Common Law, training and Pat Platoon!

[Air Force Medic]

Hi there hope someone can answer a few questions.  We have all the Common Law papers signed off, in basic now, then it's like a deep dark place, what happens after basic some say there is SQ some say no, or maybe.  Also is there anyway to find out when trade training courses for Medic's are slated.  We are just trying to get a handle on how long we may have to live apart.  Where would Pat Platoon be held, we know we have to be apart right now but honestly it's difficult not knowing anything as we can not make imformed decisions on anything right now. Sorry this is so long but I just have so many questions. Any help would be sooooooo thankful.

 

[Fry]

You're in the same boat as me man... I'm wondering what'll happen after Basic and when it'll happen.

 

[Shadow Cat]

Alright my Dh just graduated from Basic in June so I can tell you about our scenerio.

Day after graduation, you will be loaded onto a bus, very early in the morning, that will take you to PAT.   IN my hubby's case it is Borden.   Once there you will be informed of when your next course is and if you have some time between your next course than you can fill out papers to return home for vacation.   In my hubby's case he was in Borden for a week and than he started SQ.   He was in Gagetown for 7 weeks.   ONce that was complete he was granted two weeks of leave.   He now is sitting in Borden waiting for his trade training to start which is December 1st.   He will graduated on May 26th I believe.   He will be coming home for two weeks at XMAS.

When it is all said and done we will be apart for one year, one month and 16 days.   This is of course just the time till the end of the course and I know that there will still be some seperation afterwards due to moving and stuff.

He is in the process of trying to get us moved up to Kingston but there is no guarantee as the course is no technically long enough only, five and half months instead of the required 6 months.   They are trying to get it approved based on the fact that he coudl do EWAT training up till his course starts which would put us over the six month mark.  

Hope that this gives you a little bit of a better understanding what you are faced with.   As well tell your spouse to check out www.themitarylife.com as it has really helped me to make it through the initial shock of seperation.   Everyone there is very understanding and supportive and you never know she may make a friend.   I know I have.

 

[Air Force Medic]

Hey Shadown Cat, thanks so much for the information.  I guess that's why recruiting won't tell you anything huh!  Well I will check out those sites and see what I can find out. Oh I should say I'm the one left at home but as we have no dependants I wouldn't mind moving up there just to be closer, does he get week-ends off and oh do you know how long the B.C portion of training would be, I've heard 2 weeks and 13 weeks.  Thanks for all your help.

 

[Shadow Cat]

I have no idea how long the training portion for his course is.  Sorry.

The first four weeks of Basic and SQ he will be confind to the base/barracks.  After that as long as he "behaves" himself, he will be allowed out for the weekend.  I can't tell you if they are confind during their trade training as I have no idea as of yet.

If his course is only 13 weeks or 2 weeks they won't pay for you to move.  In order to be with him you would have to pay for the move your self. 

Trust me I know how hard it is to be seperated from your loved one for so long.  It is very trying on some days and sometimes it hurts to bad that you just don't want to get out of bed and somedays you feel like a milltion bucks.  It is a rollercoaster ride of emotions that is for sure.  Make sure that you check out that link that I provided as it is truley a great wealth of information and support.  My username is marsbull on there so feel free to look for me.

Chin up girl it will be all over before you know.  I am 1/3 of the way and it feels like I just started. 

 

[Air Force Medic]

Bravo, well said but I don't mind putting things in storage if I have too. I won't expect them to pay for anything either, if we can we would rather do that than spend so long apart. Thanks for everything and for sure i'll try checking out that site.

 

[D-n-A]

Air Force doesn't do SQ.

 

[Air Force Medic]

Thanks MikeL, that was another thing I kept trying to find out, again some say Air Force do SQ and others say no, at least Medics in the Air Force anyway, perhaps it depends which unit your supporting.

