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Your guide to owning vehicles in the barracks. Tips & Products to help you navigate life while living in the barracks.
For a lot of folks new to the military, getting out of basic and on to your first duty station is an amazing rush of freedom. This may be your first job or first time away from your family. The biggest and most popular purchase will likely be a car. And for a lot of you its probably a Mustang. Really, there is something about barracks dwellers and Mustangs. So the parking lots look like a Ford dealer. Jokes aside, it’s an awesome place to be in when you get the sweet ride. This guide will help you know what you’re in for and how to make the best of it.
In general, inspections can bleed over to your vehicles. While it might not be as invasive as a barracks inspection of your military vehicles, it still can happen. Safety checks, mileage checks, and if you live near k9’s like I did, checks for other not legal in all states kind of items. Best practice is to keep it clean, legal, and inspection ready at all times. Depending on your unit’s policy, you may need to have it serviced before R and R’s, leave, and passes. This might feel annoying, but the intent is to keep you safe and have you return, so buck up and just let it happen.
Having one overseas can be tricky; you will have more to consider. Are you shipping one over or buying while you are there? If you’re going to Korea, Germany, or other overseas duty stations you want to reach out to your sponsors. In Korea its common for the unit to limit by rank whether a person can even have one over there. It would suck to buy a car for your tour only to find out you can’t ship it over. Germany has different vehicle standards, and you will want to know what those are before shipping. You will go through an inspection prior to leaving the States.
This guide will show you tips on how to get the most out of your vehicle. I will also give you my top picks that you should consider for vehicle care.
Your vehicle does not count as a living space or military property. You will be parking on military property. So keep it clean, legal, and fully complaint to your unit’s policies. Eyes are everywhere. You would hate for leadership to walk through, only to find you don’t have a sticker on, plates expired, or the worst thing… unlocked. Mash that lock button like an OCD habit.
Keep it clean. To the point above, eyes and grubby hands are everywhere. You could be 100% in line with laws and policies, but you will be mocked and possibly reprimanded for having a dirty car. You are representing the military and your unit; anything they think will make them look bad is not going to go over well. The best practice is to clean and avoid awkward talks to your sergeant about why you have personal hygiene items are thrown across your back seat.
Make the most out of it. If your a scenic part of the USA or overseas. Get out for a drive, venture around. I have seen folks bring over a vehicle only for them to just go back and forth to the PX, Unit, then back home. Live a little, take some risks, enjoy your time; it will be gone faster than you would think.
Overseas has some other concerns. Gas is a big one. You think gas is pricey; wait until you fill up on local. When I was there, roughly what we pay for a gallon, they pay for a liter. So three to four times more than the USA. Not to worry, that’s not what you will pay all the time. You will have gas stations on your bases. Always fill up there before you head out for a long period of time or get stuck with a high bill.
Making money with your vehicle tip 1: Be a Designated Driver or on call for pay. I was a bit of a night owl; I put out that anyone could call if they were downtown and needed a ride if they had too many. I had a rate of 5 or 10 dollars per person, and if my phone was off (DND would work), then I was done for the night. This was before ride shares, but hey, it’s still worth a shot.
Money-making tip 2: When I was overseas, throwing out your trash was a premium. All the bases were broken into little bases, and not all of them had dumpsters. I would charge 1$ a bag, free if they helped me dump it. I had a truck, so I could make 30-50 $ easy in less than an hour.
Click the Guide Hub for all the other barracks guides, and be sure to check my top picks for items that you can get for your room right now.
