[MissyAKATink]

Originally Posted by MaStA

I just moved to Michigan as well (also a military recruiter, Air Force). I wanted to buy due to having a house would be nice, but I'm single and with the economy I chose to rent a 2 br 2 bath apartment and rent a garage with the place as well for my car. What branch is your husband in?

Take care and good luck!

He is in the Army. I think he will have stations in Ironwood, Rice Lake, Escanaba, Sault St. Marie, Houghton, Iron Mountain, Marinette, Rhinelander, and Marquette.

Yeah the hard thing with apartments for us, is that my husband thinks he must have every power tool known to man.....so we have to have the extra space for his toys and all the lawn equipment.

Good luck to you as well!

[MissyAKATink]

[quote=Dwatted Wabbit;6955000]Curious, what sort of military facilities are there in the UP?
For that matter, are there any active bases in the mitten?[/quote

My husband is a recruiter now, so no base for us, we are lucky to see one much less get fortunate enough to live on one. I love the military, but it sure does suck when you cannot enjoy the benefits of the commissary, px, and medical facilities.

[MissyAKATink]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Here is a link to a short video shot in the Iron Mountain area. Videos Posted by Fans of Up North - Michigan: Michigan Part 4 | Iron Mountain | Facebook

Thanx so much....i couldnt get it to load yet, i will try it again in a bit.

[MaStA]

[quote=MissyAKATink;6955144]

Originally Posted by Dwatted Wabbit

Curious, what sort of military facilities are there in the UP?
For that matter, are there any active bases in the mitten?[/quote

My husband is a recruiter now, so no base for us, we are lucky to see one much less get fortunate enough to live on one. I love the military, but it sure does suck when you cannot enjoy the benefits of the commissary, px, and medical facilities.

Not sure if you know it already, but all recruiters get a $450 special duty pay every month to try offsetting what we don't have access to like normal and also because of the long hours. It is taxed though.

[MissyAKATink]

We would forfeit the special duty pay in a heart beat....i have such a long argument with that one and what it doesnt cover.. and yeah after taxes and 14 hours a day and 6 days a week it doesnt come close, then you add low bah, limited medical for dependants, 4 hour drive one way for his medical,dental, end eyes...we are actually in the hole each month...but theres other recruiters stationed near any branch of military and they get all the benefits plus their duty pay and then yes it would make up for their long hours...but in any other job they would be getting time and a half over time not $300 a month. God bless all of our troops over seas and in war zones who are defending our nation, and we are thankful everyday that atleast hes home at night and not in harms way but I know some that have risked their lives to go back to the sandbox to be relieved of the stress,long hours, better pay and to come home after their tour and get family time without the 80 hours a week.
And our dilemma is, you have orders to go here, be here in 2 months with your family and good luck in finding a home 21 hours from you.....lol....thank goodness his extension was approved for us to be there in 5 months.

[MaStA]

Originally Posted by MissyAKATink

We would forfeit the special duty pay in a heart beat....i have such a long argument with that one and what it doesnt cover.. and yeah after taxes and 14 hours a day and 6 days a week it doesnt come close, then you add low bah, limited medical for dependants, 4 hour drive one way for his medical,dental, end eyes...we are actually in the hole each month...but theres other recruiters stationed near any branch of military and they get all the benefits plus their duty pay and then yes it would make up for their long hours...but in any other job they would be getting time and a half over time not $300 a month. God bless all of our troops over seas and in war zones who are defending our nation, and we are thankful everyday that atleast hes home at night and not in harms way but I know some that have risked their lives to go back to the sandbox to be relieved of the stress,long hours, better pay and to come home after their tour and get family time without the 80 hours a week.
And our dilemma is, you have orders to go here, be here in 2 months with your family and good luck in finding a home 21 hours from you.....lol....thank goodness his extension was approved for us to be there in 5 months.

