/o u guys was he able to come back for u or did u have to drive their by urself? thank u so much for all ur advice and help

Ty - posted on 01/21/2011

Girl u will b good. After AIT my hubby came home then he flew here. About a month later me and thekids were packing up and leaving. That was a lil much lol the mover did everything but i had to clean our apartment. When i got here a few days later i was like i wanna go home! But now this is home. My first deployment was hard my mom stay with me and the kids for 6 months. In Mar he is going back to AIT for three months. He is changing his job. Its gets easier....i not really worried anymore. Three months is nothing compared to a yr. I had friends who hubby was deployed so we helped each other. In my neighborhood one hubby comes hone another leaves. Mine got home my other neighbors left the next month. Then the lady across the street hubby came home. Now my other neighbor hubby is leaving. We all dread we our time comes. But girl u will b good. Some ppl go home but thats a waste of money, UWhen they came back u hv find housing again, And finding housing on post is always hard. But anyways u will b fine, U will have wives all around u. :-)

Andrea - posted on 01/21/2011

Im very independent im also use to paying my own way and handling things when we find out where we will be stationed i really want to find a job and go back to school but i know all this will take time...all of this is a bit overwhelming im starting to wonder what have i got myself into :( hopefully it works out for the best...we are in ga now but ive been told we will most likely be stationed somewhere else

Ty - posted on 01/21/2011

I kno what u mean. :) I've always worked had my own money helped pay bills. Came and went as i wanted to. But it may seem negative what im going to say and im sure u hear it all yhe time. But we r not being negative we r jus trying to prewarn u. :) But i have no say so....they make sure the soldier runs everything. I hate it....thats y i said enjoy the ride. lol Im in Ft. Bliss which is in El Paso. It is like its sound. Mexican.....89% and its a bi~lingual city which mean they want to speak Spanish. U can hardly find a job if u dont. Sooooo lol I took a Spanish class on post 4 free. Its help me a lil but not enough. I been here 2 1/2 yrs. NO JOB!!!!! I go to school and volunteer at my kids school. Its was so hard at first with one income. I wanted to help financially so bad. Now my hubby has moved up in rank and is making a lil more money. So its a lil better but if u want a job and cant get one volunteer. I going to start at the ACS. This way ur already there ur known so when jobs come available u may get it. Im rambling but i kno how u feel. Im involve with my family too. I love them! :-) But its so many wives who dont kno nothing and dont do nothing! But like i said keep us post on where yall goin. In July we will b goin to Ga. we r so happy we r leaving El Paso!

Andrea - posted on 01/21/2011

Thank you all for your comments they have been very helpful! yes i have POA and my name is on his bank accounts i like being invovled in everything that goes on with him and our kids but more than ever im seein that this is a ' mans world' and i just have to sit back and play the waiting game which is not such a great thing thats not who i am
i guess i will get use to it

Ty - posted on 01/20/2011

Im not being funny but u will learn army wives have no say! :) U cant do anything! U cant get housing and all the xrta money will come. If they know the soldiers has dependents all the money will b included in his check. It is frustrating cause all we do is sit back and enjoy the ride. The soldier is number one. lol When he deploys u have to have a power of attorney to do anything. I had one and i lost my debit card they would not give me another one. My husband had to apply for me another one. Its crazy! Welome to military life! Jus make sure yall have a bank account the checks r direct deposite. Start looking for a job when u find where yall going. The first three yrs r hard cause the money is not that much. The best thing to do is live on post. Its the cheapest!

Shelly - posted on 01/20/2011

First of all you cannot doing anything about getting BAH cause that has to be done by the soldier not his dependent. There is nothing the dependent can do and he will have to put you on that bank account for you to have access to it. That being said his BAH rate depends on where he is at like Fort Knox or whatever post he is at for training.

Shelly - posted on 01/20/2011

Again if you are married your Basic Housing Allowance is automatic as long as he provided the Army with birth certificates and a marriage license. Just like you will also have health care coverage (Tricare).

Shelly - posted on 01/20/2011

If he is presently in basic and AIT and is recieving BAH yes you can as long as you have access to his BAH per the soldier you can use it to find a place to live thats what's it for and he wouldn't recieve it anyway if he wasn't married and had children.

