Willadvise: if you read my post I suggested that taking leave prior to, or just after, the field sim wouldn't be too disruptive but later on wouldn't be a good idea.
Chances are that they will finish up at the academy and then get parked doing famil for 2 months anyway..
When I completed my training I managed to take 2 weeks off prior to field sim and it was a godsend considering I felt fairly burnt out by the end of field training, and my next upcoming leave was 18months away.