- Take advantage of the gym. Almost every United States military base offers a full-service gym, which is open to military spouses. While some gyms are very basic, many of them contain state-of-the-art equipment, exercise classes, options for one-on-one physical training, swimming pool access, full-service locker rooms and even health food-stocked restaurants or cafes.
- Utilize Military OneSource. Every military spouse is entitled to use the services of Military OneSource (see Resources below). Military OneSource is a one-stop access point for career support, educational information, counseling services and much more. Through this valuable tool, military spouses can chat with OneSource counselors to find out about the myriad of benefits available to help with any given situation.
- Enjoy deep discounts and tax-free shopping on base. Military spouses are permitted to shop at military commissaries, base and post exchanges and other on-post stores. These shopping privileges are among the most popular benefits in the military. Military department stores and commissaries are often much more affordable than civilian counterparts and every day is tax-free day.
- Military spouses who are enrolled in DEERS, or the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (see Resources below), are entitled to excellent health care through TriCare. Health care through these avenues is either free (if you choose the TriCare Prime route) or very affordable (for those choosing the TriCare Standard option). Spouses may be seen by providers on base or off, depending on the TriCare option they choose.
- Live on base. Military spouses and their families are entitled to live on base, depending on station location. Though many military families choose to live off-base, the option to live on post is appealing to many families. Through recent modernization and privatization efforts through the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, military housing is more modern and esthetically pleasing than ever before. Some of the benefits of living on base include safety and security, access to on-post resources, proximity to the military member's place of work and camaraderie.
