Air Force - should we or shouldn't we?

[newmummabear]

hey I was wondering if we could get soe advice on whether or not being in the defence forces is a good or bad idea. I know that like the ary, being in the air force is good pay, provides housing accomodation etc etc, but being 31 weeks pregnant, we're not sure if it'll be a good idea for my DH to join considering it eans he'll have to go away for training and such, and having a baby, well, I really want him to be around for me and the baby, the idea of him getting sent away on training and such scares me, I' not so sure if I can really hanlde being alone since I've never been in that position i my life before.

Is anyone else in the air force with a family? And what is it like? Is it like a norml job, work hours, then come home? Or is it weeks and months of him being away on training and such all the time?
Plus we're forced to live with his parents right now due to financial situations so having a place of our own is a real perk. but we're not sure if the benefit of having a place of our own will outweigh the cost of having him sent away all the time.
Any advice? :confused:

[NibbleCurlynBub]

It depends what part f it he gets into as to his hours and whatnot.
In the beginning, he will probably have to be away a bit.

But my mother, father and I were talking about this just yesterday, he started out in the Army and transferred to the Air Force later (he is an air traffic controller) and she was in the Navy and moved on after 7 years of that.
They both agree that it is the most exciting, scary and memorable experiences they have ever had.
People pay very very good money to have some of the experiences that can be had while training there and if his passion is there, he will thoroughly enjoy it and will most likely decide it was a good thing to do.

With bub, well he will miss bub a bit. Like I said I don't know what the hours are first up, which I guess would be something to discuss with the Air Force, when/if they have an open day or whatnot.. He will miss you both.

But he will be provided opportunities and experiences that just can't be had elsewhere there.

Plus, the healthcare that is offered to those in the armed forces is pretty good. I believe they also do dental. :yes:

[newmummabear]

Im just wondering if it's going to end up being him out having a blast of a time while I'm stuck at home with bubs and barely ever seeing my husband, I've always had a close knitt family and I dont see the point in marriage if he's always going to be off havin fun and adventures while I'm stuck with bubs alone.
It may sound selfish, but, I'd rather him be around like we're actually a married couple than have the only tie to my husband being a fat pay check, that's what scares me. BIG TIME.:crying:

[newmummabear]

he'd want to be in communications/computers, anyone know what the hours would be like with this? We've asked but not even the air force office seemed to be able to give us any solid answers, seemed more like the right hand didnt know what the left hand was up to, so to speak.

[NibbleCurlynBub]

Is he really keen to go?

I'm sure there would be a few options depending on what his commitments would be.

I do see your point though, its completely understandable. :yes:

Gee... If they can't even answer your questions, that is a bit of a shame. Have you had a good chat to the recruitments department?

[NibbleCurlynBub]

See HERE (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/airforce/itAndEducation/) for jobs available in that area.

Most of them say full time, but they DON'T seem to specify what exactly they mean by full-time. :no:

[newmummabear]

yeah we tried the recruitment here in townsville, first place we tried, we asked them heaps of questions and they gave him ph numbers saying they couldn't answer our questions, in the end we spent weeks ringing and we got tranfered fro dpt to dpt to dpt and ended right back to the begginning again before we gave up. All we know for sure is that he was in the reserves so it's only a matter of transfer for him to get into the air force, so all he has to do is put in the papers.

But, I'm freaking out big time, to be honest, i REALLY dont think I can cut it being home alone with bubs while he's off god knows where for ages. I'm 20, met my DH just after I left hoe and Ive never been alone before. So the thought TERRIFIES ME.

So after a few tears, alot of thought, we thought stuff it, maybe we should risk it since it means getting a place of our own and finally being able to move outta the in-laws house, etc etc :ecomcity:

But to be honest, I dont know if it's worth it if it means him going away all the time and leaving me alone at home with a baby, he said he'd like to do it but he said it's really up to me since he knows how much it'll affect me, he said he's ahppy to go either way. but I just dont know what to do!:no::hissy::crying:

[NibbleCurlynBub]

From what I can tell, being a recruit means living on RAAF base in accommodation blocks for a required amount of time.

Can he look into doing something computer-y or studying something like that at TAFE or from home and being in the reserves, so doing both things part time?

[MothersMilk]

I am an air force wife :)
DH does spend a fair amount of time away from home but i'm used to it and it doesn't bother me too much. When he is home his working hours are 7-4 and he gets alot of time off.
He loves his job and very happy - thus i am happy.
I think if this is something he really wants you should support him.
I have raised our baby mostly alone and it's not as hard as you may think.
Also there are many perks such as very cheap rent, free medical for hubby and it is an excellent opportunity for him. Having said that i have seen marriages break up with the added strain of being apart so much so if you really can't handle it maybe it is not the right choice.

[MothersMilk]

I'd also like to add the thought of being alone with a newborn terrified me too but i got though it.
Do you have family around to help? Would you need to move for recruits?
Perhaps it is worth speaking to someone from DCO about your fears so they inform you of the support they can provide.

[newmummabear]

:crying:No, unfortunity, no family, no friends to help or support me or be around when he's gone, it would be only him and me, which means if he gets sent away, I'll be completely alone.

