Marriage during A school?

[Melshantell]

Hi everyone! 

This is kind of a long one, but its only because i'm trying to explain as much as I can so y'all know EXACTLY what i'm thinking! lol I am new at this and have been trying to get as much info as I can by reading all of y'alls posts! I have a few questions, my Fiance and I are planning on getting married during his time in A school (He is an AD and will be in Pensacola FL) His school is set to be about 7 weeks, but are thinking he will be there longer due to others peoples post about the time it takes to class up for that job. Now, this is all figuratively speaking (since he isnt leaving for basic until November 18th) we are thinking he will be out of school mid January, therefore thinking about getting married Feb. 7th. 

I guess my question is, how much can we plan ahead of time? We want to get married before he gets his orders to his duty station, so that is why we want to get married shortly after he arrives in FL. (getting married the weekend of graduation just seems like a bad idea, it would be too rushed). There are just too many "what if's" and so much time from now until then that it seems like we cant get anything done because we don't know anything that is for sure! 

Another question I have is what if by Feb. 7th, he is still in phase 1? Can he still get married if we have the wedding on base? Also, what are the forms he needs in order to get married? Not sure how that really works just yet. Can you do something through the church that makes it official with the state ( In Texas you can do that, i think?) We are both Catholic (if that helps any) That way he doesn't even have to go off base to get the marriage license. I know that people advise you not to get married when the A school is "short", but we really don't want to get married before basic (we have never been apart for that long and would like to see if we can handle it) and we both want me to be included in his orders.

PLEASE HELP! Any advise is greatly appreciated!!!!  

[whitmae]

Hey Mel,

I'm currently here in Pensacola. I moved up here to be with my husband and get married. We were together several years and honestly if I could I would have married before he left. Once he's up here and situated and if you move up here and/or visit it shouldn't be too hard to tie the knot once he hits at least Phase 2. Be mindful that over the weekend he won't be able to stay with you overnight and have to play Cinderella and return to the dorms before midnight. 

Here in Florida unless you both take a course (must be FL resident I believe) you have a 3 day waiting period before you can return to the courthouse (or have someone else marry you.) So if you're here visiting make sure you leave enough time in your visit for that waiting period. After you tie the knot you get the license handed back to you. (They did this at the courthouse.) From there you're officially married that day! After that you MUST take the license back to the base and he needs to update you in DEERS. Please don't do what my husband did and take me to get my ID (which I have my retired USAF ID) and not update his Page 2. PLEASE force him to update that Page 2 asap. To be honest he slacked there and I am not sure if we're going to get our BAH page tomorrow.

So huzzah, learn from his lesson. His Page 2 is something you can't do and only he has access to that and from the research I did they will not give you BAH unless you're on that Page 2 even though you're updated in DEERS. I hope this was helpful and if you need anymore help please feel free to message me!

[Anti M]

There is no waiting period for military/out of state couples.

If both bride and groom are not a resident of the State of Florida, then no waiting period is required.

[whitmae]

Well they're lucky! So there you have it Mel. We got our license on a Friday so the weekend counted towards the waiting period so it wasn't all that bad. Waiting three days overall isn't bad in itself.

[Melshantell]

thank you! I'm glad there will be no waiting period! What a relief! Where will he have to go to update his page 2? Will he have to take the marriage certificate? 

[Anti M]

He will go to Personnel.  Part of submitting the chit is they are supposed to be told how to do all that, enroll you in DEERS, get your ID card, put in for BAH; what paperwork will be needed.  He will need the marriage license, and your ID/SSN and potentially your birth certificate.  When you marry be sure to ask for more than one certified copy of the original.  Most counties will give you more than one on request, but you will need to find out for Escambia specifically.

If you can stay for a few working days after the weekend, it will make the process smoother as you can go in with him and get the ID card right away.  He may need to ask for time off during the day to take care of it, but once you are at PSD, it only takes a short time (not lunchtime though, naturally).  He needs to find out if they need a copy of a lease or rental agreement for BAH.

[whitmae]

His Page 2 is not updated at the Personnel Office. He will have to go online to call to get that paperwork completed. Then he will have to get that paperwork routed through his School House for them to send in and fax back to whoever and they will update it. 

[meagan5220]

ok I have read most of what everyone has said on here, Anti M is spot on (as she always is!!!) I will add a few tips because I personally got married in PCola as both out of state residents and in a short time frame because his A school was only 8 weeks.

First of all, when he gets there I would image AT least half of his LPOs and instructors will tell him not to fill out the chit because they don't want to deal with the paperwork.. I am telling you now, MAKE him fill the damn chit out. lol All of my husbands LPOs told him not to and his Chief found out about it and tore him a new one. We almost didn't get married because of it. My husband was not allowed to stay over night with me during his Phase two I took him back everyday for curfew on the weekdays and then picked him up after class. On the weekends I picked him up at like 430 am (that's when they let him sign out) and dropped him off at Midnight. Which I highly suggest going early phase 2. Just gives more time for DEERs to be updated and for admin to mess up a few times (they sent our paperwork back to my husband twice saying he has spelled my name wrong... apparently they didn't believe it was spelled MeAgan.

Anywho, My husband was lucky that his classes were over at 2, and they called liberty at 3, and one of his LPOs felt bad that he lied to him about the chit and let him leave early and wrote down that I had signed him out. That was extremely lucky. To marry the same day you apply for the License in Escambia county I think you have to be there by 4, I think if you get there between 4-5 you can still fill out the application and schedule to come back another day to do the ceremony but I cant be for sure. When we got married it was about $130 and they will ask you if you read this little booklet that's on their website somewhere. Its really short about finances, marriage, and divorce statistics.

As far as his schooling, is it 7 weeks with or without weekends? My husband was told by his recruiter his school was 6 weeks.. but it was really 40 days, which they only count week days as school days most of the time. So it was actually 8 weeks. I would ask on the Pcola A school group if anyone knows the current approx. wait time to class up for ADs. Typically (unless it changed recently) phase 1 is two weeks. They have to be in phase 2 to marry. and some rates in Pcola they crank out orders for them at about the same time in their schooling. Like for my husband they told them AMs usually get their orders in week 4/5. It was SOOO tight for our timeline, we got married right after he got phase 2, and right when he started A school. and we got in under the wire :) Its certainly easier if you have flexibility to say, I am going to Pcola in 2 weeks and be able to drop and go. Try to get ID and stuff taken care of there its so much easier with your sailor.

Take all important documents you might need, social sec card, birth certificate, drivers license, divorce papers if you have had a divorce, etc. Just in case. :)

Sorry its sort of rambling, just trying to fill in some gaps with some personal experience.

[whitmae]

For the Personnel Office you will need two forms of Identification. I believe they really wanted a SSN Card but since I am also Retired Air Force they used my Retired ID for that. Just make sure you take your ID, SSN and for good measure a Birth Cert wouldn't hurt.

[Melshantell]

Will do on the ID's! thank you! 

[Melshantell]

no need to apologize, it was ALL SOOO HELPFUL! Thank you so much! I guess there's not much else I can do but just wait and see when he will be graduating from basic now!