? re: Waiting for API

[KimberlyD]

My husband is leaving Norfolk to check into Pensacola, obviously he'll go into the "waiting for API" group, how does it work during that time? I'll be staying in Norfolk w/ our kids until we close on our house here & get housing in Pensacola so I'm just wondering if we're going to be racking up 30 days at the BOQ or if he'll be able to check in there, take some leave & go mooch at his Aunt & Uncle's in LA. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[TheBubba]

SNA or SNFO?

The wait changes every week. Depends on a ton of stuff. Where he's going for primary (if he's a SNA), how many people are in A-pool (waiting for API group), if he's IFS complete, when he's scheduled for BOLT-C, NAMI and helmet check and how many SNA/SNFO's per class.

He'll be able to take leave while in A-Pool. Maybe not until he gets all of the pre-API stuff done, but he'll be able to take leave.

As for going to LA permanently, he can ask for OHARP, but its case by case basis and not till the pre-API stuff is done.

He also may end up working for someone on base (stash job). I've got one at the Naval Aviation Museum. Work maybe 1-2 days a week and muster every Thursday. If her doesn't get a stash job, it'll be muster MWF 0730 in PT gear by the API building, Tues and Thurs in Khakis.. Tues at the API building and Thurs in the chapel.

Hope that helps.

 

[KimberlyD]

He's SNA, IFS & NAMI are complete. Primary at Whiting.

What's BOLT-C & helmet check?

I'm just hoping that maybe we can save 10 days or so at the BOQ by him going to visit family in LA.

 

[mules83]

I have three friends in pensacola right now who have been waiting 2-3 months to start API. They have been told they are going to start sometime in january.

A fourth friend started API three weeks ago after waiting what i said above.

And a 5th friend (jease, i have friends) started API a couple days after he showed up. This was back in August/Septemberish.

They were all SNA's with IFS complete

 

[TheBubba]

He's SNA, IFS & NAMI are complete. Primary at Whiting.

What's BOLT-C & helmet check?

I'm just hoping that maybe we can save 10 days or so at the BOQ by him going to visit family in LA.

BOLT-C is a week long leadership course all Navy SNA/SNFO's have to take when checking into API.

Helmet check is getting fitted for a helmet.

Having NAMI and IFS complete will take a little time off of the wait.

As far as primary at Whiting... Since y'all are married, they'll do their absolute best to keep him at Whiting, but nothing's garaunteed (until its already happened... and even then its questionable).

As far as what going to Whiting will do to the wait, no telling. It all depends on what going on there.

Since he's going to Whiting for primary, you might want to look into renting a place down here. You'll be here for a bit.

 

[KimberlyD]

He's (finally!) decided that moving into housing at Whiting is a good idea but it's a 3 week wait fr when you detach fr previous command so he's detaching fr here next week or so & getting us on the housing list. I'm just trying to figure out if I'm looking at roughly $550 for the BOQ for a month (since the first 10 will be picked up by TLE) plus his daily food bill at Taco Bell... It would save us a ton of money (& me some "seeing the in-laws grief") if he could go to LA for a while before the kids & I get there.

As far as Primary at Whiting, we were pretty much told it was a definite since we're married, I would love to go to Corpus for Primary so it doesn't matter either way.

 

[Gatordev]

Kim, do you have a reservation at the BOQ already? I ask because when I transfered in 6 months ago, NPA BOQ (along w/ everyone else, civilian or otherwise) wasn't taking anyone. If you don't have a reservation yet, call, but I wouldn't count on getting anything except what's out in town...if there is anything.

 

[TheBubba]

I'd try and get something in town... you're BAH will more than cover most rentals.

 

[KimberlyD]

Gator-the BOQ at Pensacola is wide open after the 12th of this month, the one at Whiting is "indefinitely booked"

 

[Gatordev]

Good deal then. Guess that's what I get for rolling into town two weeks after a "small storm" and before the bigger one.

 

[Circle K]

If the Hammer's policy is still the same as it was last April, they'll have no problem staying at Whiting. Being married won't keep you in Florida, but having kids will. (I'm an example of the former)

Kim, have you talked to the people at Whiting Pines yet? The only reason I ask is the 3 week wait you're talking about. I found out that we'd be moving back to Milton from Corpus on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Orders weren't cut till Friday at noon. I went straight to base housing in corpus and had them help me fill out all the forms I needed and faxed them to Whiting. I called to follow up on monday and they said everything was in line. The following monday (11 days for those counting) we showed up at the front door of the housing office and they had keys to three places that we could choose from.

Note: We don't have kids, so we were getting a 2 BR no matter what, that may be the difference, although when we've walked around we've seen plenty of empty 3 BR.

 

[KimberlyD]

Honestly, I'm finished talking to them, it's my husband's turn. I called & tried to get info prior to his Commissioning & I was pretty much treated like trash, same deal here in Norfolk, I tried to get into a moving class while my ID card said OC/STDT & his orders said "Ensign" & they told me to come back when we were sure he was being Commissioned (like 6 days before the ceremony he was going to get kicked out).

I'll have him call on Monday but they told me we couldn't fill out paperwork or anything prior to him detaching, according to the websites you can do your paperwork in advance & it goes into a "hold" file until you get there.