PCSing to Oki - need some advice

[srinaldo86]

So on July 3rd I am to separate from my command and by August 2nd I am to report to MHG III MEF MP Support Co. I don't really have a clue what that means. (I'm a 5811 - MP so its either field or garrison.)

I plan on taking my wife so long as I can extend or re-enlist.
We're selling both of our cars.

Biggest questions I have right now are -

Whats the best place to live? (On/off base)
What bank should I switch too? (Currently I have a bank that is strictly stateside.)
And how the hell am I going to sell a 2011 Hyundai sonata with 7,000 miles on it when I still owe $19k.

And any other general advice you can give me I'll take.

I'm browsing the web and google as much as I can to find out what I want to know but most of this stuff conflicts with the other.


p.s. My wife and I are both excited as hell and very much looking forward to the transition.

[srinaldo86]

Forgot to ask about transportation over there... Buying a car there of course is an option but I also wanted to consider motorcycle/scooter/bicycles. Is there much of a variety or quality of the 3?

I'm working on Rosetta Stone Japanese right now also.

[elliscraig12]

If you're PCSing then the Govt. should ship it for you. But be aware that whatever you do the number 1 thing to keep on your mind is rust. The salty moist air rusts the crap out of everything. And if you do bring your car with, buy a car alarm. When I was there back from 83-85, I was told there were a lot of car thefts. Scooters are not safe. A freind of mine owned one and he said he got knocked around like a hockey puck. They have nice Motorcycles though. I've heard good stuff about them when I was there. They also had a Harley dealer there, and a couple of MC's to ride with. There's a lot to do there with different clubs and stuff. Especially R.C.s, woodworking and stuff like that. Don't know about the housing though. never had a family then, so I just stayed in the barracks. Learning the language is good. They respect that. It helps ease some of the tension when you're shopping off base. Good luck and enjoy. And if you're into burgers then go to MOS burgers if they're still there. It's kinda sloppy, but it's delicious.

[srinaldo86]

Oh I'm definitely not taking my car or my wife's. I want to sell mine and at least break even.
We're giving her car to her brother and hes just going to take over payments.
I wish I could start scouting out the lemon lot now.

I plan on taking all my power tools over just so I can have a hobby while I'm there.

[lonewolf121]

The cars in Okinawa are NOT like American cars, in that everything is set up like England i.e. drive on the left side of the road, steering wheel on the right side etc. Also an American car would be a monster on the small Okinawa roads.

If you have a motorcycle license then you may be able to get a motorcycle or scooter there; but it's highly unlikely. A car is your best and cheapest bet. They really are cheap; but make sure and get one that has a working AC.

We lived in a little town off the backside of Camp Foster named Kitanakagusuku, right beside Ginowan City. It was heaven. We had a chance to live off base and took it. Our place was just a tad less than our COLA allowance so the difference paid for our utilities.

Keep it up with learning Japanese. Not only will it be easier for you guys when you get there; but the locals really appreciate it when you try to earnestly understand their words. Here a little tip; Okinawan in not exactly the same as mainland Japanese. There are slight variations.

Semper Fi!

[lonewolf121]

I forgot to tell you...Go with Navy Federal Credit Union. It's our bank over there. I'm sure theres are others; but with Navy Fed there are actual banks located on Camp Foster and others. They are staffed by qualified personnel that are generally military spouses that are bank trained.

[SGT7477]

The cars in Okinawa are NOT like American cars, in that everything is set up like England i.e. drive on the left side of the road, steering wheel on the right side etc. Also an American car would be a monster on the small Okinawa roads.

If you have a motorcycle license then you may be able to get a motorcycle or scooter there; but it's highly unlikely. A car is your best and cheapest bet. They really are cheap; but make sure and get one that has a working AC.

We lived in a little town off the backside of Camp Foster named Kitanakagusuku, right beside Ginowan City. It was heaven. We had a chance to live off base and took it. Our place was just a tad less than our COLA allowance so the difference paid for our utilities.

