It is a reasonably affordable place to live. all for free on our membership site here. Well, maybe you can but the community when you are stationed overseas is unique. Fishing charters even make it possible to catch your own deep-sea ahi for fresh fish at home! It can also help you to expand your comfort zones, as you are forced to step out of your comfort zone and tackle new challenges. Reduced stress may potentially provide several health advantages, such as a higher quality of sleep or lowered risk of heart disease. It helps lessen that feeling of overwhelm. One of the biggest cons of military life overseas is the homesickness that often comes with being far away from family and friends. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. My husband of 20+ years has served in the active-duty Army and now the Army National Guard. That likely cost them a pretty penny. 6. Ive had many friends end up losing stripes and getting in trouble because they did not understand that law. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. PCSgrades fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. It covers your doctor's visits, eye exams, ear nose and throat doctor, dental care, et.c. January 31, 2019 by Guest Writer 5 Comments. Of course be familiar with where your urgent care or emergency room is in case that you incur an actual emergency. However, if you want more support in your OCONUS PCS and adjustment period, come find me on YouTube! Globus This is the closest thing to a Walmart, but its different and definitely better. Our airline tickets back and forth from the east coast of the US to Japan have ranged from 1400 to 1800 for a single round trip ticket and prices are only going up. With myself, I also had the added stress of studying for the NCLEX (RN nursing board exam), which I had to take in London, England. Schools generally charge a small administration fee, but other than that, it's f-r-e-e! I love to travel but it can be hard to do on a limited budget with small children. Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own unique terrain and claim to fame. You may build a network of friends all around the world if you are outgoing and enjoy meeting new people. It may help teachers feel refreshed and support a good work-life balance. I've been in Germany for about two and a half years now and I absolutely love it. The European Union creates an allied front against outside aggression. You don't have to try to calculate if you can afford the co-pay. As it would happen, my husband had to report to Germany before I was done with school. The United States requires all dual citizens to enter on their U.S. passport. Air Force COOL Program: Credentialing Opportunities, 2023 Air Force Physical Fitness Assessment, 2A5X1 Airlift and Special Mission Aircraft Maintenance, Pros and Cons of Being Stationed Overseas: Military Perspective. It also helps to meet your neighbors and to make at least one close friend with whom you can commiserate and go through this unique experience together. She recently PCSed with her family from Germany to Belgium and back again. Sometimes the spouse thinks about staying in the US. Also, make sure that you do not shine a negative light on the uniform that we put on every day. Some countries also offer citizenship based on ancestry. Citizen.". To help mitigate these financial challenges, its important to budget carefully and make the most of the financial benefits available to military personnel. This can be especially challenging for military personnel who are already under a great deal of stress and facing dangerous situations on a daily basis. We have now been at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky and Tennessee border for a little over two years. Facts To Know About Social Security Numbers. Dual citizens enjoy certain benefits, such as the ability to live and work freely in two countries, own property in both countries, and travel between the countries with relative ease. "I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. What Are the Advantages of the EU? For individuals who are dual citizens of the U.S. and another country, the U.S. imposes taxes on its citizens for income earned anywhere in the world. Dual citizens enjoy certain benefits, such as the ability to live and work freely in two countries, own property in both countries, and travel between the countries with relative ease. To overcome these challenges, its important to seek out support from your colleagues and superiors. Its been years since we moved back to the states and because of that I can look back and see Germany for what it was. Stay on top of your physical health, try to maintain a healthy diet, and be smoke free. Here in Tennessee I do feel a part of the city we now live in. Reading books, watching documentaries, and speaking with people who have lived in the area can help you get a better understanding of what to expect and how to navigate your new surroundings. You mean I have to pay for that? Being a little closer to thewar zone has itsbenefits. Each country has its own laws and restrictions about who can enter its borders, and dual citizens should consider the advantages of both passports when crossing customs. Here's our easy PCS 101 IRRRL stands for Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan,also known as a "Streamline" or a "VA to VA" loan. Now, lets dive into the various advantages of military life overseas. We have three boys and have been through four deployments together. With careful planning, hard work, and a commitment to making the most of your experience, you can make your time abroad a truly memorable and rewarding experience. ", Internal Revenue Service. Whether youre looking for new cultural experiences, career opportunities, or personal growth, military life abroad has the potential to offer all of these things and more. Moderate cost of living. I even have experience with German culture, from doing Bavarian folk dancing and taking over four years of German language courses. As members of the military we benefit from some tax free entitlements like Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), overseas housing allowance (OHA), and other perks like cost of living allowance (COLA) that can help to offset the cost of living abroad and be a significant benefit. Beer everywhere. Not all family members can visit those stationed overseas. Dual citizenship can also be achieved through specialized legal