Ty - posted on 01/20/2011

There is no BHA. Its jus BAH and BAS. BAS is for food for the soldier. BAH is housing.

Ty - posted on 01/20/2011

Yea everything kicks in when starts basic training. The insurance too..... i was so happy! I was like im liking this already. Let us kno where yall r going to b stationed when u find out.

Kelly - posted on 01/20/2011

yes, you can use the BAH. It is set aside to help support his family and himself. Congratulations on the AF, the life can be stressful, but it's worth it. Welcome

Andrea - posted on 01/19/2011

Ok thank you very much

Amy - posted on 01/19/2011

That sucks. I can't believe his recruiter is not helping you. Sorry I couldn't help you more. Your going to have to wait for his paycheck. I would still try talking with his recruiter though. Good Luck!

Andrea - posted on 01/19/2011

Hes in the army
no I dont he hasnt got his first check yet

Amy - posted on 01/19/2011

What branch of service are you in?

Amy - posted on 01/19/2011

Okay, I would first check his paycheck to see if you are recieving it yet. Do you know how to read his LES (leave earnings statement)?

Andrea - posted on 01/19/2011

yes i do..jus a regular apartment until he gets back. no i havent checked it and hes pretty clueless about all of this im trying not to stress him while hes gone he has enough to worry about already but im pretty lost right now

Amy - posted on 01/19/2011

Do you have a Power Of Attorney? Are you trying to get into Military Housing or just a regular apartment? Have you checked your husbands MyPay or has he to see if you are recieving BAH yet?

Andrea - posted on 01/19/2011

I know i can get it for where im staying now but im trying to move this is not a good place for my kids and myself...ive tried to ask questions but they keep getting brushed off

Jennifer - posted on 01/19/2011

I was close with my husbands recruiter and when I had any questions I called her. Is that an option for you?

Amy - posted on 01/19/2011

you are entitled to BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) for where you are living. Your husband on his first night of recruit training should have been asked this information for his spouse, you. What needs to be done is this...make sure that you are listed as his dependant on his Record of Emergency Data and I'm not sure if you need to be in DEERS for BAH but, for TRICARE enrollment you will need to have that done by going to your nearest DEERS office. Call them first to find out what docs you will need to bring with you. As far as BAH though, I'm sure that it is being processed. As with anything in the military,especially pay, it takes awhile for it to fully process. Since he just started basic it will probably be a couple of paychecks before you see a BAH, and there will be back pay from day one of recruit training. Have him talk to his Senior Drill Instructor and he can help him out with any questions. Hope this helps.

Andrea - posted on 01/19/2011

hes leaving all of this for me to get done
do u know how i would go about getting the ball rolling and is there a website i can go on to find housing with a military clause

Kylie - posted on 01/19/2011

Once you find a place they will need to confirm it before they will start adding it to his checks, they also go by zipcode. You can look online to view how much housing allowance he would get with his rank, to make sure you find a place that fits in with your budget. Anything leftover is all yours. But your hubby will have to be the one to get the ball rolling unless he doesnt mind you calling.

Jennifer - posted on 01/18/2011

BAH is totaled in with his paycheck and will be deposited with his paycheck into your bank account. If you don't have access to the account, you don't get BAH. You can use BAH on whatever you want.

You should get BAS as well, it will be deducted while he is in bct/ait but once he gets to a duty station make sure you get it back!! We didn't for 2 years and got back paid but it would have helped to have been getting it during that time.

Ask him for his log in information for his LES so that you can see how much his check will be.

Andrea - posted on 01/18/2011

I think its the same i may have put the wrong thing
im really new to all of this...as of right now i live with my mom my living situation here is not good at all my husband and i are newly married and he doesnt want the kids and i here while hes gone will i be able to look for a place and then get the BHA or do i have to already be living in a place in order to get it?

Kylie - posted on 01/18/2011

... whats the difference between BHA and BAH?

Kylie - posted on 01/18/2011

Yes you will get BHA even if it is his first time in the service. It is up to him to submit all the paperwork needed though like proof of mortgage or rent, marriage license, birth certificates etc.

Andrea - posted on 01/18/2011

oh ok how would he go abt doing that?

Amy - posted on 01/18/2011

I was able to use BAH while my husband was in Basic but my case is slightly different because he had prior service. You might want to have him look into it.