Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Osan's Giant Spiders
If you've left your house in the last few weeks, you have probably seen the giant green/yellow spiders EVERYWHERE. The video is of one of the spiders wrapping up a full-size wasp and was taken outside Building 631. To read more about the spiders and Osan's other signature creepy-crawlies, click here.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Considering coming to Osan NCS? Read this now!
Ed. note: Thanks to Lisa for compiling this valuable information on coming to Osan NCS. For more Osan newcomers information click here.
Information for Non-Command Sponsored Tours to Osan
For anyone interested in taking a remote to Korea and taking the family with them, the following information will be beneficial. This information is current as of January 2009, but Korea is going through some huge changes. The idea is to “Normalize” tours to certain parts of Korea. This means more three year accompanied billets and overall cracking down on families coming over non-command sponsored. The changes are anticipated to begin this year. Once this happens, non-command sponsored families may see reductions in base privileges such as health care, BX and Commissary.
As for now, the one year, non-command sponsored tour is the way to go. There may be however, a million questions going through your brain right now. Hopefully this will help. It is a composite of many, many pages of emails and papers complied together to make one guide for you. First off be up front with MPF. Tell them you are bringing your family. To get OHA (BHA for overseas) you need to disclose the true location of your family. It is just safer to be up front and not “hide” the fact your family is coming.
Also make sure that the orders have “UNACCOMPANIED, DEPENDENTS RESTRICTED” with dependents names included in block 17. This helps the dependants to get their A-3 visa. WE CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF OBTAINING THE CORRECT VISA BEFORE ENTERING THE COUNTRY.
Contrary to what you have heard, it is possible for the family to come on the same plane with you. Talk to finance and find out any special rules. One guy bought his ticket with his family members, and then got reimbursed for the cost of it. The only thing was he had to fly on a US flag carrier. He was then reimbursed only the cost of what the ticket would have been going thru the TMO office. www.bt-store.com is a good place to get cheap international tickets. It is also advised to get “concurrent travel” approved through your outbound assignments office. This will officially allow you to buy your own tickets and get reimbursed. This guy did not do that, but got reimbursed anyway. He had to get an amendment after the fact though.
Depending on the city you are flying out of check into the cost of tickets for infants. Some people buy seats for their infants at a discounted rate. This allows them to have a place to set their children down and let him/her nap. Also it means you can check more luggage. Even if you don’t buy tickets for your lap infants, several companies charge a fee for lap kids on international flights. This is something to check into. Also after you make your airplane reservations get on the website of the airline and PRINT out their baggage policies. In Oct 2008 United had a checked bag policy of 3 70lb bags for military traveling on orders and 2 50lb bags for other family members. Take advantage of this. Normally strollers and car seats don’t count towards checked or carry-on bags. Be sure to bring copies of the orders with you.
APO Address
When you get your orders, make sure to send a copy to your sponsor at Osan. He/she can take them into the post office (up to 90 days out) and get your APO address for you. That way you will be able to forward your mail and ship stuff to yourself as well. This will stay your mailbox once you arrive. After arriving in Korea, when you go to get your combination for your box, have them add your wife and kids’ names to the account, so they will continue to receive their mail as well. Keep in mind you can ship yourself household goods and get reimbursed through TMO if you don’t use your full weight allowance in the move. The amount reimbursed depends on what it would have cost TMO to send it themselves. It is 50/50 whether this is a good deal or not.
The housing office will offer to help you find a place. If you don’t want their help, there are a handful of off base “realtors” that know listings. The realtors will also help you negotiate certain things. For example, one guy was able to make the landlord buy a new couch, desk, and computer chair. When you are looking for a place, make the realtors SHOW you places. DO NOT SETTLE on something, keep looking and make them show you other places, until you find what you want. These realtors make the most profit by sticking you in a dump, and then they hike up the rent, making more money off from you. The rent will (conveniently) be what you receive in BAH (based on rank). Let the realtor know what is most important to you, e.i. 1st floor, American outlets, furniture wanted, AC, etc. Some recommend getting more than one realtor. The realtors tend to show their “own” listings.
*Apartments are really like condos to us. Each unit is privately owned. So some are nicer than others and each has different things in them. Click here to see some examples.
*Don’t bring a lot of stuff that goes in closets because in most Korean homes they have wardrobes. Most places don’t have closets.
*Some units have American outlets. If not, they have transformers to plug your 120V stuff in.
*Some units have washer/dryer (a combination unit) in them. If they don’t have one, you can make them buy one for your unit.
When you arrive on base you will stay at Turumi lodge. Most people are authorized 5 or 10 days there, but it varies. Check with your sponsor. He can help you get things set up. You might have to get a letter from your commander authorizing more than 1 day. This will give you time to find an apartment, and get things done with the housing office. You will have to go into housing and check into your dorm room. Depending on the occupancy of the dorms you will be put on a list of off base housing. Dependants don’t need “clearance/permission” to live off base-they have the right to live somewhere in this world, and Songtan/Pyongtaek (Osan) are just as legal as anywhere else. The one issue is money. In order to get the OHA for your family (overseas housing allowance-a version of BAH), the housing office has to see a lease agreement and inspect the apartment. SO DO NOT sign the lease until after the inspection has been done and you know the place qualifies for OHA. Your supervisor will have to sign Housing Form 13 which will put you on the list for off base housing. If you get approved for off base housing within 60 days, then you will turn in your dorm room and collect DLA and MIHA. (Moving-In Housing Allowance~MIHA is a miscellaneous allowance to help defray the costs associated with setting up off base housing. i.e. wardrobes, range, refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc.) If you get approved in the 1st 5 months you will only get MIHA. After 5 months you won’t receive any moving allowances, so you might as well keep your dorm and use it for exercises. As of Nov. 2008 the COLA was no longer being given to those stationed in Korea. The Won (Korean money) has lost value and it is not as expensive to live here.)
Not all apartments are high rises. There are places that are only three floors, or two. Out the “back gate” also called the ROK gate there are several duplex type buildings and others. This gate is typically less congested and easier to drive to. The only thing is that during exercises this gate is closed to Americans so you have to drive around the base (thru town) to get to the gate everyone else uses.
You will pay rent to your realtor in cash. Plan ahead. Your bank will be able to tell you your limit per day for an ATM and also how much they charge for an overseas ATM charge. You may also cash checks for up to $500 per day at the O Club, if you are a member. So don’t wait until payment is due. Also, utilities are normally paid through your realtor. Most people take their bills into the realtor’s office to get them interpreted and pay them. These will be things like water, electricity and internet. You will be expected to pay 1st month’s rent plus one additional month’s rent for a security deposit. Note that the highest won bill is a 10,000. Typically rent is between 1.2 million won and 1.4 million won. Just imagine paying in 10,000 won.
TV: Most people use AFN. You will have to visit the customer service desk in the BX to get set up with a satellite and a decoder. The satellite is $110, instillation $110 and monthly is $13. As of Nov. 2008 there were 10 AFN channels: 3 prime time channels, a news channel, sports channel, a movie channel, and a family channel. It works for the cost.
They do have DSL and cable off base. Cable TV is really cheap, but they only have a handful of channels that carry English shows. If you get cable internet off base, some people have found that they have cable TV as well.
Electricity
Appliances and other electrical equipment designed for use in the USA will operate in on-base housing in Korea. Please note that if you plan to live off base voltage is 220. Many of the newer apartments and homes off base have both 110 and 220 outlets, which is something to look for if you are authorized to live off base.
Banking
You can get an account at a local bank so you can withdraw money for your rent and security deposit. There is a Bank of America Community Bank at the BX Mall. If you already have a B ofA account you still have to open a new one here. Do this quickly and wire yourself some money (they will tell you how to do this at the bank when you open up the account) so you will be ready to pay your rent/deposit.
Note: this is not the only way to accomplish your rent/deposit. You might also start cashing checks or going to the ATM each day, and by time you actually find a place, get it inspected and sign the lease, you should have the amount you need. Or you can also bring cash with you and go to an exchange place and get won. This is the easiest, but also entitles carrying a lot of cash on the plane.
What to Bring
There are different ways to bring stuff. First check what your orders say. Sometimes they will say that you can do a COMBINATION of the two shipping methods. The 1st way is to do a FAST ship. This is around 600lbs. TMO says it takes 30 to 45 days to arrive. Or there is the SLOW way, 45-60 days, but then you get 10% of your HHG allowance. For most it is around 1450lbs. This is more than you think. So if you have infants you can ship over a crib and toys. (A hint, if you are shipping a vehicle check into the regulations of what can be shipped in the car. In Oct. 2008, strollers and pack-n-plays were ok to ship in the car.)
This brings us to another point, mentioned above in the airplane ticket portion. If you purchase seats for kids you still get 2 50lb bags, plus the military persons 3 70lb bags. Pack essentials with you. A set of sheets, towels for the family, summer or winter clothes, depending on the time of year, uniforms and coats, laptop, camcorder, camera, important files, documents, etc. The more you pack with you the less you will have to buy, while you wait on your stuff to arrive. (One family of 4, mom, dad, 1 ½ year old and 2 month old had 9 checked bags, 5 carry ones, 2 car seats, and a stroller. It can be done!) Also you can ship things to your APO address. Anything you mail to yourself is reimbursable once you get here as long as it isn’t over your weight limit. Packages sent parcel post can take over 2 months to arrive, priority mail takes 1 to 2 weeks. Plus they have the new APO flat rate military box.
Bring the basics, and the trick is figuring out what you can send since you won’t have access to it for 2 months on the front and back of your remote.
Suggestions on things to bring:
TV
DVD Player
Dishes
Pots/Pans
Silverware/Cooking Utensils
Microwave
Toaster
Baby Gates
Fans
Bike? If you bring a bike you have to get it registered with the SPs and will have to wear a helmet and reflective belt. Plus you will need to get a headlight and a taillight.
Rugs? Most places have hard floors, so if you have kids you will either need to buy carpets/rug when you get here or ship them over. The BX does carry a selection of these.
Golf clubs?
*Most places are furnished so you don’t need too much in that department.
Follow on assignments and storage: Due to a AFPC rule if you accept a follow on assignment, you will have to sign a contract that waives your right to store your HHGs while you are remote. The government will pay to move your family and your stuff to the follow on location, but will not pay to move your stuff into storage at your losing base or your gaining base. This doesn’t apply if you are a single parent or married to military. If you don’t have a follow-on assignment on your Osan orders, then the government will store your goods while you are here, and they will move everything from here and your losing base when you leave here.
Reference for HHGs and Follow on program..>AFI 36-2110 pages 281-82 (A5.8.), 285-86 (Figure A5.1.)
Kids can come! Realize that their transportation costs as well as your spouses are not reimbursable.
Schooling: Non-command sponsored children are enrolled on a space available basis at Seoul American High School (SAHS), Osan American High School, and Osan American Elementary School (K-8). Non-command sponsored students may enroll in the International Christian School (K-12). However, enrollment space is limited and tuition is fairly expensive, phone 011-82-31-665-1376.
CDC: As non-cc sponsored you are at the bottom of the list. If they have openings you will be able to sign up for contract care (meaning you can’t be bumped without notice). As of Oct. 2008 the CDC was not taking any more non-cc due to construction and remodeling of the building.
Play groups: Check out the Osan Parenting Network website. It will have some good information for your wife. Playgroup times are listed there as well.
Osan Parenting Network: http://www.osanparentnetwork.com/ Check it out. Sign up for the website as well as follow the links for the Osan Yahoo Group. If you become a member of this yahoo group you will get emails from everyone here. This is a good reference to things that go on here, various activities, and also you can get answers to questions.
Camp Humphreys has a pretty big water park that is open in the summers. It is less than ½ hour away.
Everland is a Disney type park that is 45 minutes from here. Reasonable priced season passes. Plus the price of food and snacks are not inflated like in the States.
Shipping your POV or Buying One
You must be an E-7 or above to have a car at Osan. You will also have to take a written driver’s test to obtain your Korean driver’s license. (Ask for the driver’s manual ahead of time to study from.) Make sure you bring your stateside driver’s license with you.
If you want to ship a POV make sure you ship one that the whole family will fit in (You are only allowed to register one vehicle). If you want to get a second vehicle you will have to get an “exception to policy” letter. Used to be easy to do, but they are cracking down on second vehicles. Before you go up to Yongsan to pick up your POV you will have to go into pass and registration (currently on Wednesdays) to pick up 30 day tags. Then you will have to go to the gas station on base and get an inspection done, the go back into pass and registration to get tags and register it on base. Before you ship your vehicle you should call your insurance company to change over the insurance to Korea. You will need proof of insurance.
Another option is buying a vehicle in Korea. There are usually cars for sale by people getting ready to leave. Or you can buy one off base. You must pay for the car in cash if it is bought off base. Once you find the car you want to buy, get the VIN number, make, model and year, call your insurance company and get insurance. You can then take the car to the Doolittle Gate to receive a one day pass (need your insurance card and registration). Then you would get the car inspected, go to Pass and ID to get the paper work stamped. Then you can get permanent tags. The base currently does tags on Wednesdays. Any other day and you will need to go to Pyong Teck to get them. Registration costs $20.00. Pass and ID will have all the instructions for the procedures, so stop by the MPF to get them.
Osan Air Base
The base here has a normal BX and Commissary. You will have to get a ration card to shop in them. The BX mall has Subway, Pizza Hut, Charles, Taco Bell, Captain Ds and Baskin Robbins. There is also a Chili’s on base and an Anthony’s Pizza. Plus several restaurants, like Checkertails (a diner), Flying M Ranch (steakhouse), a pasta place and others. And yes there is a Starbucks in the BX. There are also 2 pools (one indoors), gym, aero club, Movie Theater with 1st run movies and a bowling alley.
Arriving in Seoul
Arriving is no big deal…the airport has English signs and you follow the herd through immigration and customs. You need your IDs, orders, passports and the immigration and custom form (given to you on the plane). After you get your bags you will have to go all the way down to the end of the area to get cleared through the military customs. After that then you can go out the door to the Military/USO counter at door #14. Here you can either meet your sponsor (if he is nice enough to come meet you) or you can buy a bus ticket for the USAF Services Bus. Keep your receipt so you can get reimbursed for your ticket. Your family will have to be paid for out of pocket. (They are cheaper tickets.) The bus does not take pets. So if you have pets please call Osan Services to arrange for a van, somewhere around $150.00. If you have pets they have to go thru immigration control before you take your bags to customs. Just ask one of the officials at the airport. The ride is about an hour and a half to Osan so be sure to use the bathroom before you leave the airport.
Note for EMERGENCIES WHILE IN TRANSIT: In the event of an emergency enroute, contact your sponsor or the military personnel office at the nearest military installation for help in notifying your gaining organization. If you do not know the extension number you can contact your unit through the Osan base operator, DSN 315-784-1845 or by calling commercially to 011-82-31-661-1110. If you cannot reach your unit, please contact the base Military Personnel Flight’s (MPF) Customer Service Section at DSN 315-784-1845. If upon your arrival, your sponsor fails to meet you, also call that number for assistance. If you arrive after duty hours, report to the billeting office, Bldg 771, DSN 315-784-1844. The billeting office is designated as the 24-hr arrival point and may assist you in contacting your sponsor.
Medical Care
While is Korea the unaccompanied dependants will still receive medical care, contrary to what you have heard. While here you will enroll in Tricare Standard instead of Tricare Prime. This means is that if you were referred to a doctor in town you would have to pay office visit co-payments and deductibles. Almost all medical care will be done on base, so unless it is something major you should be good. There are no guaranteed payment reimbursements. Off base treatments must be paid in full at time services are rendered. The sponsor then files a claim with the original home area primary care manager. However, reimbursements are decided on a case by case basis.
Making “well baby” visits and annual appointments for non-command sponsored dependants is space available. Meaning on the day you want to be seen you call the appointment desk after 10am and if they have openings then they will get you in. For sick call patients, you call and most the time you can get in right away. There is also an ER/clinic, so if hurt or sick after hours you may go there to be seen.
Dental visits are harder to make. It is a good idea to be seen before you leave the States and if you are planning a mid-tour home, visit your stateside dentist. Routine dental care (filling and cleanings) to NCS dependents is on a space available basis. Orthodontic care is extremely limited; first priority is given to command sponsored family members who were receiving orthodontic treatment prior to their sponsor receiving PCS orders to Osan AB.
Obstetrics care: Although there is prenatal care at Osan, deliveries cannot be done on Air Force installations in Korea. Deliveries are done at 121 General Hospital at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul. Dependents served by 121 General Hospital must be admitted at 36 to 38 weeks gestation. Click here for some info on delivering at the 121. The 121 is not your only option. Check out Birthing in Korea for more information on finding a midwife or delivering at a Korean hospital.
The hospital at Osan is a modern facility, but is not staffed or equipped to service a large number of non-command sponsored dependents. Additionally, many of the specialties, for example, cardiology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, endocrinology, and pulmonology are only available through air excavation.
If your spouse ID is up to date and will not expire while you are at Osan, you don’t need to do anything. If it is going to expire, you will have to visit MPF to update the IDs. The Active Duty member must be present to do this.
To change your address at Tricare, you will need to visit the hospital on base to fill out a new form. Bring your ID, spouses ID and a copy of your orders. It will be processed into their system within 48 hours, but she may not receive her new card for about 45 days.
BIDS is a system that Osan uses for times of heightened security or if you or your spouse forget/lose your military ID and have to reenter the gate. They use your fingerprints to allow you onto the base. To get processed through BIDS, go with her to the MPF building, with a copy of your orders, her military ID, and the kid’s paperwork from DEERS (saying they have been born and are in the system, since they don’t have IDs).
Ration card: After enrolling in BIDS, they will set you up with a ration card. You will need a copy of your Orders that they can stamp, so your spouse can use this as a temporary ration card. You must have a ration card to enter the BX and commissary. It will take about a week and then YOU (military person) not your spouse needs go back to Pass and ID to pick up the ration card. The military person does not need to carry a card, your ID works for your card. The ration card is only for the spouse of the military person.
TDY Enroute (ASOC IQC)
You will usually attend the ASOC IQC course at Nellis before your arrival to the group. For most people, this is done TDY enroute to Osan. Because the assignment is usually non-command sponsored, a few aspects are a pain when the family accompanies you. For single guys, it is a standard TDY.
The first issue with families is billeting. There are a few options. If you wish to stay at Nellis Billeting, keep in mind they do not allow children in the VOQs. So those with children will have to request TLFs. The kicker is, they cannot be reserved in advance, and you can only stay in them for 3 days at a time, SPACE A. At the end of the third day, you would have to go to the billeting office and request another three days. After four weeks this becomes a royal pain. During busy times of year, if you get booted from the TLFs, it may be challenging to find a backup hotel to stay in.
Another lodging option, assuming you can get a non-availability letter from lodging, is to simply stay off base. The lodging office can make reservations for you, or you can find your own place. It is highly recommend that you find your own place because you can negotiate a long term deal in a much nicer, larger place with a continental breakfast.
The last option, if you can’t get a non-availability letter is to simply find a hotel, get the best rate you can, and suck up the money you will lose. Realize you will still get reimbursed what billeting on base would have cost. You won’t get off base per diem, and have a slim chance of getting a rental car paid for by the group.
