Recruit's Wife - So many questions!

First let me start out by saying hello! There wasn't an option for Recruit's Wife when signing up, I'll be a Marine Wife April 13th. My husband and I have been married for 6.5 years. He has always dreamed of joining the Marine Corps but his weight has always been a factor. At the age of 25 he realized if he didn't step it up he would lose his dream forever. Over the course of 2 years he lost 140lbs for the chance to become a Marine. On January 17th he shipped to MCRD San Diego and I'm one proud wife. :)

Now for the questions. We were told I could get my ID on any base or at any ID issuing office starting at 30 days into boot. That date has now come and gone. I went to Randolph Air Force Base yesterday and was told my General Power of Attorney was not specific enough for me to receive an ID or be enrolled into DEERS. Can I mail my husband the DD 1172-2 form to sign? Would he be allowed to go to legal to have this form notarized?

My other question is this: We were also told that he enrolled me in DEERS at MEPS before he left. Obviously, this never happened because when I called Tri-Care they had no record of me and transferred me to DEERS who also had no record. Legal at Randolph was completely unwilling to help me since my husband was not present.

None of this would be a huge deal to me, if I weren't 7 months pregnant. I need the medical! I had a job with great insurance before he left, but it was more financial beneficial for me to quit, move, and live with my parents for 6 months while he was off. We worked hard saving every penny and of course I have plenty to live on but we also felt comfortable being told that all of this BAH, Tri-Care, DEERS mess would be easy to handle since we had a Power of Attorney.

Does anyone know if there is another way to obtain entry into the DEERS system without him being present? Does anyone think I should just try and find a different ID office and see if the one on the base I went to were just being sticklers that day? I'm kind of stuck in a strange predicament and I don't know where to go from here.

Thank you!

DEERS is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside of an enigma (with apologies to Winston Churchill). Dealing with the Air Force bureaucracy is also a joy (as you've discovered).

I suggest a PM to member Parks. She is a separations clerk, but she seems to have a good grip on Marine admin in general. Hopefully Parks can help you out.

Just wanna say, best of luck to you and your husband. I would write him about talking to his senior DI, as this is something that maybe he would be able to help with.. ya never know.

Thank you both! I actually just decided that I was dealing with someone crabby yesterday and thought I should take my AF NCO buddy with me to the AF base. ;) I got my ID sorted and Praise the Lord am enrolled in TriCare now. Thank you so much again!!

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Originally Posted by Yonkers

Just wanna say, best of luck to you and your husband. I would write him about talking to his senior DI, as this is something that maybe he would be able to help with.. ya never know.

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+1 on the Senior DI as a resource, but see if you can contact someone by phone as if you are in your 7th month of pregnancy you and the baby have obvious needs. With these circumstances you will not be bothering anyone as leadership has the job of helping those with family matters while they attend boot camp.

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Originally Posted by Echandler

Thank you both! I actually just decided that I was dealing with someone crabby yesterday and thought I should take my AF NCO buddy with me to the AF base. ;) I got my ID sorted and Praise the Lord am enrolled in TriCare now. Thank you so much again!!

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I'm glad it all worked out. It really helps to have a knowledgeable guide the first few times through the military system. They know when and how to call "BS" on something.

With 14-years of experience dealing with the Air Force, I would have to place them as the most lazy, bureaucratic branch of the military.