Homesteading

That's why we have people driving over a 1.5 hours to work. There Is not housing at are duty station!!

Its my money and I want to spend It, as I see fit. We qualify for 3 diffident houses on Fort Meade, one Is a 70's ranch small no garage the next one has 300 square more feet with a garage then the newest one has 600 more feet and a garage. Now I have to give up my BAH for all three.

So, If they want to pro rate the housing on post, If you get the lowest grade house on your list. They should give the government back the differences. If that was the way It worked, I would give back what I'm saving every month.

I'm In a cabin that just has 2 bedrooms that's It for $40.00 a night flat rate, you do the math!!!

And will someone tell me what the haaaaail Is Homesteading!!! We have rules at Fort Meade, the most you can stay In peak season for active duty Is 120 days one time a season then your out for 5 days then Its 60 days with a five day out. Off season for active Is 180 days.

That's my two cents!!!!!

Second point, beyond putting cash in pocket.

When AD and Retired begin using MCG's for HOUSING, the MCG becomes a trailer park instead of recreation - and ultimately the traveling veterans cannot get a site even for a few days because others are using it for housing and stay months and months at a time ... and once it becomes 'housing' it will fill up with individuals "saving money" instead of finding regular housing.

At that point, our recreational camping benefit will disappear. It's already a hassle to get sites in the south even for a few days during winter in most of the MCG - in Florida for example. Of course, each of these "full MCGs" will allow us to "camp" in a parking lot for half-price, and then claim it's meeting the obligation it's designed for,

Our benefits we all earned should be shared, and not used to increase cash payouts to anyone on active duty. But, just so we know - any family where AD is in a war zone, then by all means - let's give up our sites.

But traditional military careers have changed significantly, and our "half pension pay" as you mentioned is quite a bit lower than AD's today ... AD today, if you count everything (housing, clothing, food, medical, day-care), compares to a civilian job in many cases. And civilians do not get subsidized housing ... civilians may get house-rent, but it's paid to the landlord and the employee does not get to "keep the extra" if he/she puts the family in a campground.

Housing allowance is to cover the cost of local housing - period. It is not designed to compensate a stateside AD as a pay-raise while he/she lives in a recreation area site - because, regardless of whether or not one has earned the right to stay at MCGs, over-staying is directly taking a spot that another AD or Retired has earned in the same manner.

We appreciate as much as anyone the sacrifice we've all made defending our freedom and our country (both AD today and Retired in the past) - but we need to share these benefits equally, just as we shared the risk, or the benefits will continue to erode and we'll lose this one too.

Homesteading, when talking in this content, is someone who occupies a space/site at a military campground for more than what the governing Regulation states,i.e.14,30,60,90,etc. days, with no intent of moving on, making it his or her "home base". Basically, turning a recreation area into a "Trailer park".....The military use to have trailer parks, but tore them out to make more on-post/base housing....maybe this "old idea" should come back.....

Trust me brother...I know the pay difference between AD and civilian pay and benefits. After retirement and going back to work for the feds the 1st thing they did was cut my leave accrual rate to that of a new employee while others who served but didn't retire accrue at a higher rate. $20 an hour doesn't go very far these days either...a heck of alot less than $10 an hour did in the early 90's.

I just don't see active duty on BAH in rv resorts trying to full-time it as a growing concern. These folks have familes, gear, furniture, a couple vehicles and just aren't thinking about living in a duffle bag on wheels. Even some of the most elaborate 5th wheels with a few pop-outs and 30'+ is just not going to make momma happy with a couple kids and a puppy. A home is just not suppose to have tires underneath it or a set of propane bottle on the front for most folks.

I totally get what you're saying, I just don't think what he's doing is a firing squad offense.

monkey44 wrote: Second point, beyond putting cash in pocket.

When AD and Retired begin using MCG's for HOUSING, the MCG becomes a trailer park instead of recreation - and ultimately the traveling veterans cannot get a site even for a few days because others are using it for housing and stay months and months at a time ... and once it becomes 'housing' it will fill up with individuals "saving money" instead of finding regular housing.

At that point, our recreational camping benefit will disappear. It's already a hassle to get sites in the south even for a few days during winter in most of the MCG - in Florida for example. Of course, each of these "full MCGs" will allow us to "camp" in a parking lot for half-price, and then claim it's meeting the obligation it's designed for,

Our benefits we all earned should be shared, and not used to increase cash payouts to anyone on active duty. But, just so we know - any family where AD is in a war zone, then by all means - let's give up our sites.

But traditional military careers have changed significantly, and our "half pension pay" as you mentioned is quite a bit lower than AD's today ... AD today, if you count everything (housing, clothing, food, medical, day-care), compares to a civilian job in many cases. And civilians do not get subsidized housing ... civilians may get house-rent, but it's paid to the landlord and the employee does not get to "keep the extra" if he/she puts the family in a campground.

Housing allowance is to cover the cost of local housing - period. It is not designed to compensate a stateside AD as a pay-raise while he/she lives in a recreation area site - because, regardless of whether or not one has earned the right to stay at MCGs, over-staying is directly taking a spot that another AD or Retired has earned in the same manner.

We appreciate as much as anyone the sacrifice we've all made defending our freedom and our country (both AD today and Retired in the past) - but we need to share these benefits equally, just as we shared the risk, or the benefits will continue to erode and we'll lose this one too.

I could not agree more, well said!!!!

I think Its funny any one with a DOD ID can stay at the campground at Fort Meade. Pulse anyone can get base housing. We have DOD civilian contractors.

With more and more retires selling there homes and buying RV's with no real home base there just going campground to campground. There not campers, there just resident. Most never even come out of there RV!!!

At Meade the campground has to be the biggest money maker for the MWR!!! They don't clean the fire pits or even clean or check the sites after someone pulls out. They clam they cant have a camp host unless they are a paid employed.

Can someone tell me why every thing In the store cost more then It would off post, haaail Its cheaper to go off post to get propane, what gives????