Randolph AFB info

[Guest Critical Mass]

I'll be down at Randolph for nav training in early June. I'm wondering if anybody knows what the current BAH rate is. It could really help me out while I'm looking for possible places to stay online.

Also, for those of you who had to live off base at your first duty location and had no aquaintances in the area, did you live alone or with a roommate? Is permissive TDY enough time to find a roommate?

I can see some definite advantages to living with a roommate who is going through nav training at the same time, but I don't know if its worth the hassle of finding one and hoping they are a good one.

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: There are already other threads on the subject so I've got a starting point, but if anybody has strong feelings (good or bad) about particular apartments in the area I'd appreciate that input too.

[ 19. May 2005, 15:14: Message edited by: Critical Mass ]

[Smokin]

Amazing, the power of google: https://usmilitary.about.com/od/housingallowance/a/05bah.htm

[Guest Milamber]

I really loved my neighborhood in Converse- kinda pricey (married BAH barely covered rent) but no railroad tracks to worry about being late waiting to cross. Nice houses, fairly quiet. I think the dorms are awfully convienent but NO SPACE!! There are some REALLY HUGE two stories in Northhampton for around $1100. If you could find a roommate that's a pretty good deal- all kinds of space plus a garage!!

[Guest shawty]

I'm heading to Randolph around that time too. I have to report NLT Sunday, 5 June. A buddy of mine from my det is going down there too and we are going to room together. I know that there are several people going from my det. If you want some names, send me a pm.

I also have a question for you. I wasn't sure if we were allowed to live off base but by your posting you sound pretty confident. Are you sure that we can? What squadron are you going to be in? I'm in 562.

[Guest Milamber]

You can live off base if the dorms are full enough. If not you'll need a waiver or something. And all nav students are in the 562.

If you guys get off base and you're looking for a place don't live too far away. A few people made that mistake- you will have 0500 shows. The last thing you want to do is live half an hour away. If you live off Fat Hooker you may need to leave a few extra minutes for possible trains. Converse and Live Oak are good bets.

[Guest jamesmorrison1982]

I report to Randolph on 8 Jun 06 for casual status followed by CSO school. Do I have a choice for on/off base housing? Can anyone reccommend any nice apartments nearby??

[Guest trouble t]

You do have a choice and you should live off base. A couple guys in my class lived at Retama Ranch on Pat Booker Road. Decent places, affordable and convenient, nothing special though. Good default. There's also a new apartment complex that a lot of people are living in right across from the Live Oak Cinema complex, but I can't remember the name of the place.

When you arrive, DO NOT check into the dorms, because you will be stuck there for the duration of your training -- about a year including NIFT. You'll have plenty of time to find a place while on casual status. Good luck.

[Guest Navtastic]

Checking in with the dorm manager is on the inprocessing checklist. If you want to skip that one, be prepared to have a chat with the Skipper.

[Vetter]

I was stuck there 5 months for PIT. I would live on base. Let your buddies worry about the pain in the butt of cleaning an apartment and the worse, getting on base in the morning with all the traffic. There is nothing like waking up 5 minutes before you report to work. Some one will have an apartment that you crash at on the weekends.

[Guest peanut]

There is a little bird around my neck of the woods saying that meals are included with the dorms for all nav. trainees at Randolph. Is this true, or do I need to shoot that little F@@cker for getting us all excited about having more beer money?

I also have noticed threads about how hard it is to get off-base housing while in training. I haven't received my orders yet, just know that I'll start training on 8 Jan 07. I don't really care if I live on or off, but I really would like to keep my dog with me (aparently that's not a good enough reason). I noticed a post about amount of stuff costing more than BAH to store, and was wondering if anyone knew what that amount is? Any other ideas would be helpful too. Thanks in advance.

P-nut

[Guest Wxpunk]

No, food is not included. However, you are allowed to go to the Dining Facility (cheap) for breakfast and dinner during the week and anytime during the weekend.

Getting off-base is a ***** as the dorms are almost never that full. It's really not all that bad, though. You're damn close to work (save time and gas $$) and you'll have plenty to do both socially and athletically.

Good Luck!

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Wxpunk

[Guest Navtastic]

ATC,

It's a PCS, not a TDY. Therefore, we were/are entitled to the same things as every other permanent party puke on Randolph AFB. AD studs are there for about 15-24 months, depending on wether they track CSO or EWO. Hotels would be an incredibly expensive (and stupid) idea. It's not like it's a tech school at Keesler.

This "pampered *****" lived off base. It didn't cost the AF any more than it would have to put me up in the dorms and store my 8000# of sh1t for 18 months. I wasn't taking away entitlements from "anyone in the field".

[Guest ThunderCat]

Maybe I can bring this thread back...

About being able to live off base: I'm not married but engaged to be married in December this year but am starting UNT at Randolph in June. Even though I'm not married yet are they going to allow me to live off base or are they going to make me live in the dorms while my fiance will proabbly have to stay with her parents back in VA?

Any other ideas about off base living would be nice too...?

[Guest mikedjp]

Originally posted by ThunderCat:

Maybe I can bring this thread back...

About being able to live off base: I'm not married but engaged to be married in December this year but am starting UNT at Randolph in June. Even though I'm not married yet are they going to allow me to live off base or are they going to make me live in the dorms while my fiance will proabbly have to stay with her parents back in VA?

Any other ideas about off base living would be nice too...?

You'll probably be allowed to live off base, as long as you explain that you are getting married in December. To ensure that you live off base, you could get married legally now and then just have the wedding in December. That would also help with your BAH rate and some other stuff.

