Okinawa, Japan
Aug 19th
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Has anyone ever been stationed in Okinawa, Japan? If so, did you like it? Any details would be awesome. Thanks so much.
*****
I’m going to open this up for other comments! 
In the meantime, there’s a lot of information here:
http://www.usarj.army.mil/
Moving to Germany While Engaged
Aug 19th
Have any of you dealt with pcs’ing while still being engaged…my fiance got orders to germany and we’ve decided to wait on getting hitched because he was informed even it he got married now he would still have to pay out of pocket. How was you experince moving from the us to germany on your own. Im going crazy on how we’re actually going to go about getting my daughter and me moved out there…t.i.a
*****
If he hasn’t left yet, it is possible he can get his orders amended to include you if you go ahead and get married. If you move as a fiancee, it will be more difficult as you will not be in Germany as military and will fall under an entirely different set of rules and regulations as a tourist as far as how long you can stay, working there, etc.
I’ll leave this open for others to comment about moving to Germany on their own.
Visiting Husband in MO
Aug 19th
My husband is at ft. wood right now in MO . Getting treatment done. He just recently got back from
Afghanistan. I have been wanting to go see him. And Im planning on staying a week there. Except there is one problem I can’t find a hotel that is available on the dates Im wanting to go. I can’t stay with him on the base, he is staying in private barracks. Im not allowed to stay with him. Ive been stressing out being pregnant with our first child. All i want to do is see my husband and spend time with him and this time of need. If you have any ideas that would be appreciated. I can’t go any other days due to my doc appts for the baby. Thank You
****
My only recommendation would be to check with lodging on post. Explain your situation to them when you call. If there isn’t room available there, they should be able to make additional lodging recommendations to you. Hope it works out!
Moving to Germany
Aug 19th
Okay, so I am VERY new to being a military wife. My husband came home from AIT a few months ago, & is now stationed in Schweinfurt Germany. He moved there in July. We got married when he was home after AIT. We are really on top of paperwork & getting me out there. I have contacted someone for getting my overseas screening paperwork filled out. I got it last week & sent it & should be there today. I am already enrolled in DEERS & have my military ID. (we took care of it in June) Also I was told I needed to have a passport, so instead of waiting for the Army to take care of it I went to the Post Office & had it expedited to me. So now I have that already. Once the lady receives my EFMP paperwork/ overseas screening packet etc. What happens next? I was told it is sent to somebody in Europe. Then my husband recieves command sponsor orders, & he sets up a date for the movers to come & my plane ticket? Am I missing any check points I have to do? I’d appreciate the help since I’d like to get things rollin asap!
*****
Did you get a no-fee passport or a tourist passport? You will need the no-fee to travel on military orders and you will need the tourist passport for any leisure travel once you arrive. Other than that, it sounds like you are on top of things. Hopefully, the sponsorship will go through quickly and you can join your husband. Good luck!
Living in Germany
Aug 19th
I’m 20 years old, married, stationed in Germany and i have a 4 month old baby boy.
Germany so far has been difficult for me. Ive been here for about 9 months and havent met anyone in my age group with a child.
Its really hard trying to make friends out here when most of the people im meeting are older or childless and to top it off having a baby is expensive so its difficult to enjoy germany.
There has to be a place out here where young moms like me meet up, besides acs (mommy and me) classes because I havent seen any young moms there! and are there any free trips meaning hotel and food included ? like free tours or something ?!
desperate for some fun !
o and ps im not putting my baby in daycare/fcc not yet 
*****
I’ve personally never lived in Germany so I’m going to open up this question for others. We also have quite a few wives on armywifechat.com who are currently in Germany. Join us there and you will be able to meet a few spouses who can help.
Marrying a Soldier
Aug 19th
Help my fiance is the the Army and he is an E-3 I believe. I and only 18 and I am currently about to start college for my first semester. He wants to get married towards the end of my semester and me transfer schools and move up there with him and continue getting my associates degree. I want to eventually become an ortho. I am afraid that if i move up there with him we will not be able to afford my college or even dental school with his pay check and mine. We could probably do it, it would just be really tight. what do you remommend we do? wait? or go ahead? I know you aren’t suppose to marry or not marry for financial reasons; but I dont want our marriage to suffer due to our temporary financial state.
I mean along with my previous question.. also is there any way we I could get scholarships for school or anything else? please help all the other advice I am hearing is spinning me in circles.
Thank you so much for you help!
*****
I certainly don’t recommend getting married until you are ready. Regardless of the circumstances, getting married when you aren’t ready is just asking for trouble.
There are scholarships available for military spouses as well as a my career advancement account that can help in certain professions. Based on what you have said your plans are, you probably would not qualify for the latter. If it were me, I would complete my schooling first as it sounds like it is financially feasible if you remain where you are and get married after completing my degree. Good luck!
Moving to Ft Lewis
Aug 19th
my husband graduates from ait on wed. he has to stay for stryker schooling until the end of September. we are being stationed in ft. Lewis WA we have to be there Nov 6th. we don’t have the best credit actually its pretty horrible all though i have been working a little at a time to clear it up i have a feeling it will hurt us when we move. i do not have power of attorney so i cannot sign up for on base housing or figure anything else out. now my ? for u is will me and my three kids be able to go with my husband when he goes to WA in November? will our credit hurt us on getting housing? how often do strykers usually deploy? if we do get to go with him to WA (and yes we are on his orders) should we go earlier than Nov 6th to find housing?
*****
As long as you are on his orders, you will be able to move with him. Getting on off post apartment may be difficult if your credit rating is that bad but with a military pay stub, they will most likely make an exception. You can always choose to live on post instead. He will be given ten days of leave time to move his family and I would personally use that time to find a place. Otherwise, all the expenses will fall on your shoulders.
As for deployments, it really depends on his unit. Most units (outside of special ops) are under a minimum of 12 months of dwell time where they most be home between deployments. It depends on where the unit is in the deployment schedule as far as when he may deploy next.
Changing States with National Guard
Aug 19th
My fiancee is just about to finish up his basic training and we are having a lot of trouble figuring out how to get things done. His family moved to Ohio right before he graduated high school and he was told he had to join the National Guard so he could go through BCT and AIT before he starts college and ROTC. But he wants to be an army officer. The problem we are having is that he joined the OHIO National Guard and we are going to be living and going to school in Indiana. He was told he had to have all his forms submitted by November 1 but he doesn’t graduate AIT until November 3. So my question I guess is just how do we go about getting him into Indiana schools and the army so our family will be able to stay together.
*****
I’m sorry, I don’t have an answer for this. He will need to talk to his command about what needs to be done to be able to drill in another state.
Getting Married
Aug 19th
I just turned 19, and currently is stationed in Illesheim, Germany. I am engaged and will be getting married soon but my future wife will be 17. Will I have to wait til she is 18 to have her enrolled in DEERS and come live with me overseas?
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I can’t find anything in the regulations about the age that the spouse needs to be to covered in DEERS. Your best bet would be to speak to a DEERS representative and find out for sure. Whether she will be allowed to move with you will depend on your command granting sponsorship for her.
Leaving Post with a Pass
Aug 19th
i was just wondering if my husband is allowed to go off base while he has his 2 12 hr pass days? i got a hotel 5 miles from the base i know he cannot stay the night but is he allowed to leave base and go there or go anywhere? cuz he can be gone from 9am to 9pm, so if someone knows please let me know. thanks!
*****
It differs greatly depending on the post location and the instructors/drill sgts. My husband was allowed to leave post during his pass but I know others who weren’t and had to remain on post for the day. They should give them more details as it gets closer to the day. Hope it all works out!
