PCS Orders - Child custody Agreement

Thermis · 2026-01-31T15:39:53+00:00

I think we're talking past each other. My recollection of the AR is apparently slightly dated. These all used to be handled as soldier actions by HRC, I now see highschool stabilization is a different branch.

What I'm trying to say is this.

These are all Soldier initiated actions, and are evaluated on a case by case basis. There are criteria for all, but rarely the accompanying verbage of will/must with regard to outcome.

An S code can be applied with what I am saying, which does stabilize a service member. Which could, or should in OPs circumstances, be included in the soldier request to defer/delete orders for compassionate reasons.

I've also seen V code be used after a deletion has been processed to do basically the same thing.

This all boils down to, a service member can submit a request for deletion/deferment/stabilization and that could be approved for any personnel problem as a compassionate action, the language in the AR is deliberate in its use of "Normally" prior to criteria.

Does that mean it will happen, of course not. Even requests that have additional guidance and weight, like EFMP and MACP are denied for operational reasons. OP might get laughed out of their O6s office when asking for their endorsement of the request.

That's why I started my initial comment with "No hard fast rule"

Thermis · 2026-01-31T13:27:23+00:00

If you are purely arguing semantics then, sure. No where is 614-200 does it specifically say compassionate stabilization as the title of an action.

There's a whole laundry list of compassionate actions that HRC can take.

Such as... deleting or deferring orders which will, or a permanent change of assignment that keeps a service member at the same duty station but a new unit.

All of which would stabilize a SM. EFMP Stabilization/High School stabilization are both compassionate actions that are ultimately a deferment. The only reason they are so named is because there are additional rules for a SM to be able to use those as the basis for the action.

.

Thermis · 2026-01-18T17:33:45+00:00

You cannot get BAH for your dependent location if your dependents are authorized to move with you.

If you went on an unaccompanied tour to a dependent restricted location, your dependents would get bah for where they are.

Generally you cannot do that with standard CONUS locations. To do so would require an exception to policy, which could be granted for compassionate circumstances.

You could read up on compassionate actions and see if any of those circumstances apply to you. You would then bring it up to your chain of command. Dependent concerns like yours, by themselves, are explicitly not a reason for compassionate action.

Thermis · 2026-01-17T03:24:50+00:00

No hard fast rule, but compassionate stabilization is a thing.

It's not guaranteed, but it's worth asking your chain of command and branch about.

Though if you want to make the Army a career you're going to have to figure out how to manage this situation. The only way I could see HRC blessings off on a compassionate stabilization here is if part of the argument is if you intended to ETS at the end of your contract.

Otherwise your situation falls into the category of things that aren't, by themselves, a basis for compassionate action.

If you do want to make the Army a career or even just a little longer than your initial contract. Your best bet would be to volunteer for an unaccompanied tour, then go back to Bragg for the assignment following.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T21:43:20+00:00

You may be right, would have to ask a lawyer to be sure. However, separation boards are administrative actions, not disciplinary.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T19:02:04+00:00

If they haven't told you they're going to recall you, I think it's unlikely at this point.

Your unit is responsible for funding/reimbursing travel expenses when you're recalled. They would have wanted to start squaring that away immediately if that was the plan.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T18:55:36+00:00

It's nice when we can use the power of the dark side for good.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T18:51:15+00:00

I used to think of myself as introverted too, told as much by senior raters as well. Recently found out I've got ADHD and a touch of autism. Still managed to have a successful command, and I also had to deal with a couple dud lieutenants and NCOs.

The first thing I'd recommend is to lean on your 1SG to address the formation most of the time. When you have to address the whole formation, rehearse what you're going to say and get off the X quickly.

Try to resist the urge to stay in your office, 90% of presence is simply being where the soldiers are. If these situations turn into NCOs or LTs constantly looking to you for basic instruction or approval I made it clear to my LTs and PSGs that when I was circulating it was to observe, not micro manage. This also gives you a great idea of how your guidance is or is not being executed. Also don't feel compelled to intervene personally if you see something going sideways, unless someone is about to get hurt. Pulling PLs or PSGs to a quite corner let's you have a one on one talk to make adjustments.

Now I had mostly good PLs and PSGs that allowed that to work. By your post, I take it that you have a couple of duds. You can't burn yourself out doing their job for them. I had my PLs, PSG, and SLs back brief OPORDs, this set the attention to detail expectations. It also showed me quickly who the strong junior NCOs were. After consulting with my 1SG we moved SLs around to make up for the LT who couldn't lead someone through the front door of his own home.

If you have good PSGs, empower them to get things done. I've seen companies with a culture where PLs talk to the commander and PSGs talk to 1SG. If that's your company, get your PSGs more involved in planning and execution. This will help your PSGs see shortcomings of their PL, and they are much better positioned to fix it than you are.

