6 weeks Left until Japan-HELLLLP!!!!!!

[Sw33tTee826]

HELLO NAVY WIVES, GIRLFRIENDS, AND MOMS,

My name is Tyler, and my husband is an E3 in the Navy ceremonial guard.

In just 6 weeks, he will be going to his next duty station in Japan. Unfortunately, I will not be able to go with him because of his rank. He is going to be there for a total of a year and ten months. I am afraid to be without him and I will be raising our 13 month old alone. Although i am in a state where my family is, i would rather be with my husband anyday.

My questions are: How do i get through this?? If my husband put in a chit to get his orders changed, how likely will this happen? how are connections there in Japan??

I want any type of advice possible. This is the first time we will be apart since bootcamp. Help!!!

Tyler<3 :)

[SR Wife]

Hi Tyler, my husband is still @ bootcamp and is an E3..I'm confused about your situation. We were told by.several different people that he wouldn't get sent overseas on the 1st year n because he was married w 2 dependents n his rank and because its too expensive for the Navy to move a whole family in his rank. So how did he get these orders? Did he picked them or asked for it? I'm sorry I dnt have any advice for you. I'm new to this life.

[Anti M]

Join the Japan moms group, they are great ladies and can answer many questions and offer sympathetic ears.

Once he gets to Japan, he can buy a cell phone there which will work inexpensively.  His American phone either won't work or will be too expensive (thousands in roaming charges).  He can also Skype or use a Magic Jack (maybe).

He can put in a chit but the best thing for him to do is call his detailer ASAP.  They might have missed the fact he was married. One of my married friends got orders to Diego Garcia, she called, and they switched her to Virginia.  The detailer didn't get the form they fill out in A school indicating they were married and shouldn't be given that set of orders.  Now he still might absolutely be needed, but he can absolutely try to get them changed.  

Once he is there, he can ask about a waiver for your command sponsorship to come over, but they are rarely approved.

Best of luck, keep us updated.

(I was in Japan for 12 years total, loved it)

[sailorwifenmom]

Hi,

We're stationed in Japan, so I might be able to answer some of your questions.  Where in Japan is he going?

As someone mentioned, they do send Sailors here who can't bring their families, because they are E-3 or below.  Some of them are on their first duty station, some are on a second duty station.  The Navy policy is that you can come over here with him, BUT - he has to make E-4 first, and he has to have at least 1 year left here.  Also, you need to be aware that they will also extend him, because you have to do 3 years here (as the Sailor) - which is the length of an accompanied tour.

How likely it is that these orders will / can be changed because you can't come  here with him are going to depend on a lot of things  - Command, Detailer, if there's another place he can go, why he was given these orders (like, did he fail to submit for orders in his window, so now he's being sent Needs of the Navy, or is he going to do a critical fill job, etc...).  However, I'm really sorry, but even with all of these things, the odds of getting them changed because of the separation factor are pretty slim.  I am sorry...

The good news though is that COLA here is pretty good, and there are a lot of space A flights that go in and out, so he can go home for leave relatively cheap.  Also, you might want to look into this - I don't know if you can do it or not, but it's worth looking into -- but you might be able to get a letter from his command here authorizing you to fly space A to come visit.  (I know that spouses who are stateside and have their Sailor deployed for 180 days or longer can get a letter that allows them to fly space A from the States without their Sailor with them.  I don't know if spouses whose Sailor are on unaccompanied can, but worth looking into :-)  )

I STRONGLY encourage you to NOT move here without command sponsorship.  I say this for a LOT of reasons --  When you transfer here as part of your Sailor's orders, with SOFA status, you are issued a Dependent Authorization Form.  You have to show that to be able to get signed up for medical care on the base, and you have to show it to get housing.  As an E-3, odds are he won't be authorized to live off base (there is a Japan wide, DoD wide "base first" housing policy now as a budget saving measure).  If you try to live off base on your own, you're going to pay several thousand dollars out of pocket a month just for rent (we live in one of the "cheaper" areas of Japan, and the ones who are authorized to live off base are given 200,000 yen a month (with 75 yen to the dollar aprox exchange rate...) just to cover the rent, not counting utilities....  Plus, unless you are here under SOFA status or on a VISA of some sort, the Japanese govt won't let you stay longer than 90 days, and they are very strict about that. 

I'm not sure what you mean by connections here in Japan, but if you mean phones, etc, it's not too bad.  I would strongly suggest that he get a Vonage line or a Magic Jack.  You can get a Stateside number (in the area code of your choice), and it will save you a FORTUNE in phone costs. 

Also, and I know this is going to be hard (I've spent a lot of time separated from my husband over the yrs, so I really do feel for you!), but just take it one day at a time, and you can get through this!  

[Anti M]

You beat me to it!  Ladies, that information is 100% accurate.  

[Angie]

great info!

 

[mrschelsea]

tyler,

two of my very good friends from high school joined the marines and ended up in japan. i talk to them multiple times a week. it sucks that hes so far away and the time difference but japan is a really good place for him to be. you'll be able to send and receive care packages, skype and internet, and best of all he will be able to have a cell phone (: i hoped my information helped, good luck and stay strong <3