Military Families Share Why Living on Base is Best

Affordability and Convenience Top Ranking Factors

Each year, more than 400,000 military service members receive “PCS” (Permanent Change of Station) orders that assign them to a new military base for a term of two to four years. For service members living with their family, most have the option of living either on the installation or off the installation in a nearby town. Those who chose to live on base enjoy numerous advantages.

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This list from the US Army highlights the additional benefits provided to soldiers and their families when they live on base. (Graphic: Business Wire)

According to the U.S. Army, “Living on base offers more than housing. It provides convenience, savings and discounts, as well as a safe and supportive community for Soldiers and their families to live, work, and have fun.”

Corvias, which has more than 20 years of experience as a solutions provider to the DoD, asked some of its 72,000 residents why they chose to live on base, in communities managed and operated by Corvias Property Management.

“The input we receive from residents informs us first-hand about what is important to them as they make their home in a new community, how we can help and what matters to them,” said Corvias DoD Managing Director, Pete Sims. “Our communities are about proximity and connectedness to other service member neighbors and amenities. Together with the Army, Corvias is working to make military housing more water and energy efficient, modernized and reflective of the features, fixtures and the conveniences that support service members and their family’s preferences.”

Residents of Corvias Communities, which are on base, most frequently gave these reasons:

Affordability

Living on base means you keep more money in your pocket. Active-duty military families never have to provide a security deposit or go through a credit check, which saves hundreds of dollars. There are also no hookup fees for utilities, and most of those utilities are included in the rent. Home maintenance and services like lawn mowing, trash pickup and pest control are also included. Moreover, with complimentary amenities like resort-style pools, shopping, schools and healthcare on base, there is little need to fill the gas tank every week. Living on post is fiscally responsible, considering the volatility of the housing market and the difficulty for military homeowners to build equity when they must sell their homes and relocate every few years.

Unique to Corvias communities, in 2019, the company invested $325 million to modernize and improve historic and out-of-date homes on their Army bases. In addition to renovating and modernizing many homes, the investment improved utilities functionality and efficiency with the installation of energy and water savings devices, which end up saving money that is reinvested into the housing program.

The Military Family Community

Military life is full of sacrifices that must be experienced to be understood. By living on a military installation, residents are surrounded by neighbors who understand the demands and nuances of military life. “It’s easy to get plugged into the community when you live on base because you know that (mostly) everyone can relate to your experience and understands the military lifestyle,” said Darrian Chamblee, military spouse and three-time on-post housing resident.

Supreme Security

Gated communities are nice, but only a few are staffed 24/7 by armed guards of the U.S. military. Living on base is the ultimate gated community. Everyone who enters a military installation must present a valid ID that is scanned and recorded. Each installation also has its own security force that provides additional protection.

Categorical Convenience

When you live on post, an extensive array of services is practically at your doorstep: clinics, doctors, pharmacies, dentists, orthodontists, schools, libraries, tax-free shopping, houses of worship, gyms, sports fields, movie theaters, grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, classes, clubs, dining options, schools and more!

Plus, you simply can’t beat the convenient work commute. “When my husband has to run into work real quick, he's able to,” explained military spouse and Fort Polk resident Ashlee Speck. “It's convenient for soldiers to drive to and from work, which gives us more family time.”

Amazing Amenities

“Corvias and our local teams, including technicians, resident specialists and leasing agents, are deeply committed to supporting our servicemembers and their families, helping them create a comfortable home and feel part of a community,” said Kolby Stobbe, Regional Vice President, Property Operations at Corvias. Free community center amenities may include resort-style beach entry pools, fitness centers, multipurpose rooms, or computer labs. Other neighborhood amenities could include playgrounds, walking paths, and bark parks. According to Chamblee, “The amenities here are really great. We love the playgrounds, walking trails and all the planned activities. It’s nice not to drive 20 minutes to do something fun for the entire family every weekend.”

To learn more about Corvias-managed military communities, please visit https://www.corvias.com/military-partners.

About Corvias

As a privately-owned company headquartered in Warwick, RI, Corvias partners with the Department of Defense and higher education institutions nationwide to solve their housing, infrastructure and energy resiliency challenges and to create long-term, sustainable value through our unique Solutions Through Partnerships℠ approach. Corvias pursues the kinds of partnerships that materially and sustainably improve the quality of life for the people who call our communities home. Corvias seeks to partner with organizations with aligned values and missions that are important to our nation’s success. To learn more, please visit: www.corvias.com.

About Corvias Property Management

Corvias Management, LLC and its military property management affiliate apply their resident-first approach to provide housing operations, maintenance and service support for university and military communities to create safe, high-quality places to live, learn, work and interact. Together they manage 42,000 residential units, totaling approximately 50 million square feet of real estate across ten U.S. states, including at seven military installations and 15 universities.

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