Military medical discharge while overseas and can’t find a place to live in the states! Any suggestions?
Older Sister asked:
We currently are stationed overseas with the military. My husband is at the end of his medical discharge process and we are having problems finding a place to live when we get back. Lenders will not consider lending to us since we do not have employment in the states yet but we can’t take care of that without being in the states. Apartment complexes have given us the same answer. Hotels are WAY to expensive and would deplete our down payment resources. It is getting very close to us leaving with two children and a dog! Any suggestions or previous experiences would be helpful! Thanks!
We will not qualify for TDY as we are not active duty. We do have leave days and are considering taking them (25 days) but are being told that that will prolong his severance pay being sent until 10 days after the leave is over.
We currently are stationed overseas with the military. My husband is at the end of his medical discharge process and we are having problems finding a place to live when we get back. Lenders will not consider lending to us since we do not have employment in the states yet but we can’t take care of that without being in the states. Apartment complexes have given us the same answer. Hotels are WAY to expensive and would deplete our down payment resources. It is getting very close to us leaving with two children and a dog! Any suggestions or previous experiences would be helpful! Thanks!
We will not qualify for TDY as we are not active duty. We do have leave days and are considering taking them (25 days) but are being told that that will prolong his severance pay being sent until 10 days after the leave is over.
Yes, he will be able to get VA compensation but not until after the Army severance is paid back in full (at least that is our understanding).
Sorry…not active duty after the discharge.
Troy
August 24th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Roberta
There should be numerous and helpful military personnel who deal with this very thing on a daily basis. Have you contacted you or your others US military base from which stationed. There should be relevant help lines available….
August 26th, 2009 at 5:28 am
Suzanne
The Military should be sending you back to the states at least 90 days prior to seperation. You might even be able to get a a set of additional 45 days of TAD or TDY (Temporary Duty) orders for house hunting. prior to seperation. that would give you plenty of time while still getting paid full pay and allowances.
August 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Virginia
Maybe you could try to find an apartment near the military base because they would probably understand your situation a little better. If he is still being paid, it shouldn’t matter if he is being discharged, because once you lease an apartment, it doesn’t matter how much he makes any more. You just have to be making a certain amount of money at the time of the lease.
I would suggest getting a 6 month lease near the military base while you or him finds a job and then move where ever you want after that.
Sorry, I have no resources for you though.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Gloria
If you really want help, you might try telling us, just what town or city you want to live in.
Otherwise, how could anyone help you find a place to stay?
Besides that,
Then one of you need to fly back to the states and find housing, before he is discharged.
The military used to give a week of non chargeable leave to do that.
Other than that, you will have to do what alot of us did, move in with mom and dad untill you can find your own place.
Thats what I did when I ets’ed when I was stationed on Guam.
EDIT:
BIGChris, ive never heard of the military sending people back to the states 90 days before they ets.
I flew from Guam to Travis AFB and started out processing the next morning, the day after I was finished. It took two days.
August 30th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Kim
1) Churches are very helpful with stuff like this. Connect with one wherever you are, then reconnect wherever you’re going. Can’t hurt. Might be interesting.
2) Start with buying a trailer, first. You can do it.
September 1st, 2009 at 7:24 am
Chad
You leave everyone with more questions to ask, in order to give you an idea of how to help. First, you say that there are no housing available. Where do you plan on living? If your husband gets a medical discharge, he will most likely receive a disability income. On top of that, he will be eligible for a VA disability, which is above and beyond that of a military disability. If he is rated at 100% by either the military or the VA, then he will be entitled to Social Security disability. So, to say that you won’t have any income is not quite accurate.
I am an 80% disabled veteran from the VA and with not being married, I get roughly $1450 a month, tax free. That should be more than enough, in and of itself, to find an apartment to rent, if not a house to buy. First, decide how important it is to live in an area, where there is apparently no housing available. If you are talking about downtown NYC, then, maybe you need to think about moving to Long Island, or NJ, where the possibility of housing is greater. There are a lot of alternatives that you need to find out about, before you throw your hands in the air and say you have no choices.
September 4th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Elaine
I think what bigchris said is a possibility. I think that the permissive TDY for househunting, however, is for folks that are on active duty, not ones that are in the process of being medically discharged… I would look into it, however.
Does your husband have any leave? When I got out of the Army, I took 35 days of terminal leave, which means I got discharged in August but left Germany in June. I was paid up until August.
Consider working with ACAP to get your job hunting ducks in a row, as well as looking at the various sites that specialize in veteran job hunting, such as.
If your husband is being medically discharged, is he going to collect any VA disability? That might provide a small amount of disposable income, as well as give him a leg up on job hunting.
I don’t know how much $$$ you might have in savings, but it seems to me that yous hould be able to get a modest apartment if you have first and last months rent.
Anyway, I feel for you. It’s not right that someone who serves has to have these types of worries upon their return from an overseas location.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Thomas
It sucks, it really does. But that’s what happens when you get a medical discharge / MEB overseas. I had mine done in Germany but I stayed in Germany. If you were going to move near where you or your husband have family, then you can stay with them until you find some place. But otherwise, you will have to get a motel until then. You must already know where you’re going because you have to get your household goods and car shipped. And there must be a reason that you are going there (family or friends). Call in a favor and find someone to stay with.
I wish you luck with your journey.
September 6th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Lance
I was in the navy for 22 years. In every case where a sailor was in this situation he/she was transferred back to CONUS first, before the discharge proceedings took place. I NEVER saw anyone discharged from an overseas location, not once in 22 years.
Call your Congressman’s office in DC…. 202-225-3121
September 6th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Jerome
Call my mortgage broker…..his name is Kevin Cervenka. He is an outstanding VA mortgage lender with the best customer service in the industry. If you can get a VA loan or plain conventional he will be able to get it for you. I’m not trying to make him money, I am telling you he is the nicest guy and the best at his job. I am a Navy vet and my husband is still active duty. We have used Kevin three times now and have never been ripped off or been given bad service or advice. Please call him and he will be able to help you with purchasing a home with a mortgage. Good luck.
214-532-5626