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What To Do When You Are Feeling Homesick At Your Duty Station

January 17, 2019 by Julie 1 Comment

As a military spouse, you might be far from home and that isn’t always easy. Being the family member that misses everything is hard. Being the one that can’t go to the baby shower or misses birthdays on a regular basis is difficult to deal with. Being the one without having family nearby can be frustrating.

What To Do When You Are Feeling Homesick At Your Duty Station

As a military family you could end up in so many amazing places, Hawaii, Germany, Japan…✈️

You might end up on the East Coast when you have never been east of Utah before.

You might end up in South Korea when you never even thought about getting a passport before.

You might end up in Alaska, going through your first snowy winter after growing up in Florida.

Wherever you are stationed, wherever you are currently living, take advantage of the experience. I know that is hard to do sometimes, some places are easier to live than others but blooming where you are stationed is a must. Doing so will make the whole experience a lot easier for you and your entire family. 💐

However…whether you are happy where you are currently living or not, homesickness can set in.

There are days when you wish you could hop on a plane, and spend some time with your mom.

When you wish you could meet up with your best friend for lunch.

Or stop by and spend an afternoon with your grandparents.

If you have just moved to a new duty station, you might still feel lost, like you will never find your way or will never make a circle of friends like you had before. You might start to think that if you can only go back home, everything will be okay again.

But as a military spouse, you usually can’t go back home. Maybe your spouse can never be stationed nearby where you grew up. Maybe they can but it just hasn’t happened yet and you are not sure it ever well. Maybe your family has moved away and you know if you did go home, things would never be the same.

As a military spouse, you know that you will be living in different places, and at your core you know that the best thing to do is learn to love where you live, but that isn’t always easy.

Here are a few things you can do if you are feeling homesick at your duty station:

Connect to your duty station

Are you spending all of your time at home? Get out and explore and check out your new neighborhood. What are you interested in? Look for a group based on that. Find a new playgroup. Or, explore your base or post for fun events. The more time you spend getting to know your new home, the better.

Don’t dwell on the differences

Are you dwelling too much on how different your current home is from where you just came from? Make a list of positives about your current duty station look online if you need ideas. If you spend all of your time thinking about what you don’t have, that will make enjoying what you do have harder to find.

Focus on you

As military spouses, we can get stuck in the day to day duties of living this life. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to focus on yourself. What are your goals? Do you want to go back to school? Find a new job? Have another baby?

Spend some time thinking about how you are spending your days and how you can move forward with your goals. If you are spending time working on yourself, you won’t have as much time feeling sad about where you are living and what you are missing about home. You will be busier and find over time, that you really are loving your new experiences.

You might never get to a place where you never feel homesick again, but you can get to a place where your time at your duty station isn’t going to be the worst thing in the world. It might take time, but it is possible.

Where are you stationed? How have you been able to kick your homesickness and enjoy your current home?

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Filed Under: Duty Stations, Pcs Tagged With: duty station, military spouse, pcs, PCSing

The 15 Stages of a Military PCS

April 25, 2017 by Julie

The 15 Stages of a Military PCS  PCS season is around the corner and life is getting quite hectic for quite a few military families. Although it has been a while since our family has gone through a military PCS, I remember the process and how stressful and crazy everything can be.  1. Bored and ready to move  After you have been at your duty station for two or three years, you probably start to feel ready to make a change. You know you are going to be moving this year, you want to know where, and you are ready to start the process.  2. Soft orders, start planning  You hear where you are going to go. If you are happy with this choice, you are worried that will change. If you are not, you are praying it will. You still need to be patient to wait for the physical orders before any of your PCS dreams (or nightmares) can come true.  3. Orders change  Your orders have changed. You assumed you would be spending the next three years in Hawaii, sorry, it's El Paso. There is still a chance they could change again, but you aren't holding out much hope. Try to just go with the flow and to not worry too much about the changes until things become set in stone.   4. Hard orders cut, it's for real  Okay, you are going to this duty station. This is for real. Time to start your planning. You start asking in your local Facebook groups and Google all things about your new duty station. This is an exciting time, but then you start to feel a bit overwhelmed.  5. Stressed out with all you have to do  There is so much to do with a PCS. So many lists to make. So much to get done beyond your everyday lives. Make sure to create some system for everything you have to do and all the paperwork you need. Starting a PCS binder can be a very good idea but you can also just make sure you have a safe place for everything that is easy to take with you on the plane or in your car.  6. Get organized and plan  This is the stage where you decide if you want to live on base or not. If you want to live off, where you should find a house. Should you rent or buy? What about the schools? Take your time and try to relax about this part. There is going to be a lot of information out there and some of it, you can wait until after you are moved to figure it all out. Check out PCSGrades for reviews on different areas near where you will be moving.   7. Movers come, stuff goes  The day has come for the movers to pack up all of your earthly goods. Make sure to get your movers some lunch and offer snacks. They will appreciate it. Don't pack your trash and make sure anything you want to take with you is safely locked in your car or a room the movers won't go in.  8. All those last minute things  It wouldn't be a PCS without all the last minute things you will need to do. From cleaning out your home to making sure you have turned in all those library books before you leave. Reward yourself with a Starbucks or a cupcake after you get everything done. And breathe.  9. Saying goodbye  Saying goodbye to friends is the worst. Try to say, "see you later." Make sure you are connected on Facebook, that is where your friends will now live. Enjoy the last few days you have together and remember, the military is a small world and you could get stationed together again someday.  10. Physically moving  Now it's time to either leave for the airport or get in your car to drive away from your home for the last 2-4 years. Adventure awaits, and once you reach this step, you start to feel like everything is going to work out. Remember to bring plenty of snacks and make sure you leave time for pee breaks if you are driving, especially if you have small children.  11. Hotel living  We were lucky, and the longest we have had to stay in a hotel was a week. Others have to stay in them for much longer to wait for housing. Try to be creative with planning your hotel stay and remember, eventually you will live in an actual house, with a real kitchen and no hotel keys.  12. Your stuff is here  Yay! Your stuff in here, you have moved into your new home and life is about it get much better. No more sleeping on an air mattress and your son finally gets to play Xbox again.  13. Unpacking hell  Time to unpack and unpack and then spend more time unpacking. Just get it done. All of it. You will be glad you did.  14. Make new friends  Now that you are at your new duty station, time to make new friends. This can be difficult but putting yourself out there is a must. Start with just saying hi to a neighbor or going to a playgroup with your kids. Making friends will take time but once you do you will feel more at home no matter where you are stationed.  15. Relax in your new home  Whether you are in a 3rd story two-bedroom apartment in Germany or have bought your first ranch house outside of Ft. Carson, enjoy your new home. This will be where you will live for the next few years. Bloom where you are stationed even if you are sad to be there. Adventures await!  If you are going through a PCS right now, what stage are you in?