[Guest Navtastic]

I think explaining to the Skipper that you are engaged and will be marrying soon should be good enough. He's a reasonable guy.

[Young Crow]

Originally posted by Navtastic:

I think explaining to the Skipper that you are engaged and will be marrying soon should be good enough. He's a reasonable guy.

The Skipper is no more. His (former) DO is now the Commander (being an AF dude, and all...), although I was never there under his reign so I'm not quite sure how he deals with it.

For anyone thinking about living in the dorms... I wasn't a fan. You're close to work and that's about all you've got going for you. Having enjoyed living in my own place for 5 years before I got to Randolph, living in the dorms was a huge and depressing step back. I'd much rather have my BAH and kitchen back.

As for the dining hall? I only went a few times, and that was during lunch, when I wasn't supposed to be there. The hours aren't really convenient for the nav school schedule, and you'll get a few dirty looks from people who don't understand that you don't have a kitchen and think you're just being a really cheap officer.

Oh, and the food isn't great. Not really bad, either though. I'd rate it number one out of all Aerospace Dining experiences, which isn't saying much.

[Mark1]

When I showed up last summer dorm occupancy was 99.4% (1 room available?). That was in the middle of the surge of trainees that seem to come in about the time that most major universities graduate their students (late May). If you come in at a busy time of year you have a good chance of being let off base, even without a good reason. If however you come in when dorm occupancy is low, you'd better be married if you want to get off base.

Only four out of our original class of 26 stayed in the dorms...all of them regret it. The dorms are convenient but if you get a roommate off base you'll bank half of your BAH every month. A 10 min commute is worth $400/month. Plus you'll save money by cooking food at home (most of the guys in the dorms eat out for EVERY meal)

None of the 4 in my class that stayed in the dorms ever use their pass to the enlisted dining facility anymore...they stopped using that "perk" after the first month.

[Toasty]

I'm reporting for casual on 8 June, but won't start class until 20 Sept. If I get shoved into the dorms for casual, can I get out of them before my CSD, or am I stuck there?

[Guest AceLaRue]

What does capacity have to be at for us to be able to live off base? 85%...90%?

[sirjrod00]

I'm pretty sure you'll be stuck in the dorms, but don't quote me on that. I can't exactly remember what the percentage is for you to be sent off base, but I do know that it was at 95% when I came here and they said I didn't have much of a chance to get off base, I could have tried, but I guess I was lazy and didn't feel like trying, it didn't matter much to me where I lived.

[Guest Wxpunk]

Once in the dorms, you stay in the dorms unless you get married or pick up another type of dependant.

I think 95% is the threshold, but I'll check on that. There's a board at the 562nd that shows the daily occupancy rate and I assume that's where Sirjrod00 got his figure.

Sirjrod00, what class are you in? If you don’t want to throw it out there for the masses to see, PM me. That goes for anyone else who’s currently in CSO fo shizzo training.

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Wxpunk

[drewpey]

When headed to Randolph, I was scared to death of getting put on base, but now that I am here, it's not that bad. Sure, I could be banking a lot of money living offbase, but the dorms are pretty convenient.

You are allowed to eat at the mess hall, but you get charged more than normal for being an officer, so it's not that good of a deal, plus the food isn't all that great, so it's not worth it.

Don't worry too much about living in the dorms, it's not that bad. It's not a $840 apartment in San Antonio, but its adequate, and quite convenient. I wake up 10 minutes before I need to be at the Squadron. Randolph is a busy base, I can only imagine what its like trying to get on in the morning(if there isn't a train).

There might be a loophole to living off base though, but I don't know a whole lot about it. You are allowed to turn down the Air Force's offer to room you on base, but that means you have to pay for your own housing out of your own pocket to live off base. Once off base, I guess you can re-apply to live on base, and if the dorms are full when you reapply, then you are given your full BAH. This is just secondhand info, and you would have to talk to the Sgt (dorm manager). Odds are though the Sgt would have to like you a lot to pull that off...

perhaps someone else might know more about it...

[Guest Absolutlyfly]

I called Sgt Dorm Master last month inquring about the rules on this, and Sgt Dorm Master was getting pissed, for me even wasting his time to ask basic questions. He told me that I had to have a good reason to live off base which I do! I don't want to live there and to me there is no better reason.

Anyway I am ready to get off casual, even if that means I have to live in the dorms, like I did when I was a freshman in college.

BTW, I am Randolph class 07-07 starting on 8 June if anyone else will be there.

[cragspider]

When I got here to RAFB back in aug it was when an asbc class got out so that there was an influx of new students. The dorm occupancy rate had to be above 90% to get off base. Sgt Dorm Master, thats a whole nother story.

For the guy who is engaged and getting married, I would A get married now/before you start class, or B wait till you graduate. Even though there is time to leave to go get married, you will roll into a later class if you have started. Plus if you are married when you get here, or right after they have to let you out of the dorms.

If any other people have questions send me a PM cause I have 4 months left of training and can help out.

[Guest ThunderCat]

I’ve been getting a bit of a runaround from the dorm manager, ADO, and student control at the 562nd about an issue concerning not living in the dorms at Randolph AFB during navigator training. Anyone with help on this situation would be greatly appreciated.

I will be reporting to the 562nd Flying Training Squadron at Randolph AFB on 09 June and am engaged to be married in December. My fiancé and dog are coming to live with me in a couple of weeks after I settle everything down at Randolph. For this reason I would like to live off base so we can live together. I was told that since I am technically single, I will not be allowed to live off base, but I can fill out a petition (right word?) to live off base and hope for it to get approved. Anyone know how likely I will be able to live off base? Anyone else been in this situation?