Most civilians won't understand that SPINS is military lingo for Special Instructions. Yet, those of us with a military background have that special code language that we speak...
Whether it's "OOH-RAH!", "HOO-AH!", "Semper Paratus!", "Semper Fi!", "Off We Go!", "Anchors Away!" or even "Way Cool, Man!", I speak our language. Having gone through my own EDREs, FORCEXs, FTXs, OREs, I've done (or had done to me) the same as you. Plan for something on X date, only to find out exigencies of service require you or your "Significant Other" to be elsewhere and unavailable on the date you had planned for "X" to happen. As we say, "Been there, done that, got the T shirt."
You may have heard of the person who had an actual friend who is at the actual 'dream sheet' palace, where orders are cut seemingly with no logic or reason for personnel moves, yet they give you plenty of notice that the RFO with your name is in the hopper and the assignment/billet is at "X", you know, the dream assignment/billet at the top of your dream sheet, right? Did you ever have this kind of luck and fortune?
Right! Me neither! The assignments person I had was somebody who apparently made orders decisions with a dart board, and who waited until the month before PCS to levy orders.
The unchanging fact of it all is just that your plans are incidental to military service. The good part is that those of us who served understand the time sensitive nature of things, especially the ability to react with short notice or even NO NOTICE activities.
Likely scenario: You've planned THE date a year ahead. 10 or 11 months later, one or both of you get orders for PCS, TAD, TDY, deployment prep, or (more likely now) get your kit bag and move out date are in days or a week. (Consider yourself lucky for the couple of days!)
Yep, nicely put, stuff happens, so we deal with it.
I've conducted more ceremonies for military couples facing this that you'd believe. I'm the guy who can help you when the chaplain has deployed, is busy doing his thing at the base and you want to marry elsewhere and either A: the Chaplain is too busy to help, or B: the Chaplain cannot or will not travel to where you want to get married.
Most Registers of Deeds in NC offer the ability to apply for your marriage license online. Some of them will provide the first certified copy for free. It's worth asking for. You fill out the application online. Then, you go to that RoD office, bringing government issued photo ID, driver's license, etc and proof of Social Security, and the 61 or so dollars in cash for your license and get the license. (I've actually attended the license application with some couples at the courthouse).
We then travel to where your friends and family are gathered to watch you marry.
Down side....the wedding you planned for "X" date is postponed, and we'll do that big one when you return.
Up side. You're married to the person you love, and all insurance, benefits, ID cards, DEERS, TRICARE, etc is taken care of. And we have some time to plan the BIG EVENT when you return.
I perform marriages for military couples, and am proud to do so. Whether at New River, Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson, Fort Bragg, or Fort Macon, I'll be there for you.
You have enough things to stress over. Let someone who's been there before you ease the stress of marrying or committing to your special someone before the ink on the PCS, TAD, TDY, or deployment orders is dry.
