Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 9/13/2008

Question
I'm currently Active Army, and if i want to marry an Active duty marine, how would that work. I'm station in Ft Carson Colorado and he is in Camp Plendenton, California, so who would be relocated and how would that work? Thanks

Answer
Dear Evelyn --

Once you are married, you would have to register as a joint domicile military couple.  Once registered as a joint domicile couple, at your next permanent change of station, the Army assignments person would work with the Marine Corps assignments person to get you stationed as close to each other as possible.

In the meantime, if either of you has been on station for at least 18 months, you can request to be reassigned to a base closer to your spouse.  

Relocation is usually based on the highest ranking person's best assignment that has a suitable assignment for the more junior spouse, but that is not always the case.  You will have to work closely with your assignments person and be as flexible as possible to get assigned near your spouse.  Because your marriage will be across services, it is more difficult than a joint domicile marriage in a single service where you can be assigned to the same base.  Your personnel managers will have to find billets at Marine and Army bases near each other.  That is not as easy as it might sound.

Good luck to you.  Thank you for your service.