That is an unfortunate thing all Army recruiters seem to face. Most are voluntold instead of volunteer. Not sure about your husband, but it sounds like he was voluntold. Also the 6 day work week is normal for the Army. Air Force we work Mon-Fri unless we don't do anything during the week and then we have to work Saturday. I think the local Army guys here have to make 175 phone calls a day. Heck I'm lucky if I do that in a week...just don't have the time with all the people that flood my doors

BAH in Michigan does suck and I have heard it is because the Army Core of Engineers do the BAH survey's for Michigan (not sure if it is true). I used to make money off my BAH in Oklahoma and I pay out of pocket here in Michigan.

As far as medical/dental goes you all should get Tricare Prime Remote if you are over an hour or so from a military facility. Not sure why you would have to drive so far for that...

Good luck!

[MissyAKATink]

Yes the BAH for Michigan will be $700 less a month for what it is here and ours was just finally raised this month and now we are moving, but we havent found cheaper homes there yet. As far as medical, there is only 2 dr. here that are contracted with our insurance and for eyes, dental and husbands orthepedics he has to go to Ft Jackson because noone will take him here, we do not even have an eye place that will take the family within 60 miles of us. And yes he was selected for recruiting and its his second tour. And he only sees a saturday off when its a holiday...some sundays are worked too, to see if the people get down to the floor okay or checking packets. When he was a staion commander he would have to go to battalion on sat if someone had low producer training, now hes over stations he goes if anyone has training. I guess its because the Army is 3 times the size of the AF and has a larger mission....but i will check into something....we know a recruiter in Charlotte that filled out papers to where you forfeit your bah and the army corp of engineers will take care of your rent and utlities as if you were on base. I hope we find that to be true...sure would help with the low BAH there. He is getting promoted next month and the higher ranK bah there is lower than the lower rank bah here...sux

[MaStA]

Originally Posted by MissyAKATink

Yes the BAH for Michigan will be $700 less a month for what it is here and ours was just finally raised this month and now we are moving, but we havent found cheaper homes there yet. As far as medical, there is only 2 dr. here that are contracted with our insurance and for eyes, dental and husbands orthepedics he has to go to Ft Jackson because noone will take him here, we do not even have an eye place that will take the family within 60 miles of us. And yes he was selected for recruiting and its his second tour. And he only sees a saturday off when its a holiday...some sundays are worked too, to see if the people get down to the floor okay or checking packets. When he was a staion commander he would have to go to battalion on sat if someone had low producer training, now hes over stations he goes if anyone has training. I guess its because the Army is 3 times the size of the AF and has a larger mission....but i will check into something....we know a recruiter in Charlotte that filled out papers to where you forfeit your bah and the army corp of engineers will take care of your rent and utlities as if you were on base. I hope we find that to be true...sure would help with the low BAH there. He is getting promoted next month and the higher ranK bah there is lower than the lower rank bah here...sux

So you are coming from North Carolina or what?

Yes there is an option where you can get housing paid for by the government as if you lived on base. I can't remember how it all works, but a recruiter I went to school with did that and he lives in West Virginia now.

[MissyAKATink]

Yeah he is recruiting in western NC right now, and we heard having 4 kids as dependants may help us with getting a larger house with the low bah up there. Here in western NC is the highest place we have ever lived, we searched for 3 months every weekend to find a rental and this was the cheapest 3 bdrm at $1200 a month rent plus utilities and when we got here our bah was 1,096 with his rank, which is suppose to cover rent, water, gas, and ins....yeah right..lol...but it went up substantioally last Jan and again this Jan. We would be cutting it even each month if we stayed.

[MaStA]

Originally Posted by MissyAKATink

Yeah he is recruiting in western NC right now, and we heard having 4 kids as dependants may help us with getting a larger house with the low bah up there. Here in western NC is the highest place we have ever lived, we searched for 3 months every weekend to find a rental and this was the cheapest 3 bdrm at $1200 a month rent plus utilities and when we got here our bah was 1,096 with his rank, which is suppose to cover rent, water, gas, and ins....yeah right..lol...but it went up substantioally last Jan and again this Jan. We would be cutting it even each month if we stayed.

Yeah definitely look into that program because the guy I know that did it has like seven kids and there was no way that would of worked out well for him in a place he could afford off the BAH. My BAH here in Michigan went up a whole $11...woo hoo lol