So my FH and I are trying to decide if we want to request base housing or get an apartment.

I'm all for base housing, but it's just not convenient when you want friends and family to just show up, with the security checks and stuff.

We live on base and i lke it for the most part....only because we are at andrews afb and its more safe on base then right off

Unless we end up in Japan, or a country where I probably won't bother to learn the language, we'll most likely live off base.  We're hoping for Germany, and if we get it, we'll DEFINITELY live off base. I LOVE European culture and want to absorb it as much as I can!

We lived in base housing and I liked that everything was inclusive, but did not like that at any moment's notice, all of my husband's fellow marines would be on our couch, in our garage, drinking our beer, etc. That's fine whenever they're invited, but not EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.ALL.DAY.LONG. When we move we will most likely not live on base because whatever extra money we don't spend from our housing allowance, we can just pocket it.

we;re considering on base housing for our next duty station since either way you look at it our bah will be eaten up with bills and he will also be deployed next place we go and since it will be me living there alone I think I would feel safer on base.

I moved to Guam and live in their BEAUTIFUL base housing! We LOVE it. It is far more convenient to live on base in an area you are not yet familiar yet. You avoid crime, nutty landlords, neighbors who don't treat you with the same respect. For example, sometimes you get brief tropical drizzles here. Most people on the island are used to walking in the rain or hot sun. When our car broke down one day, my husband and I were carrying light bags back from the Commissary and several neighbors offered to give us a ride. When my husband used to ride his bike to work, base neighbors often stopped to give him a ride. And when I was of no help carrying the new entertainment unit up to the house from the car, a neighbor parked his motorcycle and took my end of the box! Today a sailor couple that is shipping out at the end of this month brought over two really big boxes of frozen foods, tons of spices, and dry goods. We know them well, but wouldn't have first dibs if we were off base. I have never experienced hospitality to this extent in any other neighborhood. We are in walking distance to the gym, MEX, Commissary, library, doggie park, etc. Here the gas is 50 cents cheaper on base. Our lawns and exteriors are mostly maintained by base contractors.

We get out regularly to see the local beaches, village markets, nightlife, and culture.

lol- Hubby and I had a talk before I arrived about not having other sailors over at a whim or all the time. He fortunately feels like I do about that. But it has not even been an issue.

I don't know if our next base/ house will be so nice! First time luck!