The White Falcon - 13.06.1986, Side 10

Services work to assign married couples together
By Tom Joyce, AFIS
When Cupid fires his arrow of love, It sometimes
lands squarely in the hearts of two active duty mil-
itary members. In many cases marriage follows.
But Cupid usually doesn't stop to think of the uni-
que problems inherent In military marriages, one of
which can be a joint assignment.
It's not always easy, but the services have track
records they can be proud of when it comes to col-
locating same-service married military members.
When service members marry outside their service,
the task of getting them assigned together is even
more difficult -- but not impossible.
Discussions with service personnel specialist who
work with joint domicile assignments reveal many of
the same requirements.
Richard K. Hlle, with the Army's Deputy Chief of
Staff for Personnel, sums up an Army policy that is
reflected in each service: "The Army will do all it
can to support joint domicile, but the needs of the
Army comes first." Currently, 85 percent of Army
military couples are assigned together.
But there are no guarantees in any service. None
will create positions solely for the purpose of
assigning military couples together.
"And even if we are able to find billets, they may
not be the most career-enhancing billets there are,"
pointed out Lt. Kathy Buscher, policy directives
coordinator with the Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations. Buscher added that if billets cannot be
found, the couple will have to be separated. Still,
the Navy reports that 97 percent of its military
couples are stationed together.
The important thing for married service is to
become involved in the assignment process. Master
Sgt. Dave Vasquez of the Air Force Manpower and
Personnel Center said, "Military couples have to
share the responsibility to heighten their chances of
becoming assigned together. They need to be fully
aware of the rules and procedures." Vasquez, who
reports an 86 percent success rate with the Air
Force, said getting military assigned takes a lot of
hard work.
A Marine Corps spokesman agreed. "A lot of
times Martnes get married while they are in school
and fail to tell the Marine Corps. When their orders
come through assigning them to different parts of
the world, they become frustrated. In many
instances, Marines get married after they have
received their orders."
The key, agree all services, is to get involved in
the process as soon as possible. Hile reports that if
couples plan far enough ahead, there is a chance
they could be together for training and overseas
assignments. But, because of the military mission,
some separation is expected.
Sometimes the requirements of the services are
so unique that married couples can't be
accommodated. And even though your opening
question to another service member who's caught
your fancy can't be, 'What’s your career field?" it's
a definite consideration.
"It's easier to assign people together when they
are in the same career field," said Hile. “There are
some exotic specialties that are needed only in one
place In the world."
Another consideration is rank. Vasquez said the
higher in rank the military couple is, the more
difficult it becomes to assign them together. "We
also cannot assign one spouse as the supervisor of
the other," he said.
Each service has basic eligibility requirements
for couples who want to be assigned together. Some
of those requirements are unique. Servicemen and
women who are contemplating marriage should
contact their personnel office as soon as possible to
heighten their chbnces of being assigned together.
Pre-School graduation skit
Photo by J01 Howard Watters
Pre-school students dress as cornflakes perform for
NATO Base parents.
10
The White Falcon June 13, 1986