You should have no problems remaining a Texas resident while PCS to Ft Rucker. Maintain your DL, CHL, and voter registration here. Use your parents' address as your Texas residence address. (Don't forget to change your DL and CHL and voter registration to their address -- you only have 30 days after moving to do this for your CHL, not sure on the DL. I'd do it well ahead of time). Your state of residence for tax purposes, DL, and all that is different from your "Home of Record," which is where you enlisted from. HOR is a military term for the military bureaucracy, and it stays the same throughout your career -- there are some military bennies that are pegged to it, such as the range of your last PCS move when you retire from the military. BTDT.
As for renewing your CHL, check with DPS first -- I don't see any outs for PCS military in the statute (for example, some states extend the DL expiration to your return plus 6 months), but I haven't looked everywhere.
However, time-wise, it looks like you could might be able to complete your renewal paperwork prior to your PCS, and then just mail it in when you hit 180 days from your expiration. The CHL law requires your class and handgun proficiency certificate to be within 6 months of your
application date (NOT
expiration date). The earliest your application can be submitted is 6 months (DPS counts 180 days, not calender months) prior to your expiration date. For you, it appears your expiration date means the earliest you can apply for a renewal is in April 2010, just after you sell your house (and I assume you are also moving in March. If you move later, even better). So you could attend a renewal course any time from (to be safe) November 2009 on.
As far as the fingerprints and all that other stuff goes, I don't see any time frame given for when they must be done other than the color photographs must be "recent," so I don't see a problem doing them at the same time as your course, and your range shooting certificate (TR-100, I think). You don't even need the TR-100 if you have documentation to show you passed a military pistol course within the last five years. (And don't forget your DPS fee (not the instructor's fee) is waived for active duty military
)
This is what I did for my renewal last year. Because I read about all the application delay horror stories, I completed the course, and prints, photos, affidavits etc a few days prior to the earliest date that I could submit my renewal. As soon as the 180-days-prior-to-expiration-date arrived, boom! in the mail went the app. My renewal was approved in 35 days.
And at only half-price for veterans.
You can double check all this by going here:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... .411.htm#H" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I would call DPS and talk thru this with them, at least if you want to do the course more than a few days early, since this is probably not something they encounter often. Also, last time I checked their website is not set up to let you "apply" and order a package prior to 180 days ahead of your expiration, but your CHL instructor should be able to set you up with all the forms (and they often knock off on the fee for military guys.
).
Good luck with this and your school. Sounds like your are going into helicopters, and that sounds like fun. Best wishes.
