new guy, currently deployed

[speepdaedeesi]

hello everyone,

active duty army guy, over in the sandbox currently. ill be back in houston for good in a few months. cant wait. (ETS)

heres my first questions..

how long is the application proccess on average?

is there anything i can do from over here, online, to get the ball rolling? i see that i can "apply online" through the dps website, but it technically isnt starting until may 1 2010?

thats pretty much it for now.

cant wait to get back home, and look forward to being an active member on the forum here. until then ill mostly be lurking.

[The Annoyed Man]

First, welcome to the forum, and thank you very, very much for your service.

I'm not sure what the average wait times are now, but they have been coming down, and DPS recently released a statement that they have little or no backlog in processing now... ...whatever that means.

I'm not sure what you can do from over there, except perhaps to initiate an online application on the DPS site.

[speepdaedeesi]

new question, then i have to give up the computer (we only have 4 and there are alot of guys here)

i just "started" the application process through dps, but i dont have my wallet with me, so ill have to restart tomorrow.

but... how far back am i going to need to know my employment and residence history?

anyways, thanks for the quick response, and once again, cant wait to be home.

your welcome for my service, but id rather be fishing

[surprise_i'm_armed]

speep:

Welcome to the forum sir. Thank you for your service.
Get plenty of practice with government ammo - you'll have
to pay for your own once you get stateside. :-)

I don't think you'll be able to do much from the sandbox,
but if you are less than 21 years old you'll get the military
age exemption.

What gun(s) do you own, or plan to buy, when you are back?

SIA

[The Annoyed Man]

It's been over two years since my first application, so I don't remember how far back the employment history had to go, but it seems to me that it was something like 5 or 10 years - unless you're not old enough to have had a 5-10 year long employment history. I'll have to go dig up my paperwork and see if I can find that information.

Perhaps someone else with a more recent experience can fill in this bit of info...

[speepdaedeesi]

speep:

I don't think you'll be able to do much from the sandbox,
but if you are less than 21 years old you'll get the military
age exemption.

What gun(s) do you own, or plan to buy, when you are back?

SIA

im 27, and i plan to first buy a glock 23 for myself, and another possibly for my wife. (my father in law is recently retired leo, and he loves his h&ks, something tells me hes gonna try to disuade her from perfection lol.

my first pistol was a bursa thurnder .380, then i moved to a smith and wesson sigma 9mm, and also had a 1st gen glock 19 with night sights and loved the grip to frame angle

when i found out i had to lock up my pistols in the arms room when i joined the army, i sold them.

It's been over two years since my first application, so I don't remember how far back the employment history had to go, but it seems to me that it was something like 5 or 10 years - unless you're not old enough to have had a 5-10 year long employment history. I'll have to go dig up my paperwork and see if I can find that information.

Perhaps someone else with a more recent experience can fill in this bit of info...

actually i just skimmed another part of the forum, and came up with a few answers i didnt have before... if i read right..

the residency check goes back 5 years
the online app is just to recieve your paper application by mail?

[The Annoyed Man]

Yes, the online app gets you your PIN number and begins the process before you take the class. I don't know if it actually speeds up your application processing time in real practice. But be aware that, once you've initiated the application, you have a set amount of time before the completed application with your fingerprints and other stuff from the class have to be returned to DPS. If you apply online too soon and don't get through a class in time and submit all the paperwork, you'll lose your money and have to start the process over again. So check the date of your DEROS against whatever the DPS website tells you is the time limit and take that into account before you initiate the application for real.

[Quahog]

how long is the application proccess on average?

Welcome and thanks for your service! According to DPS' web site, they say it's taking 21 days on the average for new licenses...

[MoJo]

Since you won't be back in country for a few months and May 1 is only a few weeks away why not wait until then to initiate your application? Any application that is'nt complete by May 1 will have to be restarted according to DPS's website.

Five years on resedency and employment.

Thanks for your service - - - never played in the sandbox but did my time during the "Rumble in the Jungle" I would have rather been fishing back then too.

Stay safe!

edit: When is your ETS date? If it is after I get my CHL instructor's certificate I'll comp your class.

[speepdaedeesi]

edit: When is your ETS date? If it is after I get my CHL instructor's certificate I'll comp your class.

oct 29 but ill be back around mid sep but ill pay the normal fee or take a veterans discount. i like to support when i can. by the way, my wife has a ton of family in vidor.. do you have a shop?

i wonder if its worth the headache to apply as active duty... considering i would be getting out so soon.

anyways, back to the grind. ill check back soon.

[MoJo]

No shop well, a work shop at the house - - - Im just an old retired guy who is trying to keep busy. I should have my certificate by the time you ETS.

[speepdaedeesi]

sounds good ill let you know when i get home.

[puma guy]

speepdaedeesi
Thanks for your service. You're on our prayer list.

[A-R]

speepdaedeesi

Honestly and sincerely thank you for your service. Come home safe; come home soon.

By the way, what part of state will you call home when you return?