My impression of the navy is that they live on boats out to sea for months at a time and then get like 3 weeks ashore before repeating. So do sailors just not have a land life? Is nobody in the navy allowed to own pets? Where does your mail go? What about a family life?
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Former Navy sailor. My first two years were spent on land (boot – primary training – specialized training) living in barracks.
Once junior sailors reach the fleet they generally live on board their ships, unless their job is shore based where they’ll live in on-base barracks. Exceptions can be made for these junior sailors if they’re already married or have dependants, then they can receive a housing allowance and live off-base.
A single sailor w/o dependants of certain rank/years of service and isn’t a dirtbag, they can then be eligible for a housing allowance to live off-base as well. It should be noted that most states with a military presence have laws in which apartment owners have to cut the lease (w/o penalties) if a service member is being deployed, this generally is for single service members as well.
If a sailor lives off base, their life is essentially like everyone else’s. Family, pets, free time, etc. Unless, they’re called in or have to stand duty. When a ship is not deployed, sailors generally hold normal-esque working hours. When you’re off you’re off, regardless if you live on board, on base, or off base.
As for mail, every ship has it’s own mailing address, every building on base has it’s own mailing address, if you live off base you also have that address. When I was stationed on a aircraft carrier, there’s enough people (~5000) we essentially had our own functioning US post office on board, operated by sailors of course.
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