I'll start by paraphrasing the rules. Then we'll dig a little deeper into the details.
For starters, weather you file joint or separate has no bearing what-so-ever on your specific situation. Each tax filer gets a $250K exemption for the house you lived in for at least 2 years (730 days) of the last 5 years (1826 days) you owned it. For active duty military you can qualify for a partial exemption "IF" your move was required by military PCS orders. (TDY orders don't count). Each tax filer can only claim one exemption in a two year period.
Understand that the exception for military allows you to suspend (not extend) the day count for ownership period and lived in period, for a maximum of 10 years. If you purchased the property as your primary residence and moved in on Jan 1 2021 and moved out on Dec 1 2023 due to PCS orders, you qualify for a pro-rated exemption since you lived in it 699 days as your primary residence. If your non-military spouse lived in it less days (because you married and she moved in with you later) that too will reduce the amount of the exemption. But not by all that much.
Your day count for days you lived in it as your primary residence stops on the day you checked in to a local hotel or whatever, after your HHG's were picked up. Your day count for ownership stops on the date you reported to your new duty station.
Your day count for ownership resumes when any one of the below three things occur.
1. You separate from the military. The day count for ownership starts back up on your date of separation. Does not matter where you may be on the planet on that date.
2. You are PCS returned back to the area. The day count resumes on your reporting date.
3. The day count resumes when you reach the 10 year maximum day count suspension period while still active duty.
Without knowing a bit of history for how long each of you lived in each property, it's pointless for me to continue. For each property, need to know purchase/acquisition dates, move in/out dates, PCS dates, and any more details you could provide that would aid in establishing a timeline for everything.
