Should I go ADAF if my husband is also active duty

[tg982]

I'm just trying to get some opinions here, especially from those that are married mil to mil. I am about to graduate from nursing school and I'm trying to figure out my options in an economy that doesn't seem to want to hire new grad nurses. First off, my husband has 12 yrs in active duty on the enlisted side and plans to retire. I have thought about many times going back into the AF after getting my degree. My intent when I originally enlisted was to do an enlisted commissioning program for nursing. That didn't work out because I deployed too much and didn't get all my classes done in time for me to get out. I just figured I would just get out and go to nursing school on the GI bill and thats what I did.

My question now is, is it a good idea to commission since my husband is still AD and plans to retire? I am not sure about how mil to mil works when one of the members is an officer. Plus, if I am just going in, I highly doubt I would be able to pick and guarantee being stationed with my husband even if he is at one of the bases with a big hospital. I am assuming this because that is how it was when I enlisted, you had no control over were your first base was. I wonder about both of us being active duty, especially once we start having kids. I don't really want to have to ship my kids across the country to the parents house if both of us happened to be deployed at the same time.

I've thought about the reserves but as far as I know you have to have 6 months experience which may be hard to come by. If I don't go active and I end up finding a civilian job then I probably will join the reserves. I mean, I have 6 years active duty time towards retirement.

[NursePamela]

If you don't have kids, I would try it at least one tour. The possibility of back to back deployments is a reality. You are gone 6 months only to come home and have your spouse leave for 6 months. Or you are both gone to different locations at the same time and yes, you have to ship the kids off to someone.

The Air Force is pretty good about joint spouse even with mixed ranks. Of course, the needs come first.

The problem is that if your spouse still has 8 years left, and you don't go back in, it will probably gnaw at you for the next 8 years. I know this as it has been gnawing at me for years.

Good luck!

[Travelcrazy]

My husband is enlisted and I will be leaving for COT in about 23 days (but who's counting?) My husband originally had orders for Hurlbert Field, but those orders were changed to coincide with mine when I received mine. We are now stationed at the same base (Tyndall.) We had no problems whatsoever with the joint spouse program and the people at AFPC were very accomodating to us. From what I understand, there is no "official" problem with being married to an enlisted member as long as you were married before you joined. Now, that's not to say that you won't receive a little flak from others, but, so be it. My husband and I are in opposite career fields, so chances are that we will rarely see each other. I say go for it if it's something you really want.

[79Tango]

You should definitely speak to an AF recruiter. They will provide career counseling & answer your questions about being a dual military family. More importantly they will let you know if they even have an opening. Currently the Army is not taking Prior Service, which tells me the Air Force could be full as well! Obviosly you would be re-classing and probably trying for the direct Commision however that is a very long process and typically has a waiting list.

Good Luck... Dont forget about the Air Guard, Army Guard & Navy!

[just_cause, BSN, RN]

from 79Tango, "army not taking prior service"

that is a broad statement... it doesn't apply to all MOS or circumstance - its incorrect.

I'm prior service and just got picked up as 66H.

I have served active along with my spouse as active - we've done the dual simultaneous and overlapping deployments. It can be done - if you are planning on kids now or near future I would recommend maybe looking at being a fed employee co-located to husband's location and then reserves on the side... reasonable alt to active duty with a lot of the same end benefits.

With husband only having 8 years left...and since it will take probably until next fiscal year for you to have the opportunity to apply as a nurse and then get picked up a year after that.. and since you wouldn't be together (not likely anyhow) during initial training etc.. I would not go active duty route unless its something YOU strongly decide as a couple..

if you do go that route you need to look at the billets available to your husband as those combined with major hospitals are the posts available to you as a new nurse and dual service... if you go this route nothing is concrete and you just have to be flexible.. I recommend the reserves and then federal job as a nurse or per diem at local hospital :)