The 15 Stages of a Military PCS

PCS season is around the corner and life is getting quite hectic for quite a few military families. Although it has been a while since our family has gone through a military PCS, I remember the process and how stressful and crazy everything can be.

1. Bored and ready to move

After you have been at your duty station for two or three years, you probably start to feel ready to make a change. You know you are going to be moving this year, you want to know where, and you are ready to start the process.

2. Soft orders, start planning

You hear where you are going to go. If you are happy with this choice, you are worried that will change. If you are not, you are praying it will. You still need to be patient to wait for the physical orders before any of your PCS dreams (or nightmares) can come true.

3. Orders change

Your orders have changed. You assumed you would be spending the next three years in Hawaii, sorry, it’s El Paso. There is still a chance they could change again, but you aren’t holding out much hope. Try to just go with the flow and to not worry too much about the changes until things become set in stone.

4. Hard orders cut, it’s for real

Okay, you are going to this duty station. This is for real. Time to start your planning. You start asking in your local Facebook groups and Google all things about your new duty station. This is an exciting time, but then you start to feel a bit overwhelmed.

5. Stressed out with all you have to do

There is so much to do with a PCS. So many lists to make. So much to get done beyond your everyday lives. Make sure to create some system for everything you have to do and all the paperwork you need. Starting a PCS binder can be a very good idea but you can also just make sure you have a safe place for everything that is easy to take with you on the plane or in your car.

6. Get organized and plan

This is the stage where you decide if you want to live on base or not. If you want to live off, where you should find a house. Should you rent or buy? What about the schools? Take your time and try to relax about this part. There is going to be a lot of information out there and some of it, you can wait until after you are moved to figure it all out. Check out PCSGrades for reviews on different areas near where you will be moving.

7. Movers come, stuff goes

The day has come for the movers to pack up all of your earthly goods. Make sure to get your movers some lunch and offer snacks. They will appreciate it. Don’t pack your trash and make sure anything you want to take with you is safely locked in your car or a room the movers won’t go in.

8. All those last minute things

It wouldn’t be a PCS without all the last minute things you will need to do. From cleaning out your home to making sure you have turned in all those library books before you leave. Reward yourself with a Starbucks or a cupcake after you get everything done. And breathe.

9. Saying goodbye

Saying goodbye to friends is the worst. Try to say, “see you later.” Make sure you are connected on Facebook, that is where your friends will now live. Enjoy the last few days you have together and remember, the military is a small world and you could get stationed together again someday.

10. Physically moving

Now it’s time to either leave for the airport or get in your car to drive away from your home for the last 2-4 years. Adventure awaits, and once you reach this step, you start to feel like everything is going to work out. Remember to bring plenty of snacks and make sure you leave time for pee breaks if you are driving, especially if you have small children.

11. Hotel living

We were lucky, and the longest we have had to stay in a hotel was a week. Others have to stay in them for much longer to wait for housing. Try to be creative with planning your hotel stay and remember, eventually you will live in an actual house, with a real kitchen and no hotel keys.

12. Your stuff is here

Yay! Your stuff in here, you have moved into your new home and life is about it get much better. No more sleeping on an air mattress and your son finally gets to play Xbox again.

13. Unpacking hell

Time to unpack and unpack and then spend more time unpacking. Just get it done. All of it. You will be glad you did.

14. Make new friends

Now that you are at your new duty station, time to make new friends. This can be difficult but putting yourself out there is a must. Start with just saying hi to a neighbor or going to a playgroup with your kids. Making friends will take time but once you do you will feel more at home no matter where you are stationed.

