My fiance is going to basic in mid June about two weeks after we are married. We chose to get married before he left for less complications later and knowing he would definitely be home. (Yes, the money and all is better but NO that is not our decision of why we're doing it before.)

I've asked my question to 4 recruiters and no two have given the same answer. I was told that I could move to Lackland after he graduated basic before INDOC training. Since he also is interested in Security Forces and being an MP we were told (by all four recruiters) that if he washed out of INDOC he could try MP training in Lackland because they are in need of MP's. (Not sure how much of that is entirely true)

We were also told by some that I couldn't move until he goes to Kirtland in NM. Some said at the beginning and others said around 10 weeks into his training at NM. Now, I know this is terrible to even say but we will be newly married and I'm the one who brought up the fact of him joining the military but I don't want to be away from my husband for over 30 weeks! I know this should prepare us for when they do become deployed but that just seems soo long.


Any answers of things you've seen? And I hope I'm not coming across the wrong way!

Kristen,
While it is tough, the simple answer is you CAN move but really should NOT. While your Fiance is at Indoc, he is going to be incredibly busy and on the VERY rare occasions he gets time off, he will be really happy to see you but may end up seeing you instead of prepping for the next event.

Another reason NOT to move is that the USAF won't pay for you to move until your Fiance moves to his Permanent Duty Station (a base where he will be stationed for at least one year-Lackland for PJ Trainees, his first duty assignment if he is in Security Forces). Why incur the debt for a move when you don't have to.
A third reason is, you might as well get used to being away from each other early on. The pre-Lackland Pipeline isn't that long (about a year) and he gets some leave and you can visit him as well. Once he is a PJ or a SF (USAF has Security Forces not Military Policemen) he will be deployed for 90 to 150 days at a time, at least once every two years. If he's a PJ, he will be TDY for training a lot, too. Expect a PJ to be gone about 130-180 days EVERY year. It's tough but you work through it. I know, I saw my wife 19 days in 17 months from 2002-mid 2004. I have avearaged 150 days TDY a year since we met over 10 years ago. Like I said, you work through it.

You can move to Kirtland as soon as your Fiance does. Since he will be your Husband at that time, the USAF will pay for it. I've heard it best to wait the 10 weeks to let the PJ Trainee knock out certain training and adjust but that is just a guide, not a requirement.

Hope this helps.

Just to clarify, after PJ indoc and AF combat dive course, he (and you) will PCS to Kirtland...it's the "home basing" initiative that took effect a few years ago.

Pipeline Schools:
o Indoctrination Course: Lackland AFB TX (10 weeks)
o Combat Diver (Scuba School): Panama City, FL (3 weeks 2 days)

Pararescue Home-Base: Move PCS to Kirtland AFB NM...TDY for pipeline courses:

o Basic Army Airborne School: Ft. Benning GA (3 weeks)
o Military Freefall School (HALO): Yuma AZ (4 weeks)
o Survival & Underwater Egress: Fairchild AFB WA (17 days)

Training in residence at Kirtland:

o PJ Medical (EMT-Paramedic): (26 weeks)
o Pararescue Course: (20 weeks)

From there, he'll be TDY to the other pipeline courses then back at Kirtland between courses and for the majority of the rest of the training.

MC is correct...DO NOT move to Lackland for 10 weeks...or Panama City for 4...it makes no sense, you'll pay for it yourselves, and being apart is something that you have to get used to...it's tough early but you can do it and it lets him concentrate on graduating.

Stay at home then let the AF move you and drive on from there.

Kristen,

I am currently coming to the end of the CCT pipeline (CCT and PJ's have a very similar pipeline in length and in schools). I thought that you might like to hear from someone who is still in the training.

TE and Guard MC have given you some very good advice. I started the pipeline in the summer of '07. At the time my wife and I had one child and she was pregnant with our second. The both of them lived with her parents as I went from school to school. The first year was the hardest for the both of us. I spent a total of 2-3 months home. The rest of that time I was training. But we were able to speak on the phone nearly every night. Eventually our second was born. At the time we had a web cam and I could usually set some time aside each weekend to see the family.

As much as I love my family, it would have been impossible to focus on both had they been there with me. After I graduated Combat Control School the Air Force moved me and my family down to Hurlburt Field (CCT version of Kirtland). I still have a TDY every now and again, but for the most part I come home everyday to my wife and now three kids. Yes...life is good!

