Housing advice for IBOLC

I can tell you what generally happens on a PCS when you're married, but I think your situation is a little different.

First, make sure that your dependents are enrolled in DEERS, and are on your orders when those come down. That enables you to move them (essentially) free of cost to your next duty station.

When you arrive at a duty station, you (typically) check into the on post hotel or someplace off post out of pocket depending on the on post capacity.

You sign into your unit, get all your paperwork straight, verify your BAH stuff and ensure it's set for where you're at.

Then you usually get 10 days of Permissive TDY to go find a house. Most people have already sorted that shit out on their own before they even PCS by using the internet and they have some shit narrowed down at least. I don't know shit about on post at Fort Moore other than here's the website:

https://villagesatfortmoore.com/

Anyhow.

Lots of people live off post here when they're going to their respective BOLC. Some people live in the hotel, lots of guys coming from commissioning sources together just rent a 3-4 bedroom together and carpool and pocket some of the money because they're splitting a rental 3 or 4 ways.

The main cities around Fort Moore for living are Columbus, Phenix City, Smiths Station, Ladonia, Fort Mitchell, etc.

Columbus is usually the shortest commute. Fort Mitchell is just outside the back gate on the other side of the Airfield (I live there)

Columbus is great or fucking awful depending on what block you're on. If you don't like a neighborhood drive a half mile and you're in some entirely new shit. It's weird. There's some fucking rough neighborhoods in Columbus.

Anyhow, There's only the back gate off HWY 165 on the entire Western side of the post essentially. Everything else is to the North and Northeast. There's no gates to the South that I'm aware of because that's all training area out there.

Commutes vary on distance and traffic. My commute was door to door 21 minutes on an average day and I worked about a quarter mile from IBOLC.

There's a lot more amenities in Columbus vs. Fort Mitchell. Just open up Google Earth or Google Maps and look around.

Fire and Police response in Columbus is pretty good, you'll hear a fuckton of sirens and a fuckton of gunshots at night.

Fire in Fort Mitchell is volunteer, so if there's a serious fire sometimes they'll roll Phenix City or adjacent jurisdictions while Fort Mitchell is coming in if they aren't at the station on standby. Police is the Sheriff's Office.

I've been out here for four years and I can count the amount of times I've heard police responding to something on one hand (that wasn't a traffic accident or medical or something)

Anyhow, hope this was helpful. I know you were looking for info for on post but I know fuck all about that so here's another option to look at if you want to.

You’ll be supplied with a position in the patrol base. 

Either live on post or north of exit 6. Housing on post takes a bit and is kind of a pain in the ass to get, but once you get it the houses are nice. Stay in Abram’s Hall on post while you wait and they have a little kitchenette and serve breakfast, and be a polite pest to the housing office checking on where you are on the waitlist

Independence place is the frat house. Great for single with roommates, not families with babies

Don’t hang out around Victory Dr at night

You won’t get 10 days permissive TDY because it’s your first duty station, but the first two weeks of IBOLC are just admin. Expect to not get paid the first month and receive it as back pay, they will walk you through the process there but have some savings prepared

Also, ensure you weigh any moving truck/vehicle you take both full and empty so you can get paid for your move. There’s a weigh station just outside of town in Alabama