PCSing in the US I can handle, but this throws a new wrench into that! We just got our orders to PCS (accompanied, 36 months) to Okinawa (Camp Foster, Marine). Arriving between Mar15-Apr15. My husband has been there for short deployments before, but he can't tell me anything besides its hot and humid and the diving is nice.

What do I expect? How does the flight go (lining it up, etc.?) Does my husband get to fly WITH us (we have a 2year old and a 4 month old and I'm a little intimidating by attempting that flight on my own)? What do I expect once I get there? I've seen a lot of talk about sponsers, what is a sponser and what is my sponser going to do with me?

How's the wait for base housing or is it easier to live off base? Do we need two cars or can we squeeze by with one plus the busing system? What do I need to do for my medical exam and do me or the kids need any shots that aren't the typical immunizations?

What's our limit on household goods to ship? How long does my husband get off (in addition to leave) for the move?

Anything else I'm not thinking of?

I'll check back here but if anyone in a similiar situation wants to contact me or anyone who just wants to offer words of advice my email address is jaymec@gmail.com

http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/82700030713/m/7940049380001

Try reading this part first. I really hope it helps. I will try and get back on later to help answer some of your other questions, but we are on our way out the door to explore more of the island.


Jennifer

quote:

Originally posted by 12078468:
PCSing in the US I can handle, but this throws a new wrench into that! We just got our orders to PCS (accompanied, 36 months) to Okinawa (Camp Foster, Marine). Arriving between Mar15-Apr15. My husband has been there for short deployments before, but he can't tell me anything besides its hot and humid and the diving is nice.

What do I expect? How does the flight go (lining it up, etc.?) Does my husband get to fly WITH us (we have a 2year old and a 4 month old and I'm a little intimidating by attempting that flight on my own)?
Your husband should be able to fly with you. As long as you have your passports for you and the kids already. Also for getting the tickets, he should be able to take care of that to were they lined up. If they is a delay it will most likely be in Seattle. The is a USO there that you can stay in for a few hours so you don't have to rent a hotel. Our flight was 11 hours from Seattle to Okinawa. There was also a 2 hour layover in mainland Japan. It was 2 hours so total 13 hours.

What do I expect once I get there? It is very different here. But it's nice. I have been told that it looks a lot like Hawaii, but I have never been there. So can't tell you for sure. Your sponsor should be picking you and your family up from the air port. They should take you to the TLF and have an appointment set up at the housing office. I've seen a lot of talk about sponsers, what is a sponser and what is my sponser going to do with me? Your sponser is someone who will try and help get your PO Box and get you info on the island. He/She should be able to answer any questions you will have.

How's the wait for base housing or is it easier to live off base?I would suggest trying to live on base first until you get used to the island. As far as I know the waiting list still isnt long. Do we need two cars or can we squeeze by with one plus the busing system?If you plan on having a job I would suggest 2 cars, but they are really cheap here. And they have really nice loans to get. They don't have a busing system that I know of but they do have tons of taxi's. What do I need to do for my medical exam and do me or the kids need any shots that aren't the typical immunizations?We did not need any extra shots. Just the normal ones. The exam is really easy. It's just an overseas medical clearance screaning. Your husband should be able to figure all this out.

What's our limit on household goods to ship?It depends on your husbands rank. How long does my husband get off (in addition to leave) for the move? It just depends on when you get the tickets set up. He has a certain time frame in wich he should have to be there.

Anything else I'm not thinking of?

I'll check back here but if anyone in a similiar situation wants to contact me or anyone who just wants to offer words of advice my email address is jaymec@gmail.com

Okay so I hope that I got most of it covered. If I missed something let me know.

Jennifer

Jennifer,
Thank you! You have been such a great help. I know my husband should be learning most of this, but we're on recruiting duty right now and getting any time for anything is like pulling teeth. I can't wait to get outta here!

One more question that I thought up since I posted, what's with the no-fee passports? I read on one site that they're only for official travel, so does that mean that we'd have to have regular passports to go stateside again or or to leave the country (we've got some friends in Thailand we were hoping to visit while we're over there). And do we HAVE to get the no-fee passports or can we just use our regular passports?

Thank you so so much for your help! Its great having a resource to be able to ask these questions to.

For the passports, yes they are only to be used for your travel to and from the island back to the states. If you want to do any traveling, you will need to have a regualr passport. This also includes both your kids. I am not sure if you HAVE to get them or not. We didn't have any passports, so we had to have them. That question never really came up. But it would be a good idea to have them.

When does your orders say you are to be leaving? The no-fee passports can take up to 8 or even longer weeks. Your husband really needs to try and see if he can get a day off so he can figure all this out. You really don't want to make that flight by yourself. I know how hard if must be, but this island will be a nice retreat!

Oh there are some sights if you google them for your weight allowence. Just google military overseas weight allowence. It should help you.

Jennifer

http://www.usarj.army.mil/information/okinawa/housing.htm

Not sure if I posted this one on the other thread or not, but it might help you on figuring out what you will want to put in storage so that you won't go over weight. I know it's army, but it's the same for the AF so hopefully it's the same for the Marines.