I've been talking things over with him tonight, and he's not sure if he wants to do it anymore considering he'll get sent away alot. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens, and hope it doesnt come to it.

[another1]

Hiya

My DH just transferred back from reserves....he was PAF then he discharged but was transferred back to non-active reserves as per the general discharge then he did his paperwork to transfer back and it took about 7 months for the paperwork to be processed, so your DH might be around for the first few months.

I'm lucky my DH is hardly away, he's on exercise until 2 weeks before our bub is due but he didn't have to go but he chose to but that's it and he can normally get time off when needed for family reasons.

I suppose like most jobs it'll depend on his boss. We came back for the conditions, don't need to worry about job losses (especially in this economic environment) and there is always a roof over your head.

[pennylane]

Hi there,Im a RAAF wife, well soon to be lol were getting married in May.

We have two daughters and hubby is a trainee Aircraft technician.He had been in the RAAF for a little bit before we met but he re-enlisted last year in April,He was at recruit training here in Wagga for 10 and a half weeks before I was moved here to be with him for his year of trade training which is most likely what you will do too as most positions do their year or so of trade training here in Wagga Wagga. I'll be honest,the time apart wasnt easy,as he missed our first little girls 1st bday which sucked but its not as bad as you think it will be.

The housing here in Wagga is pretty good and the rents cheap and hes only been away for a week since we got here (just down to Sydney for a course).I got pregnant with our 2nd just before we got here and were also getting married here so I've had the adventure of trying to plan a wedding and being pregnant and having a baby all in a place Id never been before,but all his friends he's made are lovely and Ive made friends with a few of the other wives who are in the same situation.

Depending on what your husband decides to enlist as,theres a chance he will be away alot,my hubby will start being away more after July which is when he completes his training and we move to our next posting.

You will have to think long and hard if the RAAF way of life is for you as deployments etc' is all a part of the ADF and its just as important that you can cope with it as it is that he can and if you dont think you can then its probably not for you.

If you have any questions feel free to ask me :)

[Seacretsquirrel]

Hey Newmummabear, my DH is in the navy and he loves it most of the time- and that is what makes it worth it. If he was miserable we would look at other options. As far as the pay and conditions go you can't beat the fact that they get medical and dental (just wish the families did too) the cheap rent is great esp with the tough rental market at the moment, and the regular paycheck and job security are also great (although the money is never as good as people think - certainly not all tax free - unless they are deployed OS - it is the rent and other perks that make it easier to survive on a ADF wage) As the others said it will depend on what career path he choses as to the amount of time he spends away, and also where you are posted. From what I have seen with a friend whose hubby changed from Navy to AF he is definately home more than he was when he was in the navy (at sea).
My advice do your research ask lots of questions and determine if you think you will cope.
As far as raising kids goes there is often lots of support available from the DCO (Defence Community Organisation) and other ADF spouses are a great source of support and advice (plus I find the lovely ladies on bubhub have saved my sanity on many an occasion) and the ADF is supposed to be getting more family friendly - they are usually pretty good about time off with the birth it they can (obviously sometimes it is not possible but they do seem to try)
anyhow good luck with your decision!

[pennylane]

I forgot to add as well,they generally wont enlist someone while their spouse is pregnant or has a newborn (obviously you could not tell them your pregnant but thats frowned upon,they like to know those things). I was pregnant with DD1 when hubby tried to enlist and they deferred his enlistment and told us they normally dont like to take people while their partners are pregnant because if theres a problem they have to release them from recruit training which is a huge cost issue to them so they like to wait til the babys about 6 months old in most cases once its born because they know the familys a bit more settled so they dont have men wanting to rush home from recruit training in the middle of the course.

DD1 was 10 months old by the time hubby actually left for recruits.

[bingo27]

The benefits are a big plus for joining the ADF, but it should not be the only reason to join. When your husband is deployed he will be wanting more out of the job than just a steady pay check and cheapish rent. As for joining whilst you are pregnant with a child you will have to acknowledge the fact that he will be away for significant events, if you are happy with that and your husband has a desire to join the ADF for the right reasons then he should do it. In my opinion it is much harder to be the person staying behind than the person being sent away and you should discuss this with your husband. DCO is a good support mechanism for ADF members and there families however they can't fix everything.

[KJEmum]

Bingo27 has pretty much summed it up.. and said what I wanted to say. I don't think it can get any simpler than that. She's covered the bases, the important bits and most of all really .. he shouldn't join if his heart isn't in it. My DH has been in for 18yrs because he loves it .. the highs and lows, the ****ty bosses and nice ones .. but his heart is in the Navy. It's a career not a job.

I also agree that it's harder being the person staying behind. You mentioned
I'm just wondering if it's going to end up being him out having a blast of a time while I'm stuck at home with bubs and barely ever seeing my husband,
Yeh your man will have a blast of a time and you might think .. it's unfair and so on but if you are happy within your own little life while he's away .... it won't be so hard. This posting I have now has to be the best I've ever had. I've got some great friends, we get together outside of playgroup ... even one friend has Singstar nights every month or so. It's good to have the support who does get what you're having to experience day in day out of no man at home. You make friends in your community, get out there and network. Facebook is a great place to be these days with so many defence wives/partners on there for support .. and forums too.

