What do you miss about living in the barracks?

2014-11-10T16:48:03-05:00

I enjoy the fact that I still get to hear reveille and retreat on weekends. I'm close to the gym and DFAC (dining facility), so it's easy to live healthfully. With the CQ (Charge of Quarters) being downstairs and having cameras in the hallways, I'm not likely to be robbed.

I hear people complain all the time about living in the barracks, but it has its advantages. Which aspect of barracks living do you miss? If you currently live in the barracks, what do you appreciate?

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 10 at 2014 4:57 PM

2014-11-10T16:57:23-05:00

I miss the parties in the Quad of the Dorms.

I am AF..we don't have barracks!

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 5:33 PM

2014-11-10T17:33:52-05:00

I didn't live in barracks after training but I did quarter aboard ship so that's pretty much the same thing. The only thing I miss about that is my coffin locker. I'm married with 4 kids, so I have no space to call my own. I even find my kids toys in my dresser and closet so...yeah, I miss my coffin locker.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 5:33 PM

2014-11-10T17:33:33-05:00

I miss having my buddies on the same floor and not having to pay rent to live off-post. Other than that, the arrangement pretty well sucked.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Nov 10 at 2014 5:44 PM

2014-11-10T17:44:03-05:00

I mostly just miss the free room & board. You don't really realize how much that stuff costs until you get out. =P

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 8:06 PM

2014-11-10T20:06:25-05:00

I miss the camaraderie. I never did anything alone. Always had a buddy to go eat out with, catch a movie with, etc. Also, the BBQ's. We grilled at least twice a month.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 9:01 PM

2014-11-10T21:01:30-05:00

There is only so much one can take of the dorms and the fact that it is more like confinement and living in a museum. I remember working shift work and buffers or vacuums clanking on the door. I remember telling their Leadership that I am weather and go away. Ultimately my Commander agreed with me and did the inspections themselves.

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Nov 11 at 2014 10:23 PM

2014-11-11T22:23:48-05:00

Great question SGT Private RallyPoint Member...How about having everything you need within .5 miles of your doorstep! I know this could also be seen as a negative to some. My favorite was Sunday / Saturday night football and grill-outs with the squadron. Getting everyone together to enjoy a few drinks and just relaxing. Also, walking over the base club on Taco Tuesday was the mid-week highlight :)

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 9:50 AM

2014-11-12T09:50:33-05:00

SPC Thundercloud--not a thing! I do miss the dirt bike races at K-16

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Nov 12 at 2014 11:24 AM

2014-11-12T11:24:22-05:00

Much like the circus tents while deployed or the GP Medium, the interaction and daily with the folks who you work with. Yes, I got it that folks want to "get away", but sometimes we find ourselves lacking in the esprit de corps that comes from that type of living and working together. Of course we don't have family barracks, but on-post family housing is pretty much the same way. Now that sooooo many folks live OFF-POST it degrades the same set of principles I eluded to, but the kids are happy cause OFF-POST they need not worry about safety helmets with rollerskates and bicycles.

Response by LTC Paul Mullins made Nov 12 at 2014 1:00 PM

2014-11-12T13:00:26-05:00

A lot of things, and a lot I don't miss! I lived in the barracks as both an enlisted and an officer (you can call them BOQs all you want, but it was less than I had as an enlisted member). In both cases, I miss the comraderie, as previously stated there was always someone to hang out with. Also, both times the base/camp was small and you could walk/bike easily to anything. I didn't like health and welfares, communial latrines, and not being able to legally cook or have guests past curfew, but it was what it was. We dealt with it, but didn't enjoy it. As a family we live off post because a home owners association is less overhead than the Army on-post rules! lol And yes, no safety helmets! Or trampoline nets, etc. One of our favorite homes was on-post in historic housing on Ft. Leavenworth. We felt safe enough our teenage daughter and her friends walked everywhere alone to the PX, bowling alley, theater, pool, etc and half of that I could see from my house! Other places I thought I would either wind up as a geographical batchelor or a divorcee as the on-post housing was difficult at best. At least with the barracks you saved money, you do save with on-post housing, but not as much since they take your BAH.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 1:13 PM

