ART spouses eligible for priority placement Published Oct. 9, 2008 ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- One benefit for air reserve technicians is the priority referral and subsequently hiring of their spouse. The Department of Defense Priority Placement Program allows for the systematic referral of eligible DOD employees whose Air Force appropriated-fund civilian sponsor is involved in a permanent change of station. Eligible spouses may register in the Civilian Spouse Placement Program, which is similar to the Military Spouse Program for spouses of military members in the Regular Air Force. To be eligible, the government must pay the sponsors' travel expenses and the spouse must be on the sponsor's travel orders. The spouse must be a current federal employee without time limitation in the competitive service with career or career-conditional status, or in the excepted service (with or without personal competitive status). Spouses may enroll in the program for up to one year and must register at the sponsor's new Air Force duty location within 30 calendar days of arrival. People in the Priority Placement Program are registered and referred in one of three priority orders. Priorities 1 and 2 include those employees who are adversely affected through no fault of their own such as a reduction in force. People in the Civilian Spouse Program are registered and referred as Priority 3 registrants. Therefore, a civilian spouse is referred after all Priority 1 and 2 registrants are "cleared." More detailed information is available at local civilian personnel flights. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)