I think DCO (Defence Community Organisation) need to take on Bingo27's last sentence and promote it ... DCO is a good support mechanism for ADF members and there families however they can't fix everything.

[earthfairy]

Im a Navy wife of 8 years & agree with most of the things the girls have mentioned....

However, i will disagree on it being harder for the one left at home...to some extent...

When i first met my DH & moved to Darwin from Adelaide to be with him, i was there for 2 weeks & he left for 4 months. While i only knew one other person in Darwin I had a lovely time getting to know my new home & meeting new friends. He, on the otherhand stressed & worried about me hating it & that i would leave him. He used to ring me 100000000 times a day to make sure i was ok. He was feeling so insecure & was scared that i would hate defence life & leave.

It has always been hard on him leaving me; i am around our things, our home, our photos, our memories - his clothes (that i often hang onto for a week after he has gone so i can smell his smell:o)
He, on the otherhand is on a boat, with 20 odd other blokes, no privacy etc....
I get to have that time out on my own & do what i want.

Now we have had a baby i agree that it is harder for HIM than me. Yes, i have to look after Poppy on my own with no family near & none of my friends here in Darwin have kids. But he misses out on so much.

To me that is the shorter straw of the deal.
I will always be here to see her smile, look into her big blue eyes & watch her grow before my eyes. He wont.
There may be things that he misses, crawling, first steps, first words....

But, he wouldnt do it if he didnt love it. He is doing a job that so many people wouldnt do & i am sooooo proud of him for it.

So, i have to disagree that its harder being left.

Honestly hun, if this is something that he wants to do, all you can do is support him. I hate being a defence spouse but my DH loves his job, is passionate about it & is so good at it. He is well respected & has had some wonderful opportunities that so many people will never have. I would never ask him to leave, i wouldnt want him to resent me later on for forcing him to do something. He is making that decision on his own, after 13 years in the Navy his time there is coming to an end. And i cant wait!:D

Saying that, i have had some brilliant experiences since being with my DH, ive travelled all around Australia by car, paid for by defence, have lived in lots of different & wonderful cities & most of all, made some amazing life long friends.

Think of the positives about what this could bring you.

The 3 words that i always say to myself when i get down about it are....

"It's Not Forever....."

Best of luck to you both....:hugs:

[KJEmum]

I think it's fair to say it's harder for both sides .. from the point of view of the dad .. he misses the 'firsts' and birthdays and so on. For the mum it's missing out on freedom that dad gets and also visits to various ports that you won't get to see ever.

[happychild]

Hi there! I’m a RAAF wife …and I agree with what some of the girls have said so far!
Personally, I was very lucky…DH and I were only going out when he first joined…so when he was away for the first year for training (OTC), we hadn’t started living together (we were going to wait till we got married)…so it was a bit easier for me. However, having said that though, long distance was VERY HARD. We missed each other a lot and I personally found it very difficult (as we were and still are very close). I missed the opportunity to look after him (and of course…also being looked after). It was a very tough year as he was flying around for the course. I could visit, but it was never for more than a week…it was tough.
Then after DH passed his training, he was sent interstate for his first posting. So we had another year of long distance. I struggled again…but we survived…but I wouldn’t lie to you – it was difficult and it required hard work…esp if you’re used to having him physically around. I was very lucky as I had a great support network of friends and family and they kept me busy and occupied while he was away. But I could imagine how crazy I might have gone if I was stuck @ home by myself.
After 2 years, we decided that it wasn’t worth risking our relationship…so we got married and I quit my job and moved with him to his next posting. it was SO MUCH BETTER…and we’ve been together ever since!!! Some ppl say I was silly to leave everything to move around with him…but I’m someone who values relationship a lot…and I couldn’t bear losing DH over a “slightly more comfortable life”. (btw..in case you were wondering, DH was under contract with the RAAF so he couldn’t leave…)
So basically, what I’m trying to say is, my DH in his position got moved around heaps the first 3-4 years. However, now he’s more senior (and rare since most of his peers have quit), he has more say in his posting and where he wants to be. So the first few years (when your hubby goes training) will be tough. I do not want to lie to you. Especially since you’re pregnant and prob need his support the most right now. I think some ppl can manage, but if you are anything like me…it’s very very difficult…for EVERYONE involved (baby, him and you).
I’m pregnant now, and my DH and I have decided that if he suddenly gets posted somewhere (or posted far away for a long time)..he’d rather quit than miss out on our baby’s first few years…but that’s just the way WE are (also cos my DH wouldn’t have difficulty finding a job outside the ADF)…I think you should talk to husband a bit more and see how much this job means to him… of course financially it’s GREAT…but you have all the money in the world but you can’t rewind time…
The other option is, maybe you can move around with him??? I don’t regret giving up my job to move around with my DH, we had a great time travelling and exploring together!!) That way you get best of both worlds? But think long-term….will the training your DH get with the ADF allow him to eventually move out into the private sector? or will he be stuck in the ADF forever? Moving around with DH is great for while baby is small…but I think over time, esp when kids hit late primary and high school…I would prefer a more stable lifestyle.
Hope that helps! good luck with your decision!!