2014-11-12T13:13:02-05:00

Nothing. Not the drunk idiot that rode an electric scooter around at 0300. Not the room inspections at 1000 when I had just gotten to sleep after mid check. Not the limited hours of the galley for said mid-checkers and inability to cook for myself. Nope. I hated the barracks.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Nov 12 at 2014 1:28 PM

2014-11-12T13:28:47-05:00

Those are barracks? Damn. They don't look anything like the ones I inhabited. Ours had signs posted above the butt cans warning that they would burn to the ground in less than 3 minutes if they caught fire. (I bet they burned down one to time it.) Still, I must admit that I miss the comradery of living in close quarters with a platoon of trainees all sharing the same trials and tribulations. Would I do it again? Hell, no...

Response by SFC Matthew Parker made Nov 12 at 2014 2:10 PM

2014-11-12T14:10:17-05:00

SPC Thundercloud,
I'm going to show my age but my first barracks were WWII wood two story open bays with a community shower and trusty water fountain. We used wall lockers to enclose our space and had wood framed beds.
Lights out at 2200 accept for the senior NCOs room on the first floor, I always wanted that room just for the privilege of closing the door and having my own window.

Next came renovated WWII with real walls and separate rooms, still lights out at 2200 but you could buy a lamp.

Finally made the big time on Ft Ord with a brick building, day room, laundry room but still had community showers.

I miss the chow hall next door and midnight chow on the weekends, I miss my battle buddies and the weekend football games and formation being just outside the building.

CQ sucked but you got the next day off and buffing floors killed the time. No bills, free parking, on post recreation facilities, it was all right there.

Sometimes if I had roommates it could be a "challenge" but you learned to get along. Great experience that makes me really appreciate my home now.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Nov 12 at 2014 3:21 PM

2014-11-12T15:21:33-05:00

Being able to sleep in my PT's, wake up at 515 and walk down stairs to 0530 formation.

Response by SSG Tim Everett made Nov 25 at 2014 12:26 AM

2014-11-25T00:26:06-05:00

The *ONLY* things I miss about living in the barracks are the parties and the free lodging. The only bills I had in the barracks were the ones I made. I guess, bill-wise, the same goes for NCO housing (is this still a thing?) and on-post housing.

Response by CPL(P) Kevin Koch made Aug 23 at 2016 5:41 PM

2016-08-23T17:41:06-04:00

First, I want to say DAMN! I never saw barracks like that at Ft. Hood when I was there. We had stack barracks that were being renovated though a handful of us held out because we liked the space in the un-renovated ones. (Was in 57th SIG, barracks across Support Ave from Abrams Gym) Like stated already, you were never alone. Party in the barracks, we loved the quad for those events, roll the keg into the 1st floor and instant party. Cinder block walls was a nice touch to have also. Barracks life was never bad, it just upset us how we were always being inspected while those out of the barracks never were. Outside of that, no complaints. Was a great time to have fun and do the stupid things that you can't do when away from the barracks.

Response by PO2 Joseph Fast made Aug 24 at 2016 1:25 PM

2016-08-24T13:25:48-04:00

Absolutely NOTHING. I was more likely to be robbed "food/drinks". Farther away from a work out "I have a pool". More freedom "I'm not living with 3 other people in a 2 person room". I can honestly say there are zero benefits that any of the barracks I stayed at over past/current living conditions. Edit: dangit, after reading other people's comments, I do have to admit that the rent was free. But I would rather pay rent to have a room designed for 1 person and bigger than go rent free in a room designed for 2 people, is smaller and 4 people are staying in it.

Response by CW4 Larry Curtis made Aug 27 at 2016 5:47 PM

2016-08-27T17:47:18-04:00

Absolutely NOTHING. When I lived in barracks we slept in open bays. One of my coworkers got off of CQ one Saturday and laid down on his rack after removing his fatigue jacket (shirt) and fell asleep on top of the bedding. At some point during the day someone used a knife or a razor blade/box cutter and cut his pocket open on his fatigue pants and made off with his wallet...and it was like 2 days after payday so there was a considerable portion of his pay inside. Of course back in those days we weren't even making $300 base pay as E-2s, and so that was a huge hit. Nope, there is nothing about the time I spent living in the barracks that I miss one little bit.

