First Assignment After UPT

[Hawker]

Did a search and only found a couple posts from 5 years back or so regarding the time between UPT graduation and follow on training. I'll be graduating UPT here in June of 2013 and am planning on getting married shortly after (like the weekend after). I'm just wondering what the current average amount of time is between graduation and follow on training, i.e. SERE/Water Survival/MWS training/etc...? Any help would be appreciated.

[papajuice77]

As with everything Air Force related, the answer is "it depends". Most dudes will hang out at the base for a couple of weeks before heading out for SERE/water, etc. But a good deal of that time is going to be taken trying to get the FSS to generate your orders properly, square away your TDY (especially if you have to do it through DTS), and get out-processed. You will literally be at the mercy of the support agencies in most cases. There are extremes I've seen too... some dudes were leaving for PIT a week after graduating. Others sat around for more than a month waiting for their travel dates. Some heavy guys were even leaving for RTU early, then coming straight back to their UPT base for an extended period of time before PCSing to their Ops Squadron.

Any way you look at it, you are taking a chance. My wife and I planned our wedding for a few weeks after UPT graduation... it seemed like it was going to work out nicely until we had a 4 week flying stand-down at the last minute and everyone's dates got rolexed to the right. Still made it work, but sometimes the best plans can still be shot to pieces by Air Force realities. In any case, I wouldn't sweat the wedding, you should be able to get it done. But don't spend a bunch of money reserving a 10 day honeymoon until you have the ability to no kidding block yourself out for some leave.

Good luck dude!

[yzl337]

Let your flt/cc know early, they can help, but still expect the worst. I graduated on a Friday and was gone on Sunday to water survival. Several classmates were similarly scheduled and had weddings or other major life events planned and had to reschedule them.

[fox two]

I'm currently at the in-between time you speak of. Many dudes got married right after graduating with no issue. Just let your flight commander know a few months out. As for average time, it is different for everyone, some guys left for SERE the weekend after graduation, others have a 3-4 months wait with nothing.

[HercDude]

Uhh, why is everyone in such a hurry to get married right after UPT?

Chicks dig planes.

[10percenttruth]

Let your flt/cc know early, they can help, but still expect the worst. I graduated on a Friday and was gone on Sunday to water survival. Several classmates were similarly scheduled and had weddings or other major life events planned and had to reschedule them.

This^^

You will have a grad flt/cc who is there to field this kind of thing. Let them know early, and plan on the AF taking priority if training dates drop. My best advice is do a courthouse wedding, make it legal, then take all the time you need to plan the ceremony. Buy the insurance on every ticket, and understand that Murphy's Law will dictate that the more effort you put into planning that post-UPT wedding / cruise / trip to Cabo, the more likely it is that your SERE dates will fall right smack dab in the middle of it.

Stay flexible, i hear it's the key to airpower or some such shit.

[hindsight2020]

Uhh, why is everyone in such a hurry to get married right after UPT?

Chicks dig planes.

Dependents screaming over benefits. That's about it. What.. you thought she's kosher with Airforceshitholetown and 6on/6off because she loves you? lol

[TheBigBSD]

Let your flt/cc know early, they can help, but still expect the worst. I graduated on a Friday and was gone on Sunday to water survival. Several classmates were similarly scheduled and had weddings or other major life events planned and had to reschedule them.

Re- echoing this. I had six months between UPT graduation and follow on training. SERE was mixed in but was only 3 weeks and the rest of my time was free. I had a nice break but I had friends that had to be at their follow on date the week after they graduated UPT.

[C-21.Pilot]

You should post pics of your Fiance' before we can give you good advice...

[AnimalMother]

Have you considered signing the paperwork now, and then holding the wedding at a later date when you might possibly have more control over your schedule? I know a lot of guys (myself included) who went that route.

[Techsan]

Did a search and only found a couple posts from 5 years back or so regarding the time between UPT graduation and follow on training. I'll be graduating UPT here in June of 2013 and am planning on getting married shortly after (like the weekend after). I'm just wondering what the current average amount of time is between graduation and follow on training, i.e. SERE/Water Survival/MWS training/etc...? Any help would be appreciated.

I was in your exact situation when I went through UPT back in 2003. Graduated UPT on Thursday, wedding on Saturday, honeymoon cruise Sunday, returned from honeymoon on the next Sunday, departed for WST/CST Monday.

As with anything in the Air Force, as you'll soon learn, make sure you let your flight commander know. If they have enough lead time, they can oftentimes work with you on a later date for training. Doing this sooner rather than later will not hurt your cause. Sometimes they can't help, however most times they can...you just have to let them know.

Good luck to ya.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Count me as another vote for getting it done on paper, and not necessarily coincident with a full on "wedding". It is impossible to account for your time post-UPT. Even IF you're able to get something seemingly nailed down prior to graduation (i.e. have a class date for SERE/school) that is always subject to change with little to no notice. Your gaining SQ/CC will have a LOT more flexibility to grant you time off. I presume the desire to get the wedding done shortly after UPT is to have the AF pay to move your new spouse in the upcoming post-UPT PCS? If so, all you need is the legal documentation and to be married "on paper".

[HuggyU2]

Wait one year after you get your wings, before setting a wedding date.

And don't set that date for at least 18 months after your winging.

[Learjetter]

Wait one year after you get your wings, before setting a wedding date.

And don't set that date for at least 18 months after your winging.

Sage advice. Truly.

[Hawker]

Thanks for the advice guys, yeah it seems like its all different and there is no way to know for sure. It'd definitely be nice to have her move paid for though. Hopefully by doing it on a weekend it wont be a problem. We'll see though.