processes, such as when a foreign national is naturalized as a U.S. citizen. Proponents of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21 argue that it has not stopped teen drinking, and has instead pushed underage binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, leading to more health and life-endangering behavior by teens. In this article, I'll discuss the pros and cons of military life overseas and provide my personal tips for balancing them. Living in Hawaii is the chance to make close friendships perhaps even closer than the friendships made at CONUS duty stations.. I also assumed that since Germany is a first-world, western country, surely culture shock would not exist! http://www.youtube.com/c/MaloriMayor14 I have a growing library of videos about how to PCS to Germany, as well as what life is like here. List of the Cons of Lowering the Voting Age 1. As a result, I put together more than two dozen tips that will be more useful for your PCS to Europe so you can be more ready that you ever dreamed possible. Mom to three boys, wife of a National Guard soldier. I felt like I got run over by a bus every day for at least two weeks! Sometimes dual citizenship happens automatically (for example, when a child is born in the U.S. to foreign parents). Volunteering might improve your mental and physical health. To help cope with homesickness, its important to stay in touch with your loved ones as much as possible. This is a large base that does not have a lot of Westernized shopping. Luckily he survived and I arrived in 36 hours to be by his side. First of all, the sense of community is different over in Germany. As military families, some of us have the opportunity PCS to Hawaii, living here for years at a time and getting paid for doing so! Normally OCONUS assignments are three years, so you will have at least two years during which youll feel pretty comfortable! If you claim one or more dependents on your tax return, you may be eligible for certain tax credits. What Are the Requirements of Becoming a Canadian Citizen? Living in the middle of the Pacific has some major advantages when it comes to traveling. In general, to apply for U.S. citizenship, you must have lived in the U.S. as a permanent residentand have a permanent resident (green) cardcontinuously for five years (or three years if you are filing as the spouse of a U.S. citizen). In order to become naturalized as a U.S. citizen, a foreign national must be a permanent resident for several years, pass a U.S. citizenship test, and meet certain other eligibility requirements. Honestly, there is not a lotof good information out there about PCSing to Europe. Another big difference I have found is the way I interact with the surrounding community. For most people, the complicated process of gaining citizenship requires the help of an immigration lawyer. (Austria is also very different culturally from Germany, despite both being German-speaking countries.) The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion allows U.S. citizens to exclude up to $112,000 of foreign-earned income from their taxes in 2022 ($120,000 in 2023). Cost of living in Germany + PRO: Low cost of living Overall the cost of living in Germany is on par with the rest of Western Europe. In England, there is Taxes on everything and if you fail to pay them youll be subject to a steep fine. Joining clubs and organizations, attending events and gatherings, and connecting with other military families overseas can help you feel less isolated and more connected to your new community. Lowering the voting age could lead to manipulated voting patterns. My name is Julie and I have been a military spouse for 17 years! . I had little babies and toddlers when I was there. Having just a few hours difference made life a lot easier. A significant benefit of military service is the VA home loan, allowing you to purchase a home with no down payment or refinance a home. This includes the right to vote and stand in elections, and the right to make donations to political candidates. Being stationed in Hawaii is being stationed in paradise. Welcome to Soldiers Wife, Crazy Life! "What Are the Requirements of Becoming a Canadian Citizen?". Sometimes they have a choice, sometimes they dont. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. While in as much as 30 countries, abortion is legalized, remaining countries have partial restrictions or complete ban on abortion, unless life of the mother is at stake. https://youtu.be/mqFEQIv4IjA You are not alone in your feelings. I am so glad you are here. Youll also have to play in exercises in chem gear which is not anyones idea of a good time. Have a good attitude and an open mind and make your overseas assignment an enjoyable one. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Whether its practicing yoga, meditating, or taking a hot bath, taking time for yourself can help you manage the stress and demands of military life overseas. Because tax laws are complicated and can change from year to year, it's important for individuals facing this situation to consult with a qualified tax accountant. Having to depend on the military for almost everything gave me a good idea of what the Army life was like. This regular routine helped us stay connected to our family members even though we were on the other side of the world. Connect with Malori on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook! However, income tax treaties between the U.S. and other countries serve to effectively reduce or eliminate an individual's tax liability in order to avoid double taxation. Its even worse when it comes to your spouse because active duty military gets complete priority. This list of 27 things covers the highlights to allow you to hit the ground running when you PCS to Germany, Belgium or other European locations. To apply for naturalization, most individuals file form N-400, the application for naturalization. Most military members are not going to have much of a say in where they get stationed, but when building your dream sheet you can read the pros and cons and decide on what overseas duty locations that youd like to try out. You should have this anyway even while living in on-post quarters. If you are living in your country of dual residence that is not the U.S., you may owe taxes both to the U.S. government and to the country where the income was earned. 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