Response by SPC Dan Atkisson made Aug 28 at 2016 10:20 AM

2016-08-28T10:20:41-04:00

listening to every form of music at the same time

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2016 10:40 AM

2016-08-28T10:40:13-04:00

One thing only. The friendships of the rest of the outfit.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Aug 28 at 2016 5:14 PM

2016-08-28T17:14:24-04:00

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I hated living in the barracks.....Thank goodness I only had to live in the dorms for 3 months.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Sep 2 at 2016 3:27 PM

2016-09-02T15:27:48-04:00

Nothing SGT Private RallyPoint Member! Hope you are doing well. I just saw this old thread.

Response by SFC Rollie Hubbard made Sep 5 at 2016 2:44 AM

2016-09-05T02:44:38-04:00

Not one damn thing do I miss

Response by SSgt Eric Ayala made Sep 6 at 2016 7:45 PM

2016-09-06T19:45:22-04:00

Being able to walk to midnight chow

Response by Cpl John Matthews made Sep 6 at 2016 9:44 PM

2016-09-06T21:44:16-04:00

I miss the brotherhood

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 7 at 2016 3:58 PM

2016-09-07T15:58:16-04:00

Welp, I hate the bricks. It's true that there's always someone around, but that gets annoying in it's own way too. I don't have space to store a project car, a project bike and a daily car without invoking the wrath of the OOD, and some NCO who thinks they're hard is always fucking with junior marines somewhere. Can't sleep during the day when I work night shifts, because Duty and Barracks managers are going through every day now. I'd rather be out and have my own little one bedroom with a kitchen and a garage big enough to work on a car and a motorcycle in my down time.

Response by SPC Victor Jenks made Sep 7 at 2016 9:43 PM

2016-09-07T21:43:50-04:00

Always being around the guys was a good thing. We did everything together. Moving to my own place was nice after getting g married but always missed being on base and having time with the guys.

Response by LCpl Stephen Arnold made Mar 14 at 2017 12:18 PM

2017-03-14T12:18:35-04:00

We had a bar called "The Bunker" in the middle of our barracks. I miss that! Also, the kid who delivered Chinese take out who had a crush on one of our female Marines, "Tracy", who, after losing a bet, had to take him to the Marine Corps Ball.

All the hijinks, silly pranks, but mostly the Bunker!

Response by SGT Mathew Husen made Mar 19 at 2017 2:06 PM

2017-03-19T14:06:32-04:00

I miss my mini bar i had in my room and my mini fridge always full of beer

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2017 2:58 PM

2017-03-19T14:58:12-04:00

Fewer bills. That's really about it.

Response by Cpl Tom Surdi made Mar 19 at 2017 5:49 PM

2017-03-19T17:49:17-04:00

It was never a dull moment. I've seen everything from drunk marines running around with a sheet tied around their neck pretending to fly, to naked girlfriends running to their cars. I've slid across soaped up floors during typhoons, to Marines sneaking into their rooms to avoid getting caught out during their 45/45. Honestly, it was college without the responsibility of doing school work.

Response by MSG Carl Leffel made Mar 19 at 2017 6:09 PM

2017-03-19T18:09:44-04:00

I didn't mind the 80 man bays, or my wall locker on the other side of the building. I will never miss the wonderful latrines. C Co, 1st Bn 27th Infantry 1973 - 1974

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Mar 19 at 2017 9:15 PM

2017-03-19T21:15:45-04:00

Not one thing. Period.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2017 11:48 PM

2017-03-19T23:48:18-04:00

No bills

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2017 12:23 AM

2017-03-20T00:23:43-04:00

make some great close friends while living there

Response by SrA Paul Pfeil made Mar 20 at 2017 2:09 PM

2017-03-20T14:09:38-04:00

The barracks at Holloman and at Anderson were nice , great comrodry and always clean. Ft. Dix on the other hand, horrible

Response by SPC David Johnston made Mar 20 at 2017 9:06 PM

2017-03-20T21:06:08-04:00

I liked the togetherness. Somebody was always doing something. I got tired of the convenience to come grab us for last minute details.

