Going to the Chapel

Congratulations.

Now you are gonna get to have a daughter!

I hope they like AF life.

Yellow goes well with Navy Blue, as does white, red and green.  (I got married in my AF blues so my husband and I matched!) hehe.  I was pretty gung ho. heh.

Anyway, good luck!

 

Ok, what is the song??????

And congratulations!  Mom!

Now you are gonna get to have a daughter!I hope they like AF life.

yes, and I've already put in for a grandaughter!!

He's got his eyes on General. He's making sure he's doing all the right stuff now so that could become a possiblilty later. He's so competitive I don't doubt one day he will get there....Lord willing.

I didn't know you were AF as well Tova. That's interesing. My grandmother did her best to talk me into joining the AF when I graduated HS. She was trying to sell me on the cute navy blue skirts and how cute the uniforms were.

Ok, what is the song??????

you'll haveta wait until after the wedding just in case he sees this. Maybe I'll do a wedding update in May!!

I didn't know you were AF as well Tova.

I was active duty for four years...long enough to get my college money, meet and marry my totally fabulous husband.

If he plans on General may as well plan on making the AF his only career in life...and staying in a good 30 plus years.

I don't want to burst his bubble....most of those positions are saved for pilots....a guy at my church is a retired one star from here....he says 95% of slots above Col. are for pilots. And there is some in depth reason which I heard him give at a luncheon, but I kinda tuned it out. There was much more interesting conversation at my table...hehe.

But there is always that 5% I guess. And who knows, in 25 years when its possible for him to pin on one star...the rules may all be different!

Congrats again!

So I guess lucious lime green and fruit loop pink will be out

you ARE a fruit loop.

and a dress with a pocket sounds like a very smart move. resourceful.

you'll haveta wait until after the wedding just in case he sees this. Maybe I'll do a wedding update in May!!

Brat! What a tease!

Ok, I do understand. I hope it goes off fantastic! Congratulations again.

If he plans on General may as well plan on making the AF his only career in life...and staying in a good 30 plus years. I don't want to burst his bubble....most of those positions are saved for pilots

Ya, right now he's planning on being a lifer. But you know how life can be. But he's very gung-ho so far. He really took to Military College like a fish to water and was in the top three for rank there.

He is trying to figure out how to get into the pilot thing. Right now he's looking at Aeronautical. He's been told he can be a test pilot and they tested him for that I guess but too soon yet to find out where he'll end up. Life is so full of bends and turns. It'll be interesting tho I'm sure.

Ok, I do understand. I hope it goes off fantastic! Congratulations again.

Thanks Doc...new territory here for us. I'm too young to be on the top tier of the in-law thing, but I guess I'll have to grin and bear it!!

you ARE a fruit loop.

Oh yeah? And you're.......out of the loop......fruit!!!

If he plans on General may as well plan on making the AF his only career in life...and staying in a good 30 plus years. I don't want to burst his bubble....most of those positions are saved for pilots....

Yep. The majority of people I know who made General and AREN'T zoom boys have been doctors and cops.

It's all about what you do with your career. Staying in 30 years doesn't mean you'll automatically rise to the rank of General; you have to work for your bars, birds and stars - and if he wants to make General he's almost certainly going to need some combat experience.

Most people make it to Maj, Lt Col or Col and decide that they've had enough.

Where's his first duty assignment? I might have contacts there.

and if he wants to make General he's almost certainly going to need some combat experience.

well.....I was kinda hoping being the MOM that he would see NO combat. I thought being in the Air Force would be helpful in that department. He did explore Marines and Army tho before making his final decision on the AF. I felt there might be more of a chance to see combat then. Already he's got quite a few of his college buddies either over in Iraq or shipping over right after graduation. I think they are all marines or army tho.

Where's his first duty assignment? I might have contacts there.

Well thanks Dharma. Right now he's waiting to see if he's in for the Master's program which he should be finding out within the next two weeks.

well.....I was kinda hoping being the MOM that he would see NO combat. I thought being in the Air Force would be helpful in that department.

Hence the reason why some people jokingly refer to the Air Force as the "Chair Force" and call pants pockets "Air Force gloves".

