Hotel Bookings made easy-er
June 2, 2011 By 2 Comments
Okay, I admit it, I am a sucker for deals and for the latest gizmos and anything that could remotely make my life easier. Needless to say Clark Howard is one of my favorites. Here are some of his latest travel tips:
“AirBNB.com is an unofficial bed and breakfast booking site for adventurous travelers
With AirBNB.com, you can get private residences of varying quality all over the world, with a particular emphasis on overseas accommodations. From what I’ve seen so far, the prices for residential accommodations can undercut VRBO, but there is more potential hazard. What happens if something goes wrong with your trip that’s booked through AirBNB.com? As far as I can tell, you’re pretty much on your own. AirBNB.com just plays the match game, much like eBay does in hooking up a buyer and a seller. So AirBNB.com is truly buyer (and seller) beware.
One possible way to protect yourself would be to make reservations only with a credit card. You have the right to do a chargeback within 60 days if your reservation falls through for some reason. See me discuss AirBNB.com in this video segment.
More info: AirBNB.com
TheBiddingTraveler.com makes blind booking for hotels easy
I have obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to saving on hotels. When I travel for work, which is almost every week of the year, I book 95 percent of the hotels I stay in through Priceline.com or Hotwire.com. But before I even place a bid on either site, I have a complicated system that involves checking related message boards to get a feel for what other people are bidding. Then I have almost like a formula and set process I go through when bidding that’s very methodical and boring to some. As I’ve tried to explain it over the years, I just seem to create more confusion among people!
Now there’s a new website called TheBiddingTraveler.com that has automated the process that I do manually. It can do in 3 minutes or less what takes me 15 or 20 minutes (for select cities). And it is far superior to the way I have always booked my own rooms.
More info: TheBiddingTraveler.com“
Using your Cell Phone Overseas
May 31, 2011 By 2 Comments
Take a look at your current phone and try to find out if it is one that uses GSM (Global System Mobile) technology. T-Mobile and some AT&T phones are equipped with this technology, among others. If you are buying a new phone make sure that GSM technology is integrated.
Most cell phone service providers electronically ‘lock’ the phone so that it can only be used with their service. There are obvious reasons why they choose to do this – in particular, to force you to pay what are usually very high roaming charges when you take your phone out of their network and use it elsewhere in the world.
Fortunately, this locking is reversible. With some phones, it is possible to simply enter an unlocking password code into the phone and it is immediately then unlocked. Other phones need to be connected up to a special unlocking data terminal.
For $5, you can get the codes from thetravelinsider.info.
You will need a country-specific SIM card to buy pre-paid minutes for the country in which you are traveling. You can buy pre-paid minutes from telestial.com. The company will send you a SIM card that you use to replace the current SIM inside your phone.
If you have valuable data on your SIM card you can get a SIM Backup and Saver Unit, this will help you transfer all your date safely from one phone/ one SIM card to another.
Returning to Japan
April 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
If you are an eligible family member (EFM) who departed under the authorized departure FROM Japan to the US and would like to return to Japan now, you will qualify to receive transportation as well as per diem for your travels. If your sponsor is due to PCS within the next 60 days then ,unfortunately, this will not apply to you.
For Non-command Sponsored Dependents:
If you were transported to an OCONUS safehaven you maybe provided return transportation to the Permanent Duty Station (PDS) in Japan. If you have been taken to CONUS then you are not authorized return transportation, except with special permission.
Safe Haven Allowances for Military Command Sponsored Dependents
M&IE which means lodging, meals and incidentals:
a. The lodging allowance is paid for commercial lodging and must be documented by a receipt (!) ask if you need a statement of non-availability. Reimbursement for lodging is not authorized if staying with friends and relatives. Tax for lodging in CONUS and non-foreign Outside CONUS (OCONUS) locations is a separate reimbursable expense.Safe haven allowances are not reduced until the 31st day at the safe haven. (see below)
b. Meals and incidentals: You should be able to receive this allowance regardless of whether you are staying with friends or at commercial lodging. Make sure it is on your travel voucher that you pass in at finance, if not ask why!
First 30 Days
Dependents age 12 or older receive up to 100% of the locality rate
Dependents under age 12 receive up to 50% of the locality rate
Days 31-180
Dependents age 12 or older receive up to 60% of the locality rate
Dependents under age 12 receive up to 30% of the locality rate
read the regulations
Save up to 50% off Vacation Rental Deals!
Save up to 50% off Vacation Rental Deals!
Germany to US: PCSing with 4 dogs!
November 17, 2010 By 4 Comments
Introducing Sandra: I am Sandra, a German National and my husband is enlisted in the US military. I don’t have twitter, I don’t have kids and don’t even have a cellphone…. but I have a blog!
So great that we have a dog expert among us! She is the right person to ask. Thank you Sandra, for writing this article. Read her adventure, which she describes here and on her blog: Headoverheals .
PCS’ing… while most spouses have their first time PCS either in the US or maybe from the US to overseas, I pcs, for the first time, from Germany to the US and we don’t PCS alone. We bring four German Shepherds with us. Who am I? I am a 31 year old German Citizen married to a 30 Year old man who happens to serve in the US Army for ten years already. I had the pleasure of being the FRG leader for two Units within the same Battalion. One week after we got married I ran into my husbands commander on post and she asked me if I was interested in volunteering next thing I know I am appointed as the Leader. When my husband moved to the other Unit the new Commander simply put me into the FRG Leadership position as well. I went through quite a bit of training, went to conferences I would have never dreamed off attending and I am thankful I had the opportunity to get that kind of insight and of how they work. I have learned that there are two different worlds. There is the world of the military & family support, how it’s supposed to be and then there is reality.
The military makes a great effort in supporting the families and the intention and resources are there. All you have to do is to reach out and grab whatever information and support is out there.
Anyhow, ever since we got married all I heard was “Wait until you get to the US, things are going to be different.” When I took over one of our German Shepherds I was told “Jesus Christ.. it had to be a Shepherd you will never find a place with a GSD off post.” but since I grew up with Shepherds and my parents are breeding west-german working line Shepherds I am hooked on them. There is no way I would own a different breed. Then I took over my Shepherds half-sister and I was bombarded with statements like “Are you serious? How are you going to pay for the flight, let alone the security deposit for a rental or finding a rental at all? What about the vet costs, it’s nothing like in Germany and most places consider GSD’s as an aggressive breed…” and then I topped it all because in March 2010 a German Shepherd puppy moved in with us and people went completely berserk. I was told that I would never, ever find a landlord willing to rent out to a couple with three German Shepherds.
For two years I was told I wouldn’t find anything at all so I started to do research before we even knew where we were going. I was anxious to find out where the Army would send us next and I was crossing my fingers for Colorado but the Army had other plans for my husband. They gave him orders to Ft.Drum.
But before we could even think about anything else at all we had to start the Visa process. I was about to collect all the information for the first appointment when one day I bended over to pick up a doggie toy and it hit my back. Long story short we ended up having two MP’s, four firefighters and three medics at our place getting me out through the window to send me to the hospital and since I couldn’t get up at all, couldn’t walk or even move they kept me there and knocked me out with some pain killer that I was actually able to sleep. The ENTIRE neighborhood watched and I don’t know how many rumors were going around. One person even thought I was dead since it was in the middle of the night and I was covered in a blanket and they couldn’t see my head. So that was it, our schedule was completely screwed up and my husband had to collect the paperwork for the Visa.
The days passed by and we finally were on our way to the Embassy in Frankfurt and what started in excitement turned into a complete nightmare. They stressed us so out that I was close to tears. That was on August 18th. Than the movers came and packed our stuff. Two days later our car got detailed and we paid around 400 Euros for that just to be told by the car inspector that we had to clean the spare tire because there was a little dust on it. First I thought he was joking but he was not. He would not allow our car to be shipped if we didn’t clean off the dust from the spare tire. It was beyond my understanding, afterall we just spend 400 Euros on it…
And from then on we had to wait. To wait for the letter from the consulate that approved me for the second appointment and final interview. In the meantime I did a lot of research on Ft.Drum, the surrounding area, contacted dog clubs, Schutzhund Clubs, SAR groups, watched the housing market and send tons of emails to landlords to find a place. I knew we wouldn’t be able to move into military housing so I watched Craigs List and AHRN. Both have been very helpful and for those that move to Ft.Drum there are several possibilities and there are places that have no breed nor a size restriction and you can keep up to three pets with DC Properties for example. That is the info I received from them. Don’t hold me to that though, as we all know policies can change at any given time. 
Anyhow, since hubby had to work I went to the second appointment myself. I had all the paperwork ready, prepared for battle and the interview. Once I got there I stood about two hours in line before I even got in, waited for another hour to go to the first window, pay the fee, waited another two to three hours before I was able to turn in the paperwork just to find out that some of the papers didn’t get accepted and I had to order them all over again. After that I waited another our or two until my number was called to window 16. I was nervous and excited the same time. Finally, the interview and when it was over I was disappointed. That was it? All they wanted to know was where we got married and how we gotto know each other? No questions about the relationship, likes and dislikes. All these horror stories about the interview turned out to be wrong.
