Housing at Altus

[MarineGrunt]

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations as far as whether to stay on base or off base during KC-135PIQ at Altus. I ran several searches for homes and apartments for rent, but found nada. I'm married, with dependants, but they will most likely not be there with me, so I may get stuck in the dorms if I choose on base.

Any advice?

Grunt.

 

[HoursHore]

I'd stay on base. If you tell housing your wife will accompany you, you'll get the nicer rooms, even as an 0-1. Some people I knew lived off base, But there's really no advantage to it.

 

[flogged]

Here's my 2 cts as I finish my last two weeks of taining (unaccompanied):

If you're family is coming, on base lodging may put you in TLF accomodations but no guarantees. I've got a buddy staying there w/his wife/kids but they're enroute Mildenahall so they may have gotten special consideration since all their sh!t is enroute UK. Ask lodging what they'll offer.

I spent a month in the Ramada Inn (dump) before I sourced a nice 1BR apartment at The Madison Trail Apartments (Altus' newest luxury apartments--don't take that too literally). A bud in my unit came with his wife and baby and got a 2BR for them at the same complex. The units are nice, fairly new and there is a pool in the complex. It's less than two mi from the front gate (you can hear taps) and the real upside is by staying off base you'll get full per dium ($32/day vs $22) which works out to $300 more a month for yo food. Rent for the 1 BR is $735/mo, not sure about the 2 BR, but most likely <$1,000. Either way the Joint Travel Regulation allows you to be reimbursed for rent, rental of furnishings, utilities, cable, phone use charges and maid service so long as you don't exceed the Altus max lodging rate (I believe $76/day or $2280/mo)--let me know if you need a more specific reference.

There is a Rent-A-Center that'll be happy to rent you a lovely 27" TV for $28/wk and a DVD player for $12/wk and sheister you for anything else you need (some apartments come furnished--more or less--mine had no TV or washer/dryer). Family support on base has a loan locker where you can borrow kitchen essentials (dinnerware, pots/pans, cups, utinsals, etc).

There seems to be quite a few TDY students, many w/families in these apartments.

One thing you'll want to get from billetting is a NON-A slip for the durration of your TDY just so your finance office can't/won't fusk with you (even though by the JTR you aren't required one).

I don't have a ph # to the rental office, but the earlier you can coordinate, the more likely they'll have something you can move directly into. Let me know if you need a ph#.

Good luck

 

[TankerPuke]

Grunt(er)-

Is it that time already!!!! Stay on base...

PUKE

 

[MarineGrunt]

Grunt(er)-

Is it that time already!!!! Stay on base...

PUKE

You bet buddy. The AF hasn't found a way to get rid of me yet, but they sure as heII are trying!!!

 

[Batman]

I second the apartment gig...

I just arrived down to Altus and decided to go with the apartment option. It beats the hell out of any of Altus's "fine hotels." Living quarters on base are not bad, but they are only a quarter the size of my single-bedroom aprtment. Since PIQ runs for over four months, I highly recommend the apartment option. It is not a 100% guarntee that you will get a non-space "A" slip for 130+ days, but most students who want to remain off base for the entire time have had no trouble. Just be prepared to either say on-base or off-base when you check-in the first day.

 

[AV8NSP]

I went through CIQ earlier this year, and though a shorter stay, I stayed on-base with the nicer family rooms. I found it much more convenient. When I was there, lodging was unpredictable as to whether they'd give you the non-A for an apartment. They screwed a couple guys in my class on that, and they ended up paying for the apartment out of pocket with the on-base per-diem (because they didn't want to stay in contract quarters, i.e. hotel, and didn't want the room on base). I think it's a gamble...

On another note, when you roll into town, if they stick you at the Friendship Inn or the Sleazy 8, go to the hotel, look at the room, then go back to lodging and tell them you won't stay there because it is sub-standard. They'll put you up somewhere else, and your complaint might be the one to finally get these places off their contract lodging list....