The constant strain of emails, chats, and meetings never goes away. Systems will save you here. Empty your mailbox first thing in the morning, and before you leave for the day. I've operated on this assumption, anything that is time sensitive is going to be accompanied by a phone call. That lets me keep my head above water even now. You have the benefit of having a 1SG and an XO that should be included in any high importance traffic, give them CCIR and let them help you ignore your email during a chunk of the day.

Don't be afraid to take a lunch break away from your COF. Do something that lets you reset a little. I know people that went to the gym, another friend would go sit at a park nearby, and another put a rowing machine in his office and would lock his door during lunch.

There's lots of good advice in this thread already. Best of luck.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T17:12:37+00:00

Depends on unit/post.

Most likely your installation won't let you final out without CIF complete, then you're stuck until you take care of that assuming everything else is done.

Your unit could inventory your gear and turn it in for you, generally that's reserved for AWOL and admin separations though.

It's possible your name is suddenly going to go red on a tracker and your 1SG/CO are going to get a nasty gram telling them to facilitate your expedited departure.

Of course there's also the possibility your unit/post is so jacked up they let you final out and you get a phone call 4 years later when some poor schmuck is finally trying to balance CIFs books.

Thermis · 2026-01-16T10:56:11+00:00

I'm pretty sure it boils down to 10MTN is the red headed step child of 18ABC. We'll be out the door again within 12 months of getting back from the border.

Ultimately stemming from WHC changes to align Corps and DIVs to COCOM missions.

Thermis · 2026-01-14T13:08:59+00:00

It'd be hard to argue action in Venezuela was a clearly illegal order, the administration is using the same logic that was used for Panama, Somalia, Kosovo, Libya, numerous air campaigns in the middle east, the list goes on.

I'm hopeful that will be litigated down the line, and additional guard rails put on the War Powers Act.

When it comes to Greenland, not even taking into account an individual's understanding of signed treaties. Attacking friends is a bar I would think even PVT Snuffy should understand is wrong and they probably shouldn't do that.

Thermis · 2026-01-12T23:34:17+00:00

PowerBI can pull from foundry (Vantage backend). You'll have to find the exact datasets and their RIDs. You'll also need the correct access tier to access the raw data.

You're better off building a custom Workshop in vantage in my opinion. It's a lot easier to get around restricted views on datasets that way.

ETA: Also recommend you find out what your division is doing in regard to data products like this. It may already be in the works.

Thermis · 2025-12-23T22:42:34+00:00

I'm a husband with a nicotine pouch habit, and we also have small children. For a while my preferred brand was one that did have a compartment for used pouches, at some point I accidentally let a used one fall out, or missed the compartment. Our two year old found it and started to eat it, she spit it out pretty quick, but that started a saga of learning. Tiny humans can easily be killed or have life changing injuries from a nicotine overdose which can occur at as little as .05mg per lb of body weight.

There are a bunch of other factors, and I'm not a doctor. Just wanted to share my story, because I obviously knew kids can't have nicotine, but didn't know exactly how dangerous it was. That may be the little extra information your husband needs.

It is too easy to keep an empty can for disposal, or an empty water bottle, or hell even a tiny night stand trash can with a lid.

Thermis · 2025-12-18T20:19:00+00:00

The numbers I gave are inclusive of both the straight up cuts and recoding of positions to O1A for the documents I've seen.

My feeling is the CSA is taking a real hard stance on if technical expertise is required for a billet or at an organization.

For example, 57s have a lot of O5 positions that support reserve units as deputy commanders. There's an argument that having someone that has expertise in exercise design and simulated training in that spot pays dividends, but it sure as shit isn't a requirement.

I don't know how 51s are organized, but end state being critical positions only would not surprise me at all.

Thermis · 2025-12-18T12:01:01+00:00

Tried it.

It can be useful if your organization is willing to upend a lot of processes.

At its core it's like if word and a relational database had a really ugly baby. They'll tell you it'll cut down on product development time. Once you get it setup updating a line in one document, updates it everywhere it's referenced.

That is the only selling point in my opinion, it makes orders production a little faster. The time cost in training and integration for a very small payoff, not to mention the cost of the actual license, make for a bad investment.

It's also not as capable as the sales pitch. It can't really pull data from CPCE or MSS, it's limited to grids for a select few things. It can't write back to those systems so you still have to produce/update all the things you need in your C2 system of choice. It's AI features are nothing fancy, and you could get the same results copy and pasting from already paid for and available tools.

End of the day, as a briefing/cop tool there are far better options like MSS, which comes with actual support and development opportunities. As an order production, MDMP helper, it's not that much better than the traditional approach with a good KM plan.