After that I was free to leave and on my way home I couldn’t stop to think “Wow… that was it? All the proof, pictures, receipts and print outs for nothing?”
So I rushed home, went straight to the city hall to order a new german police record which never made it to our place and is now going to the city hall and supposed to be there by tomorrow (cross your fingers). Anyhow, the last weeks all I did was waiting. Waiting for paperwork and since I had nothing better to do I kept on doing research on the internet about my future home. I searched for housing and ever since I started to include videos and links to our dogs I haven’t had a problem to find landlords allowing that many German Shepherds. If you contact a landlord and tell him that you bring a bunch of GSD’s of course he says “HELL NO!” but if you include pictures, video material from training showing off that your dogs indeed are well trained and listen to you most landlords reconsider and approve them. At least that is what I experienced. But without help from a very good friend of mine I would have never had the idea. Chris, an Army Wife, dog handler and German Citizen herself, helped a lot. She gave the advise from the beginning to write up resumes for the dogs. To keep track of the training (when, what and where), references from the trainers, vets, friends and families and to send that with every application. I simply took it a step further and it worked perfectly for me.
Chris then went to the places and checked them out for us. She took tons of pictures, sent me detailed descriptions, nailed the landlords when it came up to damage told us exactly how it is. Without her help I could have never gotten the place I wanted initially. The landlord himself is retired military and a great guy.
Besides that I also did research on the local dog clubs. I wanted to know exactly how far I have to drive to the next Schutzhund clubs, how many clubs are out there, how good are they, who is the trainer and what kind of training methods are used. I looked up a local SAR Organization (search & rescue)and sent them an email. Surprisingly I received a very long email from another German Citizen and Spouse who is now a trainer at that SAR Organization and we’ve had a great chat on the phone. I sent her videos of my youngest bitch and she put a good word in for us.
I also checked on shipping the dogs and that itself is a totally different story. First I contacted petair, than gradlyn kennels and they wanted around 2000 Euros to ship all three of them together. Plus they’d only ship into NEWARK if we shipped them together. Since we already have a place and offers from fellow dog handlers that they would keep two of our dogs we asked SATO travel what they had to say and we now have a solution.
Each dog costs a 180 Euros to be shipped with US Airways from Frankfurt, Germany to Syracuse, NY. However there can only be one dog on the plane from Chicago to Syracuse, means that hubby and I have to fly on different days anyway. That way he can take the male and I can take the bitch. The second bitch will be shipped with either petair or gradlyn and the male puppy stays with his breeder until January and will then be shipped to the US and finally join his new family and pack, meaning us.
I understand that we are very lucky. We had help and guidance. I had the time to do the research and knew exactly what I wanted. With my dogs I never get bored. They are my best friends and opened the door to new possibilities, friends, challenges and adventures.
My biggest fear about military life was that I wouldn’t manage to fit in, that I’d be stuck in the house, bored to death and wanting to go home so bad that our relationship would be doomed to fail like it happened thousands of times before. I know several girls that got divorced after living two or three years in the US and returned to Germany because they didn’t know what they got themselves into and I swore to myself that I will not be one of those girls.
I will miss my home, I’ll miss my parents, two sisters and friends. I am scared and excited and while one part of me wants to settle down the other longs for adventure and this very first PCS (for me) from Germany to the US is one heck of an adventure, an adventure I will probably never forget in my life. And I am forever thankful for all the help we have received along the way.
We are still waiting though… waiting to finally fly out to our new destination and home… in two days we move out of our apartment that we have lived in for almost three years. We’ll be moving in with my parents until the day hubby flies to the US. I will follow him a couple of days later once my Visa arrived. And then EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Sandra
Moving to Europe
November 7, 2010 By 2 Comments
You have probably heard of a CONUS move and a OCONUS move. One stands for “contiguous United States’ move meaning you stay on the lower 48 States. Then there is the OCONUS move, which is a move outside the ‘contiguous United States’. Interestingly enough, a move to Hawaii as well as Alaska is considered a OCONUS move. A move to Guam or Puerto Rico is a OCONUS move, and then -of course- a move to a different continent is a OCONUS move.
Orders for an overseas assignment, whereever it might be, come with a lot of emotions. The least probably will be “How do I get my stuff there?â€. It gets a little more difficults when you are sent to an overseas location where you do not speak the language nor know the culture.
Know that there resources out there! Don’t give up and most importantly there have been so many military families that have made it to the different countries and a lot of times have had very positive experiences.