[JJJRain-crew]

Hello all :)
I was just reading through your posts and thought I would add my own and hopefully gain some insight from your replies...so now the pressure is on 4 all to reply LOL.
first I will paint u all a little picture of who I am so that this a;; makes sense later on LOL...Well I am currently a (struggling) sahm, with a 9 month old daughter...My life partner (lol even though we are only 22) just applied for the AF...for a few diff positions...for him he has always dreamt of being a pilot, for us, we are desperate and struggling financially...we have been for years...together and seperately(before we started dating), and only because of the love and understanding of both our families have we survived this long...(even though they themselves are also struggling). And so the AF put us on the list...apperntly that means when a position opens up, my DP will move off for training, most likely at wagga (i love wagga, thats where my families heritage used to lie). I am on the Gold Coast, my DP has been layed off from job after job, not due to any fault of his own, but because of struggling bosses who find it easier to lay off the little man...in my experiance, the Gold Coast job lifestyle is UNRELIABLE...so I will be very relieved when the AF calls (if they do) because...I cannot go on like this anymore!!...ANYWAY...My point, and i do have one!!! LOL...I have a few concerns, as one does...and I would love your input
firstly: Will they call back? My Dp has been down to the recuits office a few times since his interview...trying to move things along...
Secondly: I like my inderpendance and freedom, I am very interested in land care and landscaping...and I want to start my own landscaping buissiness...how do you get your OWN career on track if you are being moved every few years, If my DP is living his dream, I dont want to sit around feeling resentful towards him, my inderpendance is very important to me and if i dont feel fufilled in life our relationship will suffer
Also...this is kind of a strange one... life in the DF community...I am prob totally opposite to the type of ppl that live that sort of life...I am an enviromentalsit...kinda hippyish...well then too I guess my best friend and I are complete opposites...but that makes our relationship real and refreshing! I answered my own question LOL thanks all 4 reading my rablings :) PEACE OUT!!:flowerz:

[JJJRain-crew]

WOW i JUST READ my own post and got a head spin LOL...now I need a cold shower or a run in the ocean ( I cant swim too well so I just run along the ocean floor) LOL...I like it when I amuse myself:iagree::sunshine:LOL

[KJEmum]

So basically, what I’m trying to say is, my DH in his position got moved around heaps the first 3-4 years. However, now he’s more senior (and rare since most of his peers have quit), he has more say in his posting and where he wants to be. So the first few years (when your hubby goes training) will be tough.


I agree .. it's so much harder in the early years at the 'bottom of the food chain'.
If you love your job, work your butt off, do the courses, do the **** jobs and so on .. it'll pay off.

rainjaa you make me laugh lol. I don't know about getting into the AF as I had met DH when he had been in the Navy 3yrs already.
With regards to a business, my friend has her own, it's a sewing business and she makes cushions and alsorts of things but does it from home and manages to cope wherever she goes. A little different from the landscaping business that you're looking at. I guess with the business you'd end up wiht equipment and so on and I'm not sure what DHA would do in regards to moving things and if they would pay or you would have to pay yourself.
I don't think being an enivromentalist will effect your ADF lifestyle. We all tend to be different in our ways but the more hippy the better lol.

Good luck to your man ... hope the ADF pull their fingers out soon. Just keep bothering them I say .. just like you would with a temp agency.

[pennylane]

Will they call back? They can be a bit slack with that,just keep bugging them.LOL

Also try not to worry too much about fitting into the ADF community,everyones different-just do your own thing.You dont HAVE to socialise with the other ADF wives if you dont want to.

I have a bit of a hard time with getting along with the other ADF wives here (Im in Wagga),I have two that I get along well with and the rest I just cant relate to,theyre all about getting their hair and nails done and B*TCHING pretty much lol and thats not me!

Ive always got along better with males then females because Ive been raised by a male so I get along better with DF's mates in the Airforce than the women,which tends to rub some the wrong way. lol

good luck and I hope he gets in.

[JJJRain-crew]

