Learn to think.

I was reading Col Joe's site again today (I've got to admit, it's mighty entertaining!) and something else jumped out at me. There are a lot of really bad things that go on in post housing here. All the post housing is actually off post, and it's in the worst part of town. The things these people talk about happening in the housing areas NEVER happens in my neighborhood. I have never found Mexicans picking through my trash. I have never had a fugitive jump in my yard running from the Border Patrol. I have never had anything stolen or vandalized. These people in post housing have that stuff happen on a near daily basis. It's pretty screwed up. Even so, all I can think as I'm reading these complaints (some from wives I know personally) is, why on earth do you live in post housing then?

El Paso isn't all like the northeast side of town. My part of town is amazing. Aside from the schools sucking (and the ones in the northeast are worse, so I guess that's even better here) it's a very good and safe place to live. I may live in a neighborhood only accessible to senior military personnel (and a ton of civilians, of course, but as far as military personnel, we'd all be in senior enlisted, or officer, housing if we lived on post) but there are other places in this part of town that are not all that expensive. There is an apartment complex not even 2 miles from my doorstep (and it's actually zoned for a good school!) that charges only $675 a month for a 3 BR. Anybody can afford that. Is it brand new? Hell no. It was made in the 80's and looks like it, but it's safe, and in a good location. Why would a person live in post housing and get their shit stolen day in and day out, and live in fear of fugitives and gangs, when they could live over here, and not even worry about the fact that any of that exists? It doesn't make any sense.

The other thing is that they are all telling Col Joe that they live in post housing so they will be safer. Really? With the 6-36 month wait (depending on rank) for housing at this post, it wouldn't occur to you at some point that the vast majority of the housing areas are outside the gates of post, and that they're in an absolutely disgusting, crime-riddled, gang-infested part of town, which is called, of all the things in the world, Devil's Triangle? How would that not occur to these people at some point? It's actually a step down in safety to move into post housing here unless you're going to qualify for senior or officer housing, most of which is, in fact, ON post. If you're going to get junior housing, then you should probably buy a gun before you move in, because you WILL use it at some point while living in those housing areas. I just don't know why any of these people even bother. It's not that expensive to live off post, and you can live somewhere SO much better. If it's finally hit you that post housing is in a royal cesspool part of the city, then why wouldn't you just, you know... move?

Another thing that there was a rumor going around (and I'd heard this at various events from other wives also) that one of our two housing contractors was about to start charging rent and utilities just like a regular landlord, for their houses. Of course, people were flipping out at Col Joe about this. He assured them that it was just a rumor, and I'm sure he's right, but some of the things these people said just slayed me. One woman goes, "I can't afford rent and utilities if they start charging it! I have 5 kids and my husband is an E4!" Holy balls of shit, Batman. WHY did you have five children with a man who doesn't even have enough rank to pay for a house for them? What happens if you move somewhere that doesn't have post housing someday? What happens if he gets promoted, and then takes recruiting duty, and you've got to *gasp* find a house in a civilian city? The level of irresponsibility is shocking.

Thak and I were talking about that last night, actually. The Army's housing system seems to reward the irresponsible at the expense of the responsible. Thak and I had been married almost 5 years when Orren was born. He was a Staff Sergeant. Orren was our second child. When the Ft. Stewart housing office would not give us a 3 BR house (which, frankly, we were more than paying for), instead insisting that our Kindergartener and newborn share a room, we took our business elsewhere, found a cute little 4 BR brick house one mile from the best Elementary School in south Georgia. Then we called everyone we knew, got them all together, moved our stuff, and told the Ft. Stewart housing office to kiss ours. (OK, not in those words, but that was definitely the meaning.) There is something to be said for having as many kids as you can support, but not more. Why would someone have more kids than they can afford a house for on the economy? I could understand, sort of, if we lived in Hawaii, Washington DC, Japan, or somewhere else really expensive, but we don't. We live somewhere that's well below the average cost of living for the nation at large. If you can't afford an adequate house here, then you won't be able to anywhere else you're assigned either. Why would someone ever live like that? More so, how can these people think that they are owed something just to cover their irresponsibility? You had five children with a man whose rank is properly worn by a single, barracks-dwelling, chow-hall-frequenting, 20-year-old (although in today's Army, he's probably older than Brett Favre...) and you expect to just be GIVEN a 4 BR house you could never afford, and totally rail at the possibility of being made to pay for it? My mind is totally shot trying to ponder this thought process.

I've always seen the ridiculousness of the Army's housing system. It has many similarities with Communism and Socialism, both of which totally fly in the face of anything I believe. Even so, it's only been now that I truly see the level of ridiculousness of a huge percentage of the PEOPLE who partake. It's all false security, smoke, mirrors, and bullshit. Fork over your entire housing allowance, and we'll give you a house in Devil's Triangle, but don't worry, there's a rock wall around it (which any fugitive could, and will, easily jump). If you need more than you can afford, don't worry. Somewhere, there's a senior family who's paying a lot more than they should for a falling down 2 bedroom dump, so they will foot the bill for you. Man.... it's unreal. How has this not occurred to more people?