15. Relax in your new home

Whether you are in a 3rd story two-bedroom apartment in Germany or have bought your first ranch house outside of Ft. Carson, enjoy your new home. This will be where you will live for the next few years. Bloom where you are stationed even if you are sad to be there. Adventures await!

If you are going through a PCS right now, what stage are you in?

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Filed Under: PCSing Tagged With: military life, pcs, PCSing

What To Expect At MCAS Iwakuni, Japan

June 15, 2016 by Guest Writer 4 Comments

Happy to have this guest post by Kelly on MCAS Iwakuni in Japan. Please visit my Duty station guest post page for posts on other locations or more information about how you can write a guest post about where you have been stationed.

Living at Iwakuni, Japan

Finding out your family has orders overseas can be intimidating but if you’re one of the lucky ones that has orders to MCAS Iwakuni, you’ll soon fall in love with this tiny but growing base. There is plenty on base to remind you of home but fun and adventure begins as soon as you exit the gates.

MCAS Iwakuni

While it is small, MCAS Iwakuni offers quite a bit. At Crossroads Mall there is Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, Taco Bell, Baskin Robbins, and Crossroads Café. Currently the Post Office, Commissary, and Sakura Theater are in the process of being moved to larger buildings to accommodate the base’s growing population. There is a bunch of construction going on to building new homes and renovating some of the older homes and towers. There are three types of housing for families: row homes (three story 3 or 4 bedrooms), town homes (two story 2 or 3 bedrooms), and tower apartments (2 or 3 bedrooms). One of the things I can’t seem to get over is how beautiful it is here. The Nishiki River runs past the Sea Wall and a great place to watch to sun set behind the mountains. The Sea Wall runs around most of the base. It is as wide as a small road and paved. A great place to go walking, running, or bike riding. It runs past the Ironworks Gym. The gym is decent sized and offers a variety of fun classes to keep you in shape. The indoor pool is located at Ironworks. There is an outdoor pool with a waterslide located across the street from Crossroads Mall and the Library. The Library just reopened in January after a renovation that included installing a 3D printer that is free to use.

MCAS Iwakuni

Off base there are many options for food, fun, and adventure. There are many restaurants within walking distance. You can try okonomiyaki (savory pancake), yakitori (food on a stick), shabu shabu (cook your food in flavored broths), yakuniku (cook your food on a grill in front of you), and a variety of ramen shops without having to go more than ten minutes from base. While you are and about, it’s highly recommended to go see Kintaikyo Bridge. It is a beautiful stone and wooden bridge built in the 1600’s. It is beautiful on it’s own but stunning when the Nishiki River is lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Just past the Kintaikyo Bridge is Kikko Park where you can find many fountains and statues. You can ride a gondola from Kikko Park to Iwakuni Castle. Iwakuni Castle has been turned into a museum about Iwakuni City. The view from the top of the castle is breathtaking. If you wish to see more of Japan it’s easy to hop on a plane or train or even the bullet train to explore Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Miyajima Island or even Tokyo. Recently MCAS Iwakuni made the news when President Obama visited the base on his way to see the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima.

Don’t let being in a foreign land intimidate you.  Don’t just stay on base. Actually go out and experience all that Japan has to offer. The memories you’ll make will last a lifetime. Don’t worry about the language barrier. The Google Translate app has helped us get around that. The Nationals are some of the nicest people I have met. Most of the time when we ask directions to a place they will actually walk us to the destination even if it’s a few blocks away. Either way be open to adventure and enjoy your time in Japan.

 

MCAS IwakuniKelly Stillwagon is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She currently lives in Iwakuni, Japan with her handsome husband, Jeremy. She is the owner of Barking Fabulous Dog Treats, and a blogger for I Do and Adieu. Kelly is also a paranormal investigator with over 10 years of experience. In her free time she loves to read, penpal, bake, paint, and veg out with Netflix with her kittens, Katniss Everpurr and Bagheera.

Social Media Links: Facebook page for “I Do And Adieu”- https://www.facebook.com/idoandadieu Instagram page for Kelly Stillwagon and I Do And Adieu- https://www.instagram.com/stillkelz/

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Filed Under: Duty Stations, PCSing, Stationed Overseas Tagged With: duty station, pcs

On Living At Fort Huachuca, Arizona

October 7, 2015 by Julie 3 Comments

On Living At Fort Huachuca, Arizona

Glad to have this guest post by Rebecca on living at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Please visit my Duty station guest post page for posts on other locations or more information about how you can write a guest post about where you have been stationed.

Fort Huachuca is often referred to as Fort “We Gotcha,” and as the home of the Military Intelligence Corps and a few thousands students, it’s very true. It’s not uncommon to be stationed here two or three times throughout a Soldier’s career. Often underappreciate, at least the first time, Huachcua is truly a gem tucked away in the Southeastern corner of Arizona.

This is our second time at Fort Huachuca, we were here in 2007, newly married while my husband attended a year-long school. In short, we hated it. There wasn’t much to do, Tucson is about a 90 minute drive and we really didn’t have the time nor money to explore.

Fast forward 5 years and we received orders to come back. Honestly, we were ecstatic. We knew what to expect, we had friends here, and we were more mature. We moved here with a dog, two kids, and about 6,000 more pounds than we left with the first time. In a way, it felt like we were heading home. Back to where it all started for us, back to the beginning.

