EAD and orders

[PPTninja]

Hokadet, what are your NCOs telling you exactly?

Not to hold our breath. They flat out said not to believe any of the dates we get from AFPC until we have our EAD orders in hand and start travel.

[SemperSicEm]

There are people who are APTs for 3 days and some for over a year. Show when told and assume dates past that are fluid. I got washed back and a guy who had been on station for a few days took my IFS and UPT dates (I took his). Many get to Laughlin (or other UPT bases) and get moved up. As for jobs, they will ask you to write down what skills you possess. Essentially if you have any technical skills or were an engineering major then you'll likely be washing/launching/catching airplanes with maintenance. Other jobs range from shoe clerking to exec to gate guard and you will end up doing whatever is needed most when you arrive. If you can, find a roommate prior to showing and try to get a house in pinnacle (this will mean BAH pay) otherwise you will be put in the dorms with no likelihood of getting out of them. Housing at XL is ridiculous.

You mean the housing on Carlson, i.e. the government duplexes? I really don't want to live in the dorms, but I have to take whatever they have available. I fine with doing any of those things if it means I get a paycheck and get to start my career sooner. Guess I will keep hoping for those orders to get cut on time and go from there. It's hard to plan to fill the time in between if it does get pushed back but...Semper Gumby!

[Murphy's Law]

Never heard of Carlson. There are 4 housing options for students.. dorms, duplexes, on base housing, and off base. Off base is only for married people or open if everything else is full. Dorms are the default for everyone; no BAH. Duplexes are available if the dorms are like 90% full and you have someone to room with (you have to show up with said person); no BAH. If both of those are full then pinnacle (on base housing) and off base housing open up with BAH. You won't be able to work either if you don't already have someone to room with within one class of you. So basically if you are married OR have someone of the same sex (within one class of you when you arrive) to room with you are most like going to get stuck in a dorm with no BAH. Its not bad though, you will be in walking distance of the O'club and its advantageous for studying. If your EAD changes to show in August or January then you have a very good chance of living where you want provided you can find a room-mate or two since thats when all the USAFA grads show and the dorms/duplexes can't hold them all. Timing and luck are everything... just like drops. Try to find someone to room with before you show.. past that there isn't much you can do. Also consider that although you may pocket cash every month with a room-mate or two on base... if your dates change alot compared to theirs, you may be stuck in a lease that is more expensive than your BAH till you are done. Happened to me. They won't let anyone else move in (they would gain an unfair advantage from your experience) or let you move to the dorms.

[SemperSicEm]

"The Government Duplexes" (located on Ciarfeo and Carlson)--the ugly brown houses on those back streets. I lived on Laughlin when I was a kid and those were still married officer housing at the time. I have no idea how I would find a roommate that is female and showing up with the same dates as me so it's probably a dorm when I EAD after billeting. I have some questions on that and the housing issue, but I'll post it under the Laughlin AFB information section.

[Murphy's Law]

Ciarfeo and Carlson are now all UPT studs... that whole area of housing is known as "east berlin" and its where all the house parties occur.

[SemperSicEm]

That's hilarious...and tragically fitting.

Edited March 1, 2012 by FlyingKFactor

[DFRESH]

Good luck getting off base.... And the dorms are tiny... If you can find somebody to move in with, do it. I've been fishing the local market for a chic that needs citizenship so I can move into the married housing, haha. Unfortunately, the local market is no bueno.

[Murphy's Law]

no bueno is an understatement

[SemperSicEm]

Here's my most recent scenario...EAD moved from 30 June 2012 to 30 September 2012. My NCOs found out on 24 May of the change and did not notify me until 2 weeks later after I sent an e-mail asking when I should get the EAD information request for orders. They acted like I was crazy that I was holding onto 30 June as my date and were blowing me off for a week with my question because they forgot the original date they told me. Really sucks trying to get a job for the summer and beat all the high school kids, but anyhow I know that's how this system works as an AFROTC commissionee and you just have to roll with the punches. This month they finally decided to send out a blanket e-mail to our new LTs waiting for dates. My question is...is 30 Sept even a real possibility? Why would they activate me the last day of the fiscal year? My IFS date is March 2013 and UPT June 2013. Would it be more realistic to expect January or February for an EAD date/orders?

Edited July 2, 2012 by FlyingKFactor

[WeagleWeagle]

My IFS date is March 2013 and UPT June 2013. Would it be more realistic to expect January or February for an EAD date/orders?

Yes it would. My dates last year were moved similarly to yours and ended up getting moved to February of this year. My IFS/UPT dates were Feb/April. Lots of studs got caught in the same situation... Find a job or start your masters.

[SemperSicEm]

I can't complain a whole lot. Sitting casual at Laughlin for six months isn't the best or worst scenario...but yeah Del Rio... I get more time to spend with my fiancé and it might set me up better for housing if I don't get an EAD until January/February because of my wedding date. I am starting my masters classes this month and will probably get six hours in by Decemeber if I don't EAD. I just wish AFPC would just say when the EAD would be in 2013 so I can track with that.