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I see most of you are recommending living on base in the housing, but I had an unconventional idea. I will be heading towards Laughlin AFB hopefully around late September / early October with my wife. I believe I saw somewhere that if you are accompanied, you can live off base, and therefore collect BAH. She is still in school, so will not be staying with me 100% of the year. This means we will also be renting an apartment for her, back home in North Carolina. Instead of living in the housing on base AND paying for an apartment, I was planning to live at the FamCamp in my dad's RV, which he has been trying to get rid of for a while now. That way, in theory, I would receive BAH, pay $72 a month for my rent, and still have enough BAH to cover her rent back home. I see there is a limit to how long you can stay at the FamCamp, but active personnel can request a waiver to stay permanently.

Does anyone KNOW FOR SURE, that an ACCOMPANIED student pilot can or cannot live off base. I've seen varying responses.

Thanks!

Go ahead, be miserable in the fam camp one of the hardest years of your life.

Does anyone KNOW FOR SURE, that an ACCOMPANIED student pilot can or cannot live off base. I've seen varying responses.

Thanks!

you'd be wagering a lot on pure luck concerning timing. When I was there students lived on base, period. I left 10 months ago, might have changed, but if there is room on base in housing, plan on living in housing. The policy changed at least twice while I was there just based on how much room they had.

Edited April 12, 201213 yr by yzl337

Go ahead, be miserable in the fam camp one of the hardest years of your life.

Please expand upon this statement besides speculation of my interests, priorities, financial situation, and what would make me miserable about it. Have you done this before? The way I seeit, I would be living next to the flight line (no commute) in a good size (31' with slide out) RV (plenty of room for 1 or 2) and be able to cover my wife's rent check back home for when she is back in school. I would have no house to sell, no maintenance required (though it looks like lawns are kept up by contractors on base), no lease to sign/break upon leaving (if I didn't live in housing), all utilities included, and would still be close enough to classmates to hang out in our free time.

you'd be wagering a lot on pure luck concerning timing. When I was there students lived on base, period. I left 10 months ago, might have changed, but if there is room on base in housing, plan on living in housing. The policy changed at least twice while I was there just based on how much room they had.

Do you have any idea of how far out from my EAD I could inquire with the housing office to get an idea of how full they are? In other words, do you think I could give them a call about a month away from leaving home and get a reasonable idea of whether or not I would have to stay on base? Did you have married students in your class that were required to live in housing that you know of?

Pretty sure married folks can live where they want.. but if you want confirmation... you could ya know.. call the housing office.

They'll talk to you almost anytime, but won't give you reliable housing info until about 30 days prior to your arrival (because they don't really know much earlier...things change fast). Try https://www.laughlin.af.mil/relocation.asp

Edited April 24, 201213 yr by HiFlyer

Please expand upon this statement besides speculation of my interests, priorities, financial situation, and what would make me miserable about it. Have you done this before? The way I seeit, I would be living next to the flight line (no commute) in a good size (31' with slide out) RV (plenty of room for 1 or 2) and be able to cover my wife's rent check back home for when she is back in school. I would have no house to sell, no maintenance required (though it looks like lawns are kept up by contractors on base), no lease to sign/break upon leaving (if I didn't live in housing), all utilities included, and would still be close enough to classmates to hang out in our free time.

Do you have any idea of how far out from my EAD I could inquire with the housing office to get an idea of how full they are? In other words, do you think I could give them a call about a month away from leaving home and get a reasonable idea of whether or not I would have to stay on base? Did you have married students in your class that were required to live in housing that you know of?

I'm guessing the miserable part of Fam Camp would be the noise? I personally would much rather live in a 31' RV than this termite invested 1 bedroom 69 sq ft dorm room they put single dudes in. As for the commute, it's not non-existent from Fam Camp, but it's not terrible either. As for taking offense at matmacwc, don't be dumb.

Lots of folks don't like Del Rio, as per the posts above.

Got it.

I lived there 4 years and had a blast.

Learned to wind surf and ski, explored a lot of SW Texas via car,...

... and met a lot of locals. These folks are typical, nice, conservative Texas folk. Show them some genuine kindness, and they will respond better than most folks in most parts of the country. You'll get invited to some nice stuff, to include hunting with them and their friends, etc...

Yep, it isn't New York.

But then again,... it isn't New York (thankfully).

I have very fond memories of Del Rio.

You can show up and bitch about it for a year ... or four.

Or you can accept it, make it a great time, and have some great stories for the bar of your follow on assignment.

Oh yeah... don't act like a yankee jackass.

Del Rio was one of the best assignments my old man had a few years back. We'd shut down our street and have block parties almost every weekend. I am excited to go back...but I'll want a follow on assignment somewhere else...6 years total at Laughlin might be enough for me.

Headed to Laughlin this week. Can anyone provide an update on the housing situation (is anyone being given a duplex straight away)? Also, I've heard that in the past your duplex-mate had to be within one pilot training class. Anyone know if that is still the case?

Headed to Laughlin this week. Can anyone provide an update on the housing situation (is anyone being given a duplex straight away)? Also, I've heard that in the past your duplex-mate had to be within one pilot training class. Anyone know if that is still the case?

