Burning questions about OCS, flight school and Navy life

[STLEngineer]

You are going to have a VERY tough time just getting her in the country.

The K-1 Visa is only good for a short period of time. The tourist visa is only good for a couple months, I believe. Being from South America will make it tougher, from my understanding, since she actually has to have a visa to enter the country, and they aren't guaranteed. A guy I knew in college was from Columbia and he did everything he could to stay in the country, because once your visa expires it’s incredibly difficult to get back.

Sorry to say it, but I don’t think that having her live with you is a viable option. From my point of view, it looks pretty black and white: marriage or solo. Ultimately it's your call.

 

[Ducky]

The consensus seems to be "don't get married while in flight school" but what about just living together. Someone in this thread mentioned that he really appreciated being able to come home to, in his case, his wife at night after training. What if that person were a fiancee or significant other? Is the issue at hand the marital status or the coexistence? I would tend to believe that having her around would be emotionally helpful. What do the guys who have actually done it think?

Most of the married guys I know have enjoyed having their wife around for support during flight school. This is comming from the opinion of a couple that has only been married for a year and from a retired O6 who was with his wife all during flight school. She helped him with the studying and the stress and he went on to fly F-14s and was graduating top gun at the time that homoerotic movie came out.

Bottom line is a happy marriage will support you and help you through flight school and a crapy one will only hinder you.


As far as visas go, the country to our south seems to have figured out how to get around that problem. Ask some mexicans down around Corpus, Krock or Elpaso. Good luck man. Otherwise try the state department website. should at least have all the rules and types of Visas

 

[st1977]

I am not a US citizen but I had a worker's visa when I married my husband. We married right after he finished IFS, before he started API.
I'm used to dealing with the USCIS because I was on a student's visa, and then had a few worker's visas before I even met my husband. I'd say that in comparison to the paperwork I had to put together for the worker stuff, the application for residency (ie, the Green Card) was (a lot) easier.
Be careful with the student visa - or make sure you are getting her a student's visa and not a J-1 visa (which some people get to come study in the US). For some specific countries, that visa requires the holder to go back to their home country for some time after graduating. They can't just stay in the US. It didn't apply to me, but I had a couple of friends who had that problem.
My husband and I loved being married throughout flight school. I've had a job the whole time we've been married, and my job has followed me through all our military moves so I was never bored or resentful of the time he had to spend studying. He was busy, and I was busy too, but it was nice to have a home together, be able to have dinner together (even if it wasn't every night), etc. He didn't have all the pressure and constraints that come with keeping in touch with someone who lives far away, I was right there and we could always find a few minutes to chat even when we were both busy.
As for the clearances, I'd be lying if I said that the fact that my parents are foreign did not slow down the process. In the end he got his secret clearance like everyone else in his squadron. It just took longer than for other people, but he was aware of it and got started early. He even got top-secret clearance before most guys (I'm assuming because they looked into everything in so much depth).

 

[sonicboom]

Well, I wrote my statement a third time. This one I did with a little help. Its a little shorter and more to the point but I think its still a little cornie. Also I don't think I have enough about what I plan to contribute to the navy. But that is why I am putting it here so you guys can give me some pointers.

My ambition has always been to have a career as a Naval Aviator. I love flying and I have had a positive influenced from my dad who was in the Navy and the Army National Guard...
I am the treasurer of the Embry-Riddle Aviation University Naval Aviation Club. I have organized and supervised trips to various locations of interest to the members. I have conducted recruitment drives that have increased the membership of the club. In addition I have arranged for guest speakers to lecture on military topics and personal Naval experiences. I also keep all of the clubs financial records.
I have on many occasions organized class projects in college and high school, assigning different components of the project to each student in the group, ensuring that time frames were met for the successful completion of the project. All projects were completed on time and were successful.
When I was younger, I was in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. I helped with different merit badge classes and was at times a group leader. On camping trips I taught other scouts the proper way to set camp fires and set up their tents.
I was also influenced by one of my scout leaders, His name was Henry, and he was a member of the troop from 1922 until he passed away recently. Henry was an Army Air Corps crew member assigned to a B-17 during WWII. He was shot down and bailed-out over Germany. He remained a prisoner of war for several years until the war ended. He always told me stories of his captivity and he instilled in me the value of freedom, faith in God and patriotism to my country. He said that during his imprisonment he learned how important it was to have faith in God and Country and how to never to give up or lose this faith. I have always tried to follow his advice. Whenever things get real difficult, I always remember what Henry taught me.
Because of my outstanding aviation and technical education at Embry-Riddle, and my past successful leadership roles I feel I would possess all the abilities and requirements to make a very good Naval Commissioned Officer and Aviator