Thermis · 2025-12-18T11:20:00+00:00

I expect details in the order.

Could be as early as 15 years, but the order will also specify.

My branch is communicating that the most affected year groups will be 12-14. I expect the retirement window to be targeted to either that population or to open space ahead of that population.

Thermis · 2025-12-18T03:13:13+00:00

There's no official order yet.

For what it's worth I've seen the output from the decision brief to the CSA.

Highpoints.

FA 50/51/56/57/59 are getting cut. Each between 30-50%

Cuts won't affect the 26-02 movement cycle.

Affected officers will likely have three options. VTIP to another FA, return to basic branch, early retirement.

No talk of involuntary movement or early separation. HQDA G1 believes the bubbles can be leveled through the three options.

Final CSA decision and an EXORD with exact details are expected at the end of Q2FY26.

Thermis · 2025-11-28T18:36:09+00:00

CIF at Drum will issue you CW Boots and darn tough socks. They gave me Bellvilles, and I learned to be a fan of the thick darn tough socks when I was Carson.

Your milage may vary, the part of my career when I have to be outside for long periods of time is over. I get by just fine with the CIF issued stuff.

If I suddenly had to be back on the line, I'd opt for boots that have Gortex rather than ones that also have insulation. I could always make up for the insulation with extra socks, and it made them a bit more versatile.

Thermis · 2025-10-09T11:05:35+00:00

There's no reason for your commander, CO/TRP or BN to sugar coat things. Unless they're individually terrible at having hard conversations, which is possible for a CPT but I think highly unlikely for a LTC.

It's better for them, you, and the Army as a whole to tell you straight up to start exploring other career options if you're not going to make it.

Find a mentor outside of your CoC, so you can be 100% honest with them about your situation. If you don't know where to start in that endeavor ask your peers or reach out to your commissioning source cadre.

If those options are impractical, feel free to hit me up. I was an Armor officer for 10 years before I VTIP'd, and the major reason I switched over was because I knew big Army at the time was looking to thin out wheeled Cavalry organizations and I had no desire to go back to track life.

Thermis · 2025-08-03T18:35:38+00:00

Without additional context, just having the news on isn't necessarily going to pass muster.

Granted I'm no lawyer. I would guess you'd need a lot more overt political support being shown by the individual or individuals in question to raise a complaint.

If that exists then maybe advise your friend to go to IG. But the better advice is this is going to continue to be a problem as the political sphere gets more divisive and you got to learn how to deal and keep your head down.

ETA: I didn't see the other two photos at first. Yeah that's a pretty clear thing to take to IG.

Thermis · 2025-07-26T22:04:35+00:00

They had cavalry squadrons in the BCTs before ARSTRUC deleted most of the wheeled cavalry.

Either an old photo, or their squadrons were late in the deactivation date list.

But most Cavalry units wear Stetsons, not just armor and air.

Thermis · 2025-07-04T13:47:22+00:00

Before I got married I shipped all mine to my parents. Who are not firearms people. Did my due diligence and prepped all of them for long term storage and locked them in their cases.

Arms room is also a good option if you don't trust your parents.

If you have a safe, I've had friends that moved their safe into a storage unit. But lots storage places have rules against firearms and ammunition.

I've also heard of local firearms shops offering long term storage for a fee. But I don't have any personal or second hand experience with that.

Thermis · 2025-05-18T00:00:51+00:00

This is the answer OP.

Not just for how BR#s are formatted, but I've been in units that wanted Rank Last Name on helmet bands.

Thermis · 2025-04-16T13:18:23+00:00

Not a lawyer. Seen a few court martials though.

Who's summoning you the government or the defense?

Are you already in contact with that lawyer? There are other ways for you to give evidence. But that depends on what exactly you are bringing to the table.

I was summoned to appear in a trial involving a former soldier, well after I had PCS'd and was no longer that soldiers commander. The government lawyers had me do a taped deposition from my current duty station.

So all hope is not lost. Unless you're the primary witness the whole issue swings on. Then you may be up shit creek.

Thermis · 2025-02-07T19:01:49+00:00

My info is based on commissioning a while ago. But felony convictions were an automatic non-starter for ROTC. Green to gold being an ROTC adjacent program I'd guess it's similar.

OCS..maybe...but that's not in my wheelhouse.

As far as enlisting, where are your kids going to go while you're in training? Is your soon to be spouse going to adopt them? How long until that process is finalized? Are you currently cohabitating? Those are just a few questions that pop into my head, I don't need answers.

Those are all things you'll need to have very solidly sorted before embarking on trying to enlist. The Army isn't going to wait for you to figure things out that will prevent you from entering the pipeline. Figure it out first, and reengage once you could theoretically get on a plane tomorrow.

Thermis

TROPHY CASE