When we arrived back on post it was almost shocking to see how much had changed. We looked at our house, which is amazing for army standards and knew this was the place we were supposed to be. The views are spectacular. Our house amazing. And the friends we’ve made? Outstanding!

So what is it really like at Fort Huachuca? It depends on the job. Most of the people here work a nice 8am to 5pm kind of job. Which is pretty perfect because that’s what the installation can support. Those unlucky few who work the long hours are those AIT Platoon Sergeants (think Drill Sergeants without the funny hats) the days are long. But overall, the place is pretty low key.

We’ve been here three years now, and are banking on two more. Which is a long time most places, but not as much for here. People have been known to spend the majority of their careers here, and I can understand it.Fort Huachuca

The neighboring town, Sierra Vista, is incredibly hospitable to military families. They show their American pride several times a year and are actually quite cultured. The Sierra Vista Symphony is a wonderful evening of music and society.

Don’t just take my word for how great it is out here, here’s what some of my friends have to say:

“Garden and Huachuca Canyons are our favorite places to hike and the amazing friends we’ve made here in two years are the best part overall,” –Leia

“The weather! I love that you can drive a few hours and see snow in the winter, or a few more hours and be on the beach. And then come home to consistently amazing weather,” –Christi

“The friends I made, the sunrises and sunsets, the view of the mountain, and nearby Bisbee.” –Jenny

“I love the unique wildlife. Where else can you have a group of javelin by night and wild turkeys by day in your yard?” – Missi

Not everyone loves Fort Huachuca as much as I do, but I truly think this is a fantastic place to raise a family, make friends, and enjoy the great outdoors. It’s hard to leave each duty station, each place you call home. I know that this will be the hardest, but I’m hopeful we’ll be back one day.

10460503_10100126370928701_2353812854519958557_nRebecca Alwine has been a military spouse for over 8 years, traveling the world and learning about herself. She’s discovered she enjoys running, loves lifting weights, is a voracious reader, and actually enjoys most of the menial tasks of motherhood. She is an avid volunteer, most recently as President of the Fort Huachuca Community Spouses’ Club and has worked as a career counselor for transitioning service members. She has a Masters in Emergency Management from American Military University and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Mary Washington. Her writing has been published both in AUSA’s ARMY Magazine, Military Spouse Magazine, on Many Kind Regards, and multiple digital magazines and blogs. You can follow her on Twitter at armywife1229.

 

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Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: duty station, guest post, military life, pcs

PCS Prep Advice: Make Your Next Military Move Easier

May 28, 2013 by Julie 1 Comment

Happy people moving in a new home

Summer is Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season for us military families. Although a PCS can happen any time of the year, summer is when the majority of relocations occur.

Moving is stressful, no matter how many times you’ve done it. Whether you are a PCS novice or an old pro, the following tips can help you and your family get settled in your new home quickly.

Set the Wheels in Motion

The first thing you should do once you know your destination and the details of your PCS is contact housing, transportation and relocation assistance offices. These valuable resources can help you with all aspects of your move, such as determining allowances, figuring out where to live, putting a vehicle in storage or shipping a pet. If you have school-age children who are not enrolled in Department of Defense schools, contact the school liaison officer. He or she will help you transfer, transition and enroll your children in the school system at your new location.

Purge

Once you know a PCS is imminent, begin going through the closets, drawers and cabinets. Get rid of anything you don’t use, haven’t used in a year, or things you know you won’t need in your new home. Put things you want to keep but aren’t moving into storage. Get rid of what you won’t be moving via a yard sale or donate it to Goodwill. Know what your property shipment weight allowances are. This will help you be more decisive about what to get rid of and what to hang onto.

Organize Important Documents

Use a binder or accordion-style folder to organize documents such as military orders, birth and marriage certificates, social security cards, insurance documents, etc. Once you have your documents organized, never let that file out of your sight! Leave it in your car or put a big red X on it so movers won’t accidentally pack it, and keep it with you while you travel.

Secure Your Home

Protect your new home or the one you are leaving behind (if you own it) with an alarm system. According to www.securitycompanies.com, there are close to 5,000 home security companies in the United States offering everything from burglary protection and fire detection to fully automated systems that can regulate a thermostat lighting with a mobile device.

Create a First Night Kit

This should contain everything you’ll need for the first night in your new home. Changes of clothes, sheets, towels, toilet paper, paper plates, a coffee maker, a can opener and a few basic tools are some must-haves for your first night kit. If you can’t lift it yourself, label it boldly, so it’s easy to find among all the other boxes and belongings.

DIY Items

Pack valuables and breakable items yourself. Anything that has monetary or sentimental value should be packed and moved by you, if possible.

Research Your New Area

Familiarize yourself with your new town before the move. Get a general idea where things like hospitals, schools, shopping centers, parks and restaurants are located.

 

This post is by:

Andrea Porter

A painter, mom, wife and photographer, Andrea always has material to write about. Finding the time to write is another story altogether.

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Filed Under: Military Life, Pcs Tagged With: pcs

Guest Post: Camp Zama, Japan Part 2

July 20, 2012 by Julie 8 Comments

Here is the 2nd part of Jes’s post on Camp Zama.  Make sure to read part one as well 🙂

Jes  blogs at Bleu Dress and Dress Blues!

