Housing for Your New Service Member: Living in the Barracks

Depending on the base, your service member may have to share a bedroom. Typically, it is large enough to fit two twin-size beds, two desks and two closets. There are cases when a bedroom may hold more than two people. Sometimes, a service member will have a single bedroom and share a common area with another member.

Whether your service member has a single room or shares with others, they will typically share a bathroom in the barracks. At times there may be an en suite bathroom or a community bathroom that is shared by a floor of service members. In some cases, the Air Force dorms will have private bathrooms for airmen.

After your loved one finishes training and moves to their first PDS, they are typically free to have visitors. You can explore the base with your service member and in most cases, you can visit their rooms. While visitors cannot stay the night in the barracks, there are accommodations on base, if you choose, for visiting family members and friends, and your service member can stay the night with you.

Mail does not go directly to service members. All mail is received and controlled by personnel in the mailroom. Some bases have mailrooms located in the barracks, and others have a mailroom located in a separate building. Typically, service members can access letters anytime, but packages are only available for pickup during business hours.

When your service member lives on base, they will not receive a housing or food allowance. Instead, members only receive base pay and use their ID cards to eat for free in the dining facility on base.

Service members have their rooms checked for cleanliness at least once a week. They are also checked for unauthorized items such as candles and certain chemicals that may be considered hazardous. Rooms are expected to meet a certain standard during each check.

In barracks living, there are many events for your service member to attend. Of course, there are holiday events as well as movie and game nights to get them out of their rooms.

Each installation offers service members a wide range of recreation, sporting and fitness, arts and crafts, entertainment offerings and more through the Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. Some installations even offer auto and other classes.