Joint Postings

[Oldandgrey]

I know this is a bit off the map for an Aircrew forum but bare with me.

What is the RAF like for jointly posting married couples at the same station? We are both soon to be in the service and would like to know if anyone has come across it.

Hoping to be NCA myself with Mrs O&G in the medical side of things.:suspect:

[L1A2 discharged]

O&G,
I know this is a bit off the map for an Aircrew forum but bare with me.
Its not solely an aircrew forum :E
What is the RAF like for jointly posting married couples at the same station? We are both soon to be in the service and would like to know if anyone has come across it.
Hoping to be NCA myself with Mrs O&G in the medical side of things.
Depending what bit of medical Mrs O&G is going to be may limit her areas, depending what you get streamed onto will limit yours. They may not be compatible, do you have preference for platform? (no need to indicate on this forum). The CIO should be able to give an indication of which platforms are where, and which medical specialisations (if applicable) also. Generally PMA 'aim' to satisy areas of choice, you could get a situation of one of you at Kinloss and one at Lossiemouth as an example of being sucessfully co-located - both being in the same area.
There are no guarantees, despite what the CIO may tell you. if the Service needs it you could end up many miles apart with one commuting at weekends / downtime. Good luck though.

[Pontius Navigator]

you could get a situation of one of you at Kinloss and one at Lossiemouth as an example of being sucessfully co-located - both being in the same area.

That is almost a dream situation other than both on the same unit.

I think job done when you are one hour apart.

One case a while back, he was at Binbrook, she was at Coningsby about an hour apart, but they lived nearer Cranwell. He was then posted to Cottesmore, about the same time/distance in the other direction from Coningsby although actually a little nearer home.

So make sure you can both drive, have two cars, and read the notes about home to duty travel.

And enjoy it all.

[R 21]

Old and Grey

it used to be a posting within 50 miles of each other was classed as a co location and I think that still stands.

Hope you get it :ok:

[snowball1]

When the other half went to enquire about a co location a month ago, she was informed that there is no such thing anymore!!

[SaddamsLoveChild]

only been able to live together for the last 4 months out of 4 years. PMA dont have to care and don't now have the capacity to care. Closest together was 120 miles by car and the furthest scotland - middle england for 2 years.

Dont bank on anything other than having to drive/travel long distances and dont expect the PMA guys and girls to have the time to care.:\

[The Helpful Stacker]

I know of a couple in the supply trade who met in basic training, had a bit of a romance through trade training, managed to get posted to the same first unit together, got married and have since been posted everywhere together, including dets in both the Falklands and Iraq and an overseas posting to Cyprus.

I would suggest they are the exception to the rule though.

[Sven Sixtoo]

Also if you end up in the SAR world beware of the limitations of SAR shift response times (broadly you have to be close enough to make the unit in 40 minutes under any conditions of traffic and weather). More than one couple has been caught out because the SAR requirement is tighter than the requirement placed on the housing allocation people to provide quarters within a reasonable distance. One couple, faced with the choice of a quarter at the SAR unit or the main base a couple of hours away, were badly advised as to requirements and made the choice that forced the SARboy to spend all of his time on shift (typically 6 days continuous) at the unit.

[Wader2]

What THS said can be true but even this dream situation may not be as smooth as it looks.

First the posting dates may depend on other people's moves which can be dictated by their career paths, courses, dets etc. You might find that you are both posted but not at the same time. This gives you a quartering conundrum. Does first mover set up in remote quarter and last mover go in to the mess or vica versa?

In a standard tour you could possibly drift 6 months apart at either end giving you only 18 months colocated.

If you are groundcrew you posting might, to all intents and purposes be permanent. Ditto some aircrew. Whereas other jobs, non-aircrew officers, would expect moves as soon as 18 months for a first tour and 2-yearly or so after that. 2 1/2 years or more and you are letting grass grow over your feet.

As you mount the greasey pole you could again expect postings as the number of billets at the higher ranks become fewer. You will get used to it.

[MATZ]

The current ethos is at "Manning" is:
"We're not happy until you're not happy" :ooh:
But, I'm happy, as I have always got what I wanted in 17 years of Service. :D
Perhaps I am just lucky, but may be the Ops Support deskies are a bit better at managing personnel and careers...
MATZ

[OpsMan38]

I've just left the RAF (within the last few days....) and have had to deal with the issue of having a partner in the service and the associated problems of co-location for many years. Indeed, it is one of the primary reasons for my leaving. My wife is in the same branch and this helped enormously as lots of contact with the desk officer helped to ensure that, at the very least, we were within commutable distance of each other for the last three tours. We were lucky in this repect as we were both aware when we married that it was going to be an issue but we we both knew that the needs of the service come first. The problem would have become a lot more acute if one of us were promoted as the opportunity for co-location or postings within a commutable distance would have become much more difficult.

The long and the short of the issue is simply that if you are married in the services you cannot be gauranteed to be co-located and that has to be accepted from the start. If you are lucky enough to be posted close by as we were (Lossie & Leuchars, Brize & Odiham, Northolt & STC) then take it as a lucky bonus but don't get too used to it.....

[Bomberpuke]

Self and Mrs BP (ex stacker) managed 3 co-located tours in both UK and RAFG - just spoke carefully to those very nice men in PMA..........

[Medloggy]

O&G,

Wife aircrew and I'm in the med branch....don't do it! Getting leave together can prove challenging let alone living together. If Mrs O&G is going med, you may be better looking at the property market in Helmand Province to reduce the commute! PMA do try but service needs dictate.

[Phoney Tony]

Remember:

If the RAF wanted you to have a wife, they would issue you with one!

Good luck to both of you.

[Oldandgrey]

mmmm food for thought, looks like we have to make a decision soon.! :eek:

Many thanks for all your honest posts, glad I asked the question now!

O&G

[Pontius Navigator]

O&G,
At age 32 you really need to be nearer 31 than 33.

"The upper age limit for NCO aircrew entry is 32. However, age limits are continually reviewed, so check with Armed Forces Careers Offices (AFCO). All candidates for NCO aircrew are advised to apply at least a year in advance of age limits."

This applies to any of the stated age limits.

[XV277]

If you are lucky enough to be posted close by as we were (Lossie & Leuchars)..............


Which of course is close (140 miles by road) on the map.... unless you know Scottish roads, in which case it's a three hour commute!

Did you live in Aberdeen?