We have a wonderful spouses club {again, only one, not enough people to support separate enlisted and officer clubs…that’s a recurring theme around here.  It’s not encouraged but it’s not uncommon for the two to mix freely around here}.  ZaCSA {http://zacsa.org/}, the Zama Community Spouses Association, has a plethora of volunteer opportunities and hosts numerous events throughout the year. Some of these events are held with groups of local Japanese women {their groups are exclusively female}, including cooking classes {1, 2, 3} and new years parties {2011, 2012}.  If you get stationed here and are looking for a way to get involved, this is the place to start {we were still in lodging, had been in Japan less than 2 weeks, when I took my 1st cooking class}!

Japan

my 1st Japanese cooking class just days after arriving in Japan

Ok, enough about stuff on base, let’s see if I can begin to describe what life off base can be like when you’re stationed here.  1st, I’ll state the obvious, living in a country where you don’t speak the language is difficult!  It is very easy to be intimidated by the language barrier and never leave base. Those people are the ones who tend to HATE living here and I don’t blame them.  If I never left the base, I would be MISERABLE here too!  If you’ve ever read my blog, you probably know that I am NOT one of those people.  From day one I was determined to make the best of my time here and I am confident that I will leave here feeling like I accomplished that goal.

Japan

embracing my inner Japanese at a temple in Tokyo

The food is…different, but, IMO, good!  My favorite, okonomoyaki, I haven’t blogged about but it’s now on my blogging to-do list!  Yakitori, or grilled chicken on a stick, is a close second and there’s a great joint between Zama and SHA.  There is also a great gyoza {dumpling} restaurant close to SHA.  Sushi here is a tad different that what we’re used to in the US.  Not so many rolls with fancy sauces and toppings, more fish, rice and wasabi.  My mom was a trooper when she came to visit and tried everything I put in front of her which was basically every Japanese food I know!  If you’d like to see more about the food here, I recommend checking out that post.

Japan

my mom’s 1st experience with sushi

There are lots of festivals and celebrations that happen throughout the yeah, especially in the summer months.  Some are family friendly, and others are not so PG.  Some you plan to attend {the one US radio station, broadcast from a near by AF base tells you about lots of events going on outside the gate}, some you randomly find by following the noise you hear while out in town for other reasons.

Japan

my friend, Melissa, and me playing a taiko drum.  these are often a part of festivals and celebrations in Japan

Working here can be a bit challenging as there are only a few job opportunities available.  I chose to go the route of teaching English.  There are companies here who match Americans with Japanese students who want to study English.  They make it very easy for you to get started.  I also teach a group of WONDERFUL Japanese ladies at a local community club.  These women have made my time here in Japan so much more enriching.

Japan

the ladies that I teach at the community center

Shopping in Japan can be difficult, especially if you aren’t super thin.  Even as a size 4-6 US, I have trouble finding clothes that fit sometimes.  And shoes?  I don’t even bother, my size 9 is non existent here!  The style here is a bit different than it is in America.  I embrace it, others don’t, but I’ve always been a tad on the funky side of fashion.  I’ve shared my shopping experiences here and here.   Most of us rely on online shopping though!

Japan

a sampling of some of the more extreme fashion seen in Tokyo

  Driving and parking can also be challenging for some.  The roads are small, the cars are small and the parking spots are even smaller and slightly complicated to figure out! {I highly recommend NOT bringing your car here.  It’s very costly and large American cars don’t fit on the road here very easily} Your best bet, stick to the trains!  They go just about every where, they’re efficient, very easy to navigate and way less stressful than driving!

Japan

watching a train driver on a local train

It took me a while, but I did find a few places to volunteer out in the community where at least some people speak English!  Through a local photographer, I found a food bank in Tokyo and through that food bank, I found an organization to volunteer with after the Tsunami.

volunteering at the food bank in Tokyo with my dear friend, Melissa

 Japan

Everyday here is an adventure.  You never know when you’ll turn a corner and learn/discover something new.  I think the most important thing is to keep an open mind.  I wasn’t thrilled the 1st time we were out and I had to use the bathroom and could not find a Western style toilet but hey it’s all about gaining life experiences right?

 Japan

a Japanese style toilet AKA squatty potty

There are tons of sights to see here.  I’m quite sure it’s impossible to see everything here in just 3 years but I’m sure going to try my best to knock as many off the list as I can!  I hope you’ll follow along as my journey here continues and if you ever get the opportunity to be stationed here, I hope you jump on it!

Japan

Daibutsu located about an hour away in Kamakura, Japan

I could go on and on about life here but I think that is more than enough for now.  If you have any questions about life in Japan, please don’t hesitate to send me an email.

PS, I asked some friends and we come up with these tips if you happen to be PCS’ing to Camp Zama:

1.  Our PX is small, very small.  It has most of the necessities but if you are particular about a certain product, especially make-up or hair color or shampoo/conditioner, etc.  I suggest you bring those things with you.

