Accomodation......

[BUPA]

Afternoon Folks :},

I’ve been seriously looking into a RAF aircrew career for a while now, and beginning to apply as I’m coming to the end of my degree. After speaking to a few other people, I want to know more about housing….yes boring I know. I also know that accommodation is along, long, LONG way off as I haven’t even filled in my joining papers yet but…

What do you get?

I understand that in your first few years you’ll live in the Offices Mess, but what about when you’re a 40 year old Sqn Ldr with a family or a divorced Wg Cdr at 45?

Are you expected to have your own house off base by this point?

And guys, sorry if this post is in the wrong place – didn’t know where else it would be appropriate.

Thanks.

PS: I’m not saying that I will be 40 with family, divorced at 45, or a Wg Cdr, but you get my point. :O

[muggy73]

You could stay in the mess for as long as you like....(don't know why with pay as you 'starve' :ugh:etc....blah blah). Family accommodation is available to all married personnel be it a Pilot Officer of 19 or a Squadron Leader of 40.

[Pontius Navigator]

I want to know more about housing….yes boring I know.

Actually a good question and I will try and give a half-serious answer. In UK, in messes, you will hope to have sole use of a fully-furnished en suite room. You may even get a sitting room too although they tend to be reserved for sqn ldrs. However more likely you will get to share a bathroom and be expected to clean the bath and put the toilet seat down after cleaning the pan, if you get my drift.

Older messes will still have only a wash-basin in your room and communal showers or bathroom. You can get away without cleaning that bath, until you are discovered. :}

Once married you will become eligible for a family quarter the size of which will relate to need - the more kids the more bedrooms. It does not follow that your quarter will be on the same base to which you are posted but to a remote patch some miles away. This complicates your social life and makes a second car for Mrs Bupa, or your partner, an essential.

I understand that in your first few years you’ll live in the Offices Mess, but what about when you’re a 40 year old Sqn Ldr with a family or a divorced Wg Cdr at 45?

The important bit here is 40-45 and nothing else. As an aircrew mate you will probably serve on one type and that type will, barring base closures, remain at one station. What you are looking at here is Brize Norton, Waddington, Coningsby, Leuchars and Cottesmore. For a shorter period, Marham and later Lossiemouth.

Wherever you start, if on one of these main bases, is where to consider buying a house. You will not expect to stay in it all the time as you will be posted to Air Command or PJHQ, or to a training base or Cranditz. These are likely to be for one tour with a return to type afterwards. You don't have to buy of course or even buy there. One officer at Lyneham has been there so long that he has put in hos own fencing, patio, sheds, green house and who knows, even a conservatory by now. He was not serving at Lyneham last time I was there.

Then of course you will get some luxury accommodation such as a multi-man, air conditioned tent - you open the flaps.

For mess or quarter you will pay far less than the commercial rent but you get maintenance at the same level. In a quarter you will also need to furnish it. The Service will pay for any moves.

[Pontius Navigator]

Family accommodation is available to all married personnel be it a Pilot Officer of 19 or a Squadron Leader of 40.

No, entitlement is available, the accommodation may not be.

[muggy73]

yep - better choice of words pontius.

[cornish-stormrider]

Yep, entitlement. Fine choice of words. Bear in mind in todays RAF they have struggled to give even the junior ranks beds to sleep in or uniform and body armour to fight in.........

As the services become more and more civilianised the service provided gets worse.

IMHO buy as soon as you can, my crystal ball says prices will drop for the next 6 - 18 months but don't quote me. Buy cheap and rent it out if you are elsewhere......

[ShyTorque]

It does not follow that your quarter will be on the same base to which you are posted but to a remote patch some miles away. This complicates your social life and makes a second car for Mrs Bupa, or your partner, an essential.


Correct! In my case they posted me 155 miles north of my present base and the nearest MQ the system could provide for my wife and kids was 35 miles in the opposite direction. That was the day I decided it really was time to leave. I left.

[spheroid]

Family accommodation is available to all married personnel

Of course, you don't have to be married. I'm single and living in Family accomm.

[Pontius Navigator]

So BUPA, I think you get the flavour. I have been in only one quarter and two houses since I married over 30 years ago. The furthest I have had to travel from residence to station was 57 miles each way.

There are various allowances to cover these travelling cost but you don't make a profit from them. The thought of Mrs PN driving me to work and then taking the car for a service before picking me up ....

However, that said, we all managed.

[ZH875]

Older messes will still have only a wash-basin in your room


But at least it is a Dual Purpose wash basin.:eek:

[MightyGem]

But at least it is a Dual Purpose wash basin
Ahh...the good old hot and cold running toilet. :}

[Sloppy Link]

Yep, there are those that pi55 in the sink and there are those that lie.

[Pontius Navigator]

But at least it is a Dual Purpose wash basin.:eek:

But not dual gender.

Digressing, there are also those that forget to pack a towel when travelling. As long as the rooms don't have venetian blinds you are OK :}

[Pontius Navigator]

Yep, there are those that pi55 in the sink and there are those that lie.

Not at Hullavington we didn't. They didn't have basins in the huts. I still remember one night, about 0400 it was. There was quite a lively conflab among course members through the open windows.:eek: