The old post is closed as it was getting to large. If you have a question about moving to Germany please ask here.

Thank you

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Navywifeinparadise,

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Basic Training

Posted Sat 16 February 2008 06:48 PM Hide Post
My husband is stationed at Spang, I'm currently finishing up school and joining him in May. I have been there a lot though obviously visiting. I would definitely recommend living on the economy, the housing is much better. You can get basic furniture and those things when you get there (we still have a bed that needs to go back). If you live on the economy you will definitely need a car, they are easy to find, people leave and sell their cars all the time. Internet depends on city, I believe you can get DSL on base. Trier is a great city nearby, Ramstein about an hour away with better shopping and a Chilis, Paris is 4 hours, Amsterdam 3... everything is pretty accessible.

Posts: 4 | Registered: Sat 16 February 2008

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You would need a driver's license from the US that isn't expired in order to get the USAEUR driver's license. I only paid $10 to get it, but yes you have to go through the orientation and then take the test.

Has your sister found anything online about renewing her driver's license overseas? I know the mainland is so much more updated than Guam. I had to send in my application back home to renew my driver's license in Guam. I had to fill out an application, get an eye exam, then send 2 passport photos, plus get the application notarized after getting my eye exam from the doctor. Along with that I had to send in a money order and a copy of my old driver's license. So have your sister check if there is anything online from where she is at on how to renew overseas.

I've heard it's been done before and yes a German driver's license is expensive for the Germans, it's about 1000 Euros. Translated into dollars that's about almost $1500. Then if you want a motorcycle's license, it's better you have one from overseas before you head over to Germany. Because if you don't have one and you want to get one, you would have to go through the mandatory class which is out of your own pocket, then the license itself is about 4000 Euro. Which translates into something very very expensive

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I know in Oklahoma you can do it by mail. They will send you a license with no picture, and u will just show it with your military ID. She just needs to contact her home state's dmv or dps.

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Thanks everyone who responded. I'm going to forward the information everyone provided to my sister and also call our home state DMV. Hopefully everything works out for her.

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My husband got on his AKO today and it says that his ASK is for Conn Barracks, Beginning of Aug 2008. But the thing that confuses me is that his friend who is going to Europe to is said to be going to the same place. But he's supposed to be moving with his wife in Mannheim. Is Conn Barracks an inproceessing station? Also how long ofter youu info is on AKO do you get actual orders I would like to find out if me and my daughter are on his orders or if we are going to have to try and get them amended!

I hope you all understand this! I think I confused myself writing it!

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Conn Barracks is in Schweinfurt. When we originally got orders in Nov they stated Conn Barracks. Then when we got my concurrent travel approved his orders switched to Baumholder. People have told me it is normal for your orders to change a few times before arriving. So i researched Schweinfurt and now Baumholder. We'll see when we get there!

I believe Hanau was the inprocessing area however I have heard rumors that you no longer have to go there when you arrive at the airport, that you go directly to your duty station.

Good luck!

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Thanks KT. How long did it take you to get concurrent travel approved. I am still trying to figure out how long it will be before he gets real orders.

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Originally posted by armywife_weers:
Thanks KT. How long did it take you to get concurrent travel approved. I am still trying to figure out how long it will be before he gets real orders.

We got the AKO message the 1st week in Nov. I went to all my doctors and my dentist as soon as he got the message (they required an up to date pap smear, physical and I got a dental check up & cleaning). We went to the levy briefing on post and family travel the same day to apply for the concurrent travel and no fee passports. A week later we had pinpoint orders (thats when they changed from Schweinfurt to Baumholder). We are ARMY and we don't have any children together/living with us if that helps you.

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quote:

Originally posted by KT27:
We got the AKO message the 1st week in Nov. I went to all my doctors and my dentist as soon as he got the message (they required an up to date pap smear, physical and I got a dental check up & cleaning). We went to the levy briefing on post and family travel the same day to apply for the concurrent travel and no fee passports. A week later we had pinpoint orders (thats when they changed from Schweinfurt to Baumholder). We are ARMY and we don't have any children together/living with us if that helps you.

Thanks. We're Army too. IDK what all I have to have. I have a 16 month old daughter to. I know that I can't get her a passport with an affidavit from my husband giving me permission to because he is deployed and won't be home for a few months.

