Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 11/27/2006

Question
Hello,

My fiance is going to be going to go to Army boot camp in the next few months. He would like to go into the rangers eventually, but it looks like he might be going to a Tactical Psychological Operations reserve unit for now. What I'm wondering is how us getting married some time in the future will affect his opportunities for being promoted or reaching the unit he wants to join. Are married soldiers typically encouraged to join different units than unmarried ones? Is changing marriage status too soon after entering the army looked down upon? I just don't want him to end up looking less qualified for a job he really wants.

Please help. Thank you.  

Answer
Dear Morgan --

Your fiance will not be limited in his choices whether married or single, unless he has an "exceptional family member" who requires he be stationed near certain specialty medical care or educational facilities.

For the most part, all specialties are open to anyone who meets the statutory and performance requirements for the job.  What I mean by that is, he will have to have the minimum required scores on his armed services vocational aptitude battery (ASVAB), and perform sufficiently well in basic training to get his desired specialty.  As a man, all jobs are open to him, but statutorily, some jobs are closed to women.  Infantry and Rangers are two areas closed to women.

Once he enters the Army and begins his training, he will not be allowed a lot of free time.  As a couple, you need to decide whether to marry before he enlists, or wait until he has completed his basic training and advanced individual training (AIT).  That marital status will determine the permanent change of station allowances he will receive when he finally graduates from AIT and moves to his first unit.  No matter whether he is married or not, the Army will not allow you to  accompany him to his training sites.

Sometimes a Soldier will have a spouse or child that misbehaves so badly in a foreign country that that Soldier gets the choice of moving back to the States, or sending the family member back.  That type of problem can limit a Soldier's potential for promotion, as well as for a security clearance.

Please write if you have additional questions.  Best of luck to both of you.