Anyone here have any experience you could share that would be helpful? He's kind of hestitant because he doesn't want to be away from our family for long, but his understanding is that when you become an officer, your relocations and deployments are at the mercy of your command much more so than if you are just enlisted and active.

I don't know much about the navy, although my father was in the military, he was in the army so I have no clue how it works on this side.

Also, I'm a new member here. Good to meet you all. Thanks

My husband is an officer. Since he was never enlisted, I'm not exactly sure how his relocation and deployment decisions compare to enlisteds'. I do know that we had choices for relocations, though not for deployments. I would imagine this is dependent on his community as well.

Officers are on sea duty no more than enlisted

Initial orders are for the most part dictated, and from there you will have a say (as do enlisted guys)

He will, no matter what his input is, be subject to the needs of the Navy for orders (as do enlisted-notice a pattern?)

Officer sea tours are typically shorter than enlisted

Sea/shore rotation depends on community entered (same as enlisted).

You mentioned "our family" be aware that unless you are actually a spouse you have no rights in the Militarys eyes to housing and sometimes operational movements unless you are a spouse. If there are kids involved they will be entitled to things.

Out of curiosity what community is he thinking of? How old is he? Has he talk ed to an Officer recruiter to find out if he's qualified?

like emmom, my DH is an IWO. we have never spent more than three years in one place, but he hasn't been on sea duty since his second tour.

let's just say he's volunteered for an IA more than once but due to some medical issues( and the fact that he's got a pretty high profile project he's working on) he's not going anywhere any time soon.. Aarrrggghhh..
( I love ya honey, but I miss deployments!)

once you get around O4/5 you have less say as to where you go, especially in our community. if the Admiral says he wants So and So to fill this billet here.. So and So fills that billet there.

12 month IAs/Remotes are actually being coded into the rotation now

But like catherine said, each community is very different as to how they manage their people. SWOs do back to back sea tours, for instance.

Thanks for the information. When I say "our family" I am referring to me, him, his brother (he is his legal guardian) and his son. We are not married yet, but we plan to be within the year.

He has talked to some of the Officers in his unit and he is seriously considering it. Also, we are in the San Diego area, although I don't konw that we'd be here when/if he does this program.