So I can start getting this stuff taken care of without actual orders! Do you have to have a dental exam. I really want to wait to go to Germany. I know I need some fillings and such and would rather not have to pay the 30 or 50 percent that I would have to pay here. Thanks so much for all the help

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quote:

Originally posted by armywife_weers:
Do you have to have a dental exam. I really want to wait to go to Germany. I know I need some fillings and such and would rather not have to pay the 30 or 50 percent that I would have to pay here.

Can you clarify what you mean by the 30-50%? My understanding is dental care can be more of a problem in Germany as most dentists require payment up front and then you file to get reimbursed. If you think you need dental care, you might be better off getting it done before you move.

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My husband and I have been assigned to Panzer Kaserne. I have all of my medical taken care of, but I need to know if I need to apply for a regular passport as well as the no-fee government one if I want to travel while I am there? Or will the government one allow me to travel. Also what about my husband? He's the one enlisted. So will we need to get him a passport so that he can travel as well?

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Well, this is a first for me to hear that you don't have to in process in Hanau. But just to let you know if you do have to come this way, the 64 replacement is here where the soldiers in process before they head out to their units to process there. The fact that maybe the won't have to come through here is because they are shutting Hanau down by September. They will be moving the garrison headquarters to Wiesbaden after they shut down Hanau.

Your husband's command should tell him if he needs a NFP or not. My husband already had his tourist passport before he enlisted so he had that handy. But as for the NFP, some say the soldier won't need one, yet, my husband just recently with the others in his battery had to get one. So I wouldn't worry so much about your husband. His command would let him know.

As for you, I would recommend that you apply for both. There are many who didn't travel with a NFP, but I guess it all depends on the orders that are cut. My husband's orders state that all who are authorized on dependent travel and command sponsored needed to get a NFP.

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Ishinault - Yes, you both need tourist passports if you want to travel to other countries as a tourist.

Some dependents will tell you that they travel all the time on just their no-fee passport. While it may be possible to do so, that is not the purpose of a no-fee passport.

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quote:

Originally posted by dekeoboe:

quote:

Originally posted by armywife_weers:
Do you have to have a dental exam. I really want to wait to go to Germany. I know I need some fillings and such and would rather not have to pay the 30 or 50 percent that I would have to pay here.

Can you clarify what you mean by the 30-50%? My understanding is dental care can be more of a problem in Germany as most dentists require payment up front and then you file to get reimbursed. If you think you need dental care, you might be better off getting it done before you move.

LOL IDK what I was thinking it's like 20% but in Germany I know that there is no cost share! That is what I ment!

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For you ladies that are going to Germany I found this cool web sight. You have to be within 90 days to find out your pin point orders but this sight will tell you those and who your sponsor is. Hope this helps some of you.

1 Perscom

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quote:

Originally posted by armywife_weers:
For you ladies that are going to Germany I found this cool web sight. You have to be within 90 days to find out your pin point orders but this sight will tell you those and who your sponsor is. Hope this helps some of you.

1 Perscom

We have yet to get a sponsor. We applied for one on the S-Gate site about a month ago (right at our 90 day mark) and still have had no response. I have heard mixed reviews about actually getting a sponsor. Good luck I hope you get one.

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quote:

Originally posted by KT27:

quote:

Originally posted by armywife_weers:
For you ladies that are going to Germany I found this cool web sight. You have to be within 90 days to find out your pin point orders but this sight will tell you those and who your sponsor is. Hope this helps some of you.

1 Perscom

We have yet to get a sponsor. We applied for one on the S-Gate site about a month ago (right at our 90 day mark) and still have had no response. I have heard mixed reviews about actually getting a sponsor. Good luck I hope you get one.

We're still way to far out as we aren't leaving the states till August. I haven't heard much about getting sponsors and not getting sponsors.

By the way how did you go about getting everything done when his orders showed up on AKO? I went to my DH's unit today and they pretty much told me I can't do anything until he returns from overseas. Which would suck!

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Oh yeah I forgot to put in there that I went to the post office to mail my hubby a box and I had the lady at the post office put two affidavet forms for my husband to fill out so I can get a passport (reg and no fee) for my lil girl. And the lady told me that I don't need to get a reg passport for me or her that the no fee passport would do just fine!

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Hey,

Well I am done with the passports and medical stuff. Now I am just waiting on orders so that I can start arranging our move.

I have heard that there is an office that will loan you furniture. Is that true? Because our couch was seriously damaged when an old apartment was flooded.

Also was there alot of culture shock moving there? I know its alot of work to get everything done to get there, but once you're there, how does it affect you mentally?