New to all of this...

[akd72085]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Ashley and I am 23 years old. My 30 year old boyfriend joined the Navy recently and is getting ready to graduate from Basic then heads off to A-School in Connecticut. I have lots of questions that are hard to get answered through "snail mail." lol Any help that could be provided would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[youngnavywife]

Hello Ashley, Well i can tell you a little bit about connecticut. Seeing that i grew up here for half my life and me and my husband are station here right now. THe base is very small. There ant much here. Even civil life is very small and nothing much to do. People are very nose here and got to be in face all the time. And the weather sucks. There is really no spring or fall any more. and when it snows it gets really really cold and they dont plow good so the road sucks for days. Other then that the base is a ok place. A-school here is good and you can normal pick out of the crowed which guys go to a-school and which ones dont by the way they act and dress. If there is anything else you would like to know just write back and i can ask my husband he nows alot more then i do.

Becca

[akd72085]

Hi Becca,

Seeing as I am just the girlfriend and not a wife, will we be able to get an apartment together or will he have to live on Base? I hate not being able to call my bf so we can talk about all of this. He just recently asked me to move there with him. The weather and town life sound just like where I live now, which is in NY lol.

Ashley

[Retired Navy Chief]

Hey there ... welcome to the site.

Seeing as how you are a "girlfriend" and not legally married ... you will not be entitled to any of the benefits that married sailors can provide. Housing is one of those things.
Since he is only going to be attending A-school for a relatively short period ... he will not (as a rule) be allowed to obtain residence off base or in military housing in that area. That is reserved for permanently assigned personnel and their families.

Once he gets to his permanent duty station ... if he is allowed to (by rank) and chooses to live out in town ... he will only be entitled to receive housing allowance for a single sailor, which please understand, he will be stretched very thin to make that amount cover the both of you. Not saying it can't be done, especially if you are working also .... but it is not easy.

The things that you would need to keep in mind with moving out there and not married ... is that while he is entitled to the benefits of base medical, dental, base priviledges ... you will not be. Every time you go to the base, he will need to sign you on and escort you.

There are other issues but that is it for now ... I have a meeting that I am late for :rolleyes:.

Cheers,
PISTOL

[akd72085]

He will be at A-School for like 37 weeks I think he said. His MOS has something to do with computers on a submarine, I can't remember the exact title.

[Retired Navy Chief]

He will know more once he reports in to his A-school. They will fill him in on what can or can't happen ... that is a looooooong school.

I moved my wife out to San diego while I was in A-school and ended up paying for it out of my own pocket because they "advised" me against doing so. My school was only about 3 months long though.

Kept my nose clean and ate a lot of bologna for those 3 months to make it happen though :undecided:.

Cheers,
PISTOL

[KYmom]

Actually while he is in A school he has to live in the barracks from my understanding.

[akd72085]

Well obviously I wouldn't expect him to pay for me, I would be getting at least 1 job if not 2 to help out with things. I work 2 jobs where I live now so its not a big deal to help =o) Just want to be with him again

[Retired Navy Chief]

That's cool ..... long distance relationships are extremely hard.

Cheers,
PISTOL

[akd72085]

Yes they are...which is why we want to make this next big step in our relationship

[sweetmtn]

You need to understand and so does he, that being in A school as he MUST live in the barraks there..he also will not be allowed OVER NIGHT OFF BASE, until he reaches a certain level/phase in his schooling. He will be required to wear his uniform in public once he is even allowed off base, then in stages they allow them to wear civie clothes, THEN finally weekend privilages. So moving there may be a moot point as you wont be allowed to be together when ever you wish.. :(
Then when he gets his orders to his permanent duty station, he will still live on base in barraks until he gets BAH at the rank of E5, unless he can afford to pay rent out of pocket...

[akd72085]

Are the graduates allowed to have their cell phones or anything else from home after graduation? Since my BF is a grad and go, he isn't able to come home and get anything so are we allowed to take him things?