well its official...I am a sufferer of OCD (you all thought I was going to say that I am now officially an ADF partner LOL, sorry if i mislead the people)...anyway...I have OCD and it has emerged it's face as an addiction to BH... o well I am not complaining, at least I have accepted it, and quite frankly it's much better than my previous OCD...obsessive cleaning (yes, i am one of those people) but my daughter has moved the healing process along nicely for me...kids r great like that :)
Yay, I hope I find people as lovely as u all seem if life heads in the ADF direction:flowerz:
OOOO Glad I made someone laugh, I dont usually have that affect on strangers much anymore...i usually just make people feel nervous LOL but i find myself amusing which is great, I have to laugh at myself or else I would probably die of shame, I am ALWAYS publicly humiliating myself (NOTE: laughing to yourself in public will make you seem like a crazed maniac and you will get 'those looks) LOL
Man I wish I was as quick witted in real life as I sometimes am online and msning...u know that feeling when you are talking to your friends and u execute a perfect comeback and feel so proud of yourself...but then your friend completely missed it because they were checking out the gay man candy...and they leave u feeling helpless and alone LOL well thats me HAHAHA...
AS i was saying...
Man there has to be a way to convince the ADF to hand out dental to deserving mothers...after all we are the base of any community...I MEAN COMMON!!! LOL I actually need laser eye surgery other than dental tho...I too will be doing my bit for our country by being the one who plants the native trees for the future generations to appreciate (either as oxygen or recycled toilet paper)...
on another note...did anyone see the news about the beeched whales and dolphins in WA? People were there all night volunteering their time to help save them...If I had anticipated this I could have packed up my car and driven off to WA to help them too...but I didnt, mb next time they could think about that before beeching themselves LOL joking
I think I am running out of space...AND THE CROWD GOES WILD...FINNALLY!!! WAIT ENCORE...NO, OK THEN LOL:ecomcity::wave::yelclap:
dental will be excellent for my DP tho...wen he was 4 he was hit in the jaw with a wipper snipper...subsequently his adult teeth never came through properly...
Hows everybody else tho?? wats happening?
I better go bath myself...usually I make my DP do it for me cause i do everything else around here LOL...i smell like a sweaty pig and no i have never actually smelt one before but if i ever meet one I might have a whiff...

Have a peaceful day everyone :chef:...i hope someone reads it took me agesLOL

[JJJRain-crew]

well this thread just took an interesting turn!!

[KJEmum]

I think I need a drink now lol.

Yeh I saw the beached whales bit .. all saved but one (if I heard correctly). Yes it's a great cause to help if you're in the area but when you have kids and no husband around it's hard to make that committment but I guess any help for an hour or two is good. I'm not sure where they beached themselves, I think more south from where we are here in Rockingham WA. You'd like it here hippy chick, we see dolphins depending on the time of the year.. ie I could be on Rocky foreshore at the playground and surveying the waters and spot two dolphins. It's an awesome thing. If we are all together as a family we get on such a high. One time I wasn't sure if it were a shark or dolphin as only days earlier the man had been taken by a shark nearby.

Anyhow yeh defence community, you can either take it or leave it. I've found some lovely friends and some who I choose not to socialise with outside of playgroup. It's all about making efforts to communicate :) and make that effort to get together. I like happy people not ones who constantly whinge about everything. You've got to find the positives no matter where you live and work on having a good life while your man is away. Yeh have a whinge every so often but it's not healthy to constantly go on about DHA or DCO or whatever iykwim. There is more to life. It's so monotonous being a SAHM at times but you get out and socialise, playdates or be on committees with the school or playgroup and so on. Take up a hobby.

Ok I've gone off on a bit of a tangent there but the thoughts were flowing.

I have to get up and clean now. yipee kyaaaa

[JJJRain-crew]

LOL well..herhumm...my last post was interesting... i was having really good day that day which was a really good relief after my past few stressful weeks...(my DP has been away interstate so I have been able to get back into some sort of normal routine again...hes been at home every day for 4 months looking for work) I like him being around, but not between the hours of 8-4 LOL...
o that sounds really nice KJ, I have always wanted to go to WA...it would be awesome to just hire a big old bus and drive. my family and I all piled into a bus and went down to near wagga for my granma's funeral when I was a teenager...it was such a lovely experiance...the whole town pretty much remembered us too, they were all lovely :) ahhhh memories LOL
yeh, it would be a mish just to donate 1 hour...I'd prob put my dd in a hiking pack and attempt to do something...I could go around and poke the whales to make sure they are still alive lol
hey what is an average ammount of rent that everyone pays for their homes?
we need to cut costs...our house all up is 560/week, we share with one woman and my dp's dad...cant wait to have our own place :smiliedance: well I am going to plant some herbs with my dp...have a noice day everyone :party:

[pennylane]

as a trainee in the RAAF with dependents DF pays $303 a fortnight for our 3 bedroom,2 bathroom,double garage house.Thats the flat rate for trainees living in a Defence force owned home.

Wagga is a lovely place,although alot bigger now than it used to be (DF lived here 7 years ago when it was alot smaller) so the whole towns bound not to remember you now hehe.

But you do know that if your DP enters as a pilot you wont be coming to Wagga dont you?? Pilots dont train here they train at ADFA,and are required to live on base. Or they train at RAAF base Pearce in perth for 34 weeks after theyve completed the flight screening program.

[JJJRain-crew]

o ok. he wont be training as a pilot (we thought he might be) he just missed out as he his highschool english score wasn't quite high enough (he passed everything else with flying colours). He will most probably go in training as a technichian.
I know I have prob already asked this in one way or another but how long did it take from the inittial interview process to actually going away for training and commencing work?
We really need this now, we need to move it along ASAP, we just had our second breech with the real estate and if it happens again we will get evicted, it got pretty bad that we had to get food from the salvos LOL we had one week of canned veg and bread LOL...we are trying so hard to get ahead...i am sounding like one of those annoying whiney people..well i feel entitled to have a bit of a whinge atm LOL ...meh I'll get over it.
I got this really cute dress 4 my dd today its so funny when she tries to crawl in it but it keeps catching on her knees and making her slide around...so cute she gets so frustrated LOL...I dont leave it on when she is crawling tho, that would be creul LOL.
Thanks everyone for answering my questions :) u have been insightful :flowerz:

[pennylane]

oh ok cool if he goes in as an Aircraft Technician (which is what my DF is) then you will be at RAAF base Wagga Wagga he will do 10.2 weeks of basic training (you will stay behind at home in QLD until he graduates) and then 12 months of training at RAAFSTT in Wagga where he will be on a trainee wage,so he wont actually start official 'work' and his proper pay grade wage until your next posting.You'll definately get in quicker now than if he was trying for pilot,they compete with about 3 thousand other people most of the time and its months and months of competitive testing and then training to even get anywhere.DF only had to compete with about 300 people for his position which is alot easier in comparison.

