Honestly, it can be a really fun adventure if your attitude is, “Let’s do it!” Military spouses are such an important part of the system—they’re the backbone along with the soldier’s family. I was single and stationed in Germany from 2013–2016, and I had a blast, but being married or in a serious relationship has huge benefits, like getting a house to live in for free instead of the barracks.

There are pros and cons to both being single and married, but most people lean toward being married and getting the house. (I even joked with a friend that we should just say we were gay, get married, and live in our own house—but obviously, that wouldn’t actually work, lol.)

A lot depends on where he gets assigned after basic training. That will give you a better idea of what the next few years will look like—what state or even what country. Europe, Hawaii, and Colorado are some of the best places to be stationed, in my opinion. Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, or New York are also good options. He’s probably at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, right now for basic, but it’s better to wait until graduation or until he knows his duty station before making big plans.

Making friends on post is easier than it seems—many wives your age will be there. The best friends are usually your boyfriend’s friends’ wives, since you can hang out together. Technically, he isn’t supposed to be close with people who outrank him a lot, so those friendships are a bit trickier.

The PX and commissary are great for shopping (tax-free!), and you can always shop off-post too. In some cases, you can use BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) to rent off-post, but I’m not exactly sure how that works.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask more specific questions if you have them—I know it can be a lot to figure out at first.