Medical Family Joining Navy (Navy PT, stationed, civilian, military) - Military Life and Issues -Relocation, families, vets, bases, Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, VA loans - City-Data Forum

adam_mac84 · 08-12-2009, 04:23 PM

Hello all. I am a physical therapist, and my wife is finishing up physician's assistant school. I am finishing up all of my application process to join the Navy as a physical therapist, and of course there is lots of navy people in SD. It is quite common for a new navy PT to be stationed in SD because that is where one of the large hospitals is, and there are many more opportunities for mentorship and professional development there.

My question stems around employment opportunities for my wife and living opportunities (to include cost).

We would be relocating from West michigan... God's country in my mind. Currently we live in a house in a very quiet neighborhood with a backyard (we have a dog). House could be purchased (we rent) for around 130k, 3 bed 1 bath with fenced in backyard (1/2 acre lot). I know that we probably will not have something as big in an affordable price range in california, but is it reasonable to get something with a yard out that direction? I do not know what my housing allowance will be (O3 Payscale if anyone military can give me an idea). What type of $$ do you all think we should be looking at to get into a rental home in a 'commutable' neighborhood?

Also, is SD a good medical area? I have heard from people who do not live out there that it is a good area for physician assistants. Can anybody confirm or refute this?

Grand Rapids is a VERY good medical area, and we are considering the Navy because i WANT to serve. I already have a job lined up here, and it would be easiest for us to stay here, but i have always wanted to serve. Should be recieving my offer and job placement opportunities from Navy soon.

Not a bad setup to be able to golf 12 months of the year though

thanks all

p.s. Have not been given my job options yet, but will most likely be at one of the big 3 hospitals, Portsmith VA, Bethesda or San Diego

Seattleite61 · 08-12-2009, 04:55 PM

The cost of living in San Diego is high, from what I understand. It looks like your housing allowance would be somewhere in the vicinity of $2222 per month as an O3 with dependants.

Is it just you joining or is your wife going in as well? If two of you are in, the housing allowance (BAH) will increase. I am not sure what the rents are like out there are my son is up at Camp Pendleton which is about 30-45 minutes northwest and they live on base.

Here is a link for the BAH calculator: Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Also, I would do some research to see what neighborhoods are commutable, then look on craigslist or one of these type of sites to see what rents are like: www.renthomes.com I also ran a search on a military-related website (www.ahrn.com -you have to have a .mil email address) and there appears to be quite a few listings for under your BAH amount.

I'm assuming you are talking about Balboa? Balboa is an wonderful hospital and the campus is beautiful.

Best wishes!

adam_mac84 · 08-12-2009, 05:18 PM

Thanks for that information! Will do some research.

Poncho_NM · 08-12-2009, 06:06 PM

adam_mac84:

An added note, Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is not taxable, which makes a difference...

Rich

10,000Lakes · 08-13-2009, 11:09 AM

I can understand you wanting San Diego, but just prepare to go wherever they tell you! Prices in SD are very high, but BAH will help you find a place to rent/buy or you can always live in housing on base. To get an idea of homes for sale you can look at www.ziprelty.com Good luck!

adam_mac84 · 08-13-2009, 01:00 PM

that's the nice thing about joining med corps, they show me where i can work, and i sign the line if i like the options, if not, im back to the other job i have lined up (civilian).

But i understanding what you are saying, that it is not a guarantee... i also listed some E coast places on my 'wish list'

sailordave · 08-13-2009, 04:54 PM

Had you considered working at a Naval hospital outside the country?

adam_mac84 · 08-15-2009, 04:11 PM

Not for our first tour. We would like to stay stateside for the first (it is going to be relatively difficult for her (wife) to move the first time... gotta break her of that first)

sailordave · 08-15-2009, 06:18 PM

I'm not positive but I believe there's a Naval hospital in Naples, Italy. You could sell the idea to her later by showing her a map of Italy. You could take a rail from Naples to Rome. Go further and you'd see Florance and Pisa. Go northeast and a boat ride then you'd see Venice. Or you could entice her with fashion shopping in Milan dahlin. You could also show her boat rides to the islands.