WELCOME TO THE ONE LINER LINK
1998

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THIS IS THE LINK YOU MUST VISIT FROM TIME TO TIME.  AS WE CAN THINK OF MORE ONE LINERS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU IN YOUR TRANSITION TO OKINAWA, WE WILL ADD THEM TO THIS PAGE.   WE WILL NEVER REMOVE ANY, ONLY ADD AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE FORM OF GENERAL COMMENTS FOR THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW OR CONSIDER.
 
When flying via government air you will be greeted by the helpful folks from Family Services Center at the terminal on Kadena AFB.
As the Yen rate increases, your COLA amount decreases,  so the better the dollar does against the Yen the less COLA you will see in your pay.  If you want to see your current COLA RATE, click the link.
If you need to rent a car, AAFES rents them at a cost of  about $36.00 per day... but you'll need a SOFA license.
Kinser Elementary School starts at 0800 until 1430 each day except for Weds, that day ends at 1315.
There is a full Car Care Center at Camp Foster to get your vehicle repaired if necessary.
The exchange carries very few high end computers products for the power user, but they are getting better.
The internet is available through MWR Konnect for a price of $22.50 per month.  With that $22.50 you are only able to have 80 hours of online time for the month.  Each additional hour cost you $2.00.  It's the only game in town if you don't want to pay for the 10 yen per minute it cost to dial off base.  Read more within. 
You must be 18 years old to drive out in town on Okinawa.  At 16 years old, you can get your drivers permit to drive on base if you wish to let you kids do this.  You might want to check out the  AUTO INSURANCE LINK before you decide to let them drive and find out what it's going to cost your first.
Converting dollars to yen can be done at the Community Bank or any of the Clubs on base for a small fee..
The Yen rate changes often, but does not necessarily affect the cost of off base products or housing.  You will need to pay for all your expenses in Yen vice dollars if you live or purchase products in town most of the time.  So when the Yen goes down against the dollar, the Yen cost more.... when it goes up, you get more for your dollars but pay the same Yen for say your rent.  If you want to see your current OHA rate, check out this link:  OVERSEAS HOUSING ALLOWANCES
When you get your vehicle on Okinawa, series 54/58/59 plates are no longer issued.  Now they use 77/78 plates.
Getting a new ID card is simple now, you simply go to Pass and ID, with no paperwork and get a new one.  Active duty or dependent... pretty cool stuff finally.
The main Okinawa vehicle registration is located on Camp Foster, behind the Bowling Alley.
Mailing a letter to the U.S. take about 5-8 days depending how far East it needs to go in the states.
Every family moving to Okinawa will need to have a PO Box at the Post Office. 
We all wish there was at Taco Bell on Okinawa, finally we have one at Kadean in the Food  Court.  Camp Foster and Camp Kinser are suppose to get one also, so stand by!
There are McDonald's out in town if you want to eat at them.
There are medical and dental services on nearly every camp/base.  For more info, check out the MED/DEC INFO.
Anthony's Pizza will deliver to your quarters.
For the old timers who have been here before, remember searching for glass floats?  They're still here, but hard to find anymore since plastic is now used.
We brought our full size freezer... and glad we did!  You can buy one here, but why?
Cigarettes  costs more then $1.70 per pack and somewhere around $18.00 per carton.
There is only one furniture store on any of the bases, and it's located at Camp Lester.
If you have children that ride the Bus, you can look forward to standing bus monitor at least 4 days per child per year.
The youth centers provides several trips and outings for the children at a very low cost.
There is no "teen center" on Camp Kinser at this time.
The youth center cost $12.00 per year and closes at 1800 daily.
Child care rates vary depending on your rank.  There is no discount for additional children.  There is a charge table within this web site at the following link with a bunch more information, so check it out:  CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
When driving out in town you may be taking your life in your own hands.  When the light turns "green," wait to make sure the road is clear before you proceed across.
You must have ID Card and be 12 years old to use the gym and equipment without supervision.
You can get a SOFA driver's license at the Camp Foster Base Safety Office.  If your under 26 years old, you want to make sure you have a state side license before your arrive, it makes life a bit easier for you.  If you want to start studying the signs check out the INTERNATIONAL SIGN LINK.
Probably the two best commissaries on Okinawa are located at Camp Foster and  Kadena AFB.  If your  interested in some example food prices, check out this link: FOOD PRICES.  There is normally a good selection of fruits and vegetables in the commissaries.
The largest exchange is located at Kadena AFB, but Camp Foster is looking pretty good these days.
You must be 10 years old and have passed a swimming test to be at the pool without your parents supervising. You will also need to have an ID card to get in.
Children ages 15 and up can apply to become a lifeguard for the summer.  You must complete a Red Cross Course and the Life Guard Course.  The cost is about $30.00.  My son was making $7.00 per hour starting so it is a great deal for your teenagers want to consider it.
Washers and dryers are provided for each family unit on Okinawa - nice ones at that!
You might want to bring carpets.  The selection is basically blue, beige or green unless you hit it right.  The curtains available in the exchange don't necessarily fit housing.  Look in this site for measurements of the various windows.   For the Towers and Multiplexes, go to the Floor plans and waiting periods for housing link and look at the measurements.  You will see the windows sizes.  Remember, you can TMO your carpets without effecting your weight limitations.
You cannot have an animal in the Towers, so you need to pay attention to this if you plan on moving into quarters soon after arriving.    In the multiplexes and single family housing you can have animals but they take longer to get into.
Nice looking clothes for girls in sizes 10 to 16 are hard to find in the exchange.
School books are all furnished by the school... regardless of the grade of the child.
School supplies are available in the exchanges in sufficient quantity to take care of the school requirements about a month before school starts.
The school buses cost nothing to have the kids taken to and from school.   If you staying at Kuwae Lodge our initially out in town, the bus will pick your kids up and drop them off daily.  This is a great help!
The towers and multiplexes have lots of storage space if you use it wisely.
The gyms have the latest workout equipment.
Don't be looking for traditional malls as you know them in the United States.... they are not here.
School starts for pretty much every child on 31 August each year. 
School ends on or about 13 June of each year.
 
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