Government housing. You love living on post; you hate living on post.
We lived in government housing during our time in Germany and for the most part we enjoyed it. It made life a little easier and made it really easy to meet other members of the military.
When you live on post, you have to abide by rules that you might not otherwise have to go by. Here at Ft. Campbell, living on post feels more strict than living off. I have friends getting in trouble for things that I don’t even think twice about living in my own house off post.
In theory these rules are to keep everything looking nice and regulated, you know, just like a military housing community should be. Although some of the rules seem over the top, most do a good job of keeping the area looking the way it should.
If you live on post, don’t forget to mow your lawn.
If you live in military housing, you want to make sure that you understand any faux pas so you don’t become that neighbor. No one wants to be that neighbor.
- Not Picking up Trash. You would think that grown adults would know this but that isn’t always the case. When we were in Germany, we had to share a trash can with our neighbor and the trash bins were kept in a space of six cans. We tried to keep our area cleaned up but others did not. It looked like the start of a landfill. It is simply not cool to not pick up your trash, leave trash in your yard or just not be aware of what needs to be done when it comes to your waste.
- Being Loud. This is one of the parts of living off post that I enjoy. My neighborhood is really quiet. With on-post housing you have a lot of people in a smaller space. Some people can get too loud, especially during a three-day weekend. The military loves to hang out when they have time off but don’t be the house on the block that everyone wants to call the MPs on. Be respectful of your neighbors and keep your volume levels on low.
- Wandering Kids. There is an age when kids should be allowed to walk around their neighborhood without a parent. Three years old is not that age. When we first moved to government housing I was shocked at how young the kids were that showed up on the playground without a parent. Just because you are on a military post doesn’t mean it is safe for such a young child to be walking around without supervision. Keep an eye on your young children and wait until they are a little older to let them roam.
- Not Cutting Your Grass. This is a hard one. I know how hard mowing the lawn can be when you have to do it yourself when your husband is deployed and you have very small children. However, this chore must be done. In most places you will get in trouble if you don’t do it in a timely manner. If you are lucky enough to live in a place where they do it for you, thank your lucky stars because in most places you have to mow the backyard.
- Starting Drama. Lonely wives, spare time and close spaces can easily lead to drama. Sometimes the drama is over something silly like a dog barking too much or kids who don’t get along. Other times it can get out of hand with yelling matches across the street. Please, just stay away from drama. Mind your own business and be friendly. That will go a long way in allowing your neighborhood to be a peaceful place. You can make some wonderful friends by getting to know your neighbors. Don’t blow the chance to make new friends by being a drama queen.