I'll be honest it can take a fairly long time to get in,it took DF a good 18 months because they kept stuffing us around.We thought it was just him they took along time to get sorted but his sisters boyfriend is also enlisting and he applied last year and hes starting recruit training in July so that will be almost a year since starting the process.

It can depend on the DFR office you are processing through though.

Also just a bit of info for you, your issues with your real estate may affect his enlistment,they will do a very stringent check on him and you,including rental historys because you will both have access to the RAAF base and because you will be housed by Defence Housing when you get to Wagga etc,But you will have a visit from a Social worker from the defence force (she will be a civilian though usually) before he enlists ( she will decide wether to recommend your DP for enlistment or not,they do this when you have children etc) and if you explain the situation to her she may be able to make a note of it so its not so hard on you guys.

[JJJRain-crew]

thanks everyone :) It really puts my mind at ease to have a better idea of how long the entire process could possably take, also because our lease is up in 8 weeks and we need to have at least a vague idea of what we will be doing. I would be very surprised if we get offered another 6 month lease after this but it would prob be better that way, we will prob rough it out in a caravan on my parents acerage for a few months anyway so at least there we wont have constant money worries looming over us and It wil give us time to get some money saved for whatever happens.
Thanks for letting me know about the check that the social worker will perform on our circumstances, that gives us some time to be aware of things so that it doesnt become just another thing that crept up on us! We are slowly getting back on track, it is just taking a little longer than we intended, so much information was previously misunderstood in the past which led us here, now that we have the knowledge hopefully we will be able to regain some controll.
I guess now while we wait we need to find ways to get on with everything and pray :)
Hopefully God is on our side! LOL...and at least we have our health hahahahahaha LOL...mb not our mental health though at this present moment LOL...
Thanks again for the insight, you have been very helpful...:flowerz:

[pennylane]

no worrys :) Do you have any idea of where your DP is up to with the enlistment process at all?? Like has he had his psych testing or medical checks done yet? If you can tell me that then I might be able to give you a better idea of time.....

Once he's had his final medical assesment (where they take bloods for drug testing etc ) he'll usually have his fitness test not long after it (where they run the beep test which they must pass to enlist) and then its usually 2 weeks to a month MAX after that and then he'll swear in and leave on that same day for 1RTU (basic training in wagga wagga). But obviously thats if they have deemed him an enlistment candidate.

[JJJRain-crew]

ah yes, he is just in melbourne helping his aunt with her property cleaning after the fires atm, once he gets back he will be back down to the recriutment department and they will arrange for his pshycological evaluation and physical test both of which I am certain he will be fine with (he plays soccer 3-4 times a week and is generally very fit and active...now I am talking about him I am starting to miss him a little LOL)
And if he manages to stay sane and centered with me around then he must be pretty balanced emotionally, LOL.

[pennylane]

lol,ok cool,hhhmm if he hasnt done any of that stuff yet your looking at a bit of a wait as the psych testing is one of the first things they do in recruitment,its part of their initial interviewing process now.So it sounds like his enlistment hasnt even really started yet,generally once you've shown interest in joining you'll have an interview,do some paperwork so that you can get a case number and then theyll call you with a date and time to sit your testing. (he'll be with a whole group of candidates,its like a big info day pretty much).

If he passes that they'll call him with another appointment to go and get bloods taken and a medical check (he'll have another med check just before enlistment too) where they will check his BMI,let him know if he needs to lose any kgs ( u need to be in a healthy BMI for ur height to enlist,though they'll take muscle mass into account if ur super fit etc').

After that he'll generally get told hes a candidate for enlistment,then you will get another date to meet with someone from the ADF where he will do the fitness test (this is the last step in enlistment before they give u a date to leave for recruit training) he needs to run a 6.5 on the beep test to pass.But obviously they have high fitness standards once your in,and more fitness tests he'll need to pass to stay in (if he starts running etc now it will make it easier on him). If he passes the fitness test he'll get a date of enlistment,they enlist at their recruitment office (you can go and see him off) he'll have a medical again that morning-if he passes,he'll be sworn in then a bus will pick him up (theres normally a bunch of recruits there) and then he's off to Wagga.

