All begins on Wednesday!!

[xxrachelxx]

Hi guys,

My boyfriend and I have been together for over 3 years and he starts his 9 weeks basic training at RAF Halton on wednesday and I really don't know what to expect! He's going in as a PTI and I was just wondering if there was anyone out there who is in the same situation and could give me any heads up on where PTIs are usually based?? I'm the first to admit that at the moment I'm really scared about the future :( any help or advice would be really helpful! :)

Rachel x

[FayglexXx]

hey hun-welcome to wags!!

my oh has been in the RAF for a year now as a PTI!! He went to Halton obviously for the first 9 wks basic training, then to cosford for 9 months phase 2 training (which is where your man will go too) the school of PT is based at cosford and the facilities are really good for them.

About 3 months before they graduate, they're asked to put in their posting preference, 3 choices. In theory (!) the RAF try to put them in one of their 3 choices..... me and my oh are from Somerset.... he put down three bases in the south and midlands, and he found out a month beofre he graduated that he was posted to Lossiemouth north scotland!!! After we got through the initial shock, we were both really excited. Were getting married in 9 weeks (!) and had our housing confirmed for married quarters last week, so really excited now.

Where do u live? any questions let me know hun, and enjoy the site!!

xxxx

by the way, i think with the PTI trade, its just a case of where theyre needed they go, as theres only a few at each base (apart from the huge bases-but theres only 3 at oh's new base) having said that, there was 12 on oh's phase 2 course, and 5 of them got their 1st choice, so i guess its just luck?!

xxxx

[xxrachelxx]

Thank you!! That helps! We're from Northamptonshire so there are some bases around such as Wittering, Brampton etc but I don't know enough about the whole thing to know if they need PTIs etc! I guess it's a learning process!

I finish college in June so I'm not too worried about where he's posted as I'm willing to go with him wherever he's needed - but am a bit worried that I won't be able to or something as we're not married or even engaged?? Congratulations on the wedding :)

Do you know how long approx they stay at their first base? I'm still a bit overwhelmed at the minute and so have a lot of unanswered questions!!!

xxx

[FayglexXx]

unfortuantly u can't live together in married quarters unless you are actually married. You can go and stay with him in his room at weekends though!! Were getting married on the 27th june and get the keys to our quarter on the 13th june-exactly 2 weeks before the wedding.

Well a typical posting is 3 years, but can be as little as 18 months depending on if theyre needed out of area or at another base etc. They can put in for a transfer after 18 months if they really want to be transferred els where-but again theres no guarentee they will be posted at their ideal base. so its a bit os a guessing game really!! But your looking at 18 months-3 years per posting.

if you wanted to live together off base when he gets his first posting you could rent somewhere near by together? I think the best advice i can give you is to keep busy whilst hes training, ive had a wedding to plan which has kept me busy, but anything to do is vital!! and enjoy seeing him at weekends as going to see him on base-you'll get to know the lads and its a real laugh :)

i saw my oh 2-3 times duting basic (you wont see him for the first 3 weeks) then almost every weekend once he was at cosford. so its not too bad really.

xxxx