Pima said:
You are going Army, Jcleppe's advice is more appropriate, but again his DS is rated, and yet not assigned operationally to Rucker.
Nice Bullet!!!!
So, as an Army O-1 at my first permanent duty station with my first official unit, would everyone agree that the simplest and easiest way to live would be in whatever on-base housing the Army would offer me?
Ok, let's get down to brass tacks since you're talking about the Army. BTW, Jcleppe's son is not rated. He is also assigned to Fort Rucker already.
Most FORSCOM posts have little or no on-post housing for single officers. Period. Fort Drum just built a few apartment blocks, but they're not popular. Fort Campbell has NO permanent on-post housing for single officers. The Army learned years ago that it wasn't economical to maintain them for the most part.
When you are TDY to any OBC (BOLC) course EXCEPT flight school, you can expect to stay in a BOQ at a TRADOC facility. A good example would be Fort Benning or Fort Sill. At Fort Rucker, you occasionally could find a BOQ, but they're largely crummy compared to the newest nicest stuff on the economy and the reality is that nearly everyone lives in Enterprise, some live in Daleville, and a few live in Ozark. Rucker is really the only chance to acquire permanent housing during OBC either on or off post (on is subject to availability, and unless you beat the masses there, good luck), unless you run into a rare overcrowding situation at another OBC. OBC/BOLC for all but aviation is a TDY-Enroute course on your way to your first unit, so permanent housing isn't an option, hence the BOQs.
So from a practicality standpoint, you generally won't have the option to live in a BOQ except for your time at OBC.
That's a good thing. You'd be happy you lived in a Q at a permanent duty station for about 5 days. Then you'd realize that all the officers in your unit, and all the other units as well, live off post. They go out to go drinking and eat and have fun. No one goes on post for fun. Period. The days of drinking like fish at the O Club are long gone. As are the O Clubs.
So not only will you likely not have the chance to live in a BOQ, you honestly wouldn't want to do so. Rent an apartment. Find a buddy from BOLC who's headed to the same post as you, become roommates, and enjoy life as a young officer.