Its all very exciting but nerve wracking lol,if you have any questions about Wagga and the moving process etc' or recruit training just let me know :)

[JJJRain-crew]

interesting, very interesting LOL
Well he did the innitial group interview 3 weeks ago this went for about 5 hours where he did a 2 hour (i think) aptitude test and they asked him basic questions to determine his commitment (he filled out a basic questionaire), they also gave him a list of the positions which he could apply for based on his aptitude test result and Queensland OP mark. I figured that all this was just the first step in a longer process.
Well at least he has his foot in the door, he is determined to follow this path and I feel posative about it :)
I may have to join you in the defence partners chat soon LOL...
:flowerz:

[rachied]

Hi,

I saw your post and had to reply.

My DH & I are both in the RAAF. I am currently working as a reservist (i was permanent until 2007). We absolutely LOVE the life.. and it really is great.

From when I applied to enlistment was just over 6 weeks.. yep pretty quick! For my DH it was 6 months. So it can differ greatly.

You are lucky as they have recently brought in a trainee allowance which is $8224 per year, which I didn't get when I went through!! So that is on top of the trainee wage. Plus because your DH has dependents when he goes through he will get more allowances than a single person.

I am just going to reply to your original post - as I haven't had time to read all the replies:

Is anyone else in the air force with a family?
Yes DH & I have 3 kids - Aged 4, 4 and 2.

And what is it like? Is it like a norml job, work hours, then come home? Or is it weeks and months of him being away on training and such all the time?
Pretty much normal job. I work 2 days at the moment and its 7am-4pm. DH works 7am-4pm Mon-Thurs, and 7am-12pm Sunday. That is it! He goes away a bit on courses, conferences and stuff, but that is all his choice - he is not made to go.

Any advice?

The joy of the RAAF is you really don't go away all that much. I honestly in my entire RAAF career (6 years permanent and now 2 years reservist, and will be going back permanent next year), been away for 2 months all up. DH has been in for 20 years and has been away on 2 deployments the entire time, and he had to really fight hard to get them as most people really want to go!! :)

The benefits of a RAAF life really does outweigh the negatives! :)

[gypsyrose]

I'm going through a similar situation at the moment. My hubby wants to join the air force and is already a qualified carpenter, but i'm having trouble getting details on where he'd need to do training after the initial 10 weeks at Wagga Wagga.
If anybody might have an idea it would be greatly appreciated :)

[pennylane]

It depends on what trade he's wanting to do in the RAAF.Most of them stay in Wagga for their trade training (RAAFSTT) but some do go elsewhere such as Canberra and Brisbane.

My hubby is an Aircraft technician and after his recruit training,he did a further 13 months training in Wagga Wagga.

[KJEmum]

JJJRain
My brother has finally got a date to get back in the Navy after a 10yr gap. It's taken him 8mths so far. He's had to ring them up numerous times and then get told 'i didn't know about that email' or 'no haven't received it yet'. So many cockups. He actually goes into DFR himself and hands in any documents that he has to sign (gets a copy first). They honestly don't communicate with each other well.
According to one of our mates who does SN (Stores), they are desperate for them .. so why is it taking so long for him to get back in. I don't have much confidence in the system, you have to be on at them all the time. I would agree that all DFR offices are different so don't think just cos the Perth one is crap, the rest are.

For those getting in the ADF, good luck and keep on at them and take copies of documents you have to send back to them.

[Alysha]

Hey gypsyrose,

As with what pennylane said it depends on the trade training. Army and Navy are much quicker options to get into as RAAF is full. They have even cancelled the Yr12 gap year program for the airforce this year because they are so full at the moment. Sorry to not answer your question, just thought that might interest you.

Goodluck with it all =)

[gypsyrose]

Thanks Alysha, i'm happy to get any info i can. He's going in for his medical check in 8 days so hopefully he'll get some more info then :o)

[ariana88]

Hey girls.

My fiance has been bragging out trying for the military again. He didnt get accepeted at duntroon for army officer last yr, so he wants to try the airforce. He is thinking of Aircraft defence guard. Anyone have their hubby in that job? Or whats the best RAAF job that doesnt get them deployed/ or sent away for long periods.

I read they are gone for serveral months of the year, im trying to convince him to get something that would be easier on both of us, esp since ive lived in sydney all my life and everyone i know is here.

Any help would be appreciated.

[pennylane]

RAAF's full at the moment so he wont have much luck there for now,theyre still doing the testing process but he's looking at a long waiting list as the RAAF is very over full and under funded at the moment and it's costs up to and above $1million dollars per member by the time theyre done training.

There really is No positions that dont get them deployed,every serving member of the RAAF is classed as 'deployable'.And i can tell you that if he goes into an interview and says he wants a job where he doesnt have to go away for long or be deployed,he will be struck off the list automatically and he wont be considered for enlistment.

It depends on what base you end up getting posted to that determines how long he will be away etc'.My husband is RAAF & very rarely goes away but thats because he works on a flight training base (where the fighter pilots train),some of his mates in the same position but on a different base are away 6 months of the year.Hubbys away maybe one month to 6 weeks a year max and sometimes not even that (he hasnt been away this yr yet but he goes away next month for 2wks and then in DEC for 4wks).But it wont always be this way.And at any time they could deploy him for up to several months.

Honestly,not to be harsh but if he (or you) dont want him to be deployed or go away and if your wanting to stay in Sydney and not leave your family and friends then I dont think the Defence life is for you.It's ALL about moving around and away from people and it's not for everyone.

