Just Got Orders To Go To Japan

[AMARINELOVESME]

Hello Everyone,
I just found out that my husband is going to Japan end of next month and his orders say that I can go with him. But I have a couple of questions... Sorry, I'm still new to the whole military way of life, so forgive me if i sound really dumb to it all... I guess there is a rather long waiting list for housing, up to a year, so what does that mean for us? If i wait to go over there for base housing do we get penalized for that? if we are still waiting for base housing does he get a room over there and bah?
~any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks :)

[mpwildes]

Well first I would ask what his rank is? Second I have never seen th e housing list that long in Oki. The three years I was there (I left last year) All the Married Marines I knew to include myself moved right in. It could be different now or even base dependent. I know know they made a rule that which ever base you work is where you will live. There use to be a choice. BAH is changing overseas too so I do not know the rules on it anymore.

[horselady]

Omedetoh gozaimasu. That's congratulations in Japanese.

What a great assignment. I studied and worked in Japan
for 2 years and found the people to be very warm and friendly.

I used to be fairly fluent in Japanese, so if you want
any help with the language or customs, let me know.

[AMARINELOVESME]

mpwildes- he is an e-4, but we don't know which base exactly he is going to... he thinks that it might be going to mcas fatenma (i know that is spelled very wrong)since he is in the air wing.

horselady- thank you :) i am very excited, but do not really know anything about the language or the customs... so anything that you think would be of great importance will help a lot, especially since i don't have the wait time that i thought that i did.

have a great day! :)

[mpwildes]

Well depemding on what his job is in the air wing he will either be on Futenma or Foster. Either way there is no base housing on MCAS Futenma so you will be living on Camp Foster.


Here is a good link to housing on okinawa if you have not seen this yet


http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/Living%20on%20Okinawa/Housing%20Page.html#Anchor6

[AMARINELOVESME]

mpwildes- thanks for the info. i am very excited. you said that you are married right? how did your wife like living over there?

[mpwildes]

she loved it but she is active duty as well. We both talk about going back all the time. It was a great place to be.

[GySgtRet]

Do you have any munchkins...??? It is very safe there for them. If you don't thats ok too. I made three tours to Okinawa and was stationed at Futenma three times. The ground support unit that I was with did move to Camp Foster. If he is with a flying squadron he will definately be at Futenma. Are these command sponsored orders for your husband. If so the units usually will assign a command sponsor to show you around and get you settled in. Can I go with you? LOL My family and I loved it there. Have a good tour.

[AMARINELOVESME]

GySgt- no munchkins yet... and both of our parents, who live in california, made us promise not to have any while we are there, but i guess we'll see :) it looks as if the orders are for futenma. his dad siad that there isn't any housing there, but that we should end up somewhere close... i hope there is a sponsor... i've been reading about them and we really need someone to help us out... if you want to come with us that would be awesome :) we could use all the help we can get... i just have a million questions and i can't make it out to the relocation assistance office to get them answered...
thanks for all your help :)
have a great day!

[GySgtRet]

I am not familiar with where in Cali you are located. Are you near any Marine Corps installations...??? From Futenma you will probably go to Camp Kinser to the south in the towers. They are 9 stories tall and every building has a mayor of sorts. You may wind up getting single family housing but that is doubtfull. Since you have a internet connection you may be able to look up housing here in the states so you can get a handle on things. I glad to hear that it is accompanied. Do you know when you will be departing the US...??? Depending on the lead time involved planning will be part of the fun. I gives you a chance to throw away old stuff that you haven't used or at least store it. I am sure that your Marin's new command will know that he is inbound and will contact you both with the Welcome Aboard package, at least that is what used to happen..

[AMARINELOVESME]

GySgt- we are both in southern cal, he's at 29 palms and i live out more towards san bernardino area... he has to report on aug 24, which gives him a month to get things all together... i did pick up a welcome aboard pacakge from the relocation dept here and it has sooo much information that i am still picking through it after 3 days!!!

[GySgtRet]

I am excited for both of you. Now you need to get your household items in order. An express shipment for things that you will need when you get there. Unknown to me what that should be. If you like TV then I guess it would be items like that. This shipment is retricted to about 800 lbs. Then there maybe a restriction on furnishings and you may need to get them stored till you return from OCONUS. Most of the quarters on board Okinawa are furnished, washer and dryer, dishwasher, etc... If you live in towers, there are many they have washer and dryers setup like a laudramat. Try and fine out what unit so you can make contact. If your lucky and you can get their (DSN phone number) go to an installation and call the sponsor. Don't forget they are on Japan Standard time. Good luck and let us know how things are going.

[Sixguns]

GO! The best part of being married is experiencing things together. Even if he deploys from there, you are going to enjoy it. You may not get the chance to see that part of the world. Take advantage of it. I think it will be healthier for your marriage to try to go, but I am divorced so what do I know?

[quillhill]

My best friend's sister and brother in law went to Okinawa for four years when he was sent over there after she finished college.
Becky (the sis) loved it. She taught English. They had two kids while in Japan. Matt, a helicopter pilot, was deployed for a year to the Middle East (still don't know if he was in Iraq or Afghanistan). Now they're in Pensacola. Matt was rewarded with a flight instructor job there teaching Marines, I guess, how to fly helicopters.
I've actually been trying to get in touch with them. They've been back in CONUS for about 18 months now. It's amazing...it seems like just a few months ago they were leaving for Japan.
I hope you enjoy this next stage in your life married to a Marine. It sounds like it could be very rewarding.

[AMARINELOVESME]

GySgt- yeah i am going through the tmo stuff right now... and it seams pretty easy, but who knows... lol... the only part i am dreading is the over-seas screening, i haven't had any booster shots or new shots for like 16 years!!!! even the over-seas screener at the hospital siad that he already feels sorry for me!! the relocation dept has been a nig help in getting me information... i would be totally lost without them
Six- lol... i am very excited to go, but i think i'm at the point right now where i just want to get things done, but everything is "hurry up and wait"
quill- yeah it is very exciting and i am actually going to try to get a degree while i am over there... wish me luck!!!

thanks everyone for all of your input... it is greatly appreciated
my husband likes it too because then i don't have to bug him all the time with questions :)

[GySgtRet]

Its time to rollup one sleve or another and get the shots probably tetnis, colora, diptheria, rabies (oh maybe not that one LOL), but you will feel like a pin cushion. Another thing you might want to get going ASAP is your Passport. The government will pay for it and TMO I think will get that done for you. Have a great tour.

I wish that I was going...!!!

[10thzodiac]

I did a back to back tour in Okinawa at Camp Zukeran 1963-65, I liked it so much I extended in the Corps to do the second tour; they threw Nam in as a bonus August of '64, wasn't counting on that, lol. I visit about every five years sometimes staying weeks.

I stopped there for three days in April this year on a month long trip to Japan & China. I flew into Naha and after three days took the Princess Coral ship out of Naha to Tokunoshima Island, North from Okinawa about 8 hours sailing to do some deep sea fishing and wild boar hunting. From there I flew to Kagoshima, then Tokyo and then back home. It is very very expensive in Japan and wait till you see/use their new toilet seats, no TP required I Liked them so much I got one, suggested retail, just the seat $1200, you can get them on Ebay for half of that. Have fun!:thumbup:
P.S. China sucks !:thumbdown

[ringoffire]

Amarinelovesme--I just wanted to wish you luck moving to Okinawa. We haven't been there, yet. Everyone I have talked to, who has been there, loved it.

Have fun!!!

[AMARINELOVESME]

Thank you everyone for your information... it is helping me a lot... i will let you know how it goes! :)