Response by LCpl James Schleich made Mar 21 at 2017 2:42 PM

2017-03-21T14:42:15-04:00

The multiple Spades games going on in the open squad bays.

Response by Sgt Heriberto Salinas made Mar 21 at 2017 4:21 PM

2017-03-21T16:21:14-04:00

Free room and board is the advantage, but half of the time you're stuck with a special needs child. Some roommates don't know how to be a considerate people. It's like they need their mommy to keep them from wining because their roommate doesn't do what they tell them to do. WAH!

Response by PO3 David Adams made Apr 13 at 2017 12:51 PM

2017-04-13T12:51:01-04:00

I don't miss living in barracks fact it's even Hard to get used to living back on board ship during Deployment after living off base

Response by SrA John Monette made Apr 28 at 2017 2:37 PM

2017-04-28T14:37:05-04:00

It was free. Close to the chow hall. Close to most of the amenities a single airman/soldier/marine/swabbie needs.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2017 1:14 PM

2017-08-20T13:14:36-04:00

Absolutely nothing. The greatest gift the Marine Corps had given me so far was the ability to move out of the barracks, simply due to the fact that the barracks was filling up after a squadron was moved to my base from Miramar. Granted, even living in a studio in Honolulu was still crazy expensive, but I still saved some money with the BAH I received. While I could always wake up early and grab an omelette for breakfast not far from home, coming up the ranks, I grew increasingly tired with everything associated with living in the barracks. Mostly the fact that Marines are infantilized by many SNCOs and treated as if they can't keep their rooms clean, let alone clean them without supervision. Personally, I'm all for keeping the leash loose on my Marines and only punishing them if they've done something wrong. An example of this being keeping rooms generally clean, and only if a room is found messy or dirty would I make them field day and do the good ol' white glove inspection afterward in order to reinforce the importance of keeping one's room clean. Field day as a weekly event rather than EMI (extra military instruction) is outdated and completely unnecessary. That being said, I don't miss living in the barracks one bit.

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made Aug 20 at 2017 3:56 PM

2017-08-20T15:56:59-04:00

Those are barracks ?

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Jan 12 at 2018 2:29 PM

2018-01-12T14:29:42-05:00

I had a room also in a Bks. It was in close proximity to where I worked... which was the base Airmen Dining Facility. I had looked forward to moving to the new NCO
Bks that would have been across a courtyard from the base Dining facility.. and Base billeting. then I seen some changes being made..
another building that I thought would be another Bks. was being made into a one story building wuth 4 wings.. a different style dorm? I found it would be the new professional Military Education school North for Tactical Air Command(now Air Combat zcommand)at Langley AFB(Now Langley-Eustis).. The new NCO bks would be 6 blocks south east about..! Geez ! I’ll stay where I’m at.! Unless I’m forced to move over.. it’d be run by billeting(a part of Services Sqdn) So maybe We’d get our choice of room(?)
Prob’ly not (to avoid impropriety[ showing favoritism to it’s own]}. Never got there..
building delayed.. it was supposed to be done by AF Combat Engineers, Red Horse. Some building construction companies took the AF to Court over it and got an injunction to stop construction on. Both buildings(ours and PME buildings. I was gone before it was finished. Both those companies combined their lawsuits... in fact combined companies as co companies
One as internal construction the other
Exterior.. It was a giant clusterflop !
Being spread out over a year’s time..
wasting a lot of money, costs over runs.
What happened in the end, I didn’t find out.. .. Scrooged again ! (Earlier, we got
Scrooged out of the Hennessy Trophy for the best Dining Facility because of a deployment sitrep that our Command felt was more importAnt than the Hennessy.
It seemed like a set-up so the runner-up who wasn't part of Rapid deployment force team.. They were a under dog team
No where as good as the two teams selected to win.. Both of us top teams (ours and our competitor’s teamed up and got a AF IG inspection into the sitrep.. I found out finally that there was collusion
and a sit-rep made to get both our teams away so that runner up team that didn’t get selected won. What got me is the whole comp should have been scrapped that year and No winner selected..

