Make sure you keep your sponsor, ombudsman, and your
unit advised of your flight itinerary. All personnel arriving at
Honolulu International Airport should be met by their sponsor, unless they are
continuing to the islands of Hawaii, Maui, or Kauai. You and your family (if
applicable) should be transported to a previously arranged temporary lodging
accommodation. If you have any arrival problems or questions, contact
your assigned unit.
All members must officially check-in on
arrival day, because all overseas allowances (COLA, BAH, TLA) become effective
the date of PCS check-in. If you don't check in at your unit and with the Local
Housing Officer, you (and any dependents) will not be reimbursed for any TLA
expenses. In addition to checking in at your unit, unaccompanied
members must check in with your unit Local Housing Representative. Call your
unit before arriving to confirm its exact check-in procedures
FAMILY
HOUSING CHECK-IN
Accompanied members must check-in with the Local Housing
Officer no later than the next business day after arrival on
island.
Upon check in at the housing office, you will be
provided your housing in-brief and counseled on available housing
options. KKH Red Hill Housing located on Oahu, was privatized as of 1
Octeober 2004. The private contractor, Army Hawaii Family Housing
(AHFH), maintains and operates this previously CG-owned housing
site. CG-owned housing is available on the neighbor islands of Maui,
Kauai, and Hawaii. Senior officer housing is available at Wailupe on Oahu.
Because housing on Oahu is now privatized, advance placement on AHFH'S housing
waitlists cannot be made until after you arrive and have signed into your
gaining command in Hawaii.
During your housing in-brief, you will be
asked to complete a housing survey. The survey will assist the
housing office to assess housing demand and provide information to help improve
the quality of housing. Once the survey is completed, you will
receive a DD Form 1747, Status of Housing Availability. DD Form 1747
will not be provided in advance to the member's date of arrival and signing into
their gaining command.
It is strongly recommended you arrange for advance
reservations at a TLA qualified hotel, if:
- you are interested
in renting within the local community,
- you are applying for
privatized housing with AHFH,
- Government-owned housing will not
be available upon your arrival on island.
If you are
interested in renting within the local community, or Government housing will not
be available upon your arrival on island, then you may check into a TLA
qualified hotel.
FINANCES: How much money you
should bring depends if you are single or married. In general, if you
are:
- unaccompanied and provided berthing afloat or ashore, $300
to $500 should be sufficient.
- unaccompanied but in a TLA hotel
status, $500 to $1000 should be sufficient.
- accompanied in a
TLA status, bring up to $2500.
- Government charge card is
required for all personnel E-4 and above.
BAH Cash Advances are
authorized and available upon arrival to Hawaii. Mutual Assistance
loans are available to help defray initial move-in costs (e.g., security
deposit). A personal credit card is very useful during PCS travel
(just try your best to pay off the debt in full each
month). Out-of-state checks can be cashed at military exchanges on
Oahu.
GETTING MARRIED ENROUTE TO YOUR NEW DUTY STATION:
IT'S NOT A
GOOD IDEA to get married after graduation and/or departure from your old unit
and immediately take your new spouse with you to Hawaii. There are a
lot of difficulties facing a new couple such as:
- getting
housing,
- transportation,
- setting up a
household,
- first time away from family
- your
travel orders will not include your new spouse if you get married after
graduation and your new spouse does not have command sponsorship.
If you
get married, it's best to not bring your spouse with you
immediately. You can get everything arranged properly after you
report aboard to your new Hawaii unit.
According to JTR Article
U5200-B3(f), dependants are not entitled to any travel entitlements and TLA to
an OCONUS PDS when the dependents are not command sponsored prior to travel
commencement. Basically, if your overseas screening and/or entry
approval did not include your new spouse, he/she will need command sponsorship
before arrival at your new unit. Without command sponsorship, you
will not be eligible for family housing and some entitlements (i.e., TLA, OCONUS
COLA with dependent).
A SPECIAL NOTE TO CAPE MAY RECRUIT TRAINING
GRADUATES:
- call your sponsor or new unit
administrative office and let them know your plane arrival, date, and
time.
- if a unit representative does not meet you at the
airport, give them a call to see if they can pick you up. If your
ship is underway, call ISC Honolulu at (808) 842-2025/2051. You are
authorized to take a taxi from the airport if necessary (about $25
cash). There is no bus service to ISC Honolulu.
-
traveling in uniform is not authorized. Contact your sponsor or unit
for the uniform for reporting aboard.
- call the Hawaii Work-Life
Staff toll free at 1-800-872-4957 ext # 314 if you get stuck and need to pass a
message to your new unit.
FOR AIRSTA BARBERS POINT
PERSONNEL: If no one meets you at the airport, call (808) 682-2750
for guidance.