Tour Conversions??

Hi everyone, I just joined this online community today because I have some questions and no one seems to know.

My fiance and I got engaged about two months ago and were planning on having our big wedding sometime next year and for me to move out there with him in July of 2013. Well, he graduates MOS school next month and we just found out today that he is being sent to Japan.

The reason we wanted to wait until next year for me to move in with him is because I am in the process of completing my bachelors degree and wanted to graduate before moving with him, but now I might not even be able to until his tour in Japan is over...in 2 years.

His current sergeants suggested him getting married on his leave before going to Japan so that he could apply for a tour conversion and to decrease his time from 24 months there, to 12 months. Have any of you all heard about it?

I've also been searching online and saw that you can extend the tour and have a dependent with you. My question is, if he applies for this and gets approved, would they be okay with me not moving there until next year?

I'm just very confused about what to do. We were already starting our wedding planning for next year and looking forward to living together, any advice on what to do?

Thanks!

If they have accompanied tour billets available, he can request a tour conversion. If his unaccompanied tour is only for 12 months, my suggestion would be to let him complete the unaccompanied tour and get that out of the way, and the next time, when he's more senior and gets overseas orders, to request the accompanied tour then.

Thank you for the reply. His current orders are for 24 months since he is considered a single Marine since we are not married yet.

Is it possible for his tour to be cut down to 12-18 months?

He can't get a tour reduction. If you get married right away, he might be able to request the tour conversion.

A completed profile is required on this Marine site.

As already mentioned, you need to fill out more of your profile besides a first and last name, site rules....which can be found in the poolee and Ask A Marine forums.

Will do, in the process of modifying my profile.

While he is in Japan you could get married by proxy thus making him a geo bachelor. Tours in Japan do allow for leave. Hell you all could get married in Hawaii while he is on leave then let him finish out his tour and the two of you live happily ever after at his follow on duty station.