Ma'am,

To clear up some bad information being stated in some of the comments your Soldier's EML for 15 month long deployments will be 18 days starting at midnight the day after he arrives in to the United States, for 12 month deployments I beleive they are still 15 days. Contact your FRG/Rear D CDR and they should have some additional information

I did a 15 day EML before the Army extended the leave days at my 8 month mark of a 15 month deployment and I learned a lot from a bunch of the mistakes I made. Here is a list of things I learned:

a. Plan everyday out. I recommend planning two-four days of just the you and your husband to get reaquantied (and do married couple stuff). at the start and end of the trip. The first 24 hours expect him to be exhausted from the trip home (even if he is a FOBBIT) and if he goes outside the wire a lot, expect that it may take him a day or two to completely relax. Don't let him get too drunk too soon because a really bad hangover can ruin an entire day of EML.

b. Taking the GMAT is a good idea. Plan it in the middle of the trip.

c. Try to schedule activities everyda. This way your husband won't get bored. Boredom can be a relationship killer on EML. Heis probably used to constant activity and will want a break-- but doing nothing all the time may cause him to get too bored.

d. Talk to him a head of time and be clear on his and your expectations.

e. Enjoy planning your EML-- planning it can make the time talking on the phone or via email much more fun.

f. Include his parents for 4 days tops--- make them drive to you and I strongly recommend that they stay in a hotel. This way you and your husband can still have your time alone together--- and it creates an end time for the socializing each day.

g. Remember you can't see everyone. All sorts of random distant friends and family as EML gets closer may want to stop by or invite you over to dinner--- don't feel obligated to say yes. Only see the people you want to see. One option to allowyour husband to see the family and friends he wnats to see is to have an open house--- this limits the small talk and possible intrusive questions to one night and leaves the rest of the EML to you.

h. Be active, plan fun activities, and talk to your husband a lot to fully know what you and he want to do during EML. Also, have him talk to the parents to take some pressure off you.

I hope this helps.

Soldier 27

Looks like a good plan!

At ease