number of PCS's

[moonlight]

Originally Posted by MarineHusband

When I was in, there was only one place to go for my MOS... Fort Bragg. (Well, there was one slot in Europe for an officer and one for enlisted, but even they were administratively associated with Bragg.) I spent a lot of time volunteering for temporary duty elsewhere.

That's kind of crazy.

Anyway, I get why my husband's so limited, and it'll only get worse. I just find it fascinating that other people can go pretty much anywhere. What that happens or not is a different story, I guess.

And I guess the title wasn't really what I was asking about...sorry.

[AmandaR]

We also have about 2-3 bases and of them only one has decent schools. <_<

[Poochie]

We were able to go to a lot of places, but with DH's filed moving was becoming infrequent. He was doing well but we got stuck in Louisiana which we hated. We were told he was coded to stay the rest of his career. True or not, we didn't want to take the chance. He was too unhappy. I still don't understand why it couldn't have turned out different - we loved overseas but once we got back here we didn't want to anymoe because of our pets and the fact that I had been out of the job market way too long. It costs us out of pocket too much, and we want to build our savings as well. So I don't blame you but we wanted to stay so bad and really tried. Oh well. I hear a lot of people talk bases but often they don't get them.

[S.Lynn]

Well, my DH is an AT (aviation tech) and his rate can basically go anywhere because he works on jets (we know some that have gotten helo squadrons, too). He can get stationed to a carrier or to a squadron. He could also go to the Blue Angels. For shore duty, in addition to squadrons (commands that are not attached to the ship) he could go for instructor, recruiting or RDC (drill instructor). Now recruiting and RDC are for any rate. DH has done a RDC tour but not recruiting.

The issue we have is DH's rank. The higher up in rank the less billets there are. When he was an e-4 to e-6 there was no issue going anywhere in the States (there were some overeseas, too, but we never got them) at all. But now the only e-8 billets on the billet sheet are in MD (been there and don't care to go back). DH has talked with his detailer and while Key West is not on the billet sheet all we have to do is say we want it and we're gone. In fact, when DH said we were looking at it his detailer said if he said we want it one more time it will be a done deal. The detailer also said Hawaii is available but it is also not on the billet sheet right now. But since we own our house DH is trying to see if he can pull some CAG orders here. This would mean he would stay on sea duty though which is not what he wanted. He has already done 3 years, has another one before this tour is up, and then the next tour would be 3 years. So 7 total straight. And since that command is looking at a deployment soon after DH would check in he'd probably end up doing 2 with them.

Another issue we have is our family size. With 4 kids, the Navy doesn't want to move us overseas. We tried when we just had 1 and were told no. We tried again with 3 and they pretty much laughed in our faces. For a short period last summer we had it approved for us to go to Italy but then DH got extended here so that went away. The only thing that could probably save us now is if they would need an e-8 and nobody else wanted the spot.

So far DH has been stationed in FL. (twice), IL., and VA. We lived in MD. in between the FL. tours but he had gotten out of the Navy for 2 years so he was a civi. So as of right now we have not stayed in the same place for more than 1 set of orders.

[pilesoflaundry]

There are a lot of jobs that can go anywhere. My dh can go anywhere with a rank slot, his MOS is just about anywhere.

ETA and we have only bounced around between VA, GA and TX. 3 places in TX, 2 in GA and 1 in VA. He can go overseas but we don't want it.

[BubMunkeyBles]

Comm and SF pretty much go everywhere. I get jealous when our friends have like 10 OCONUS options on their equals, we're lucky to have anything other than Korea.

My husband can go to a lot of bases, but he can't go to quite a few too. He's weapons. Our options get slimmer though as he goes up in rank. We can't decide if we actually want him to make E-8 or not, lol because we're pretty much doomed. He spent the last 11 years OCONUS though (2 German bases, Korea twice and Italy). Now we're in Alaska. 10 to 1 we'll end up stateside next time, but he's considering Korea again.

[Tiffers]

DH is a nuclear mechanic on submarines, so he can only be stationed in 7 places that have submarines. Guam, Hawaii, CT, VA, GA, CA, WA. For shore duty he can be stationed at all 7 of those bases, plus 2 more for teaching nuclear school (NY and SC). Dh has been in almost 12 years and we've already moved duty stations 4 times. One was a homeport change though. So while dh's rate is limited on where he can go they are all nice places. Guam and Hawaii are about as "overseas" as we'd want to go anyways, so it works out LOL.

[AFWife1029]

DH is Air Force and there aren't very many base choices for his job either. He does stuff (can't say) on the Rc-135 which is pretty much only based a few places, here in NE, Mildenhall and Japan. We were pretty much told when he first got here once you get on Offutt you can't get "off it". We know people who have been based here 13 years.

We got here March 08 and bought a house and aren't likely to end up anywhere else anytime soon. He hits 10 yr mark this Nov and he's career officer plans for the full 20 at least. I don't mind too much being in the states since my family is in Okla and his is in tx when he retires we will probably move to north texas to be closer to his parents since they are older than mine.

This is our 3rd base he was crew chief for 3.5 yrs in Wichita on KC-135 then did training 3 months at Maxwell and then 2 yrs training at Randolph and now here

[kathleen524]

My hubby is on subs so it kind of limits us a little more. Add in our son being in the EFMP and that really limits us. My hubby had been in the military for about 11 years and other than bootcamp and a school and c school in connecticut. He had only been stationed at 1 other place other than Norfolk and that was in NH for about a year. He will pretty much spend all 20 of his years right here in Norfolk.

[villanelle]

In his job, there are only 4 places DH can be stationed. But his career path also includes disassociated jobs and joint services jobs, so that opens up some possibilities are certain fixed points in his career. During the first of those point, he stayed in one of those 4 cities, but another one of those points is coming up and we are hoping like heck for Europe since this may be our last chance at it.