Last year when all of the 2011 Zoomies arrived in July housing was a mess. The dorms were full and so were the 2 BR student duplexes (Carlson St. and Ciarfeo St.). Some of the students lived in Laughlin Manor for two months or more waiting for housing. They ended up opening some of the Senior Enlisted housing to the students and many of them got put into 4 BR units with 4 Lts sharing a unit. The rules do say that roommates need to be within one class of each other, but last year it wasn't always followed. Some of the people that they put together are 4 classes apart. Can't say that this year will be the same, though.

Can someone enlighten me about Leave/Pass policies at Laughlin? What does filling out a 29B do for you? For example, I bought ACL tickets for October 12-14 and I am waiting for orders that would probably bring me to Laughlin around 2-4 October. Would I be able to travel to Austin that weekend and just use a pass and not take leave?

Yeah, you can just fill out a 29B and travel on your weekend pass. If you want to leave during the "work day" on Friday, or return during the "work day" on Monday, you're supposed to take leave (aka, bring a 6 pack of beer to the APT SDO so you don't get scheduled for anything)

... and met a lot of locals. These folks are typical, nice, conservative Texas folk.

Yeah, lots of classy locals... My tire got slashed (have a USAF plate), bro's have recently been jumped leaving local establishments late at night, and other less big-ticket issues have occurred. In all honesty, a lot of locals are fairly obvious in their contempt towards the Air Force.

That said, there are some decent people around, but it seems like that number is shrinking. Can't wait to GTFO of here (hopefuly).

As to making the best of the location, shack. There's stuff to do around here, you just have to look for it.

Finally, WRT living on base, can an old-cranium help me out with this one. I'm due to finish UPT in a month (assuming I don't fuck up between now and then). I hate this dorm. What regs should I reference to get out of here for the time between grad and whatever my follow on is? (drop in 3 weeks, I'll have a better idea of whether or not it's worth moving out then)

Finally, WRT living on base, can an old-cranium help me out with this one. I'm due to finish UPT in a month (assuming I don't fuck up between now and then). I hate this dorm. What regs should I reference to get out of here for the time between grad and whatever my follow on is? (drop in 3 weeks, I'll have a better idea of whether or not it's worth moving out then)

Unless something has changed, you won't have that much time to worry about. My son graduated from Laughlin, left for water survival in three days, came back for a day, left again for Fairchild SERE, returned for four days, then left PCS for C-130 school. Others in his class didn't move quite that quick, but were gone within weeks. You probably won't have much time to move to someplace else and make it worth the time and effort (even if you could get a 30-60 day apt lease)..

Anyone have any insight on dual military and housing? My future spouse won't be able to accompany me until approximately April-May 2013 when he separates from the Army. Can I get a privatized unit irregardless or am I stuck in the dorms?

I'm pretty certain you can get a house as long as you can show you're married. I had several friends in that boat; it shouldn't be a problem.

To the bro that said you had intel on moving out between drop and PCS'ing, would you shoot me a PM, I already left for the weekend.

You know your best bet is probably to move your shit out of the dorm into storage and crash on somebody's couch until you leave. Forget trying to find a place off base for only a few weeks.

How difficult is it to leave every weekend or every other weekend during UPT (i.e. Friday night to Sunday)? I have a house within a couple hours of Laughlin and would not be selling it as I would be returning after training but would like to visit my wife.

How difficult is it to leave every weekend or every other weekend during UPT (i.e. Friday night to Sunday)? I have a house within a couple hours of Laughlin and would not be selling it as I would be returning after training but would like to visit my wife.

Depends on how the Sq is organized. I had the same thing when I wne through at Vance, and I had a standing "Weekend Pass" with the flight CC knowing that I was going to drive anout 1.5-2 hours every friday night and every Sunday afternoon. And it shouldn't be leave. It should be a pass. So you won't have to worry about burning leave on a continual basis.

Edited September 20, 201213 yr by capt4fans

How difficult is it to leave every weekend or every other weekend during UPT (i.e. Friday night to Sunday)? I have a house within a couple hours of Laughlin and would not be selling it as I would be returning after training but would like to visit my wife.

Depends on your class, when I was there a number of Flt/CCs enforced a "del rio" CAP, and students stayed local. My class did that for about 2 months.

Depends on your class, when I was there a number of Flt/CCs enforced a "del rio" CAP, and students stayed local. My class did that for about 2 months.

Does that happen because the class is lagging behind, or "just because"?

Does that happen because the class is lagging behind, or "just because"?

It's part of the haze and depends on how much of a douche your FLT/CC is.

Does that happen because the class is lagging behind, or "just because"?

It is usually the result of multiple hooked tests or students not showing on time Monday morning. If your class acts like adults, they will be treated as such. If not, expect to have limits placed on your outside activities.

Shouldn't be a problem, just work it out with the Flt CC. FWIW, there was a guy in my class that spent every weekend in San Antonio. He did poorly. He washed out. Another guy had a house and wife a few hours away. He did well, but he didn't go home every weekend. I think you get the hint.

Out

It is usually the result of multiple hooked tests or students not showing on time Monday morning.

Holy crap, does that really happen? That falls into the "you're too stupid to work here" category.