As far as the rental car goes, if you are staying off base, the group will most likely allow a rental car. Try your best to get this on your orders or it will be a little trickier when it comes time to file your voucher. If there are multiple guys going to the same ASOC, they will typically share a single car. Gas for the car is reimbursable too, so keep the receipts.
The ASOC class is pretty laid back. For guys without a CAS background it may seem like a lot to digest at first but it gets better. It is a three week class, broken up into two weeks of academics and a week of computer simulation exercises. There are unannounced quizzes at the end of each section, and a final exam. You will see about 70% of the questions on the final in the quizzes and test review.
There will be plenty of time to see Vegas after classes and on the weekends.
Pick up a NEO packet from the NEO warden and the CSS will schedule you for base in-processing. NEO is Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (wife and kiddos). This spells out the plan in case they need to be evacuated. Although non-command sponsored, the Air Force does a good job of taking care of them in this respect.
Combat in-processing takes place in the 1st week of arriving at Osan AB. It is scheduled thru the group’s orderly room and is conducted on the 2nd floor of the MPF building. It is important to take your travel voucher information, medical records, and 8 copies of your travel orders, local mailing address and more.
In-processing During Local Exercises
The duty uniform for all Osan AB personnel is the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) or Flight Suit. All personnel assigned to Osan AB are required to be in uniform 24 hours a day while they are outside of their quarters for the duration of all wing Combat Employment Readiness Exercises (CEREs). Personnel within 5 days of MPF in processing are normally exempt from wearing Individual Protective Equipment (IPE) during wing exercises. You must have in your possession a variation of the blues uniform upon your arrival on Osan. If the wing is conducting a CERE upon your arrival or within your first 5 days on station, you will be limited participant and will be identified as such by wearing blues and carrying a copy of your orders on your person.
Also, as part of in-processing, you will go to BEPO training, if there is an exercise going on, then you will bring your BDUs to change into during the training.
Curfew Hours
Osan AB has a mandatory curfew. Sunday through Thursday personnel and their dependants must be on base or in their place of lodging between 2400 and 0500. On Fridays and Saturdays, the curfew hours are between 0300 and 0500. In keeping with this safety initiative, personnel who are residing off base are expected to be at home during those times as well.
Pet Information
Cats and dogs may be shipped and are subject to customs and quarantine regulations. Osan Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) provides full service veterinary medical care for dogs and cats; however, use of the VTF is a privilege as other mission requirements may take precedence. For additional info call the Osan VTF at DSN 315-784-6614 or commercial 011-82-31-661-6614. Health and rabies certificates are required and there are specific time restrictions. Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days, but not more than 1 year prior to entry. The health certificate can be no older than 10days from the date of travel. If you do not meet these requirements there is a 10 day mandatory quarantine period. If quarantine is required the pets will be taken to the National Quarantine Center at Inchon International Airport. The Pet Care Center at Yongsan US Army Garrison can pick up your pets and board them at the Pet Care Center for a fee based on size and number. Reservations and a power of attorney are required. For additional information call the Pet Care Center at DSN 736-6426 or commercial 011-82-31-661-6426. Pets should be shipped directly to Korea without any layover in Japan or Hawaii in order to preclude possible delays due to Japanese or Hawaiian quarantine requirements. The military flights chartered by AMC have restrictions for shipping pets. Contact your local transportation office for more details. Only two pets of a combination are authorized in Military Family Housing at Osan.
Spouse Orientation
Your spouse will need to be scheduled for spouse orientation. When you go to combat in-processing there will be someone from Family Readiness who will ask for your spouse’s name and email address. Then your spouse will receive an email about orientation. You will have the opportunity to meet base representatives, learn to break the code on NEO, learn about your benefits & availability of services, gas mask issue & training, driver’s safety video, learn Korean culture and how to get around the base. Complimentary continental breakfast, free lunch buffet will be served and you will receive AAFES coupons.
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