Ok without starting anything and getting anyones panties in a wad, i just wanted to ask why is it that there are so many ppl on here that arent involved with the military? Reading a topic a while back about housing and have on post takes all the BAH someone said well atleast your military we have to pay for everything out of pocket : S now im sure theres nowhere thats states that's riley underground is just for the military but you have to admit most of the post's rants etc are coming from the wives.sorry to have upset anyone im just curious.  

I think its more of the Riley community, there are alot of people that work on post that aren't military. Or have had parents that were stationed here and they never left, or just grew up around here. I am not here by choice but I like some of the ladies that are from here or have grown up here. 

Yeah RU isn't just for ppl living on post. It's for everyone in the area around post that uses RYS to buy/sell items so anyone can join. I would say the majority are military wives and I think that's because with all our moving around we do - we probably downsize/sell off things more often than civilians do. It's just a guess tho. 

Please know im not being rude by far just curious especially with that free housing bit but i thank ya'll for the input 

lol I know what you mean, I wish I had free housing, I have to pay electricity too! It is deffinatley not free by anymeans..lol 

Well with the free housing thing I think that people think it's some great benefit the military gets because they don't understand how it works. I explain it to people this way and they "seem" to get it - BAH is just part of a soldier's pay and if they choose to live on post they pay that money to housing to cover rent and utilities. If they choose to live in town they pay that money instead to a landlord and to the gas/water/electric companies. Even if you add in the BAH and BAS to base pay the military still pays much less than a civilian job so yes, a civilian would be expected to pay out of their check for housing expenses. So, in reality, the soldier is still paying for housing just like a civilian does. If anything, the free medical insurance coverage is the REAL benefit the military gets since a lot of civilian employers pass those insurance premiums onto their employees! 

I guess to a civilian living near a military post, it's easy to assume the military people get all these great benefits if they aren't familiar with how it all works. A friend of mine who's hubby is a DOD civilian doesn't even seem to get it. He gets paid MUCH more than my hubby (even if you add in BAH/BAS) and she still whines about how the Army "pays for our housing expenses". I guess maybe if civilian employers split out a "housing allowance" from "regular pay" in their paychecks they'd understand it better?? 

yeah but you know the medical really isnt free so much is taken out of each paycheck each month(LES).Some people just seem to think that the military is a great paying job with all sorts of beneifts, now dont get me wrong i love my husband and what he does and am thankful for the stability but darn it there are some draw backs so our so called "EASY" life. and it doesnt help with people that know nothing of the Military life commenting like that 

I have a job, so we are a two income family...BUT most military families that are living on just the active duty personel's pay, are live paycheck to paycheck. Now it could be because they don't know how to manage money, or have a large family. I know that I like the nice thingd and my husbands paycheck is not enough to support our way of living. I don't have to work and I could quit but its a choice I make to live the life style that we do. I can say however my husband has been in 13 years and hasbeen deployed 4 times and is not getting paid no where near the ammount the civilians are getting paid to do the same thing! 

SIDE NOTE: I'm not complaining or saying one is better then the other. It was my husbands choice to join the military and I respect that. Each one has their ups and downs just like any other job. 

Yeah I hate when people go on and on about all the benefits...even if they were so "fabulous" I'd rather be scraping by as a civilian and have my husband out of harms way every other year. The medical (although we do pay some for it) is actually a really good deal compared to what I had to pay through the company I was working for (and the coverage wasn't as good either - I still had copays and deductibles etc - and many things - like fertility testing - wasn't covered at all). I had a "friend" call me to vent the other day because her husband (civilian) has a week long business trip coming up and she doesn't know what she is going to do without him for 7 WHOLE DAYS. I had to keep from laughing and actually nearly hung up on her b/c I've been super hormonal lately and just thinking about the upcoming deployment makes me bawl. Yep, it's good to have lots of great military wives around that understand exactly what we go through for this "easy" life! :) 

BLM - I used to give my husband lectures on how much MORE money he could make as a civilian doing the SAME job he does now. It actually took me a while to realize that to him it's more than just a job or a paycheck - it's in his blood to serve our country and I very much respect that. And I think you hit the nail on the head with many ppl on post living paycheck to paycheck. Driving through housing the other day we saw so many brand new cars and satellite dishes etc and I'm just imagining all the "toys" they have inside the house that they blow their money on. Their civilian friends probably look at all that "stuff" and think they are rich when in reality they are probably up to their ears in debt and barely living paycheck to paycheck. 