Good luck :)

[Alysha]

Hey there....I'm not exactly sure on the title of airCRAFT defence guard...but I know of the airFIELD defence guard (they may be the same)....it was the first prefence my partner had when joining. They warned him it is A LOT of time away...they spend on average 7 months a year out field on exercise...they are a very practical based muster and do a lot of field and ground training and spend a lot of time 'out bush'. So if you're looking for something with not much time away (although it is a possibilty with every muster) defence guard is DEF not the one...
hope it all works out.
Alysha....

[ariana88]

Thanks girls for the replies. I talked to him today, said anything for more than 4 months a year is too much on me, esp since i have everything in sydney. Up to 7 months is way too much. But its the only job in the airforce (and yeh it was airfield lol) that he would want. Plus if he has to wait that long for it, i reckon he wont go for it, he wants to start application soonish. He works 6 days a week now, hardly time for gym.

Thanks anyways girls.

[ariana88]

Alysha. DF was wondering if that leave is all in one go or divided through out the year.

[Alysha]

To be honest I am not sure of the facts, only of what I have heard from DP's initial preference information and friends. From what DP and I understood it was not 7 months in one go. It was a lot of training exercise throughout the year. My DP's training exercises usually go for 2-3 weeks, but the ADGies (airfield def guards) go on these every couple of weeks, totaling around 7 months a year.

ADGies is a very PHYSICAL mustering.....they have an extra fitness test to complete harder than the standard PFT and it is also one of the only musterings left in the RAAF that is not available to women. From my opinion it looks like one of the hardest musterings there would be.

My advice to your DF would be to make sure he does as much research as he can on the ADGies (contact the base to see if he can talk to someone, find a discussion forum etc) to find out what it is REALLY like....so there is no shocks.

As I said, none of this is fact, it's only what I know. Hopefully it can give you some idea though.

Goodluck with everything. :)

[ariana88]

Thanks Alysha. Well that does sound better than all in one go but still he will have to sit down now and have a look at all the jobs + army jobs. He was at kapooka in 06, but got medically discharged and since then wanted and has tried to get in. Last year we were going for officer but due to him not having played team sports lately (cos he works 6 days a week) they declined him! :(

[pennylane]

He will probably have a really hard time getting in if he's been medically discharged from the Army.He should be prepared for them being un-willing to take him.It's not very fair but it's just how they are.\

My DH was in the RAAF when he was 17 (2002),then left and rejoined in 08.He has shin splints,an injury that occured when he was originally enlisted and it flared up when he was at recruit training and they very nearly discharged him over it.The only reason they kept him in was because he was getting physio and was able to keep up with everyone and because he got the injury when he was training with them in the first place.They told him if they'd known about his shin splints when he re-enlisted (they forgot to check his old paperwork and he didnt mention it) they wouldnt have taken him back.

Your hubby will have to prove he no longer has or has any trouble with whatever it was that got him medically dishcharged or they wont take him because they wont want to have to spend the money on him later if he gets ill or re-injures himself if its related to a previous issue.They just dont think its worth it.

[ariana88]

yeah totally understandable. Im pretty sure he was given the all clear last year. In 2006 at kapooka he injured his knee, got surgery, got better, started training again and it hurt again, thats why he stayed 6 months instead of the normal 80 days. his knee is fine now, no troubles since 06.

He said he will really need to get back into the gym. Hard cos he works 6 days, finishes around 6, by the time he is home, its almost closing time. Luckily i put a treadmill on laybuy so his cardio will be at home.

[meant2beamummy]

Hi there,
My DP is currently posted at 1CCS richmond, which is a communications type job. He's currently transferring to pilot, however has been in for 7 years, after recruits.
He currently works from about 7am - 430pm. However a few days a week the first hour or so in the morning is spent doing some form of sport or fitness with the rest of the unit. Friday he finishes early at 12pm, which is great as he can come home early! and when we have school age children, we will be able to go pick them up together etc. :)
My Dp had already done most of his deployments before we meat, so I guess I got lucky on that one. However he DOES go away on exercise at least once, maybe twice a year. The time spent on exercis and the location varies. ATM he is away for a month in a remote location, but I still speak to him everyday, and if he had remembered to take his mobile broadband with him, we could skype everyday.
His BASE salary is about 50,000 however with all the extras and allowances and rent assistance added on he earns more like 70-80,000.
Deployments are very hard, and I couldnt imagine going through that whilst pregnant or with small children. Currently one of our good friends is doing a tour, and his partner is finding it very difficult. Deployments are now 8 months, they never used to be so long. However on his break, they met up in rome and had a lovely reunion, which they could afford to do because of the amount of money he received for doing the deployment. (tax free, on top of salary).However, on the other hand, often you can choose to put your hand up for a deployment. It's not ALWAYS a case of "pack your bags, your being deployed at 0600" also with senioirty comes the choice of posting option. altohugh i say choice lightly here. You will be shuffeled around at first, butthere are many perks. You need to look at postings and absences as a character building experience :) Otherwise its all too easy to get down in the dumps!
i hopt this helps you!