Dual military but different branches. Who takes priority on pcs options?

SGT(P) Daniel McBride — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 10:01:29 -0500

I'm curious if one of the members will take priority on pcs locations or will the branches separate them based on pcs locations?

Response by TSgt David L. made Dec 25 at 2015 10:10 AM

TSgt David L. — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 10:10:24 -0500

It used to be that the senior member was the primary for any mil-to-mil action like this. It's tough with a joint service assignment unless you are at a joint base. Good luck on the PCS.

Response by SGM Mike Barbieri made Dec 25 at 2015 10:31 AM

SGM Mike Barbieri — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 10:31:29 -0500

It is typically the senior member, but honestly it ends up being whatever will work. HRC coordinates with the other services to come to a solution that will work the best for all parties.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Dec 25 at 2015 10:40 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 10:40:08 -0500

It takes a lot of coordination between detailers (or whatever your branches call them) and the service members, but it can be done.

Just keep in mind that PCS for collocation can disrupt career flow points, and could potentially affect promotion chances. Also keep in mind that you may end up with a staggered move, very disruptive to family life. In rare cases, the members end up on independent tours; that is both bad and good - good in the sense that hardship tours are career enhancing, but very bad for family life...

Good luck...

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Dec 25 at 2015 12:59 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:59:03 -0500

Agree seniority because it's easy to pick as the service culture equates "seniority" to "importance". Although the policy is to do the best they can for morale and retention purposes, on an individual basis detailers don't like the extra work in trying to sort things out. So my advice is to do your own research up front as the detailers sometimes need to be pushed to get a good result. Even so, the likelihood of both billets being great career enhancers is not the norm. With more joint basing vs. past years, there's more opportunity for matches. Bottom line, being proactive and helping the detail process work increases the odds of getting as good of a solution as there is.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 26 at 2015 1:28 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 13:28:07 -0500

You two have two masters.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Dec 28 at 2015 11:29 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 11:29:53 -0500

PCS options will be dictated by "needs of the (fill in service branch)." Sometimes, monitors/detailers will work with you. But, don't count on it. Get used to NOT being together if you're both going to stay on active duty.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Dec 29 at 2015 8:37 AM

CDR Terry Boles — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 08:37:58 -0500

I can attest when my wife and I were both Navy enlisted we were able to be stationed together.

Then when she became an Air Force officer and I was still Navy enlisted, the Air Force assignment was elsewhere but my recruiting command was able to PCS me to same city even though it was a bad career move for me.

When I became an Air Force officer, detailers didn't even try to keep us together even though we were both medical. We had Group Commanders, some GO officers, talking to detailers but we only had a 4-month overlapping tour of duty together.

This led to a decision to search the opportunity for an inter-service transfer to PHS. PHS assignments can keep couples together their entire careers, but it too can hurt ones career if not properly massaged. I had the most years of service so I was the test subject to see if a inter-service transfer would be accepted. I was accepted with orders to the FDA in Los Angeles. Next my wife tried for inter-service transfer (it took me 9-months) and she kept trying to the point of no return. Meaning, one has to commit to the PHS for 10-years before you retire, she had less than 10-years before AF retirement and she was perpetually stuck in Pacific AF and her frequency of assignments continually blocked any chance for an inter-service transfer.

So, I said a lot to say being in two different services has been a morale killer for our family. She was looking at retirement in 2017 but you guessed it she will PCS now after only in her current assignment less than a year to a third command job which will extend her retirement by 2-years, she's high-3 for retirement to meet retirement as an O-6 and 18-months in now.

For us, it's not worked at all. The needs of the service comes first. Maybe if both are enlisted there might be better opportunities but for us both as senior officers the two different services do not work together not even when we were both Air Force. As a side note, I know many dual military couples that decided two careers were not worth the Seperations and one got out. I know of only one other senior officer couple both Air Force that endured a career of Seperation like ours. It's been since 1999 that we had a tour of duty together, I'll let you figure out the math.

Ready to retire in 2018 and still waiting on a date for her. I truly wish you the best, it's a tough decision to make when you get those first orders apart.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2016 12:49 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 12:49:48 -0500

I know only, going through the paperwork for a co-located PCS'ING right now (my wife and I are both Navy enlisted), that when it comes down to sea/shore rotation, the SM that is up for sea duty takes priority. Once that SM is placed, the billeting will be found close by for the other, if available. Obviously, service needs trumps all else. This is our first dual-mil PCS, and at the present time, that is all with which I am familiar on the matter. I hope I was able to help in some way.