My fiance just recently joined the USAF and he is training to be a PJ.. he is going to be starting his indoctrine course in about 3 weeks. Now what kind of life am i going to be looking at for the next year or however long it takes him to get through training and then say he makes it through and he becomes a PJ what kind of life am I looking at for him and for me. What exactly is he going to be doing. I dont know a whole lot about this so if there is anyone that can help me out i would be very greatful to know what kind of things my finace is going to be doing...
Thank you again..

Visit the specialtactics.com website. A good info page to start at is Pararescue Indoctrination Course (Enlisted). This is the first course he will be attending immediately after completing BMT.

Here's a few video links:

Pararescue Indoc 07-005

Pararescue

US Pararescue

Here's a few of the Paramedic training:

Epic Paramedic 1 of 4

Epic Paramedic 2 of 4

Epic Paramedic 3 of 4

Epic Paramedic 4 of 4

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You are in touch with the right guy there lindsey. He will lead you in the right direction. Thank you for your sacrifices that you will make to support your fiance through training. It is a long journey, I commend him for the honest attempt..

Spouses, Family, and Friends Forum on Specialtactics.com This may be useful too.

Nice Vids Johca!

Thank yo so much for the help. I will deffinitly be looking at all the links you gave me. Does it say any where in the links what happens when he is done with all the training? Does he get a break or anything between finishing training and starting his job? We had a cruise planned for '09 but since he decided to join the AF we do not know if he will be able to do that still
Thank you again for all the help.

Im not to sure how long exactly the pipeline is, but i wouldnt bet on him being done with it in 09. Once he PCS's To kirkland (right Johca?) I believe he can take leave between Courses. Or is it Kirtland?

You know what Johca now i have a question to since i am thinking about it. Do all PJ Candidates PCS to Kirkland? Or is there other base opportunities?

Basic Guidelines.

Pipeline Schools:
Indoctrination Course: Lackland AFB TX (10 weeks)
Combat Diver (Scuba School): Panama City, FL (6 weeks)
Pararescue Home-Base: Move to Kirtland AFB NM
Basic Army Airborne School: Ft. Benning GA (3 weeks)
Basic Survival & Underwater Egress: Fairchild AFB WA (17 days)
PJ Medical (EMT-Paramedic): (26 weeks)
Pararescue Course: (20 weeks)

Total 66 weeks and 3 days, but you have to add in travel days.

quote:

Does it say any where in the links what happens when he is done with all the training?

Yes-he gets assigned to an operational unit to perform all the pararescue duties he was just trained and qualified to do.

Assignment Locations in Rescue Squadrons:
o Moody AFB, (Valdosta) GA (38th Rescue Squadron) o Nellis AFB (Las Vegas) NV (58th Rescue Squadron) o Davis-Monthan AFB, (Tucson) AZ (48th Rescue Squadron) o Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, JA (31st Rescue Squadron) o RAF Lakenheath, (England) UK (OL 1, 48th Fighter Wing)

Assignment Locations in Special Tactics Squadrons:
o Hurlburt Field, (Ft. Walton Beach) FL (23rd Special Tactics Squadron) o Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, JA (320th Special Tactics Squadron) o Mildenhall AB, (England) UK (321st Special Tactics Squadron) o NOTE: Under current Special Operations Forces realignment plan, the 320/321 STS’ will probably be deactivated and moved to Cannon AFB, (Clovis) NM in 2008 and activated as a new squadron (26 STS). o Pope AFB, (Fayetteville) NC (24th Special Tactics Squadrons). Note: Assignment to 24 STS is possible after serving 2-years in an operational squadron. Special selection process applies before assignment.

Other staff & instructor assignment locations are available later at: Kirtland AFB NM, Lackland & Randolph AFBs TX, Panama City FL, Yuma Proving Grounds AZ, etc.

quote:

Does he get a break or anything between finishing training and starting his job?

Yes, there is leave options between graduation and reporting no later than date to first unit of assignment. The question is when exactly and that is difficult to determine as there is potential for academic set backs, injury set backs, illness set backs and etc, that complicate the by the in perfect world book guidelines.

quote:

Originally posted by jpratt0826:
Do all PJ Candidates PCS to Kirkland? Or is there other base opportunities?

To my knowledge, the answer is Pararescue Home-Base: Move to Kirtland AFB NM. There is no requirement to move the dependants there, but if the dependants are in base housing at another base there probably is a hoop or two you might have to jump through to keep them in base housing at a base you are no longer assigned to. I don't know the answer, if this is the situation you are asking about.

hmmm so pretty much you are saying that for the next 66wks or so my fiance will have no down time at least not long enough for a week long cruise ... so i guess that cruise in july '09 is out... :-/
i herd they have weekends off, is that true? Am I able to fly to where ever he is at the time and spend a weekend with him?

quote:

Originally posted by Lindsey0520:

i herd they have weekends off, is that true? Am I able to fly to where ever he is at the time and spend a weekend with him?

Yes and no. A possibility during the ten weeks at Lackland, but time off in the way you are thinking is a rare luxury. Pipeline course are not to time off friendly either. Kirtland would be the better opportunity for those weekend get togethers.

However.

There are field days (Tactics, SERE, Medical field problems, etc) so the days off might not be a Saturday and a Sunday.

None of the training days are less than eight hours. Eight hours a day five days a week should be expected and which five days of the week is some what uncertain and it can on occassion be six days if not seven days.

Paramedic phase is not an easy course academically. Lots of math, chemistry, anatomy. You might find even days off will be a self studying day. The training days are typically a full eight hours.

There is off time, but I don't know how far in advanced that time off can be depended on for as far as for planning purchasing of airline tickets. I'm really and truly not in the day-to-day know to answer this question. You would need to direct this to somebody who has just gone through the course for a more accurate idea of when the better weekends might exist. The forum I previouly pointed you to would be your better source of info on this concern.

Pararescue Paramedic Program-Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell

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