Pay your own way when Command Sponsored?

[PeppermintRei]

I'm trying to clear up something I keep hearing.

"If you are command sponsored to go OCONUS, then you have to pay for the flight and pay to move yourself"

Is this true? We are Army which may make a difference.

Has anyone gone through the process when your SO was already overseas and you were command sponsored to join him/her? Can you tell me about it?

TIA for all your help! I really appreciate it (and the fact that I am learning something new).

EDIT: I thought I would add this for clarification: This is for an overseas tour in Germany.

[eelo]

Originally Posted by PeppermintRei I'm trying to clear up something I keep hearing. "If you are command sponsored to go OCONUS, then you have to pay for the flight and pay to move yourself" Is this true? We are Army which may make a difference. Has anyone gone through the process when your SO was already overseas and you were command sponsored to join him/her? Can you tell me about it? TIA for all your help! I really appreciate it (and the fact that I am learning something new). EDIT: I thought I would add this for clarification: This is for an overseas tour in Germany.

No. If you are command-sponsored, the government will pay for your travel. It's possible that you may have to pay first and then file for reimbursement. It also depends on whether you were command-sponsored before the military member got there, or if that came later.

With Navy people, bringing dependents overseas generally lengthens the tour, also (accompanied vs unaccompanied).

[PeppermintRei]

I did know about the extra length of the tour which is fine with us.

I just couldn't believe that if he got to his new duty station and applied for command sponsorship for me, that we were expected to pay to move our HHG from the West coast of the US to Germany, as well as buy a plane ticket for me.

I am hoping to avoid the whole separate command sponsorship mess and simply have myself added to his orders as coming from the states (he's going from Germany to Germany, I'm going from the states to Germany). But if we have to do it the other way and change an unaccompanied tour to an accompanied tour after he has already moved, I didn't want to have a nasty surprise waiting for me. There would be no way we could afford that move alone.

[Hisgirl]

He's already in Germany and is doing Germany tour? I'm not sure how that works then. They military will most likely only pay to ship his stuff from Germany to Germany, since that's where he is.

Has he already shipped HHG earlier in his tour?

[PeppermintRei]

Originally Posted by Hisgirl He's already in Germany and is doing Germany tour? I'm not sure how that works then. They military will most likely only pay to ship his stuff from Germany to Germany, since that's where he is. Has he already shipped HHG earlier in his tour?

He's currently an Army Geographical Bachelor in Germany. We want to change from an unaccompanied tour to an accompanied tour and have our HHG and stuff shipped from the states.

He lives in the barracks.

[Hisgirl]

I'm not sure how that works but hopefully they'll allow it to change to accompanied and you'll get a HHG shipment!

[Emmy]

Yeah going over with him they pay for everything. We paid and then they reimbursed us. But I have no clue about changing the orders and then joining him Sorry.

[my.hero's.mrs]

From what I've learned (asking a billion and one questions while I'm here), once I get added to my DF's orders (after he becomes DH), the Army will pay for me to move from my registered state of residence and will move my HHG. He is currently overseas so he'll be traveling from Germany to Italy. I have to be in California as my ticket and HHG will ship from my mom's house (since that's my registered residence) to Italy. Does that help? We asked the Transportation office about that. They said it'd be the same even if he was getting me command sponsored for Germany.

[PeppermintRei]

Originally Posted by torie. From what I've learned (asking a billion and one questions while I'm here), once I get added to my DF's orders (after he becomes DH), the Army will pay for me to move from my registered state of residence and will move my HHG. He is currently overseas so he'll be traveling from Germany to Italy. I have to be in California as my ticket and HHG will ship from my mom's house (since that's my registered residence) to Italy. Does that help? We asked the Transportation office about that. They said it'd be the same even if he was getting me command sponsored for Germany.

Yes, that's exactly what I needed to know! I feel silly for having worried but I just didn't know how we were supposed to pay for a HHG goods move.

I don't live at my registered residence so that might be a problem, but if the rules are the same as they were for delivery, as long as you were within 40 miles they didn't give you a problem going to another address.

Thanks Torie!

PS. we are so coming to visit you in Italy if we get this Germany extension tour thing.

[*mcstapleton*]

Yes that is right. If you are non command sponsored you pay for your ticket there and back. But, they normally give you a little money once you get there for some of the traveling.