OMG really 7 days shoot thats a drop in the bucket compared to 365 i mean really come on thats no friend i'd have thats for sure.I agree the medical is awesome compared to most.im very thankful for it and id rather my husband be home than live this "easy Life" any day of the week.as for the going over well were all here for eachother and my husband is set to go as well in march so i'm right here with you. and i've learned that it's only an "easy life" to those ignorant outsiders looking in with an envious outlook on our lives 

I agree, my mother in law said oh honey I know what you are going through...granted its her son, but we only visit once a year. She can't even be without her hubby a single night (which is understandable) seriously I love my husband to death but sometimes I think that deployments help me really see why I love him so much. Its the simple things we forget, but when they deploy we are reminded exactly why we fell in love with our soldier! Most people will never have the oppertunity to experience that. 

AHMEN BLM only military wives truley understand what a "going over" is all about.To most outside women there world falls apart one night or even a week away from there husband, but to a military wife that going over time teaches you how to be you and take care of yourself and not fully rely on someone else, and on those lonely days you remember just how much you love him, or when he sends that letter, why you love him so much.so yea it's hard but when the day comes that he returns you can look back and say wow that wasnt all to bad and maybe just maybe i needed that time 

Handbag lady - yeah that's why I put friend in quotes like that - she pretty much only calls me when she has something to complain or brag about - we're NOT close! LOL :) BLM - I kind of feel the same way - the last deployment brought hubby and I closer in that we communicated soooo much better than we ever did before he left. The long time apart definitely makes you appreciate each other and the time you are together that much more! :) 

Yup, I joke all the time, that the only reason the hubby and I stay together is because we get those breaks...aka deployments. It also teaches you that obviously your relationship is sooo much more then sex! I know alot of peoples relationships revolve around sex, and I shake my head and say to myslef..he will come back and either one will have cheated because they are just sexually driven. What man isn't right? Well you know you are with the right one when they can hold out just for you for a year or more! And us military wives an pull some amazing things out of nowhere..like how to set up a b-day party on the 14th before payday but still make it work, or how to grocery shop/pay bills/ and babysit for your friends without even noticing you did anything. It just becomes natural. You become an independant woman without even realizing it. This job is definatley not for the weak hearted. 

I went into the last deployment freaking out and thinking "I can't do this" but when it was over I was so proud of myself (and hubby of course) for being strong enough to get through it. This time around I'm still freaking out - and earlier too (darn hormones) - but I know deep down that I'm strong enough to get through it. Maybe that is truly what these civilians envy - that we are strong women who can handle long hours, training schools, ever-changing leave dates, range schedules, CQ / Staff Duty, and deployments. 

It also teaches you that obviously your relationship is sooo much more then sex! I know alot of peoples relationships revolve around sex, and I shake my head and say to myslef..he will come back and either one will have cheated because they are just sexually driven. What man isn't right? Well you know you are with the right one when they can hold out just for you for a year or more! I could NOT agree more with this!!! I went out with friends a lot during the last deployment and saw bunches of wives out at the bars going home with different guys all the time and it made my stomach turn. If you can't keep it in your pants for more than a day, then don't marry a soldier! I actually know of one couple who told each other it was "ok" to cheat during deployments as long as they were faithful when the soldier was at home - seriously - what kind of marriage is THAT? 

I have no idea but I know that my husband nor I would EVER agree on anything like that. I don't share..lol  

BLM - exaclty - we don't share either! LOL I'm honestly not sure why they even got married...they really aren't a couple you'd even picture together - completely opposites looks-wise and they don't really get along very well. They've been married 10 years now so who knows - maybe it does work for some people? 

my gosh i understand where all ya'll are coming from yet this is the first going over and i still cant say the D word it still scares the crud outta me, ive decided to stay in the riley area when he leaves i just dont have very many things to get involved with , im one of those people that have to keep my mind busy elsewise i think and we all know where that goes 

HL - (i'm abbreviating your screen name b/c it's late and my typing is getting worse by the minute) - yeah the "D" word is a bad word around here too. I can type it (and most times I spell it right LOL) but I can't really bring myself to SAY it out loud without crying so I just say he's going "overseas" - as if it's some European vacation! HA! I'm staying here during the deployment too - even though there was much discussion with my family about going home since the baby will be coming shortly after "D-Day". I've already been thinking of things to do/get involved with while he's "overseas" to keep me busy. I'm sure we'll end up doing more RU get togethers and things like that so we'll help each other through it. :) 

how about this we can talk tommorow im tired as well my comp screen is getting blurry and dancing around 

HL - I'm all for that...the letters/words are starting to run together on my screen too! LOL