Jennifer

hi i am moving to oki also and thanks for askin those questions but the no fee passport you will need and the shots are really hep-A and i think the hep-C i don'tno they gave me alot of shots but you really need the jev shot or you will not pass. jev- japaniese ensepholitis vaccine. i think i spelt that right. any way there are taxis for you to go to work my husband said it is 2-5 dollars but it is cheap. it has nice weather up there. in new york the nofee passport transport told me you can get in 1 day but every where is different. stay on base if i was you don't live off until the 2nd or 3rd year. the houses are nice my husband sent a tape for me to see. good luck

I didn't have to have any shots to come over. I am not sure if the other branches require it. And my daughter only had to have her toddler shots nothing else. You should really check that out and make sure. I wouldn't want you to have to need it for your branch, and you not have it done. Let us know how everything is coming.

Jennifer

You should get your regular passports anyway, by 2008 they will be mandatory for reentry into the US from the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada.

Make sure you have extra copies of everyone's birth certificates because you will need one for a regular passport (it will be returned) and other things, this way you don't have to worry about it if one gets lost. Also have copies of your wedding certificate. And before you leave he goes to Personnel and gets a notarized copy of all of you on DEERS. The reason I say this is because we moved to Hawaii and our kids got dropped accidently (for the 3rd time) and so he had to re-register them, that took over 2 weeks!

you are lucky man i had lots of shots man. i think i have to get the last hep-a before i can go any where you are lucky man the jev shot makes some people really sick but all it did to me was make me feel like throwing up. but if you are in the army it is required and also a pap smear a must. and you have to pass the efmp test which i think was really stupid

quote:

Originally posted by babystacey:
you are lucky man i had lots of shots man. i think i have to get the last hep-a before i can go any where you are lucky man the jev shot makes some people really sick but all it did to me was make me feel like throwing up. but if you are in the army it is required and also a pap smear a must. and you have to pass the efmp test which i think was really stupid

It isn't a stupid test. They are making sure that you are medically well enough to be handled by what they can offer you over there. You have remember that their resources are very limited and if you have a condition which requires certain treatment that they don't offer then where are you going to get it from??

i really did not mean stupid it is a saying, i didn't mean stupid literally.. if you took it like that sorry but it is not like that i know i have to take them but it hurt like hell my arms were swollen after and i was sick but not to much

Thanks for all the help! We went through our medical screenings, and I got rejected for a cavity (grr!) but that's been taken care of. We didn't have to get any extra immunizations (I took both kids shot records and mine and they were content). And yes, the Marines require a pap smear within the last year but I had one last Feb, so that worked out well.

We also turned in the applications for the passports and are now crossing our fingers it gets here soon!

We got back for the dental screening for the kids tomorrow, and then we're done for awhile at least (its a big deal only because talking a 2yo and a 5 month old to chill out for a 2 hour car ride each way can be tough, don't know how to handle the plane ride yet!)

And if you want to complain about stupid tests, I'm still wondering why my 5 month old requires a dental screening, but I suppose they're just covering their behinds

bump

Ok, I guess we're in this boat too! We've just received orders to Kadena AB and although we're ecstatic, we're also very very confused about it all. This is our first PCS and we don't even know where to start. I've read up everything on here about Kadena/Okinawa/Japan and google'd up a storm. Alls I got now is more questions. Can anybody please give us a heads up? I've heard that you might be given a sponser, but I'd rather be informed myself, y'know? And on top of that, I'm nervous because I might be pregnant. We have to report there by August and by then I might be 6-7 months along so any information I can gather up now will certainly save me undue stress later down the line.

Anyway, my husband really wants to live off base and I understand that it could cost us up to $3000 (1st months rent, deposit and agent fees). What are we entitled to that can help ease the financial burden and when exactly do they kick in? DLA? MIHA? TLA? TLE? I've read somewhere that the best thing to do is to max out on whatever your entitled to for OHA. Why is that? I've also read that they give people who live off base free satellite cable...is that true?

Another question we are facing is whether or not to bring our car. We have a Honda Civic and I told my husband that I think it will be ok there since the car was made in Japan anyway, how much more modifications will need to be made? Its not like they will make us move the drivers seat from the left to right...will they? I know it sounds pretty silly but that really is how confused and lost we are.

We don't have much in furniture, being that we just got married so thats a definite positive. But if I am pregnant, do you guys recommend that I buy our baby furniture from the states?

Well this is pretty lengthy so I'll end it here and hope the PCS experts on this board feel sorry enough for this novice and point me in the right direction. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks

[QUOTE]Originally posted by koryne:
Ok, I guess we're in this boat too! We've just received orders to Kadena AB and although we're ecstatic, we're also very very confused about it all. This is our first PCS and we don't even know where to start. I've read up everything on here about Kadena/Okinawa/Japan and google'd up a storm. Alls I got now is more questions. Can anybody please give us a heads up? I've heard that you might be given a sponser, but I'd rather be informed myself, y'know? This is our first base also. I had just as many different questions. You should recieve a sponsor, but I will try and help also. And on top of that, I'm nervous because I might be pregnant. We have to report there by August and by then I might be 6-7 months along so any information I can gather up now will certainly save me undue stress later down the line.

