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jenn -

you are the all knowing one when it comes to military medical spouse issues! i have a question - i think it was answered below but i'm not sure you all were discussing the same thing so i'll take a chance and ask it again! how much of a chance is there that the AF will place us where we want to be (after residency - to pay off the med school loan)? like if we want to be in a certain region of the USA or in a certain state - what are the odds? .....hoping and praying....

thanks!

[DCJenn]

The AF (and all of the services) will do what they can to get you to where you want to be. That said, they will also factor in whether or not they need your spouse's speciality in the area that you want to live. The biggest factor is the more specialized he is, the fewer places he'll be able to go. They only have certain specialities at the larger hospitals. The other option is that occasionally, if there are no slots in the speciality area open, then they are sent out to be generalists. Basically, try to remember that your desires are important, but the greater needs of the service come first.



The services do not want to lose docs but it requires patience and understanding to work within the system. There are ways to move about even if you don't get to where you want to be right away- but it requires some finesse.



Make sure that your husband has a good relationship with his training officer when he starts his residency. That person can help him make the right connections, as well.



Hope this helps!



Jenn