LIVING NEAR A MILITARY BASE POST-ETS: PROS & CONS
Introduction
After years of the military calling the shots with your billet, it can feel like the whole world is open to you after you ETS. Life after military service can be overwhelming when it comes to choosing where to live, but maybe the right place to build your final permanent duty station is right under your nose. Could living near a military base be the right fit for you? You're probably feeling the call of many different locations when you think about finding a place to live after being in the military. The truth is that there are plenty of affordable places for Veterans to live and places that have strong military and Veteran communities. Is living near a military base ever beneficial? Life after the military presents you with many questions, including this one. But when it comes to buying a house after military retirement, you might choose to end up in one of the areas you served in previously. Read on to learn more about some of the pros and cons of living near a military base after your service is over.About to ETS? Get some expert tips on how to save here:Life After the Military: 7 Secrets to Not Go Broke & Keep $ in Your Pocket
Pro: Stay Connected to the Military Community
Many military bases have a strong presence in the local community, which means that you can actively be involved in events that are designed to attract similar people and a strong sense of patriotism. For example, perhaps you live near a base that attracts art installations or rock concerts because of the many active-duty service members and their families living there. This can be beneficial when it comes to choosing to live near a specific military base.There's also a lot to be said for being tied into volunteer opportunities with the military after you're no longer active duty. It can be good for your mental health to remain connected to many of the people that you served with, as well, even if you have moved on to a new career or to full retirement after being active duty.If you’re staying in the reserves, too, and are already familiar with the people you’ll be serving with, it can be easier to travel to your reserves drills when you’re living near a military base. You might even be placed at the local base for your two weeks of active duty each year.
Con: Unpleasant Memories or Bumping Into People
Although you may have a camaraderie with a good amount of the people that you served with, if you choose to live at your most recent base, this may not be the case with everyone. Things can get dicey if you're moving back to an older location where you didn't leave on the best of terms. Maybe your last active-duty command, for example, was filled with people that you don't want to run into at the grocery store or at library reading hour with your kids. Having anxiety over bumping into these people isn't great for your mental health, regardless of the fact that there may be plenty of great options for things to do in the local community. Some Veterans aren't comfortable answering the questions, "Oh, what are you doing now? How are you moving on with your life?" So decide what's most important for you and if the benefits of being around people you used to serve with outweigh the negatives of running into people you don't care to ever see again.Sometimes after military service, you want the chance to rebuild your life and determine your new identity. It can be difficult to do this if you continue to run into people that you used to work with or if you are constantly confronted with your branch uniform and so many other reminders of military service. If you weren't completely solid on your decision to get out or you left on bad terms, this can be more emotional than you expected.
Pro: You Already Know the Area
When you choose to live near a military base because you've been stationed there previously, you already have a good understanding of the local area. In fact, there's even the possibility that you might already own a home in this region that you rented out when you moved somewhere else. Access to real estate can give you a strong foothold in the area, but so can familiarity with the job opportunities available and the business market, depending on what you intend to do next for your career.Especially when you want to move off base and are buying a house after military retirement, you’ll already know the best neighborhoods and schools, so you can be really picky about finding the perfect place.Need help jogging your memory? Visit MyBaseGuide and search for your favorite installation to see what’s around the area!
Con: Sometimes You Need a Fresh Start
Sometimes your affiliation for a particular local area is tied to the memories that you had there, either with people you served with or with your family. Returning doesn't always necessarily recreate that same sense of familiarity, so don't count on a specific base location to make you feel the exact same the second time around. However, familiarity can be beneficial if you know things about good schools, great places to eat, and exciting things to do nearby. If you have treasured memories from that area and feel like you could picture yourself coming back there, this is a good sign that you may thrive in that environment.
Pro: You Can Always Move and Rent Later
Let's say you decide to move to an area where you previously served, and ultimately, it's not the best fit for you. Many people invest in real estate over the course of serving in the military, and plenty of them are able to rent out these properties after they move. If you choose to stay near a prominent base, there will be plenty of families moving into and out of the area. This means you possibly stand to make rental investment income. This can help to put your mind at ease if you're intending to make a big investment in purchasing a home but are not sure if you want this to be your permanent home.
Con: You’ll Frequently Be Reminded of the Military
Did you leave the service because of a grievance? Does your service leave a bad memory in your mind? Does the uniform not mean what it once did to you? These are normal feelings during a time of transition out of service, but they might also linger beyond that point. Depending on how you feel about departing the service, you might want a break from seeing Humvees, uniforms, salutes, and the like everywhere. You might just want to feel like a civilian for a while.For some people who have served, their service is so deep in their blood and their identity that they would prefer to stay as closely connected as possible to the armed forces. However, if that doesn't describe you personally, it can be good to get a start somewhere else where there's little to no military presence.Need a fresh start? Explore our blog: 10 Best States for Military Retirement (2022 Edition)
Conclusion
Ultimately, you have to think about what is most important for you and your reasons for living near a military base or not. Only you and your family can decide what is best for you, but if you fell in love with an area when you lived there and want to continue making memories in that place, now is a good time to start the research and think about your post-service life. Where did you go after leaving the military? Share your story with us in the comments below or tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.