2.  We have a clinic on site for regular check-ups and day to day health issues but we do NOT have a hospital/ER. If you find your self in a situation like this one, or are/become pregnant here, you will be seen at either Yokota AFB or Yokosuka Naval Base {both are any where from 1-3 hours away by car depending on traffic}.  Time sensitive emergency cases can be taken to a much closer Japanese ER and the base will provide you with a translator.  As far as pregnancies go, you will travel to one of those bases for all of your appointments through out your pregnancy and then about 2 weeks before your due date, they set you and your spouse up in a hotel there so you are close by when the time comes to deliver.  I have no personal experience with this but from what I hear, it’s a pretty nice set up.

3.  Most people like to take advantage of the numerous mountains near by, especially Mt Fuji.  If you intend to do any hiking here, I recommend purchase quality boots before you come.  You can find some boots off base but they are usually 2-3 times what you would pay for the same shoe in the US.

4.  Also footwear related.  RAIN BOOTS!  Public transportation is huge here and the rainy season gives us up to 3 months of pretty steady rain.  The last thing you want is to be walking around without proper protection.  You may want to invest in some rain gear before you arrive.  Rain boots & a rain jacket at minimum are pretty essential items here!

 

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Filed Under: Guest Post, Military Life, Pcs Tagged With: duty station, duty stations, pcs

Guest Post: Camp Zama, Japan Part 1

July 19, 2012 by Julie 7 Comments

Jes at Bleu Dress and Dress Blues is my next guest poster.   I will be dividing her post into two because of all the wonderful information she has 🙂

 Camp Zama is a teeny, tiny Army base located about 25 miles SW of Tokyo, Japan.  Most people have never heard of it, I hadn’t until we got orders {I actually have a soldier with 25 years service under his belt tell me that I was making it up because he didn’t think we had soldiers on mainland Japan, lol}.  It is home to about 10 units, including U.S. Army Japan(USAR-J)/I CORPS FWD.  I don’t know exact numbers but if I had to guess I’d say there are less than 800 soldiers, maybe about 1500 civilians and probably close to 2000 local national employees on base.  Unless you get permission from the General {yes, the, we only have one}, soldiers and civilians are required to live on post so it’s kind of like living in a fish bowl in the middle of Japan.  Most of the time, this is great, I love living in a community where  everybody knows your name but it’s also a breeding ground for massive amounts of “Zama Drama”. {If you were wondering how Zama is pronounced, well, it rhymes with drama!}

Japan

we have been blessed with some of the most amazing neighbors ever here!

Our community includes the main base {Zama}, Sagamihara Housing Area {SHA} and the Sagami Depot.  Most of the families live on Zama or SHA with a few {less than a dozen} residing at the Depot.  I have never actually been to the Depot so I know very little about it.  On SHA you will find family housing, the elementary school that serves SHA + Zama, and our state of the art, just installed, digital movie theater {it’s the 1st one of it’s caliber in on a military installation in Japan and it’s been a big deal for us.  It means we get movies IMMEDIATELY once they’re released in the US instead of having to wait for the film to be delivered weeks or months after it premiers in America}.  Zama, which is where almost all of the units are located, contains family and single soldier housing, the small PX, the mail room and post office, the community club, a GREAT travel office, a bowling alley, a golf course {apparently one of the best on any base instillation around the world…but I wouldn’t know!}, a vet, a high school that serves not only Zama + SHA but also Naval Air Facility Atsugi which is located about 30 minutes from here and the clinic {we don’t have a hospital here}.  Both areas have very small commissaries {the one on Zama only has 4 aisles…it’s tiny!}, a gym, a food court, day care, and a chapel.

Japan

One of the things that I think separates us from other bases I’ve been to is our community club.  Our base cannot support both an enlisted and officers club so we just have the one and, believe it or not, PEOPLE USE IT!  ALL THE TIME!  The place is always busy.  I’ve never seen a community club that has as much consistent business as ours does.  It’s a great facility run by a couple of great guys.  I also think it may have to do with the fact that it’s one of the few places to eat American food outside of your home.  If you want American food here and you don’t want to cook, your options are the food court {Popeye’s, BK, Subway and Anthony’s pizza}, the golf course, bowling alley, DFAC, or the community club.  The options get old REALLY fast!

To be continued…

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Guest Post: Okinawa, Japan

July 16, 2012 by Julie 40 Comments

Okinawa

Hey! I’m Kara and I blog over at Ramblings of a Marine Wife. In case, you didn’t notice, my husband is a Marine and we are currently stationed in Okinawa. We have 2 kids, our son is almost 7 and our daughter is 3. Our last duty station was Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Hubby hated it, I liked it, but I’m from Missouri. However, we both agree that we absolutely love Okinawa!

Okinawa

Okinawa is a sub-tropical island in the Pacific Ocean. It’s roughly 950 miles southwest of Tokyo and 400 miles east of Taipai and yes, it is a relatively small island. It’s 877 square miles and only about 70 miles long. It’s easy to drive from one end to the other in a day, even with the traffic and slower speed limits. However, there is a ton to do here! I was a little worried about being landlocked, but not once have I felt the need to get outta here because of Okinawa’s size. I also didn’t realize how absolutely gorgeous this island would be.

 okinawa japan map

There are bases all over the island, one Army, one Air Force, a couple Navy, and the rest Marine Corps. Of the ten plus bases, only 7 have housing. For the most part, they will put you in housing near where you work, but not necessarily on the same base. We lived on base when we first got here and were pretty far from hubby’s work, but only because we picked our house over another. Now we live in town and we picked that too, based on school districts, and we just liked the house we are in.

