For the first time, Fort Hood will allow non-military families to live on base.
A scaled-back military has left housing vacancies at Fort Hood, and officials are looking outside the base to fill those rentals. Sean Walsh, a reporter with the Austin American-Statesman, says that at first, the move raised some concerns among personnel on the base.
“We heard that there are mixed reactions,” Walsh says. “I talked to a few soldiers, the number-one thing that came to mind for them was security.”
Those interested in renting on the base won’t be able to just move right in. Potential residents must go through background checks. Walsh says that the decision to allow non-military members to live on base is aimed more toward people with some sort of military connection, rather than the general public.
“What the Army said is they expect people who will be interested will be former service members, or maybe someone who grew up as a military brat,” Walsh says. “Their parents were in the service and they’re used to this kind of lifestyle.”
