Question about Korea

[k everdeen]

So H might be going to Korea for a year unaccompanied. During that time I'd probably move back to be around family. He said he would get his base of preference after the tour, is this true? Is it any base or is it still "these are the bases we can move you to that have slots open, now pick?" Also I'm assuming if I move back the BAH would be for there and not here where he's stationed now.. correct?

[honeybadger]

We are currently in this situation and I can tell you how it has worked out for us so far.

As far as follow on assignment, I've heard returning short-tours have preference when it comes to assignment. H put a list together, submitted it and he got his number 1 OCONUS location.

I moved back to our homestate to be near family, even though I knew it would also be stressful to be around our families. I just felt like I had to make the better of two shitty decisions. But moving to our follow on didn't really look like much of an option for me with being pregnant, the extreme weather issues and only being able to move there certain months of the year, etc. H had an ammendment added to his orders that notes the fact that DS and I are residing at his HOR. It hasn't changed BAH yet, though it is a matter of like 20 dollars. But he doesn't in-process in Korea for a few more days yet so I'm sure if it does change it won't be until after that.

When you say he might be going, do you mean he is thinking about putting it on his list to try and match up with EQUALS to get orders or he got involuntary orders and is considering taking them or turning them down as a FTA?

[Deleted]

I've known 5 people who have gone to Korea. Everyone has gotten their base of preference. Heck, my brother even changed his base preference mid-way but that screwed him up into staying for 15 months instead of 12. From experience, if they have his mos and a position available then you will probably get where you want to go.

[basilosaurus]

I'm assuming enlisted? If officer, they'll get their assignments in the regular drop, so there's no known follow-on ahead of time.

In general, they get preference in picks. This does not mean necessarily #1 pick. It depends on rank/mos and if there's a job for them available at their #1 pick. What Korea (and other remote tours) does for you is that they'll go through those assignments before assignment the regular ones. So, if there's a slot available, you're far more likely to get it.

As with all things military, the caveat is that you shouldn't believe anything until you're on the ground. We did know more than 1 person in Korea whose follow-on got changed within a month of moving. None of them had family who'd moved ahead of time, so I don't know if that would have been a factor.

One other option for you, you can move to a location that's neither your parents' nor a follow on, nor where you stay. You can choose a location you want to go. I chose Denver b/c that's where I'd lived before marriage, loved it, had friends there, job connections, etc.

[honeybadger]

Jul 28, 2012 17:01:39 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I'm assuming enlisted? If officer, they'll get their assignments in the regular drop, so there's no known follow-on ahead of time.

In general, they get preference in picks. This does not mean necessarily #1 pick. It depends on rank/mos and if there's a job for them available at their #1 pick. What Korea (and other remote tours) does for you is that they'll go through those assignments before assignment the regular ones. So, if there's a slot available, you're far more likely to get it.

As with all things military, the caveat is that you shouldn't believe anything until you're on the ground. We did know more than 1 person in Korea whose follow-on got changed within a month of moving. None of them had family who'd moved ahead of time, so I don't know if that would have been a factor.

One other option for you, you can move to a location that's neither your parents' nor a follow on, nor where you stay. You can choose a location you want to go. I chose Denver b/c that's where I'd lived before marriage, loved it, had friends there, job connections, etc.

This is what I am afraid will happen, again.

[Jam]

*butting in with a question*

While you can "technically" live anywhere you want, does that mean the Military will pay for that move?

Will they only provide BAH for HOR or the last assigned duty station? I have been curious about this myself. In the event that P is given this as an option, I was wondering if I could move elsewhere (not HOR).

[basilosaurus]

Yes, you can move basically anywhere in the States, and you'll get BAH for it. There have been issues with people claiming they lived in Hawaii and collecting a huge BAH, but all they were doing was sharing a mailbox while living with parents for free. So, you know, don't commit fraud.

I do know of people who've also moved overseas for the year, but I don't know if they got OHA. I'm guessing they would, but move other costs wouldn't have been covered.

They'll pay move costs once, when the spouse first goes on the unaccompanied. But, BAH can be switched, more than once. Halfway through his Korea year, I moved to be near him, and they very quickly switched my BAH (from a city where H had never lived, so yes I got to choose anywhere I wanted) over to OHA. I wouldn't have minded them slacking on the switch since Denver's rate was double Korea's

That's the basic answer, but there are lots of course nuances and other quirks. It also helps to know people in places like the finance office as sometimes the answer you get from the front desk person isn't technically correct, but they'll argue it anyway. You do have to advocate for yourself sometimes.

[honeybadger]

We had to pay for our move out of pocket, Jam. We had to choose between the AF moving us now to the location we chose or later to Alaska. We obviously chose not to pay for the move to Alaska.

Edited for clarity.

[Jam]

Ah okay. So (to make sure my brain absorbed this), I can live anywhere in the world but I have to decide whether I move myself at the military's expense this time or after the unaccompanied tour ends. I can't have them pay for the move at the beginning of the tour and then again after he gets back?

[Jam]

Jul 29, 2012 1:27:57 GMT -5 Stan said:

Jam aren't you EFMP? I might be thinking of someone else, but I would think that would throw an additional wrinkle in you going wherever YH goes.

Not exactly EFMP (long story) but I wouldn't want to go to Korea with him anyway. We were talking about him volunteering to go so that we can save the extra money.

[basilosaurus]

I don't know about this before/after move, and only getting 1 of them. I haven't had them pay for my plane tickets for about 5 years because I keep doing my own thing. However, they moved furniture for me both at the beginning and end of the unaccompanied tour. They didn't move my in between stuff to/from Korea (I chose to put everything in storage, at my own expense), but they moved furniture to my location at the beginning and from there at the end.

I went to Korea NCS so EFMP wasn't an issue.

[NomadicMama]

When my DH went on a MiTT (Military Transition Teams), the Army paid for me to move wherever, CONUS, that I wanted and they also paid for our move to our next duty station. I know that this is a different circumstance, but I would ask what they would be willing to cover.

Also, in order to recieve BAH, DH had to provide a copy of our current lease. This is, I'm certain, to avoid the fraud that Sibil mentioned.

[basilosaurus]

As I was told, the fraud is if you're somewhere for more than 30 days, you need to claim it (and actually live there). Proof probably varies by location. A lease is a good start. It wasn't necessary for me initially in Korea, probably b/c I was claiming half of what I'd previously been entitled to, but I did eventually provide copies of it.

Ironically, once we got orders to Hawaii, and I moved a month earlier than H (allowable), they didn't change my BAH to the higher rate of about 3x the previous (nor pay for my flight), despite having a lease, until he got here. So, they're quick on cutting your money and really slow on getting you more. Be cautious and make sure you have enough in savings to do what you want.

[honeybadger]

Jul 29, 2012 0:56:27 GMT -5 Jam said:

Ah okay. So (to make sure my brain absorbed this), I can live anywhere in the world but I have to decide whether I move myself at the military's expense this time or after the unaccompanied tour ends. I can't have them pay for the move at the beginning of the tour and then again after he gets back?

That is what we were told/how it worked out for us. TMO was really clear about only one move being paid for. But this isn't the first time I've heard people saying they've had both moved either reimbursed or moved by TMO. So, I have no idea how the outcome is so different for some. But it would be nice to have that few extra thousand from moving OOP, lol.

[honeybadger]

I'm really curious about 2 moves being funded during unaccompanied tours. It is even noted on his orders that out of our two choices, we opted to have our move to Alaska paid for as opposed to our move to his HOR. Either things have changed or we got a junky TMO person.