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 5:09 PM

2018-03-07T17:09:25-05:00

Not a damn thing other than not paying rent. I hated being woken up at 5 am, on a non duty day because of some stupid shit I had nothing to do with. I hated it when some dumbass who can't control himself pukes all over my hall I had just that evening moped and waxed.

Response by SSG Jeffery Payne made Apr 17 at 2018 5:58 PM

2018-04-17T17:58:43-04:00

I loved it, room and board, all taxi drivers know where you live, as long as you got a good roommate it is good times

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2018 4:50 AM

2018-05-16T04:50:47-04:00

When I lived in the barracks work was close by everything was paid for DFAC was relatively close by and your friend we're right down the hall or up ordow. Stairs. Your could just hangout in the room and do what ever. Thoes are the things I miss but there are alot better things when you have your own place.

Response by PO1 Steven Bridge made Aug 3 at 2018 10:24 AM

2018-08-03T10:24:18-04:00

Being single. ;-)

Response by PO1 Don Gulizia made Aug 27 at 2018 10:23 AM

2018-08-27T10:23:02-04:00

Barracks? Must be nice.

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Aug 27 at 2018 10:49 AM

2018-08-27T10:49:34-04:00

I saved $5000 bucks living on ship and barracks in three years. My last year in barracks. If I was young and single again...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2019 7:02 PM

2019-09-03T19:02:43-04:00

Leaving them as soon as the BAH started. Second best day of my life.

Response by PO3 Scot Fahey made Feb 15 at 2020 7:02 PM

2020-02-15T19:02:28-05:00

as a Tenant command (read small detachment) the command hurried every Sailor out of Station housing as fast as possible

Response by SN Mike Duffy made Feb 15 at 2020 7:38 PM

2020-02-15T19:38:30-05:00

Fire drills. Actually fire alarms.
Don't they have microwaves and microwave popcorn where you come from?
It was 1984.

Response by SPC Scott Verdin made Feb 15 at 2020 8:45 PM

2020-02-15T20:45:35-05:00

I do miss barracks living everyone was close we didn't have the technology they have these days it was back in 89-91 my first pp post the mess hall was right outside door the px and mail room was across from there. Everything else was in walking distance off post. This was in Aschaffenburg Germany and the next time time I lived in barracks were for about 2 months at FT Sill. We didn't have cameras in hallways all we had was CQ to rely on to monitor the hallways, which sometimes CQ let shit slipped through the cracks.

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2020 12:04 AM

2020-02-16T00:04:01-05:00

I’ll always miss the shenanigans on the weekends.

Response by PO3 Matt Strunk made Feb 16 at 2020 6:16 PM

2020-02-16T18:16:03-05:00

Fresh out of recruit training, the day before reporting to Precom Mitscher DDG57, I had been out on a lake, shirtless in an aluminum boat. I was sunburned pretty bad. Unable to sleep later that night, I got in a shower completely clothed, went to bed underneath 5 or 6 blankets, slept like a baby. Woke up, sunburn completely healed.

Response by SSG Ralph Watkins made Feb 17 at 2020 9:53 AM

2020-02-17T09:53:11-05:00

Even though it was annoying as hell, listening to someone practicing the first couple of minutes of Stairway to Heaven on their new guitar. For the 57th time.

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made Apr 16 at 2020 8:32 AM

2020-04-16T08:32:30-04:00

I didn't miss anything, and moved out when I could afford it

Response by SSG Matthew Koehler made Jun 12 at 2020 4:42 PM

2020-06-12T16:42:31-04:00

The only thing I miss are those down-filled pillows...

Response by SSG Matthew Koehler made Jun 12 at 2020 4:43 PM

2020-06-12T16:43:20-04:00

The only thing I miss about barracks are those down-filled pillows...

Response by SSgt Tom Canning made Jun 12 at 2020 5:25 PM

2020-06-12T17:25:09-04:00

Midnight chow at the chow hall in particular. Air Force chow was first rate. At Wright Patterson they pushed everyone out of the “dormitory’s “ after you got you 5 level certification so I only spent 6 months tops before getting rations and quarters allowance! Good memories there though!

Response by SGT Ron Egan made Jun 13 at 2020 4:08 PM

2020-06-13T16:08:16-04:00

McNair barracks Berlin. Company orderly rooms on every floor with the sleeping quarters. Battalion HQ on the 3rd floor, (my floor). Nuff said. Don't miss a damn thing.