I didn't even make it past the spelling mistake in the second sentence and neither will the board. PROOFREAD before posting.

 

[jorgelito]

What does she want? You'll be gone for most of the day. What will she be doing? Especially if she can't speak English and you won't be able to always translate for her (I assume you speak her language). She may feel isolated and lonely being in a foreign country away from her family and friends. That could be a source of tension at a time when you will also be stressed out. If you won't be spending all that much time together anyways, it may be just better to have her wait until you finish and you guys can get married or whatever.

 

[wingsB4rings]

I lived with a girlfriend for the entire first year of flight school (all in Pensacola). We both moved there. Personally, I think it was a great idea because we got to see if we were compatible and really supposed to be together. We aren't together anymore, but I would highly suggest the live-in gf(if it's possible, not sure how easy it will be to get her here since she isn't a citizen). Just don't get her knocked up.

 

[SWCS242]

I noticed that you speak Spanish, so I am assuming your potential future wife speaks Spanish as well. I don't know if you noticed, but there are plenty of people in this country that can't speak a word of English and are doing just fine. If she speaks some English and Spanish is her first language, I am sure she won't have a problem as many Americans can speak at least a little bit of Spanish. Plus, full immersion into the English language will help her speak learn English faster, so don't let the language barrier be an excuse.

Did I mention that Florida probably has more Spanish speakers than Latin America and that is where some of your aviation training will be?

 

[NozeMan]

What does she want? You'll be gone for most of the day. What will she be doing? Especially if she can't speak English and you won't be able to always translate for her (I assume you speak her language). She may feel isolated and lonely being in a foreign country away from her family and friends. That could be a source of tension at a time when you will also be stressed out. If you won't be spending all that much time together anyways, it may be just better to have her wait until you finish and you guys can get married or whatever.

This also sounds like good advice.

 

[Flash]

Did I mention that Florida probably has more Spanish speakers than Latin America and that is where some of your aviation training will be?

Haven't been to Pensacola yet, have you?

 

[SWCS242]

Haven't been to Pensacola yet, have you?

Haha, no I have not, but there are Spanish speaking people up here in MN everywhere, so I just assumed.

 

[Flash]

Haha, no I have not, but there are Spanish speaking people up here in MN everywhere, so I just assumed.

It is called Lower Alabama for a reason, I lived only a mile from teh state line the last time I was there. Nowhere near the amount of Spanish speakers in Pensacola as you will find in Miami, few and far between actually.

 

[SWCS242]

It is called Lower Alabama for a reason, I lived only a mile from teh state line the last time I was there. Nowhere near the amount of Spanish speakers in Pensacola as you will find in Miami, few and far between actually.

My bad, poor assumption. If the people there sound like they are from Alabama too, she will have an even harder time learning English...

 

[sonicboom]

Yes, she speaks Spanish. She also has family/friends in Miami so I was thinking in a worst case scenario she could live with them. I've also heard that you don't need to speak ANY ENGLISH AT ALL to live in Miami. In fact it probably helps to speak Spanish there I'd guess.

 

[vulcanx]

Way to win "Dumb Post of the Month."

Outstanding!

and it was sarcastic

At least the last line.

 

[sonicboom]

I did use I many times though, not every sentance but in consecuative senatances quite often.

I ceriously hope dat wuz a joke.