 

[Shadow Cat]

I am sorry I didn't realize that he was air force. I guess I should have looked at his/her user name.  :-[

 

[Air Force Medic]

What I don't understand now that I know the training is 16 weeks in Borden and 13 weeks in B.C. that is over 6 months so why would they not allow me to move up to Borden also and have a PMQ.  Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[George Wallace]

What I don't understand now that I know the training is 16 weeks in Borden and 13 weeks in B.C. that is over 6 months so why would they not allow me to move up to Borden also and have a PMQ.   Thanks for the help everyone.

  I might suggest you recheck your math. 

 

[Air Force Medic]

Well in checking I may be wrong but I added both together came up with 29 divided it by 4 and came up with 7.25 months.  Do you meen I should just look at them as individual courses.

 

[George Wallace]

Exactly.......Borden is not in BC.

 

[Air Force Medic]

Got Ya.......I like my math better though.  :-\

 

[Tracker]

I believe that all Med Techs do SQ regardless of their element.

 

[Shadow Cat]

I know it is a long time to be seperated.

I know of a few people that have been seperated for 18+ months when it is all said and done.  The military member has been located at a base that they already know that they are going to be posted to but they wont move the family until all of their training is completed.  Totally retarded if you ask me. 

Us we are looking at 14+ months when it is all said and done.  Of which this time would include 4 months at PAT and 6 months at the location of his QL3's. 

Welcome to the military.  :

 

[Air Force Medic]

Hey Shadow Cat, if you ask me it's cruel, also why don't they let people know up front so they are better able to make the decision to enter or not. It must be hard on relationships to not only survive the separation but to make decisions about employment, housing, schooling etc. I feel like my life is on hold until we know what the military has planned for my spouse.

 

[beach_bum]

First of all, why would they spend all the money to move and uproot a family when no one knows if that person will be successful or not?  What happens if Bloggins and his family move to Gagetown (just an example) and on week three Bloggins fails?
Secondly, the military doesn't even know most of the time where Bloggins is going to be posted until sometime during their 3s.  That would be one of the reasons they can't tell you in advance.  People are posted where they are needed.
Now, I understand it's a long time to be apart from each other, but this shouldn't be a shock.  It is told to the applicant time and time again during the recruiting process.  They know how long BMQ, SQ and 3s etc are.  You made an informed decision, and now you have to accept that.
Besides....what's a year or two when you have the rest of your lives? 

 

[Shadow Cat]

I am in total agreement with you about the cruelty.  We have been seperated for almost six months now and still have possibel another 8 months to go.  I say possibly becuase they are still possibly going to entertain the idea of moving us to Kingston but I am not holding my breathe on it anymore.  We were supposed to have an answer three weeks ago and they still haven't decided ya or nay to the idea yet.  URGH!!!

If we dont move I have to try to find another job here by the end of October and I don't know if I should proceed with that or not.  As well I had been running around with my head schopped off a few weeks ago trying to get the house ready just in case we were moving.

It is hard on relationships, it is hard on the kids and it is hard on the member to be removed from absolutely everything that they have and know (family, friends personal effects).  Alot can happen in 18 months and unless you have a strong relationship, thankfully we do, than it can be the end of the relationship.

To make matters even possibly worse for us.  We will be seperated for about 1 - 16 months and than after being together for 2 months he has laredy been told that he will probably be going on a six months tour.  So over the course of 2 years we would see him for 2 months straight, one two week vacation and two one week vacation.  It hardly seems fair or right.

As far as the comment about being informed, we werent.  Never once were we told that we would be apart this long becuase if we had been informed we probably wouldnt have done it.

 

[Shadow Cat]

Oh and one more little thing becuase of someones lack of follow through we are actually seperated longer than what was needed. 

See my DH course was slated to begin today but someone forgot to enroll him in another course that was neede prior to him starting his QL3's so becuase of that lack of enrollement we are forced to be apart even longer than what we were originally told.  January 15 was when he was supposed to gradute but now we are looking at the end of May. 

Hardly fair again.