Obviously there are many men and women serving the Air Force that challenge that stereotype (dharma's husband being a key example). I hope your son will, too. There's no sense in having anyone on the DOD military payroll that doesn't want to get his or her hands dirty.

Congrats on the upcoming wedding. Make sure his future bride knows what she's getting into...military life isn't for sissies.

"Chair Force

never heard that.....I'm sure my son will not take that sitting down.........

Congrats on the upcoming wedding. Make sure his future bride knows what she's getting into...military life isn't for sissies

Thanks, she's been warned but at 20 years of age, I'm sure she has no idea really what this entails. They will be surrounded by prayer.

I'm sure she has no idea really what this entails

I think most women who marry into the military (unless brats or active themselves) are in the same boat. She is bound to find some other wives right where she is if you know what I mean.

And there are lots of opportunities for her to further her education. Wright State is here and it rocks, plus one of the best law schools in Ohio.

The Officer's Wives Club can give her an abundance of resources..like local dentists (which is always good to know, ha!), volunteer opportunities, socials (coffees and ice cream social kinda things) where she can meet other women who have been doing AF life awhile and can pick from women who she has something in common with.

From what kmy neighbor tells me, the Master's program is very demanding and leaves little time for normal family life. So she will need to make friends pretty quick or risk being very lonely.

Of course I am always [email protected] if she wants to know about the area or whatever...

Thanks Tova,

Amanda is very quiet and shy pretty much. Not one to have alot of friends just one or two close buddies. So it's going to be hard for her I think. But she's very domestic with a good eye for artsy stuff, and I can see her doing all kinds of crafty artistic things to make their little home nice. . She might be interested in going to a culinary school. She's really into that. She'll be the one that does the cooking for her neighbors having little dinner parties.

Already the boys from VMI have made their way to her apt for dinner trekking behind Brian when he goes to visit her.

He should be finding out if he's made the program pretty soon. He was told the end of March.

I'll pass on your info to her tho and tell her a bit about you so she'll feel comfortable at least knowing one person when she gets there. Thanks!!

Wright State is here and it rocks, plus one of the best law schools in Ohio.

UD is better!

I'll pass on your info to her tho and tell her a bit about you so she'll feel comfortable at least knowing one person when she gets there. Thanks!!

Sounds good...I am probably an old lady in her mind, but maybe I can help her find some friends or a church or something...whatever she needs, just let me know.

she's been warned but at 20 years of age, I'm sure she has no idea really what this entails.

Give her my email address ([email protected]) and tell her to drop me a line. I'm starting an 'introduction to the military' class for my husband's squadron and I'll be more than happy to explain the basics of military spouseship to her.

Thanks Dharma I will. Are you at WP as well?

We just got news last night that three guys connected to a squad in Iraq are heading home.....STD's. We have a wife here living with her folks while her husband is over there. He's in this same squad but not one of the three. Their wives are furious and there is going to be some sort of repucussion for the men. I guess they are being dishonorably discharged.

I was wondering if that was the norm? Can you be discharged for getting an STD?

I was wondering if that was the norm? Can you be discharged for getting an STD?

Buwhahahaha.

No!  If that were the case EVERY single guy I worked with in Asia would have been kicked out.  And ~gasp~ most of them were married and didn't get it from their wives.  Adultery is a violation of the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) but rarely enforced unless a certain case is made "public."

Have your soon to be daughter in law check out www.afcrossroads.com the spouse's forum.  I have a friend who posts there a bit and she says there is TONS of great info for a new spouse.

There are also classes offered at most bases called AF101 or something similar that she can get when she gets here that will get her a brief overview.  It is advertised in the paper here all the time.

There is also brand new housing here at W-P.  It's off base and open to the community.  Upscale townhomes, but nice if you don't have kids.  (Yards are tiny).  If they get their name on the list for housing they might get one of those.

I was wondering if that was the norm? Can you be discharged for getting an STD?

Well, that all depends. It depends on their prior conduct and if they're married or not. If they are, then they've obviously committed adultery, which is in violation of the UCMJ and in itself is usually not enough to warrant a discharge. Article 15 (non-judicial punishment) is usually given for such violations, BUT....if the person in question has a history of violations or of discipline issues, then yes, they can be given an administrative discharge. Bad conduct and dishonorable discharges result from courts martials and are usually accompanied by some jail time.
So, going on the info you've given here I'd have to say that it sounds like the rumor mill is churning away and people are overreacting.