Point is, if the both of you chose to do this together you will be fine. It's not easy....as my wife will raise her hand to that. But it is very do-able. Lots of people do it all the time.

Once you move to Kirtland you will most likely link up with some of the other wives and make wonderful friends. The PJ and CCT communities are close and a very tight-knit group. The support for and amoung the families is the best the Air Force has to offer.

I hope this helps.

Oh, I would never have considered to move to panama! I have a few friends in and around San Antonio and our major fear is that he'll have some medical issues act up. He's great outside of the water and running and calisthenics is no issues, but I'm sure ya'll know that running and swimming are two total different Workouts on your legs. Since he's a marathon runner he's afraid he'll have issues swimming and fail out. (although I am praying he doesn't!!) I know if he does wash out he'll wash out on physical issues, not mental.


If he washes out he wants to do the security forces which is in Lackland. We were just hoping things would go smoother if I were already there before he gets transferred into a new program training.



But thank you all for your help.

Panama City...Florida.

I apologize in advance if I'm out of line for jumping into this conversation..

I was looking for the same answer pertaining to the CCT pipe line. FD, obviously answered; but, I was just looking for a little more detailed information on the exact times etc. and when the AF actually pays for my wife to PCS with me (and when it is smart to do so).

I appreciate any feed back either way. (I've performed a search and if this has been answered, by all means delete the post and I will dig a little harder; thanks again.)

I'm no expert here, but if and when you graduate I'm sure that is when you get the exact dates and times for everything.

Thanks Jay, aren't you over on RA? (PM me so we don't derail the thread)

My husband is going to MEPS on Thursday and if all goes well (He had prk and has to have his eyes checked again) he is swearing in. He is a PJ hopeful, but I have no doubt that he will make it. He has been training for well over a year now and can pass the PAST with no problem at all. I will be waiting for him until Kirtland. Will he have any amount of time between schools, or is it just by luck that he would get any time off?

There are two elements of your question: (1) Time-off, and (2) it being reliable dependable time-off of two or more consecutive days.

Yes there will be time-off but being on a calendar known in advanced during the pipeline is the difficulty. The best he can hope for are breaks between courses (which the Air Force policy is to be as few days out-of-training as possible) and the days off scheduled in the course which is dependent on the course (more days-off increases the length of thecourse and also increases the cost overhead of running the course).

It’s not like going to University where the student is paying tuition. The Air Force is paying student a salary, providing room-and-food, clothing (uniforms), personal issue equipment, and providing comprehensive medical and dental care.

You are going to have to rely on hubby telling you his schedule when he gets it. This also applies once he becomes operational too.

I was looking like crazy to find someone that has a family (specifically with children) I'm a CCT hopeful and was thinking of changing over to Security forces because I'm still waiting on a CCT contract and my wife and my recruiter were saying that maybe being a CCT is'nt the best thing for my baby that's soon to be born. I have been training to be a CCT for about a year and a half and passed my PAST, my recruiter was telling me that CCT are rarely home and have trouble doing the job of being a father because they are either always deployed or in training. My wife says she is up for that lifestyle but she isn't sure if my son will be OK with me being gone a lot. Anyway I was just wondering if there are any CCTs or PJs out there that raised a family that can give me a little input and advice, it would be very much appreciated. I really want this but I also don't want to be a "barely there" dad.

thank you

Well, joining as Security Forces won't really help too much with your concerns. They have one of the highest ops tempos in the AF. They deploy a lot, as does CCT, although the initial training is shorter, and there won't be as many short TDYs for training with SF as there is for CCT. So, I would say that going SF instead of CCT won't solve the problems you are worried about. From what I have read, as CCT, plan to be deployed once a year. SF seems to be about the same, based on the 3 bases I have been stationed at.

Spades,
Do a search; this has been covered 80 thousand bigillion times. You and your wife will either make it or not based on the strength of your relationship and your communications with each other. Kids are more adapatable than adults and adjust just fine. I grew up with an Air Force dad who was gone half of every year for many years and was TDY quite a bit even when he moved to a less TDY intensive job. It ddin't seem to harm me or my sisters. My kids seem to be doing just fine now. If you make the most of the time you are home and make special days and events when you can, your kids will be just fine. A lot of dads are home all the time and don't do anything with their kids; which is worse?
Anyways, do a search but you'll find that you and your family can make it or not based on how hard you try. My opinion is that those families that fail to stay to gether fail for reasons other than the TDY or Deployment schedule.

