Post Housing Controversy

I was reading on Military Spouse Facebook page the other day and they asked something about Privatization vs Military Controlled Housing. They wanted to know what people preferred and there were tons of answers, which showed that it was quite the 'Hot' topic. I kind of skimmed through because I was curious to hear what people had to say about either way. Now I will be honest I'm not quite sure if the housing on our installation is Privatized or Military controlled, my husband deals with them most of the time. With some of their standards I'd say Military controlled, but I know that to get anything fixed is done by a contractor so I have no idea.

The opinions varied from person to person from base to base. Some liked the privatized on this base, but not that one. Some preferred the Army running it on one particular base, but not another. It was interesting. But then I started reading a few comments that really started to irritate me. I am not a person who thinks that rank should have much to do with where someone lives or anything like that, I know that somethings are done by rank for reasons like they get paid more so rent for higher ranks tends to be more and things like that. I'm not sure all the specifics and I don't make the rules. I'm not someone who likes to be judgemental based on rank and job, okay that's just not me.

So when I start reading comments about Staff SGTs being housed next to PVTs, and the Staff SGTs family having issues because the PVTs are partiers and that higher ranks shouldn't be with lower enlisted. I really want to throw something at people like that. Not all PVTs are partiers, just like not all Officers are old. I mean you can't judge a rank based on something like that. I don't think you should segregate the community by rank, how do you think the lower enlisted feel if the Higher enlisted are all grouped together in another part of the community? Are they getting better housing? Do they deserve it more because they just happen to have more stripes? No. Now, I heard a comment about an older couple being in a four bedroom place when it was just two of them and that's not cool, because its supposed be based on the number of people in your household.

The other comment that really got my goat, was that Civilians shouldn't live on post. Now who are you to say who should and shouldn't live on post. If they work on post just like a soldier doesn't that give them rights to live there too? Or are we as soldiers and soldier's families cooler & specialer than everyone else? I don't think so. Now, this is my opinion and you don't have to agree. My husband is Army Reserves, so we aren't stationed on a Base and so we live on post because he works on the Federal Side as a Security Guard for the installation. Granted our name got put higher on the list for housing than the civilian contractors which are by the way going out. The President wants Civilian contractors to go away from being used by the Military. But if a stationed soldier needed to move onto the post at the same time as we were on the list, then they would get to move in first. But that doesn't happen very often and nobody really moves out here.

The point is that it made us sound like stuck up snobs, like because we're soldier's wives we're better than civilian wives and that civilians on post are nothing. Which is a load of crap. We are no better than anybody, nobody. I think pulling rank by a wife is such crap too. I have nothing against the wives of higher ranking soldiers most are very nice, but if you think that makes you better well...I don't even know...I just think you need to grow up!

Okay, so I vented. Its been something on my mind since I read these postings and I couldn't shake it. I just couldn't believe how petty some of these comments were. My husband is Specialist and I was a Specialist, but I don't think I'm better than a Private First Class. All the rank does, is show that I worked hard, passed my PT test and put forth the effort to keep advancing. That's it. I just hate the cocky attitude. I want to be able to be friends with everyone, no matter what their husband's rank. Just because my husband's a Specialist doesn't mean we're party animals. In fact the older couple next door, make more noise than we do and I have two kids under two and they don't.

So, I'm curious what do you think about segregation of ranks on post? What about civilians living on post? Is it really fair to not allow them to live here if they work here? What about denying them jobs on post, is that fair? I don't see us all rushing to get jobs on post and often they're more qualified. So, lets here some opinions. I promise I won't jump down anyone's throat. I really do want to hear what you have to say.