Response by SSgt Lance Taylor made Jul 10 at 2020 2:15 PM

2020-07-10T14:15:53-04:00

Strangely enough I miss the Mess Hall... I have to admit I liked the food...

Response by SSgt Russell Stevens made Oct 25 at 2020 8:44 PM

2020-10-25T20:44:47-04:00

I don't miss anything about it. At my residence I don't have anyone pulling the fire alarms to see who is sleeping with who. I also don't have drunks throwing trash and puking all over the halls. I don't have to have police in to break up any fights. I don't answer to chain of command for broken windows. If anyone breaks in to my place I get to kill them. Is that enough of an answer?

Response by CPL Robert Wilson made Jul 6 at 2021 4:10 PM

2021-07-06T16:10:22-04:00

I miss the friends I made but nothing else. Living in the barracks was the single biggest reason I got out of the Army.

Response by SSG Sidney Galloway made Jul 17 at 2021 2:10 PM

2021-07-17T14:10:41-04:00

At my age, I don't miss it like I once did, but in Bindlach, Germany while with the 1/2 ACR, all-male barracks, one could frequently find soldiers' girlfriends showering right alongside a wide-eyed soldier. Good times...

Response by TSgt George Austin made Sep 5 at 2021 10:11 PM

2021-09-05T22:11:55-04:00

I miss the stereo wars. Babysitting the blind drunk weekend parties. Watching barf fall from the 3rd story balcony. What I do not miss is the beds creaking from chicken chokers going at it. The smell of weekend beer sh@@s wafting down the halls on Monday morning or the puking during that first PT formation.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2021 10:36 PM

2021-10-08T22:36:51-04:00

Cooking dinner in your boxers because the AC’s off and it’s 105 out. Barracks sucked.

Response by PO1 Don Uhrig made Oct 8 at 2021 10:58 PM

2021-10-08T22:58:01-04:00

I totally miss having to call suck-urity on others who were blasting music well after quiet hours. Had they never heard of headphones or ear buds? *Sigh*

Response by PO1 Don Uhrig made Oct 8 at 2021 11:02 PM

2021-10-08T23:02:34-04:00

Oh, and I totally don't miss the room inspections that off base personnel were never subject too. Former Navy Master Chief told me that barracks inspections were to train me for life at sea. "Really?" I responded. "So who is training the sailors who live out in town?" Bottom line: It's called barracks dwelling discrimination!

Response by MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. made Oct 9 at 2021 2:19 AM

2021-10-09T02:19:08-04:00

I miss the fact that they didn't have barracks like that when I was junior enlisted!

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2021 12:45 PM

2021-10-09T12:45:39-04:00

My early ones looked like these. We were glad to not be in a tent city. NCOs at one end, junior enlisted at the other, with a shared head in between. So old that Field Days were not real tough. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quonset_hut

Quonset hut - Wikipedia

Response by SSG Ralph Watkins made Oct 10 at 2021 10:45 AM

2021-10-10T10:45:53-04:00

Your barracks experience was more than the exception, not the rule. Somebody blasts music very loudly at 0200 hours. There is a bunch of drunks talking on top of their lungs in the hallway. The guy in the next room is banging a screamer. Somebody else has a missing tarantula. Oh, the joy of hearing someone puking their guts out at 0400 hours all over the latrine just down the hall. The CQ knocks on your door & you answer only to get voluntold for a detail. Someone is learning the guitar & has been playing the beginning of "Stairway to Heaven" over & over again for the past 9 hours. Fun times. I have been living in an apartment for 20 years. My wife is a Navy brat. I was Army. We are the only tenants who never complain about noise in the building. We learned to sleep thru anything.

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Nov 23 at 2021 10:31 AM

2021-11-23T10:31:42-05:00

We live in Quonset huts and squad bays back in my day, no rooms so there was always someone to get together to shoot the bull, have a card game, head to chow together, or whatever. If you were a loner it is because you wanted to be.