[karidad]

Dh is communications(RF transmission). He'll hit his 9 year mark in the AF next month. So far he's had 5.5 assignments(4 overseas, 1.5 stateside). 1.5 being single and the rest are with me. I say 5 1/2 assignments because we moved to MS for his 6 month training and for us it was like a regular PCS. With his AFSC, he can go to pretty much ALL AF bases in the states and some Army bases. Overseas, he can go to ALL major AF bases and some Army ones and also countries like Greenland, Hungary, and other Nato. They also have positions at some embassies and airports(working with postal) overseas. But of course, depending on the rank and such.

I've talked to someone in postal who was stationed in Thailand and Australia. My friend who was services also had a lot of openings. I think postal, services, communications, and cops can go to a lot of different bases overseas and stateside. Seems like jobs working with planes are the ones that have less assignemnts because they have to be stationed where the specific plane is stationed at.

[Lolo]

If DH stays Enlisted, he is pigeoned holed into certain areas he can pcs. But if he goes LDO (limited duty officer or Warrant) he can actually do a little more. It still shortens the list as he goes up, but he can be over his division, verses just sticking to his rate.

[karidad]

Also, the higher rank they go, less assignments. Or at least for the AF.

[Rockin_Jen]

Originally Posted by MarineHusband

When I was in, there was only one place to go for my MOS... Fort Bragg. (Well, there was one slot in Europe for an officer and one for enlisted, but even they were administratively associated with Bragg.) I spent a lot of time volunteering for temporary duty elsewhere.

(Bragg wasn't awful. But it could get awfully routine.)

Some of the lifers really liked that aspect... they could buy a house, for instance, with confidence that they'd be there for at least the term of their enlistment.

This still applies for your old MOS, because we've been at Bragg over 6 years because of A's MOS--the same one! We've been here 6 years. It's pretty much ONLY place for AD to go, but, as with everything in the military, there are exceptions. There are "advisor" slots in a ton of places, all linked back to Bragg, just like you mentioned. Generally for 3 years at a time, and usually limited to E-7 and above for enlisted. Officers have the same options I believe.

We bought a house after being here for 4 years, and we have 13 years left before he retires from the Army (which he plans to do if nothing goes wrong!). By that time, the house will be paid off. I'm still hoping he gets to PCS at least once to somewhere super cool so I can go! I promised I would follow him anywhere, but if his options suck I might reconsider that.

[hooahwife]

Originally Posted by Kitten

I'm the opposite (again ) I have reached a point where I dont mind being under employed and "wasting" my education

I'd be happy as a clam working in the commisary as long as said comm was in Europe!

I feel the same way and would love to be a woman of leisure in Europe heck even in Japan . I've already "waster away" my education, been underemployed (I used to make more money than my hubby) and unemployed and I'm at a point in my life where I did a lot of career stuff when I was younger and majority of it being single so I'm happy where I am in life. Yeah I was able to travel when I was working but sightseeing was a bit harder. If my SAHM schedule permits sometimes I even tag along with DH to Europe so while he's working, I'm enjoying the sights, food and people all by myself. Heck after I got home from a week long trip to Switzerland, I decided to take up learning French this summer. You just never know where the next adventure can take you. This was something that was hard to do when I was working 40-50 hours a week and travelling for work.

My husband is retiring, effective 1 Jan 2013. We have an incoming Jr and Sr in HS. Interestingly enough, both have muttered that they would love to move to Europe even if it means leaving FL and having to finish HS there. I thought that was weird because most teenagers I know would hate for their parents to move them.

[moonlight]

Originally Posted by AFWife1029

We were pretty much told when he first got here once you get on Offutt you can't get "off it". We know people who have been based here 13 years.

Mine told me he was toying with the idea of STRATCOM. I almost cried.

So I guess he has one more place he could go. But dang, I don't want to live in Nebraska!

[Sophie GKS]

Dh is kind of limited - the base has to have planes that kill people he only puts places on his dream sheet that he can go to. He also has several places he cannot go to as he cannot get advanced (top secret?!) security clearance. We on our second PCS - and we've been here before too

[Sophie GKS]

people always say 'oh you get stuck at this base' Ive heard people say that about almost every AF base in the US. Apparently the 'DM' from Davis Monthan stood for 'dont move' we got outta there in less than 3 years!!

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by Sophie GKS

people always say 'oh you get stuck at this base' Ive heard people say that about almost every AF base in the US. Apparently the 'DM' from Davis Monthan stood for 'dont move' we got outta there in less than 3 years!!

YES they do! No-hope Pope comes to mind. I have heard of people getting stuck in Florida. When we were in Barksdale, it was true though, hardly anyone got out, and you often at least had to do 5-6 years, often more, to get out. DH's first base (Charleston) took him 6 to get out of, and only got out because of putting the extended long and going overseas. We met someone there who was there for a decade and had done everything to get out. I think it's because on the whole, the AF Is moving less, although there is always that exception. Someone got out of Minot after only 18 months!

Most everyone I know who PCS'd from England when we did, is at their base and settling in like they are staying for good.

[moonlight]

Originally Posted by Sophie GKS

people always say 'oh you get stuck at this base' Ive heard people say that about almost every AF base in the US. Apparently the 'DM' from Davis Monthan stood for 'dont move' we got outta there in less than 3 years!!

We knew people who'd been at Barksdale for over 12 years. 12 YEARS! I've never lived anywhere that long in my entire life.

I've heard that's more on the enlisted side, though and they tend to move the officers every 3-4 years no matter what for "career purposes". Still, we knew officers who'd been at Barksdale a while too.