We didn’t have an option to bring a car with us to our new OCONUS location, unless of course we wanted to pay to ship it and have it brought up to Japanese emissions standards and drivability requirements on our own dime.
So, no option, really.
OCONUS
EYB: Fort Greely, Alaska
Located at the official end of the Alcan Highway, the highway connecting the contiguous United States to Alaska, in the very small community of Delta Junction, Fort Greely is situated between the White Mountains and the Alaska Range. It is home to the nation’s arsenal of ground-based interceptor missiles. The post also hosts the Army’s Cold Regions Test Center and supports rotational units who train in the Donnelly Training Area, also known as the DTA. Fort Greely is also the only installation to close under BRAC and reopen.
Cultural Passport: Holland
There is nothing that screams “spring has arrived” as fresh flowers. You can smell them wafting in the air—wisteria, lilacs, roses. A symphony of colors, shapes, sizes, and scents all intermingling together remind me that winter has shed her coat, donned her sundress, and let all her beauty radiate through.
Nothing, and I do mean nothing, embodies this more than visiting Keukenhof Gardens in beautiful Holland, and that is the next stop on our virtual passport around the world.
Where in the World: Venice, Italy
While OCONUS living has its challenges, which I’ve written about in the past, traveling is not one of them. Actually, to rephrase, the logistical part of traveling in foreign countries can be ultra-challenging but actually traveling is pretty darn cool. In the little more than a year we’ve been stationed in Italy, we’ve seen and done things I only saw on Pinterest, tucked away in a file I named “Bucket List.”
10 Realizations from My First 20 Days OCONUS
On May 22 of last year, we got our OCONUS assignment news!
It was exciting and then it wasn’t.
I was a giant ball of stress for most of our prep time before relocating overseas. I’m not going to say that the instant we landed in Japan was the moment I felt all the stress melt away, but it was close. Let’s say it was our first full day here.
So You’re Moving Overseas…
If you’ve received overseas orders, your mind is probably going in about five different directions.
You’re realizing you’re moving far away. Across an ocean.
You’re realizing it’s an unfamiliar place. Like, really unfamiliar.
You’re thinking of all the steps it takes to get moving. So. Many. Steps.
And you’re likely afraid of the unknown. Because, who isn’t?
But I’m here to tell you one simple thing: Don’t be afraid.
What to Know for Your PCS with Pets
A major part of a PCS is coordinating transportation for your family pet. Dog, cat, guinea pig, or bunny, they all need a way to get to their next home in the least stressful way possible. Making plans for their move should be at the top of the prep list, because some trips require timed events, such as vaccinations, quarantines, hotel stays, and airline tickets. Much of this preparation can be started before official orders are in your hands.
EYB: Camp Humphreys, South Korea
Camp Humphreys, South Korea is the Army’s largest installation in the Pacific. It is located near the border between North and South Korea.
5 Ways to Get Ready for an Overseas Move
Have you ever known a stress-free PCS? Chances are, you haven’t. There’s so much to coordinate with any military move. You’re often consumed with making big decisions like choosing to sell or rent your current home and busy filing paperwork to transfer schools, doctors, and vets. Not to mention taking the time to research your new duty station while striving to maintain any bit of normalcy you can! And that’s with a regular PCS move. But when you’re faced with an overseas move, the chaos takes on a whole new level, and the term overwhelming becomes an understatement.
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