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Permalink Reply by AOWife825 on July 7, 2015 at 6:56pm

Hey how are you. I can give you some info about the AO stuff. My fiancé is currently on Pensacola for a-school for AO. She had about a 3 week hold. You hold time is completely random. She classes up with some people had been waiting a couple months. She even classed up before some who were already waiting. The first part of school is about 5 weeks long. If they get squadron/shore duty for their orders then that's the end of a-school and they will be given their hard orders and graduate. If the get sea-duty or seaopdt(this is what my fiancé got) they will have an additional 3 weeks of training called stran. This is where they get addition traing for their job, especially in relation to the bombs (building and taking apart, maintenance).
As for you living down there. I would suggest not to and save the money for the big move. My sailors 2nd a-school graduation is July 14. And she has only been there since April 17. And there is t guarantee that he will be able to live with you since his a-school is so short.

As for finding a place to live once Pcs happens. It truly depends on the base you are going to. Some have really long waits and others don't. I know the base we are headed to has 0 wait time and so moving on base is pretty quick.
You should have the info about his graduation about 2 weeks after he got there.

Permalink Reply by wigglyturtle on July 7, 2015 at 7:07pm

Sorry, I don't know anything about Florida or your husband's rate. As for BAH in boot camp, we got ours right away on the first check. My husband got there 3/24 and got his first check on 4/15 and it did include BAH. He went in as an E2 and was promoted to E3 while there.

You'll get a form letter within a couple of weeks that has his graduation date on it and his guest list. Graduations are pretty much always on Fridays. The sailors are sent to their A-schools sometime Saturday or Sunday but they wont know when til that week of graduation. When my husband called me to tell me he was a sailor he was able to tell me when his flight was. I think he called Wednesday before graduation, so its really last minute. They can spend time with you Friday afternoon and early evening, and then Saturday at the airport until their flight leaves. My husband was unlucky and had a flight at like 730am on Saturday.

I did move with my husband for A-school (agian, not Florida though) so if you have any questions, feel free to ask :)

Permalink Reply by Anti M on July 7, 2015 at 8:30pm

To get a paid move to any A school, it must be over 20 weeks long.  If you decide to move yourself, they do not have to let him live off base with you because the school is shorter. Hold times do not count toward the 20 weeks, what counts is strictly seat time of the school.  Holds vary, so your planning must include flexibility and and patience.  I know, it sucks.   If you do move down, the BAH will change to that location.  When he gets orders, they will only move you and your stuff from one place, so if you leave anything behind at home, the Navy won't move it (such as furniture in storage).  

Looks like BAH is showing up quicker, but it does depend on how fast they process him in once at boot camp.

Picking orders after A school:  they do not pick any base anywhere.  They pick from a set of billets prepared for that graduating class, based on their dream sheets as much as possible.  If there is a San Diego billet and he is first, he can choose it.  If there is noting open in SD, they cannot offer it to him. Honestly, San Diego is a huge area, with several bases and many commands.  Chances are good to get it.

If he does get advanced to E-4, he must have six months as an E-3 before he can wear it or be paid for it.  Skipping the time in rate requirements rarely happens except in very limited circumstances.

When he gets his orders, hard copy orders, not verbals, that means you can get on the housing wait list. All orders have a reference or serial number and if the housing office has that, they can place you on the list.  Also, when you arrive at the new command, he can ask for "house hunting leave", which is ten days off to look for a place to live.  He should get DLA and can take a little advance pay to hep with temporary lodging (usually Navy Lodge).  If he goes straight to a deployed ship or unit, that might vary a little, but don't worry, you don't get tossed on the street.  Also, he should be assigned a sponsor, a senior sailor at the new command, to help him figure stuff out, show him where things are.  If the ship/squadron is at sea, don't be afraid to look up the ombudsman and FRG, and have the spouses help you.  Many times, they will be happy to guide you.