vacation planning

[Catherine25]

Hello! My husband just classed up today and his expected graduation date is April 28th or 29th considering nothing holds him back. I wasn't sure what day he was going to be done so I booked a cruise for May 17th to leave space but now it looks like theres too much space. Would he be able to not take those 10 days of leave and save them for a couple weeks later? Im also trying not to take the 10 days of housing leave hoping it will help. We have it on good word we'll be in norfolk and since im already here I can easily look for housing before he arrives. I would go earlier but I don't graduate college until the 10th. Also how often do they get put on hold before reporting for their duty station? We're really hoping this happens as strange as it sounds. Im getting insurance just in case because i know he could get staioned to a deployed ship, but if hes around id like to try and go as planned. Any help is welcome! Thanks!

[Anti M]

You will not like the answers.... sorry.  I'll just be straight with you.

Where does the cruise go?  Mexico is restricted to sailors, just so you know.  He must submit a chit to get permission to go there.

No, he cannot take his leave after A school a few weeks later.  He will be busy at his new command, qualifying, working, or possibly flown out to his ship right away.   The leave after A school is authorized by the school command.  They can give it to him because he is finished with their training, he is in between commands.  Once he checks into his new command, he has to ask them to take leave.  He can ask, but as a former LPO, I know exactly what the reaction will be to a newly checked in sailor who wants to go on vacation.  Of course, it depends on what the ship is doing, if his job is covered ... maybe they gave his replacement permission to take leave, knowing he is coming in.  Maybe the guy he is replacing needs to get him trained on procedures before that guy has to transfer.  Or you can get lucky, and maybe he's slated for cranking and can be spared.  No way to know until he checks in.  Chances are good for a no, but he won't hear yes until he asks.  He can't ask until he checks in.  

Not taking the ten days of house hunting has no effect on his ability to take leave later.  First, the HH is completely optional from his command, not everyone has the opportunity to use it.  Second, even if he declines the HH, he still does not get to put in for leave so soon after reporting.   Well, he can put in a chit, but the chances are slim to none anyone would say yes.  Even if he explains that you booked a cruise.   

So, does he have verbal orders to Norfolk or are you just guessing?  Good word?  From who?  If it is not verbal orders, and even then you cannot trust those, you cannot plan on someone saying chances are good to get Norfolk. It is a huge area with many billets.  But even if 12 sailors get orders there, the 13th may get orders to San Diego.  Chances were good, but didn;t happen.   Only hard copy orders are worth making concrete plans around.  I have had verbal orders yanked out from under me.  It sucks.

Holds vary so much, hard to tell if he will be on one or not. Even in the same rating or school, holds can be long, then go through a period when everything flows fast and smooth.

[Catherine25]

No never Mexico, I've been way too many times. It goes to like Puerto Rico, St Thomas, Grand Turk, it was a really nice cruise. But I only paid $100 for it because I know how unpredictable the Navy is so I was ready to have to cancel.

I figured that they would probably say no. But I had hopes that not taking the 10 days of leave given by the A school command would look good if he looked eager to start on the ship. I booked it because I didn't want to have to the opposite happen and then not be able to go due to lack of booking on my part. But I understand what you're saying and I was very prepared for it. The only thing paid is the $100 so it would not be a bunch down the drain.''

Yeah I knew the HH is not just a given, but I do remember reading I think you said where they usually don't have a reason not to give it to you. He said one of his chiefs said he was probably going to Norfolk. Trust me I would LOVE to get out of Norfolk. Been here way too long. But if tell myself I'm gonna end up here like he keeps saying we will and then don't I will be happily surprised. I guess if it's somewhere else we'll have to hope for the HH. We've already looked at housing at every single base so that we have a list of things to check out wherever we get stationed. 

I know it probably sounds strange to hope for a hold. I know most people are just dying to get their 10 days of leave. It sucks because his would be like the 1-10th of May and I'll be busy with finals and stuff, that's no fun. I'm even prepared for him not to be able to see me graduate. I'd like to think we're pretty realistic in terms of he's gonna miss some big moments in my life. But hey, that's the military for you. Thanks! You're always very helpful to everyone, even if it's not what they want to hear.

[abuon18]

Just to piggyback on Anti M's point, my husband' A & C school was in San Diego, they had already paid to move me out here, San Diego was his first choice & his chief talked to his detailer to get him San Diego orders. My husband was told he would likely get San Diego orders.... And he ended up actually getting Norfolk orders. So definitely don't rely on what his chief says. He truly could get stationed anywhere & nothing is definite until he has those hard copies! (And even then....)

[meagan5220]

Since you only paid $100 so far you might keep it just because it might happen. But honestly for me that's too many ifs to spend any amount of money on. (that's just my opinion for us personally) My husband was only hold for 5 days after he graduated, but I know people that left the day of, and people that left months later (like 3-5 months of being on hold) Like Anti M said, doubtful he would get leave at his new duty station after being there a week. They have like 2-3 weeks worth of check in stuff depending on what's happening on the ship. Be careful also, a friend of mine her husband went on his leave after C school and 1 day in he got called and told, your report date has been changed, you have three days to get to your duty station. Which it was like a 30 hour drive from where they were. For me personally, the plan has too many way to not work out to invest any more money in it. Having my plans changed day in and day out, I wouldn't put money down on anything unless I had leave approval in hand. Hope everything works out for yall.

[Catherine25]

Yeah I'm not putting a single penny more down, like you said it just wouldn't make sense. This is the first time I've planned a vacation in advance actually, normally I'm a last minute vacationer. Since it seems like I'll still be in school when he gets his leave we probably won't be going anywhere. Is there like a recommended time period when we should try to have him take leave? Like obviously not the first couple weeks, but like if he was still not deployed in September would that be appropriate? I don't want to get him in trouble! Just trying to figure out this whole Navy life. Thanks! 

[Anti M]

Unfortunately, until he has orders, there really is not a great time frame to suggest.  Too many unknowns.  Taking leave is tricky, there are so many factors.  The good news is you can get good last minute deals (??).  He also needs to check the policy on going outside of the US on leave, usually it requires special permission.  That can be easy or hard depending on his job, clearance and chain of command.  They might not care at all.  This will all be more certain once he checks in, finds out his job, and the ship's schedule.  He can talk to his LPO then, ask for advice right at the source.

I hope you can at least plan a special evening when he does have leave. My sailor nephew and fiance flew home for a week and I was able to give them a suite at a local resort (I had points).  It wasn't much, but at least they had privacy!

Welcome to the rollercoaster!

[Catherine25]

Yes im very good at finding last minute deals so I guess ill just keep doing that! I do want to take him to Disney, he's 27 and never been (crazy!) So maybe ill look into that because that can be booked last minute. Before I know it we'll be stationed somewhere and really starting this lifestyle! Thanks for all the help!

[meagan5220]

I agree with Anti M... I know a big one time that people pay for vacations is during post deployment leave, or Christmas leave. I know for at least my husbands command a few months before they came home from deployment that gave two time periods with set dates. Like say they get home April 1st (this is hypothetical) The first leave period might start april 1st and end april 10th and they do turn over on april 11th and then the next time frame might start april 12 through the 22nd. It might vary based on length of deployment, and command happenings as to how many leave periods they have and how long they are. But I know a lot of my fellow spouses shoot for that. Or if they are close with their department head they might try to get a timeframe of when a good time to take leave might be.