Staying with the spouse

[bobby_chamo]

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Hello again 🙂

If I enter the military to do my residency, and I have a wife that is a nurse who wants to enter also, is there a way that we can stay together and work at the same base?

Whom would I contact to get a very solid answer on this?

Thank you,

 

[texdrake]

Yep. In fact some are very accomodating.

One I know of for sure is the army hospital, William Beaumont in El Paso. Now I am not a huge fan of El Paso but They have a pretty expansive program there for nurseing and physicians (and PT's I think). Best part is that it is a mixed residency program so they take non military as well. So if one of you was in the military and the other wasn't you could still work at the same place. Check them out.

 

[Navy Dive Doc]

Two active duty military personnel who are married are supposed to be co-located, meaning at the same duty station or duty stations within a certain distance of one another (50 miles?, I can't recall). A physician and a nurse in the same branch (i.e. both Navy/Army/AF) would be a very easy colocation and should not be a problem.
The big problems come when you have an Army pilot married to a Navy Submarine Officer or some other strange combination, sometimes they just can't be located together without destroying someone's career. BUt a nurse/physician combo, no problem.
DD

 

[militarymd]

The only guaranteed way of staying together is for one of you to be a civilian who will need to job hunt each time you move. If your spouse is a nurse, that should not be a problem.

Co-location is not a guarantee....there are many medical types (md/md...md/nurse.....whatever couples) that should have no problems in finding co-location billets who don't get it.

I have a colleaque who is finishing residency right now, and his spouse is a nurse....they are not getting co-located...the spouse is getting out.

I was separated for 4 years because the detailers did not offer co-location orders.....PM me if you have questions about this particular issue.

 

[Navy Dive Doc]

I stand corrected, as always MiltaryMD, it seems you've received the Royal Screwing from the Military on every possible subject. Listen up people, he's seen the dark side. I've seen the flip side, where a Navy DMO and an Army pediatrician actually managed to be co-located for 2 different tours, and the DMO community and therefore billet list is pretty small. Anyway, I guess co-location isn't all it's said to be. I keep looking over my shoulder expecting to spot the evil Military Machine hunting me down...
DD

 

[Alli Cat]

I don't have the experience of MilitaryMD, but I did look into this subject a lot last year... from what THEY tell us, co-location is attepted in every possible situation. True, it's not a guarantee, but they know that if you're pissed off about being apart from your spouse, you're not going to stick around in the military for very long. I have heard that one career or the other can be kind of stymied by being stationed somewhere less than ideal. This is something to consider... but it all depends on your goals in the military and for yourself as a physician. Some people would be happy being a GP anywhere, while others have very particular goals.

I recommend you read "Married to the Military." There's a good deal in there about how to deal with being separated from your spouse for long periods of time, and how to be flexible.

I guess flexibility is what it's all about. Do some google searches about co-location and your particular branch. I found a big, long AF document a year ago when I was looking.

hth, Alli

 

[r90t]

keep her out of the service. All hospitals are short RN's and she can find a job on base, if that is what you want. Co-location is on the wishlist and can be locations 120 miles apart. I have had couples live apart for 3+years due to colocation problems.