I would like to contribute in any way I can to help you make this transition a bit easier. Know, that lots of military spouses have contributed to this guide.
When you first get your orders
…..your husband will get a lot of information on what to do and how to proceed. Among this information there will be necessary forms to be filled out and requirements.
If you would like to accompany him to Germany you orders will say “accompanied tour†or similar and you’ll need to be command sponsored.
What is command sponsorship?
It means the command has agreed to allow the family to come to the country. This has to be done for a lot of reasons to include Status of Forces agreement, accountability, immigration/visa status, status under the host nation law, facility and support access and so on.
It also means the military regulations for that country apply to the family as well. Also under command sponsorship, a commander can give some limited orders to dependents as well, mainly revolving around evacuation and security, if the commander gives an order that spouses have to attend an evacuation briefing, they have to do it for example, its not optional like a FRG meeting.
Your husband will know that he needs DA Form 4187 Requesting Command Sponsorship. It’ll have to be signed by the BN Commander. You and your family members will go through a medical screening to determine possible EFMP enrollment. will have a medical screening What will effect you directly are the EFMP screenings of all family members. There are several forms, that the service member will need but I will not list them here, since he should have them in his overseas package.
Documents you should have on hand:
- *Your Marriage Certificate:Requesting a Copy of your Marriage Certificate, From the States or a Territory (http://www.vitalrec.com/marriagelicenses/)
- *Birth Certificates of all family members (Requesting a Copy of a Birth Certificate, From the States or Territory (http://www.vitalrec.com/marriagelicenses/)
- *Social Security Numbers of all family members
- *Custody paperwork for any stepchildren being command sponsored.
- *Sponsorship Checklist (http://www.imcom-europe.army.mil/sfac/admin/COMMAND%20SPONSORSHIP%20CHECKLIST.pdf)
- *Shot records of all family members
In your husbands information package, should be checklists regarding visas, passports, vaccinations. If your orders are last minute, then you’ll sweat a bit trying to get the no fee passports in time. BTW, you’ll for sure need a no-fee passport, a tourist passport is recommended but not necessary.
Tourist Passports, No Fee Passport: (https://cpolrhp.cpol.army.mil/eur/overseas/employee_handbook/moving/passports_visas.htm)
Individuals selected for an overseas position and their families will need official passports prior to traveling (the government will cover this expense). This is the first order of business for the move overseas once the final job offer has been accepted. You may begin the passport application process prior to receipt of the travel orders. Tourist passports will be needed for personal travel; these are easiest to obtain while in the States.
The most common delay in obtaining passports is that many people do not have the required birth certificates with raised seals. These should be requested from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics where the person was born. It is also a good idea to have a couple extra copies. No additional documents are necessary other than the application for individuals who already have a passport, even if it is expired.
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) (stamp):
The NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), Article III, requires that eligible civilian employees and their dependents have a SOFA identification in their official passports. This identification is commonly called a SOFA stamp or SOFA letter. It identifies the bearer as a person who is entitled to unrestricted entry and exit from most foreign countries. Contact the local SOFA office for information about obtaining a SOFA stamp and the requirements of the country where the position is located. For more information on SOFA identification in Europe review USAREUR Regulation 600-77, Status of Forces Agreement Identification.
—————————————————————————————————————–
If you have more information about this subject I would love to hear it! Leave a comment below!
Moving OCONUS is so confusing!
October 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Courtesy of lifelessonsmilitarywife.blogspot.com
This morning there was a question on the Military Duty Stations Facebook Wall:
Ashlie asked:
We r moving to Germany, my husband leaves October 19th to go to Germany first and all the in processing, and get into housing on base for us then the kids n I are heading there after he finds a… house n things;) so my question is will we even get any help with money for moving? And will we get it for him to be able to get over there and get the things we need and pay for his, kids and my traveling expenses? I’m kinda confused on how thus PCS works? So we need to sign up for it or do we automatically get it with moving?
It’s all so confusing -
So, I’ll tell you what I would do. Knowledge is power and the more you know the better for your nerves.
To let you know the military compensates you for your move. If it’s enough is a matter of opinion and frankly a matter of where you go,what family status, and rank you are and in the end how you choose to spend your money. One of those reimbursements is called DLA (Dislocation Allowance) and is more or less a catch all name for the things you need to (re-)purchase during your relocation. You are able to get advances on most of those allowances.
My recommendation is:
1. go or call your family services – in the Army that would be ACS- and see what they have in overseas classes and workshops
2. Take an Overseas PCS class at JPPSO or your Transportation office.
3. Take an Overseas PCS “Finance” class
4. If you take a look at ALL the Germany installations you will find a lot of ‘how it’s done in Germany’ tips. This is WHY this page was started.