This island is great for families. We’ve been here almost 2 years and I’m still finding new places to go and things to see. The island has a lot of touristy spots, including a couple zoos, an aquarium, numerous memorials and museums dedicated to WWII, castle ruins, and more beaches than I could count. We have also found some pretty neat parks. The Japanese don’t build playgrounds like we do! Theirs are way better! The military MWR’s and MCCS are also good about constantly having stuff going on.

okinawa

If you do like to vacation, the military has a resort, Okuma. There are also nice hotels in town. But, then again, we are in Asia. Why not fly to your country of choice? We haven’t gone anywhere yet, but I have friends (that I’m extremely jealous of) that have gone to mainland Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, and probably more places I’m forgetting.

I have found that Okinawa is either a place you love or you hate. If you get out and enjoy the island and the culture, you will come to love it. Never leave base and you will come to resent being here. I love it (my blog will testify to that) and would love to stay longer, but I think my family would kill me.

 

 

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Guest Post: Goodfellow Air Force Base

July 8, 2012 by Julie 5 Comments

Hi guys!  I am in California for vacation and wanted to have a few guest posts share with you about where they call home at the moment!  If you would like to guest post about your duty station or location, please email me at soldierswifecrazylife (at) gmail (dot) com 🙂

Hi! I’m LC and I blog over at Faith & Deployments (link: http://flightlinefightline.blogspot.com). We recently just had our first PCS from Langley AFB to Goodfellow AFB. For those of you who don’t know, that’s in Texas, inside San Angelo to be exact. San Angelo is the largest “town” in Texas that is not located near an interstate. In fact the closest interstate is over 2 hours away in any direction. The town caters to the military and even the liquor stores give discounts to military. The graciousness of the town is heartwarming and the locals are more than generous on their hospitality and help.

Goodfellow

I absolutely love this town, but the base has been more than an adjustment. It is strictly a training base for all branches of the military. There are no planes and the only permanent party members (here for longer than 6 months at a time) are the instructors. Few families move here and only 240 base houses for all 5 branches of the military. So base housing is almost impossible unless you have special circumstances.

That’s okay though because the entire town is teenie tiny (maybe a 20 minute drive from one side to the other) and renting an apartment or house is dirt cheap. Well worth living off base under your BAH limit. Which is a plus since GAFB has the lowest BAH rate of all the US bases.

Getting information on anything is rare and hard to get. Since 80% of the people in the offices are just students waiting for their classes to start they aren’t trained on information of the office they are volunteering in. Be prepared to do lots of research and get a lot of wrong answers. My suggestion is to take names and what branch they are from and when you find the individual you need to speak to, you can give them solid information to try and correct the issue.

Offices and activities on base are on odd operating hours, most of the entire base shuts down 2-3 times a month for “trainings” and this can create a problem with needing doctors’ appointments or papers signed during in-processing or out-processing.

Since the base is a training base the gyms are flooded with military members straight out of basic, lots of marching troops, which create long traffic jams; as the military members are required to march everywhere they go and have their meals at certain times during the day.

Fraternizations of different ranks is strictly enforced on the base as well, regardless if your husband is prior service or not, so be forewarned that it is incredibly hard to find a social group outside of personal interests or a spouses group.

They have a brand new combined spouses club that has been working to do more and gain membership. They mainly cater to moms and mid day activities, but are working hard to do more.

The one blessing and yet it’s a curse about this base is that it is in the middle of Texas. But it’s hours from any airports of awesome cities: 4.5 hours from Dallas, 4 Hours from both San Antonio & Austin, 6 hours from Houston. But it makes it nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

There are so many family-owned businesses that give San Angelo huge amounts of character. Surrounded by a town that idolizes the military, who couldn’t ask for a better base to be at?

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Guest Post: Stationed in Hawaii

November 15, 2010 by Julie 1 Comment

 

 

Stationed in Hawaii with the military

This next guest poster is Tricia at This Happy Home! I first “met” Tricia on a yahoo mailing list years ago.  I am still hoping we end up at the same post sometime in the future 🙂  She is an Army wife with 3 little kids stationed in Hawaii 🙂  Since they are getting ready to PCS stateside again she will be writing a few other posts on her blog about Hawaii as well.

Nearly three years after arriving in Hawaii as a disgruntled pregnant army wife who did not want to be here, I’m leaving, with two more kids than we arrived with, a person who is grateful for the experience, enjoyed her time…and wouldn’t fight coming back. Our duty time here has had some amazing highs (one and two) and some definite lows. I came with the attitude that this would be an experience unlike any we would have if we weren’t military, so I was going to take advantage of it.

Some highlights….

Stationed in Hawaii

Keiki should be seen and heard. Everywhere. From church services to high-end restaurnts, normal kid noises and behavior are expected and welcomed. Rare is the “evil eye” from someone when your adorable keiki peeps up in the middle of service to tell you he needs to visit the men’s room or has the wiggles at dinner. You’ll find that Hawaii is one of the most family-friendly places you can be stationed.