Anyway, my husband really wants to live off base and I understand that it could cost us up to $3000 (1st months rent, deposit and agent fees). What are we entitled to that can help ease the financial burden and when exactly do they kick in? DLA? MIHA? TLA? TLE? When you get here, you will start recieving the COLA, and all the other stuff. We got our TLA and DLa a couple weeks after we got here. As for living off base, it's really up to you. I would recomend living on base first that way you get used to the area and culture. As for how much it costs, for you OHA, they only give you what your rent is so you can not make any money off of it. $3000 sounds kinda right. I am not sure if the Satellite is free or not off base. Cable is not expensive on base at all. I've read somewhere that the best thing to do is to max out on whatever your entitled to for OHA. Why is that? I've also read that they give people who live off base free satellite cable...is that true?

Another question we are facing is whether or not to bring our car. We have a Honda Civic and I told my husband that I think it will be ok there since the car was made in Japan anyway, how much more modifications will need to be made? Its not like they will make us move the drivers seat from the left to right...will they? I know it sounds pretty silly but that really is how confused and lost we are.

As far as I know they will not move your car. Our Honda Civic is at my inlawas house for my sister in law to drive. We have only owned it for 2 years, so we were more than annoyed that we had to leave it behind.

We don't have much in furniture, being that we just got married so thats a definite positive. But if I am pregnant, do you guys recommend that I buy our baby furniture from the states?


It is a good thing that you don't have a lot of furniture. You are only allowed 2,000 lbs and I think 900lbs for unaccompanied (your essenstials to live until your couches and bed gets there). As for buying baby stuff. They have a furniture store on the Marine base. If they don't have what you want, they will order it for you. They have way more selection in furniture than a refular aafes store does. Also there are tons of furniture stores off base that have some realy awesome stuff. You will also recieve government furniture. So if you are missing some things to make your house complete, I wouldn't worry about it until you get over here and see what your options are.
Well this is pretty lengthy so I'll end it here and hope the PCS experts on this board feel sorry enough for this novice and point me in the right direction. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks



I hope that this helps. I messed up the first post so I had to reedit it when I saw it. Let me know if there is anything else. There is also 3 other threads about okinawa. I will bump them for you.

Jennifer

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

I bumped them for you. There were only 2. Oops. LOL

Okay, talked to my neighbor about this, make sure you pack Shower Hooks into your luggage. When they arrived they had just had a typhoon and there was a waiting list 3 months long for shower hooks. You couldn't find them at any of the exchanges and they don't sell them out in town. Her mom sent her a whole lot through the mail and she just gave them away. But it was something she told me to tell anyone going to Okinawa!

She also said buy batteries all the time and keep water jugs in stock as well. Make sure you have an emergency kit with food, propane, flashlights, etc... so that if you are hit by a typhoon you are prepared.

Shower hooks? really. That's too funny. We haven't had that issue. But then we came right before typhoon season. We have been through 3 typhoons so far, and honetly I would rather go through one of those than a tornado. Silly huh. I didn't think they were all that bad. We'll see how I do when Matt is on a trip. But yes, all of the emergency stuff you will want to have. You can make it like a little inside camping trip. LOL. My husbands aunt said to make sure that you have extra towels and sheets during typhoon season also. Since it's so humid and most of the homes don't have carpet, the floors get really slick. So she would just throw sheets down so nobody was slippin all over the place.

Don't freak out too much about not knowing japanese. It's a good idea to learn it, but a lot of the japanese speak english. I was worried when we first got here, and it was for no reason. As long as you know the basics, you can learn the rest when a class opens up.

Wow, thank you guys so much. I showed my husband this thread and he was very impressed by the willingness of people to help us out. Its comforting to know that there are people that have gone/went through these experiences also.

MattnJenG...I thought the military would ship one POV? Is it just because we will be overseas?

Navywifeinparadise...thanks for the heads up on the shower hooks and emergency kit. I'm always big on being prepared for unexpected situations but I'll take it even more to heart when we get there, being that I've never experienced a typhoon.

Can anyone tell me what do people normally ship as unaccompanied baggage? Also how long it takes for your HHG and unaccompanied baggage to arrive? Can we ship our small TV and my husbands bike as UB? How far in advance can you have your UB,HHG and POV shipped. I feel like it would be easier to go without here in the states rather than overseas so I'd be more than happy to send our things a month or more in advance if possible. Are there any bus systems on Kadena? I've read that on the Marine bases they have The Green Line bus system that is free.

What about cell phones/house phones in Okinawa? At first I told my husband that we wouldn't need cell phones, we could contact family by yahoo messenger or using prepaid phone cards. But then, how am I supposed to call him at work if I'm at home and my water breaks or some other emergency? Will we be likely to be able to get on base housing in July/August?

I understand that we will also have to do a medical and dental screening. What should we expect? What happens if they disapprove us because one of us has a cavity (read somewhere that this actually happened to someone). Will we be able still go if we have it fixed or once they disapprove than thats it?

Thanks again in advance for all your help!