skittles215
New Member
I know that there is this "join-spouse program" in the armed forces, mostly navy, af, and there's a similar program for the army. Does anyone know if this exists in the Marine Corps or is it just a dream?
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Join-Spouse Program Fantasy or Real?
- Thread starter skittles215
- Start date
Beware !!!
Tread lightly my friend - you're broaching a very delicate and dangerous subject in the armed forces. The dreaded "Knives Club." Yes, I know the politically correct term is "Spouses Club." But make no mistake, these wives will band together and wield tremendous power in your squadron. Their intelligence network and ability to influence the unsuspecting JO would make even the CIA envious. Thick as thieves they are, watch them like a hawk!
:icon_carn
Tread lightly my friend - you're broaching a very delicate and dangerous subject in the armed forces. The dreaded "Knives Club." Yes, I know the politically correct term is "Spouses Club." But make no mistake, these wives will band together and wield tremendous power in your squadron. Their intelligence network and ability to influence the unsuspecting JO would make even the CIA envious. Thick as thieves they are, watch them like a hawk!
:icon_carn
Dude, you ain't kidding!
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
We told the wives club "NO" one time for some gay-ass theme party they wanted to have during the final four.. (No it was not NCAA related)
If your front office is not whupped, you can tell the wives club to go pound sand..
While it allegeldly has a purpose, all I have seen is EVIL from them (the EX's that still hang with them hooked mine up with 1001 ways to screw me). They act like they run the squadron.
They should shut the hell up, clean the house and the plumbing.
If your front office is not whupped, you can tell the wives club to go pound sand..
While it allegeldly has a purpose, all I have seen is EVIL from them (the EX's that still hang with them hooked mine up with 1001 ways to screw me). They act like they run the squadron.
They should shut the hell up, clean the house and the plumbing.
pilotpete24
New Member
Thanks for the heads-up/warning gentlemen...
skittles215
New Member
Yes, maybe I should clairfy myself LOL. I am NOT talking about the "wive's club". My husband is active duty...and hopefully by then end of this year I will be too. Now with that being said I don't want to spend my entire marine corps career away from him...it is inevitable that we will be apart a lot...but I'd like to have at least half the time stationed within this so called "100 mile" radius.
The armed forces (not the marine corps as I know now) have this "join-spouse program" where they try to keep active duty couples stationed within a 100 mile radius of each other most of their careers. Active duty meaning both parties are serving.
I found out that there is some kinda "DOD" thing where they try to keep the couples together...and if they are stationed apart it is "kept" (note quotations) within a year time frame. Stationed is not the same as deployed...deployments for obvious reasons don't count. Anyway thanks for the feedback, and sorry for the confusion.
If there is anyone out there who can actually testify to this so called dod "policy" in relation to the marine corps please help me out.
The armed forces (not the marine corps as I know now) have this "join-spouse program" where they try to keep active duty couples stationed within a 100 mile radius of each other most of their careers. Active duty meaning both parties are serving.
I found out that there is some kinda "DOD" thing where they try to keep the couples together...and if they are stationed apart it is "kept" (note quotations) within a year time frame. Stationed is not the same as deployed...deployments for obvious reasons don't count. Anyway thanks for the feedback, and sorry for the confusion.
If there is anyone out there who can actually testify to this so called dod "policy" in relation to the marine corps please help me out.
First, a disclaimer...I only have Navy experience...
One of the JOs on my first boat was married to a P-3 pilot in Jax...They were guaranteed to be in the same "geographic region", and not necessarily co-located. In otherwords, the Navy could have assigned her to a Jax squadron and him to a SOCOM job in Tampa...because Jax and Tampa are the same geographic region.
I assume the Marine Corps policy is similar, and while that JO said that they "did their best" there were no guarantees within the region. The regions are large...so "buyer beware."
Best of luck.
One of the JOs on my first boat was married to a P-3 pilot in Jax...They were guaranteed to be in the same "geographic region", and not necessarily co-located. In otherwords, the Navy could have assigned her to a Jax squadron and him to a SOCOM job in Tampa...because Jax and Tampa are the same geographic region.
I assume the Marine Corps policy is similar, and while that JO said that they "did their best" there were no guarantees within the region. The regions are large...so "buyer beware."