I'm at Scott AFB. WP was our second choice for an assignment, but a friend of ours who's very high ranking and very influential pulled some strings and got us our first choice.

Like I said, I'm more than willing to answer any questions you or she might have. I've been doing this military spouse job for 13 years, and became a Key Spouse in '99 - and during that time I've seen just about everything. Deaths, births, marriages, divorces, affairs, domestic violence, suicide attempts (and one that succeeded), surgeries, car accidents, kids removed from homes by social services, people being investigated for this and that and the other.....the list is endless.

Here are some pics of cool things to do here. Cincinnati is an hour south and Columbus an hour north. This is Cincinnati riverfest.

Wow Tova, thanks for the pics. I never thought much of Ohio before all this and I'm sure we'll be there before we know it to check all this out. Have you ever heard of Alistar Begg? I hear him on the radio everyday here. I think he's from Cleveland. I would love to go and visit him as well. Also Ken Ham, the Scientist who is the head of Answers in Genesis is coming to Columbus in June. Do you know much about him? If not check out this Link He is my eldest son's favorite Scientist and is the leader in Creation Science. He is highly respected in his field and my son is in awe of him. Bobby would love to work for him one day. He''s coming here to the NE I think next month. I thought I heard he was building a creation museum in Cincinnatti but not sure if that's correct. If it's close enough it would be well worth bringing your son. I'm pretty sure he does a bunch of stuff for the kids.

Like I said, I'm more than willing to answer any questions you or she might have. I've been doing this military spouse job for 13 years, and became a Key Spouse in '99 - and during that time I've seen just about everything. Deaths, births, marriages, divorces, affairs, domestic violence, suicide attempts (and one that succeeded), surgeries, car accidents, kids removed from homes by social services, people being investigated for this and that and the other.....the list is endless.

Thanks Dharma, I really appreciate your willingness to help. I sent a note along to Amanda (she's down south with Brian) and hope to hear from her soon.

Brian's first choice was Edwards AFB but is happy about Ohio as well. That was his second choice. Wow 13 years, I guess your husband is staying in for the long haul. Brian said he's got a couple of friends that will be joining him at WP but they intend to do the four and get out to make better money on the outside. He's the only one I think that plans on staying in for life around him. VMI is probably a smaller version of what he will see in the AF. Lots of politics and stuff going on there as well. He saw Cadets get kicked out for various reasons, some he thought were legit others more politically motivated. He saw how quotas had to be met regardless if it was right or not. He's learning the ropes I think now but I'm sure he'll have much more to learn as he goes along.

Wow 13 years, I guess your husband is staying in for the long haul

He's staying in long enough to retire with a pension that's 50% of his base pay - at his current rank, he can retire at 20 years or he can stay for 24 years and then the AF maks him retire.

VMI is probably a smaller version of what he will see in the AF.

That's EXACTLY how it's going to be. Plus enlisted people and all the problems that come along with life on a military installation.

Have you ever heard of Alistar Begg

Yes, he is great.  Never seen him, but he's on the radio all the time.  Haven't heard anything about the museum.

VMI is probably a smaller version of what he will see in the AF.

Well, VMI is school.  A military college.  And while ROTC programs are great, they don't really touch on real military life.  He will probably find the real military less formal...actually I am almost certain he will.  Lots of AF Academy graduates make comments about how the AF isn't anything like the academy.

You will have to keep us updated and on his reactions to the differences...I think they might be entertaining.haha.

Well, VMI is school. A military college. And while ROTC programs are great,

VMI is NOT ROTC.

VMI is NOT ROTC.

I understand it is not ROTC...however, the AF DOES fill active officer slots from three catagories.
1. ROTC
2. AF Academy
3. OTS

They do consider VMI an "ROTC" program for classification reasons because it is not AF Academy and it is not OTS. Therefore her son will be considered ROTC. And no college, no matter how "military" is the military. The mission is different. The people are different. The expectations are different. Military colleges prepare one with discipline, but it is not the USAF.