The kama’aina are amazing. I have never felt anything but welcomed by the locals. You’ll hear stories about how much the locals hate non-natives, particularly military, but I have never had a single occurrence. And I have spent quite a bit more time in the local communities than most military wives I know. They are friendly, warm, welcoming and helpful. They have a rich history in the islands and they love to share their history and culture. And food!

If you enjoy Asian food, you’re in luck! Hawaii is rich with cultures from all over Asia and the Pacific Islands and, with that, comes incredible foods. From hole-in-the-walls to chains like Zippy’s and L&L Drive In, you’ll never have to search hard for good food.

Where else can you be stationed and have the opportunity to be treated at a big pink hospital?! Tripler Army Medical Center is huge and, because it sits on the side of a mountain, it can easily be seen from many places. And the pink-ness of it makes me smile every time. Add in that I birthed both of my boys there and I have even more reason to smile at Tripler.

One of the greatest things about being here, I think, is the ability to easily travel to the other islands. Airfare is very cheap, with prices starting around $40 roundtrip, rental car deals can be found utilizing Priceline and many hotels offer military rates. In a matter of a couple of hours, you can drive to the airport, fly to your destination and be on an island far different from Oahu. Take advantage of this opportunity!! I’ve known several military wives who have vowed never to travel to the other islands…I can’t tell you how much they’re missing out on!

Stationed in Hawaii

I’d gladly be stationed here again just went for the shave ice (call it shaved ice and they’ll know you aren’t local!)!! Our favorites are Waiola when we’re in town and Matsumoto’s when we’re on the North Shore.

Its Aloha Friday, No Work ‘Till Monday In addition to the incredibly catchy tune that you’ll hear all over the radio on Fridays, the aloha spirit comes out on Fridays. Everyone moves a little slower, is a little more friendly and spirits are up. I recently learned that Aloha Fridays were the inspiration behind “casual Fridays” you find on the mainland…and that Aloha Fridays were started to encourage wearing of Aloha shirts!

 

Stationed in Hawaii

 

Need I go on?! 🙂 As much as I am not a beach lover, wow…we have some amazingly beautiful beaches!!

Stationed in Hawaii

And beautiful beach sunsets!

And the struggles…

With prices so much higher off base than on base, you’re “bound” to the bases for shopping. While shopping at Target and such is high, it is quite doable. Shopping for groceries? No way! Sale prices can often be decent but non-sale items have prices that are quite prohibitive for regular shopping.

Getting around can be highly irritating some days. Between the traffic at rush hours, the high number of cars on Oahu, the parking spaces made for tiny sedans (which are a rarity!) and the lack of signage (it’s not unusual to be looking for someplace and somehow stumble upon it…without ever having seen a sign for it anywhere).

If you want to eat ethnic food that is not Asian, good luck! Outside of a few restaurants, we’ve found very little good non-Asian/local ethnic food. Tex-Mex is especially hard to find. Pizza places that are not chains are also few in number. And delivery food? Even less!

I knew it would be hard for me to live someplace with very little weather change from season to season. Growing up in the Midwest, I was used to four very distinct seasons. When I read in the guide-book that average temperatures were 80 plus or minus five degrees, reality hit. Seasons really were NOT going to be different in any significant way (save for rain during winter months if it wasn’t a dry year, which it was last year). This fall, for the first time, I noticed a very, very subtle change in weather–the winds were a little cooler, mornings and evenings were slightly chilly. If you weren’t paying close attention, though, it would be easy to miss. I miss different seasons but, more than that, I miss the CHANGE of seasons. I miss those early spring days when it’s just warm enough to go without a jacket, to crack the windows in your house or car. I miss leaves turning colors, the hint of crisp breezes, watching the stores for fresh apple cider and cinnamon brooms. I miss guessing whether early winter precipitation is rain or spitting snow. Every day the same (plus or minus five degrees!!) can be a hard adjustment.

Stationed in HawaiiI knew the distance from the mainland (and associated travel costs) would be great. I didn’t realize just how great until I was traveling alone with a 3-year-old and 12 week old!! Add in travel costs and travel to the mainland can quickly become quite difficult to make. Even when staying in Hawaii, the difference in time (as zones can make it difficult to connect with family. Six hours behind the east coast (five during the winter) means that friends and family are almost at the end of their workday just as your day is getting started.

Seemingly minor, it can grow increasingly frustrating when you can’t get online purchases shipped here. eBay sellers who insist custom forms are needed to ship to Hawaii so they won’t sell to you, retailers that only ship via UPS Ground (diapers.com, for example), no Amazon Grocery! And still others ship here…but for very high costs (Target, Frontier & King Arthur Flour, for example). When selections are already limited (groceries & craft supplies), the shipping issues add to the frustration.

As with any duty station, Hawaii is what you make of it. The struggles can be really trying sometimes…but this is truly an experience you’d (likely) never have if you were not military.

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About Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life

Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Welcome to Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life! I am so glad you are here.

My name is Julie and I have been an Army wife for almost 15 years now.

My husband of 18 years has served in the active-duty Army and now the Army National Guard. We have lived in Germany & Tennessee during our time as a military family.

We have three boys and have been through four deployments together.

I hope that you can find support for your own deployments, pcs moves, or anything else military life brings you 🙂

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