WHERE TO STAY FOR YOUR TDY, Pros and Cons
On-base Lodging – Hotels – Renting – Crash pads
FEBRUARY 15, 2021
How are we already here; the year seems like it just started?! Happy February everyone and welcome to the shortest month of the entire year! Things seem to have settled down and leveled off a little bit – at least for us, and we hope you have found some sort of rhythm to your new year too.
Grab your pen and pencil because it’s time to figure out where you are going to stay for your TDY!
Today we wanted to share some of our pros and cons list about where you might want to stay for your TDY. Are you headed off for a relatively “short” stay somewhere while you do some training? Depending on your training you might be there for just a few weeks or for multiple months. Between base housing, apartments, crash pads/pit pads, it can sometimes feel overwhelming knowing where to land (pun intended for all you pilots out there). Since we’ve been through it ourselves, we hope you find this helpful!
ON-BASE HOTEL/INN
This is sometimes referred to as DOD lodging. Talk about ease and proximity. You know what you can expect; you get your hotel-sized room, a bathroom, mini-fridge and microwave (sometimes more or less). As far as nice-ness goes; this is different at different bases so you may want to check it out before you make your choice, but it’s government housing. Either way, the plus side is that there’s no commitment. You pay by the night, and your housing stipend for your TDY covers the cost each month. We love that you are super close to work and then are also close to fellow colleagues and classmates which can make it convenient for studying, class work, and the best commute ever. There is a drawback as far as having family or friends over; if they are non-military you will have to get them a pass and escorted onto base (during non-COVID times of course).
HOTELS
Hotel rooms; pros include, no contracts for time and maid-service. This is good for flexibility especially while in-between or looking for longer-term housing. Unless it’s a nicer and newer hotel, you pretty much know what you can expect including few amenities. Prices vary here as does location, but this is definitely an option to consider for short term. It may not be great for a long stay due to not having good grocery storage or the ability to cook.
RENTING A HOUSE (or apartment)
This may be a good choice for people with a family because you would get your own space for kids, pets, etc. Proximity to the military base would just depend on the area you find available. Renting usually requires first/last month’s rent and deposit which should be a consideration as some of the other options don’t require it. Be aware that a rented house is likely not furnished. As you may have already learned; TDY starting and ending dates can change at the drop of a hat, meaning it’s not always clear up front exactly when you will need housing, and home rentals are not quite as flexible as we would love. Pros and cons though… if you have a family with you, the day-to-day flexibility might not be as important as having your own home and space.
CRASH PADS or PIT PADS
These are one in the same, and this is our favorite option, but of course, we are a bit biased. One of the biggest things is that you get the comfort of a warm, welcoming home. While you are away from your family or your comfort-zone, we do our best to make it feel like you are at home by providing you with fully-furnished rooms (with high-end furniture), fully-stocked kitchen (as far as utensils and cooking needs), weekly maid service (with special precautions for COVID-19 of course), towels, individual TVs with all the things you could want included, the ability to enjoy a yard, and more. Not all crash pads are created equal, so do your research, but often-times there are quite a few amenities offered. Crash Pads charge no more than on-base housing which is fully funded from your TDY stipend amount. Proximity is important to us and with TDY Haven Crash Pad we only have homes that are within a 10 min drive, door-to-door (but make sure to check the location before you sign anyone’s lease). Speaking of lease agreements, they are typically flexible due to the sometimes, ever-changing dates of TDY. One of our favorite things is that you share the house with like-minded people; in fact, you will likely be sharing with fellow classmates or colleagues, which is great for studying, quick questions, and for making friends. In our case, you are renting an individual room. Of course, if you are coming with a family or don’t want any roommates this can potentially be a downside as well, though some crash pads do provide housing for single families. As the owners of TDY Haven Crash Pad, we are always just a text, email, or phone call away and are always happy to help you with anything you might need, including talking about all these options too.
Let us know if you have any pros and cons you want to add to our list! Please, feel free to reach out to us via our website, email, or by phone which is listed below. We hope you have a great TDY stay, wherever that brings you!
-The TDY Haven Crash Pad Team
707-576-9999
We hope we helped make deciding where to live less confusing!