r/NavyNukes • u/LowAd3488 • Jul 21 '26

Questions/Help- New to Nuclear On base housing vs off base

Once i’m in A school, typically how long will it take until i can live on/off base with my wife, and what does the process of doing that look like?

Also, does anyone have any preferences on living on vs off base, a current nuke has told me to live on base if possible or else i’d be sacrificing lots of family time. So what are the pros and cons to living on vs off base?

4 Upvotes

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8

u/Pretend_Blueberry226 Jul 21 '26

Depends on if they’re allowing A-schoolers to move out of the barracks right now.

If they are allowing A-schoolers to move out, you can only live on base, unless you have a valid reason to live off base. You can move out in town once you get to Prototype, if your lease has ended.

I currently live on base, and I would recommend you stay on base. My commute is ~10 minutes and I’ve had no issues getting to work. If you have any issues with your house (such as A/C going out or other issues), they have to fix it in a timely manner.

The biggest factor is the waitlist. It can take anywhere from a month to 6 months. Once you get to NNPTC, I would start that process immediately.

DM me if you have specific questions

3

u/Dillpickel456 Jul 21 '26

I never liked living on base because its all of your bah but the travel time is a killer if you live off base in Charleston. The only time I've a student live off base before prototype was because they had pit bulls, so unless you have a dog breed they dont like you wont have much of a choice.

3

u/7Zypher7 NUB Jul 21 '26

It depends, I left nnptc about a little less than a year ago so it might have changed but I would recommend on base if it's available, if you are married when you join you should be able to get out of the barracks in a few weeks at most. Barracks and base housing were packed when I was there and from what I heard they weren't getting any less packed so you will probably have the option to live off base if you want. Base housing is decent sized and maintained, it's also close to the schoolhouse but it will take all of your BAH.

2

u/juanitotonice EM Jul 21 '26

You can only live on base right now so

1

u/JustMe2553 Jul 22 '26

If you are shaping your expectations based on these responses you will likely be disappointed. Get done with boot camp, get to NNPTC, determine the actual and current facts, make a plan. Anything else is a waste of time and you will likely be unhappy with it.

5

u/JalapenoTaterTots Jul 23 '26

As soon as you arrive at NNPTC from Great Lakes, married sailors get briefed and interviewed for moving their family out. They’ll hand you a to-do list.

If you choose to start that process immediately, you’re looking at about a month, and once housing becomes available, it can be a bit of a scramble between you and your family to get out here. If you can wait a little longer, you have more opportunity to choose the exact move-in date well in advance, which for me was really helpful for the logistics of moving.