It's alright if you are a prior planning to retire there in under a decade, or similar. If you are a day one student, buy at your first duty station after you finish the RAG. There's much more chance that you'll live often at a fleet hub then at Pcola. Unless you are die hard set on being an instructor there for shore tour (which will be mildly frowned upon in rankings), you will live there for six months or so, and never be back. Rentals are high-turnover rate in that town, which is also frustrating. The housing market there is still low after the '08 dive. I bought, and I'm heading back, but it was unexpected, and if I had to start over, I wouldn't have bought. Squirrel some cash away, wait for that promo, and buy as a rich JG. FWIW.