If you husband has taken those classes before, don’t be shy! Sign up anyway – because you are the home manager and you will need a lot of information
to get your family safe and sound through this deployment.
Oh last but not least after all said is done, go to militarydutystations.com and post all your experiences for the next wife that has similiar questions.
10 best Space A Travel Tips EVER!
October 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Sandy Nelson, is not only an Army retired wife, Air Force Mom and Realtor in Olympia, WA she is also a seasoned Space A Traveler. If you have ever wondered how to travel via Space A watch this video.
Her tips are:
• She never Space A Travels with out the “Military Space A Travel Guide†http://www.militaryliving.com/store/newstore2.html
• Plan backwards – look at your destination in your book and see where the flights are coming from. Do this at the next airport until you are at your airport of origination
• Pack for any kind of climate/weather. If you plan a trip to Hawaii you might have to go through Alaska any maybe even have a lay-over. Make sure you throw a few extra warm weather clothes in your luggage
• Plan for unexpected lay-overs. Have 2-3 extra days of vacation available to you.
• Pack comfort items, especially if you have children. Think of toys, teddy bears, entertainment like DVD players, snacks, pillows. Blankets could be especially helpful, since sometimes different parts of the airplanes have different temperatures.
• Once your flight is confirmed call ahead to your next installation and make reservation for lodging there. If you don’t need them you can always cancel them. Don’t be stuck at the terminal for your lay-over
• If your flight does not have assigned seating, choose the seats with an outlet. You want to be able to plug in your laptop, chargers and DVD players. Maybe take a multiple plug with you
• If you are flying overseas make sure you have local currency with you. The plane might get in at odd hours, leaving you stranded until the exchange booths/banks open.
• Once you landed, have one person wait for the luggage and the other one is looking calling a cab. That way you’ll get out of the terminal much faster
• Now you can sign up for your return trip at the same time you arrive. Since you are flying out on a first come first serve basis this is very important, because it gives you all your vacation days on the waiting list and this bumps you up to get home on time.
Great tips, Sandy! I have never tried it but this makes me want to try Space A travel.
Tell me what you do!
Other fantastic videos on Space A! Makes me want to take off tomorrow!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHS6Z4xyUyQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Y0ejrolAM
DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW OF A CURRENT OR PAST DUTY STATION ON WWW.MILITARYDUTYSTATIONS.COM TO BE ENTERED IN THE $25 MOVIE GIFT CARD GIVE AWAY!
10 Most Useful Travel Apps for Your Smart Phone
October 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Most folks with a smart phone like apps, some are very useful like a simple calculator others not so much. PCSing or just traveling, you know that ‘there is an app for that’ and I decided to introduce a few to you. Whether you are PCSing or just traveling one or the other might work for you while you are planning to travel, getting ready to hit the road or already are on the road:
- GateGuru is specifically tailored for people waiting at airports. This would have been particularly helpful during my last trip, where unbeknownst to me the airline changed gates while I was away getting a coffee – and then didn’t announce it anymore neither over the microphone, nor on the digital display.
- This app might come in handy after a long day of travel.
Happy Hour is a lifesaver for those looking to have some fun and save some dough. - Not sure where to get good eats in a strange place: UrbanSpoon lets you choose from restaurants in an area sorted by type of food or price.
- This one’s for the ladies and I really had to chuckle when I saw this app – but is it ever so appropriate! Sit or Squat – Dare I say, that ‘us’ ladies get very particular when it comes to the bathroom and this app attempts to answer the important question of the restrooms cleanliness. I have personally never used it, but after some public restroom encounters, it might not be a bad idea!
- PCSing overseas? Traveling to other countries while stationed overseas? Then World Customs & Cultures might be for you. You’ll avoid offending anyone or making a fool of yourself while traveling.
- More for traveling overseas: Currency Exchange Rates
- There are a lot of city guide apps, one of which is UpNext 3D Cities . At this point they ‘only’ have major American cities covered but more are being added.
- The highly rated free travel plan and organizer Trip It might be worth looking into. It’s free and you have all your travel plans at the tip of your finger tips.
- Forget the heavy travel guide books on your book shelves – build your mobile travel guide library with the tripwolf iPhone app!
- Still waiting for that great airline ticket deal? The FareCompare When-to-Fly Airfare Alerts iPhone app alerts you in real-time when prices change to destinations worldwide. Plus share the flight deals you find with friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclaimer: Don’t drink and drive!
If you have more apps that you like for travel, please add it to the comments.
