Marriage/Moving After A school Question!

[Bronco14]

Hi ladies,

I need some help! My sailor is about half way through A School at Ft Sam. He recently received his soft orders for a naval hospital on the east coast. I currently live in San Antonio "with" him so we are also planning on moving me out to his new PCS as well. He also has two months of training (not a C school) to do before actually working at the hospital. My question is if we got married soon, would it be too late for me to be put on his new orders? Also if we got married and told the Navy I lived here in San Antonio, how easy is it to update that and tell them when I move? Another headache- I have a lot of furniture, housewares, clothes, etc. back home being stored at my parent's house on the west coast... I am trying to figure out how to get that stuff to our new duty station without having to drive to the west coast from Texas and all the way back to the East coast... Any help, insight, or advice is SO APPRECIATED!!!

[wigglyturtle]

When I lived in San Antonio "with" my husband, we never changed our home of record. Like you, we had most of our stuff back home. The navy paid to move those things to our new duty station. I wouldn't change his home of record to texas as that would create complications for you guys. I've heard they can only change their home of record once in their career,so making it texas doesn't make much sense. If you can get on his orders, you'll be allotted more weight and can have the navy move your stuff. I can't answer whether it's too late or not. You could always try though. As far as him living of base, that shouldn't be a problem after you're married but if his orders are unaccompanied they just won't pay for the move. Where is he being sent? We are in portsmouth.

[Bronco14]

Thank you for your reply! He is headed to Camp Lejeune. I am assuming his orders will be accompanying since he will be there indefinitely. I won't put Texas as my home of record then! I'll put our home state, but I just don't know how that all works... do I need to prove residency or anything or do you just list a state/zip code? I thought we would get married here in San Antonio, put our home state as the home of record, and get the Navy to pay for my move to Lejeune. I mentioned that to my sailor and he said that it wouldn't work since we are not already married therefore I am not already on his orders... but my thought was that his orders would be "updated" between now, his holding period before he ships to Lejeune (which could be a couple months), and his two months of training at Lejeune before he goes to the hospital... I guess regardless we should just get married when we can to get the ball going either way.

I hope that wasn't confusing. Thank you!!!

[wigglyturtle]

His orders will be unaccompanied if he's single. I don't know if they can be updated prior to being issued as hard orders. I'm guessing he's going to FMTB and then Lejeune? So he's just staying there? For fmtb it's would be considered TAD like A school is. They're short, which is why the navy doesn't pay to move spouses there for them. If he's staying in the same place after training though, that might change things, not sure though. You can get married wherever you want. You don't have a home of record really, it's only him. It defaults to where he joined from and unless he changes it, it stays the same. If you're planning on getting married anyway, I'd just say do it and see if you can get on his orders. The only difference should be whether they pay for your move. They have a much smaller weight limit as single sailors - you'll get 8k lbs as a household after you're married though, but only if they can change them to accompanied. I'm guessing it wouldn't be a big deal because it's not overseas or anything, but don't quote me on that. All you can do is try. My husband said the command at a school wasn't very helpful, so you may not get far by asking them questions. Sorry I'm not too helpful, your situation is slightly different from ours. I'm finding that with a lot of things with the Navy you just have to jump in and see what happens. Stay flexible and do whatever is best for you. It'll all work out somehow.

[Bronco14]

Gotcha. It is just really weird to me that orders can't be updated... what if a sailor gets married well into his duty station and the wife lives out of state? Just seems to me like the Navy should pay for that move. I'm not too worried about it, as I know it'll work out. Yes wiggly, he will be staying at Camp Lejeune for both FMTB and his actual orders. That is where I am confused too :) I will just tell him to talk to someone and figure that part out! Because even though it is the same place, they are different parts of his orders. So even if he has unaccompanied orders it sounds like the navy will pay for his stuff from his home of record out to Lejeune?? That might work fine. Thanks so much for your help, you are always so helpful and I feel a lot better!!