Thank you for your quick response. I just want my head to fully be invested in my job by the time I leave. Sorry I didn't do a more extensive search.

When the you PCS, can you pick when you do it? Or is it a one shot deal when you get stationed at Kirtland. I was wondering if I could wait to PCS my family until after the jump schools and survivals schools, that way my wife isnt in New Mexico y herself to start out.

You PCS when the AF tells you to PCS...it's was actually a coup and big change to get the Kirtland PCS approved in the first place (a few years ago) so your family could be there...used to be you'd be apart during the pipeline. You'll be back for a bit between schools, and she'll be by herself when you're out training...although you "may" have a choice to delay your family's travel, I would highly recommend you move them if/when you make it through indoc and AFCDC so she can get settled, know the area, make some friends, etc...and you won't have to worry about it when you should be concentrating on becoming a PJ.

Thanks for the advice TE!

I'm currently stationed in Germany and getting close to my cross training window. My wife and I have discussed Pararescue and she is on board. I have 2 childern and they are all anxious to get back to the states. My question is IF I get a class date, where do they go from Germany. I've heard rumors that the AF will move them to location of chose until I get my new duty station. Ideally I'd like to move them to Texas (HOME) while in training so I can focus on getting through the pipeline and she would have help from friends and family if she needed. Anyone know an AFI or where I can get a definite answer? Thanks

MFlores02 the question is actually an assignment release question and being accompanied complicates the funding needed to make it happen. The losing MAJCOM has to release you and also get a replacement for you.

The difficulty is you are applying for an AFSC with course lengths more than 20 weeks (100 academic days) and you must get through the PJ Indoc class, which has a greater than 50% attrition rate to get the Kirtland AFB PCS eligibility.

Consequently, AFI36-2626 Airmen Retraining Program answers your question.

4.5.1.3.6. Personnel assigned overseas cannot formally apply for PJ/CCT retraining until they are reassigned back to CONUS.

This means whatever base your current AFSC causes you to be assigned CONUS is where the family will likely be moved to as it's unlikely any formal application will be looked at or approved until after you arrive at your CONUS base of assignment.

I was told by the pipeline manager, that folks for CCT(dunno for PJ) are PCS'ed to Hulburt when coming from overseas. I'm not sure how this works with the AFI, it's just what I was told.

Notrainee the question responded to had the condition “Ideally I'd like to move them to Texas (HOME) while in training so I can focus on getting through the pipeline and she would have help from friends and family if she needed” attached to it.

The question went into funding as the service member was essentially asking an assignment move of dependents to be with her family, his assignment move, and then the dependents move to rejoin him presuming he makes through indoc at Kirtland. That is a lot of money he is expecting the Air Force to fork out.

His PCS assignment to a CONUS location will be driven by the currently awarded Primary/career AFSC as elimination from training will return the service member to that AFSC and that assignment. In regards to spouse and dependents the general policy is “service members should expect periods of separation during their careers” meaning the Air Force cannot presume home basing and movement based on primary and career AFSC the Air Force member might obtain many months in the future.

Student eligibility for PCS to Kirtland or Hurburt differs for PJ and CCT retraining applicants, but it still comes down to money being in the production budget to pay for it and the question is essentially asking how much money does the Air Force "HAVE" in its PJ training production budget to spend on a high maintenance it's all about me retraining applicants. It still comes down to the overseas MAJCOM and unit taking it in the shorts if they approve an early release from the assignment. The sending dependents CONUS early to a location that isn’t continuation of serving military obligation location is seldom, if ever, approved due to the subsequent relocation costs moving the dependents to the service members PCSed continuation of service assignment.

The often overlooked element of CAREERS Retraining program is CAREERS allows FTA to retrain into skills where a shortage exists. The emphasis is allows, it doesn’t guarantee retraining and it doesn’t guarantee shortages. More importantly, the CAREERS program doesn’t guarantee availability of assignment relocation money to PCS FTA and dependents in connection to early release from overseas assignments.