Best of luck.
skittles215
New Member
Thanks...I figured that would be the case. I just wanted to make sure that someone is attempting to do something every once in a while. I can handle the same geographic location. I just don't want to end up in CA for 5 years while my husband is in Italy or something crazy like that. I was planning on the Marine Corps to be a long term choice meaning 20-30 years....and I'm hoping to be with/near my husband half of that time if I'm not deployed.
Sounds like a recipe for career disasters for both of you. Suck it up and go where your monitors send you and be thankful if they happen to be able to get you stationed together once per decade. Cost of doing business - caveat emptor.
Brett
Threadjack:
What percentage of officers get into the business with the career mindset?
32
I think that most prior E guys do. I made my career decision at 6 years when I was selected for STA-21...by the time I got through school (8.5 years) and flight school (around 10 years) and my initial obligation....well...you get the picture. But seriously...who the hell knows.
I think that most prior E guys do. I made my career decision at 6 years when I was selected for STA-21...by the time I got through school (8.5 years) and flight school (around 10 years) and my initial obligation....well...you get the picture. But seriously...who the hell knows.
It's a tough call, since the USN/USMC team deploys on boats. My wife and I were both aviators and we had 2 years apart and 3 together in the 5 years we were jointly in. In the 3 years colocated, we still went on detachments that were the same as living apart, so we probably were 50/50. My wife opted to get out when we were faced with 3 years apart and on opposite coasts. We had one child by then and it was going to be misery for many reasons: time apart, single Momness, nanny or au pair, finances, emotions, everything; not to mention that I wanted to be somewhat accessible to my son when I wasn't deployed.
I know several couples who have lucked out and rarely been apart, but that doesn't seem to be the norm, sorry to say. Maybe the detailers and monitors have changed, but we never got a lot of empathy or sympathy from them.
I have actually known about 5 or 6 couples who were officers and aviators. They had a variety of experiences but the common theme was that sooner or later someone had to get out because of the career demands. I have only seen one O-6 couple that was still in and they were both medical corps officers, a lot easier to handle than regular officers.
In all of the cases one of the couple had to make a compromise about what kind of job they were going to get by their second tour. And like Intruder Driver said, even when they were stationed together they spent a lot fo time apart because they were in different deployable commands.
This was mostly based on experiences with Navy or Navy-USAF couples, I casually knew a Marine couple and htey did nto have much trouble getting stationed together their first two tours (there are a lot less Marine bases, and most are in two general locations in the US, SOCAL and the Carolinas). But once you get into the 8-10 year mark when they start looking at career making tours, that is when you will probably start having more and more difficulty.
One more thing, it also depends on what kind of occupations you both have. It you are a Aviation Maintenance Officer and he is an Aviator then things would be a lot easier, probably put you at the same base. If you were a Harrier pilot and he was Infantry it might be a bit harder.
Flash is correct. I've known several couples who both served full careers, but they were in different specialties that were complementary in terms of being stationed together.
After the 10-12 year point, the detailers/monitors assume you won't get out, regardless of whether they station you together or not, so you have to hope for one who is somewhat sympathetic. Otherwise, there is the risk of having to make a stay-in/get-out decision on one partner's part. Worse, you get a detailer/monitor that has an active duty spouse and has been stationed apart that takes an attitude of "I sucked it up so you can too." I know; we had one during my wife's last tour.
My wife and I traveled to BuPers to talk directly with them and they were very clear. If you want to try and be colocated as often as possible, you need to decide who will have the competitive career and who will have the sacrificial (less competitive) career and tell us now.
It can be done, but you need to know the minefields you'll be crossing and the inherent dangers.
After the 10-12 year point, the detailers/monitors assume you won't get out, regardless of whether they station you together or not, so you have to hope for one who is somewhat sympathetic. Otherwise, there is the risk of having to make a stay-in/get-out decision on one partner's part. Worse, you get a detailer/monitor that has an active duty spouse and has been stationed apart that takes an attitude of "I sucked it up so you can too." I know; we had one during my wife's last tour.
My wife and I traveled to BuPers to talk directly with them and they were very clear. If you want to try and be colocated as often as possible, you need to decide who will have the competitive career and who will have the sacrificial (less competitive) career and tell us now.
It can be done, but you need to know the minefields you'll be crossing and the inherent dangers.