Keep it up with learning Japanese. Not only will it be easier for you guys when you get there; but the locals really appreciate it when you try to earnestly understand their words. Here a little tip; Okinawan in not exactly the same as mainland Japanese. There are slight variations.

Semper Fi!

When I was on the rock we drove on the right side of the road, the American way, as far as an American car an Okinawan dude had a 70 Ply. GTX all fixed up, where the hell he got it I don't know, myself and another Sgt. owned a car together, Semper Fidelis.

[lonewolf121]

When I was on the rock we drove on the right side of the road, the American way, as far as an American car an Okinawan dude had a 70 Ply. GTX all fixed up, where the hell he got it I don't know, myself and another Sgt. owned a car together, Semper Fidelis.

I see this response a lot. It got switched back to left side driving etc in 1978.

Okinawa & Japan

Japan is a country where drivers have always driven on the left-side of the road, with the exception of Okinawa for a brief period of time. While under U.S. military sanctions, residents of Okinawa were required to adhere to the traffic patterns of the United States. In July of 1978, residents of Okinawa changed back to driving on the left-hand side of the road in accordance with the rest of Japan.
Taken from here: http://www.ehow.com/list_6634754_cou...ide-road_.html

Also:
I believe this is a road manual from the Rock: http://www.okinawa-information.com/d...-okinawa-japan


Semper Fi!

[SGT7477]

I see this response a lot. It got switched back to left side driving etc in 1978.

Okinawa & Japan

Japan is a country where drivers have always driven on the left-side of the road, with the exception of Okinawa for a brief period of time. While under U.S. military sanctions, residents of Okinawa were required to adhere to the traffic patterns of the United States. In July of 1978, residents of Okinawa changed back to driving on the left-hand side of the road in accordance with the rest of Japan.
Taken from here: http://www.ehow.com/list_6634754_cou...ide-road_.html

Also:
I believe this is a road manual from the Rock: http://www.okinawa-information.com/d...-okinawa-japan


Semper Fi!

We rented a car one time with the steering wheel on the right side, what a trip,lol, Thanks for the info Marine, Semper Fidelis.

[Sergeant M]

I spent a little over 2.5 years in Oki, just PCSd a little over a year ago. For transportation I would definitely go with a car over a scooter or a bike, at least until you get used to the traffic flow there. The over all speed limits are much slower, the lanes are more narrow, and people drive differently there. Also as Gunny mentioned earlier, there is a lot of rust that happens to those vehicles, so all the cars there are much cheaper than back in the states. Be advised though, that you won't be able to purchase a vehicle until your command sends you to a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) class to get your SOFA license. Your wife will likely have a license before you do, which means that she will have the privilege of dropping you off at work and doing ALL the chores. haha

When I was leaving, I heard that they are no longer allowing people to get off base housing. Anyone that had off base housing prior to that was grandfathered in, but if you are just showing up, I would expect to be moving into base housing. It is probably for the best, since they do many things differently in Japan and it would be a lot to process, (power converters for every electronic device, they even get rid of trash differently). If you are going to MHG, you will probably be stationed on Camp Hansen which is near the north side of the island, and is a nice neighborhood.

Learning Japanese is a great way to start off your family's adventure in a whole new world, and surprisingly, very few guys bother to learn more than a few words the entire time that they are there.

I think that you will have a lot of fun, and I wish you the best of luck. If you have any other questions, just e-mail me.

[srinaldo86]

So I just heard that when I arrive at my unit I may be put straight onto a MEU which I've always heard good things about.
Really annoying not knowing for sure where I'm going, not that it matters it would just be nice to know.

[Sergeant M]

As soon as you show up, you are going to be stuck on base for the first week, cammies the whole time. They have to tell you about japanese culture and get all your paperwork done before you run out in town and start causing international incidents.