Response by SPC Carlton Phelps made Nov 23 at 2021 10:46 AM

2021-11-23T10:46:13-05:00

Those are barracks? In 1969, they were leaking old wooden buildings. We had to do duty every night as a fireguard, to make sure the builder didn't over or underneath the barracks.
Overheating never happened. I took my shower after my turn so I could have all the hot water I wanted. So no, I miss nothing about barracks living.
A short note, when I was living in the barracks in Panama CZ. we didn't have glass on the windows so we could get the breezes to cool off with. But, when it rained with the wind blowing, those closest to the windows had to move their cots to keep from getting wet.

Response by MSG Clyde Mills made Nov 23 at 2021 5:22 PM

2021-11-23T17:22:27-05:00

Nothing at all, worst 6 months of my career I ever experienced. Plus all the loud talking and noise from the soldier's who would go out and get drunk. Then come back to the barracks and continue to make noise and be loud.

Response by SPC Lyle Montgomery made Nov 23 at 2021 6:52 PM

2021-11-23T18:52:33-05:00

I don't miss anything about living in the baricks It sucked.

Response by SPC Edward Abney made Nov 23 at 2021 7:35 PM

2021-11-23T19:35:36-05:00

I don't miss barracks life at all, especially the snoring, the stale farts and stinky socks.

Response by SGT Mustafa Stokely made Nov 23 at 2021 9:19 PM

2021-11-23T21:19:36-05:00

In Germany, in a town named Budingen, we stayed in the former Wehrmacht barracks in what was once known as the Krueger Kaserne, (renamed Armstrong Kaserne by the US Army.) I found an online image to share, as most of my pictures from that time are in print format and are in storage. While I am not sure if this is the actual 3/61st ADA Hq Co building, it would look identical. I think the US Army has returned the Kaserne back to the Germans, and it was then converted into a refugee camp of sorts.

Response by PO1 Kevin Dougherty made Nov 23 at 2021 11:40 PM

2021-11-23T23:40:46-05:00

Nothing much, but then again our barracks, (berthing,) in the USCG were smaller than the 1st floor of those monsters. Below is Spruce Cape LORAN, one of my early units, circa 1973. The section closest contained the berthing area, head, and ships office. Just past the doorway was the DC shop and then the galley and mess deck. The other end of the passageway the vehicles are parked in front of was the generator room, the the garage/shop area beyond the big doors was where I essentially lived, the LORAN Room. Since I was one of two ETs (we were supposed to have four or five, and for a while the only ET, I didn't get away much.

Response by SGT Charles Wheeler made Nov 24 at 2021 3:26 AM

2021-11-24T03:26:14-05:00

RA 1983-1986. Coming out of the field and getting a training holiday in conjunction with a weekend. It was like animal house!

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Jan 19 at 2022 6:22 PM

2022-01-19T18:22:49-05:00

Not much. I mean being able to sleep for a few more minutes each morning versus having to get up at 4am to ensure that I'm at an access point by 5am so I won't be late getting to the unit for first formation was good. But there wasn't much more that was good for me. But my situation was VERY different as I was a geographical bachelor being forced to complete a hardship tour in South Korea instead of receiving the compassionate reassignment I was recommended for so that I could stay with my family and complete the state-mandated grief counseling I was supposed to attend after the miscarriage of my daughter and the stillbirth of my son almost 16 months later.

Response by SGT John Ball made Mar 4 at 2022 7:35 PM

2022-03-04T19:35:55-05:00

Damn! With Barracks like that, Joe still complains. I lived in 3 or four man rooms when I was a Private, or WW II Barracks. I don't get it lol! I did get married towards the end of my first enlistment and stayed married to the same Woman to this day. I met her far, far away from Fort Lewis. I met her while fishing the Cowlitz River. No strippers for me lol and besides, she had great values and a great lady. She didn't sit around our house all day because she had a good job and always found productive stuff to do. Damn, I was going down memory lane a bit.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2022 11:17 PM

2022-03-04T23:17:58-05:00

Very little!

Response by SPC Paul Guerrero made Jul 5 at 2023 10:58 PM

2023-07-05T22:58:23-04:00

Nothing. Especially in Germany it was lonely. The chow hall was far up and down a hill. No cable TV or radio. I am talking in the early 90's. Now with the internet it may be better now.