I'm engaged to a navy recruit and trying to figure out all I can before things get going (he leaves in 2 months for basic!) and we were originally going to marry after his A school and then I would follow him wherever his orders were....we're looking at it now though, and it seems as though it's better to have his marital status changed previous to his first orders (for moving weight, insurance, etc.) and would like to get married while he's in A school since there's no break after basic...I know that his school is in MS and from what we've been told it's very much like "normal" military life, so would it be possible for me to fly down for a couple days/fly down two weekends in a row......and marry him while he's in school so that we have 2 months or so to make sure the papers are all settled? If not any other insight? Thanks!

A School isn't quite like "normal" but he will be a bit freer than boot. It is totally possible for him to have duty on the weekends. It is possible to not have weekends free if something goes wrong too - he "acts up", fails tests, someone in the unit screws up big time, etc.

If you can be flexible it is possible to do this though.

He'll be in Gulfport to train to be a BU... I figured that there's a good chance I'd probably have to fly down twice, once to file and get blood test and the second time to actually get married (thank you, 3 day wait period..) but the military does allow this during A school, right? His recruiter said we could do it....but call me crazy for not trusting a man who'll make a commision off my DF =(

Posted By Brittany Kaizar on 18 May 2010 09:41 PM
He'll be in Gulfport to train to be a BU... I figured that there's a good chance I'd probably have to fly down twice, once to file and get blood test and the second time to actually get married (thank you, 3 day wait period..) but the military does allow this during A school, right? His recruiter said we could do it....but call me crazy for not trusting a man who'll make a commision off my DF =(

LOL!!!!!! Very funny, but true. I have heard some horrible stories of how recruiters will say ANYTING to get them in....

Yes, they are allowed to get married at any point they want! Getting the time to do it may not be easy but it is doable. Another option (someone did this in DH's school) was he took special liberty over a holiday, like labor day or something, flew home, had the whole wedding and everything. It will be much easier to make these choices once he's in A school and can see what the rules are, how strict everyone is, if or how long his school is backed up, etc. Good Luck!!!!

Brebe, you don't even want to hear our recruiter story....DUMB AS A BOX OF ROCKS!
wannabewife- this may sound a little blunt, why not get married before basic and have a ceremony after? It may make things easier. I have a friend who got married to her soldier over basic Christmas exodus, she was not on the orders to pcs with him to Italy. Had to wait for the orders to get rewritten and when they finally where, she was able to go see him for 3 days before he deployed. 2 months sounds like enough time for them to get their paperwork in order, but from what I have experienced its not always the case.

Your Df will need to get approval from the command to get married, this involves a chit. This was put into effect shortly after Dh and I got married(like weeks after). He'll have to go through the financial classes, etc.

It shouldn't be too hard if he's in good standing with his barracks and his grades. It's much easier to get married prior to boot and of course prior to orders so you have the right track of thinking.

I agree with Heather. DH and I were already married when he joined, but knowing that it sometimes takes FOREVER to get paperwork in order is a scary thought. DH's a-school was easy for us, I saw him once every two months, there was no flying involved, though. Doing it before basic (hopefully) ensures that everything will be in order for him to take you with him when he gets his orders.

Well, while he is in school he will have certain liberties. I don't know if it is still done this way, but when my husband was in school, right after bootcamp, they had liberty cards with varying amounts of liberty. With certain cards you can't leave base. Certain cards you can leave base but you have to be back by a certain time. Some you can leave base and you have to be back by a later time than the previous card. And then others that you can leave base and just show up to school in the morning. School is not really like normal military life at all.

Posted By m on 04 Jun 2010 08:26 AM
Well, while he is in school he will have certain liberties. I don't know if it is still done this way, but when my husband was in school, right after bootcamp, they had liberty cards with varying amounts of liberty. With certain cards you can't leave base. Certain cards you can leave base but you have to be back by a certain time. Some you can leave base and you have to be back by a later time than the previous card. And then others that you can leave base and just show up to school in the morning. School is not really like normal military life at all.

They do have lib cards but now it's done in phases, ie you can leave base at  certain day and time in a certain phase but only in uniform and so on.

That's how it goes here at Great Lakes anyways and I'm gonna guess since it's the biggest training base, that they use the policy most every where else.

We were going to wait till he got into A School also but decided to just do it before he left for basic just so all the paperwork was already in place. We got married at a courthouse and then just had a smalll reception with our family. I was going to get married to him anyway, so I rather get married sooner and be able to go with him :]

Congrats! Much easier than trying to do it on the military's schedule!

Posted By Brittany on 18 May 2010 09:41 PM
He'll be in Gulfport to train to be a BU... I figured that there's a good chance I'd probably have to fly down twice, once to file and get blood test and the second time to actually get married (thank you, 3 day wait period..) but the military does allow this during A school, right? His recruiter said we could do it....but call me crazy for not trusting a man who'll make a commision off my DF =(

I know this is an old post but, just incase someone reads it in the future:  recruiters do not get paid on commission.  My husband has been a recruiter for the past year and I can tell you that it is not true - but, a common misconception... 

well, they dont get paid, but are pushed really hard to get a lot of guys in. more recruits, more job stability for the recruiter....I think she means a recruiter will do/say anything to get someone to sign up so his numbers can look good.

 I know this post is old, but my fiance and I are trying to do the same thing right now. In two weeks I am flying to georgia from CA and we are having his mom come also so she can sign him out during the week to get the marriage license and have a court house ceremony all before his clas at . He's swing shift. Oh and also he's army, but still. IT HAS BEEN THE MOST COMPLICATED PROCESS EVER. No joke. But I hope yours went through and everything!