Stationed Overseas anyone?

[rperpetuo]

Since this my first thread and that i'm quite sure that no one else has posted it. I thought i would jump right in, and ask my fellow member WAB Vets their thoughts and experiences.
I might as well start out with mine, short though it may be:) My first tour overseas was on the Rock, (Okinawa) Japan. Based in Camp Foster in 91, stayed there all that year attached to 3rd MAR DIV in an Arty Unit. My main MOS at the time was 3521, basically a diesel mechanic. I have to admit, I had a great time while I was there. My unit worked hard and afterwards we definitly played hard as well:) I got my PADI certification to scuba dive and dove into some of the most spectacular waters in the world. Then a few months later all hell broke loose. Two stupid Jar Heads and a Squid raped an Okinawan girl. Needless to say, the **** hit the fan, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps was personally apologising to the Govenor of the island. I quickly learned that the fallout from that crime would affect everyone serving in uniform on that little island. No more visits to the "Buy Me Drinkie Bars" in downtown Naha. Cinderella Liberty, even for the Marines living off base with thier girlfriends. The locals were furious at us, calling us monsters and what not. It was pretty bad for a couple of weeks there after, we even scaled back alot of our training in the field to keep a low profile. The protesters surrounded the bases for a time till things cooled a bit. I have to say, things weren't the same afterwards. The base had closed after I had left the island and gone back to the States. And it was later given back to Japan and the Okinawans.
Come to think of it, i believe it happend again, not too long ago, that a rape acurred and a Jarhead was involved. I forgot the details but im sure it was a major diplomatic incident. Reflecting on it now, I do not believe we need such a large military presence on the island. But that is my opinon, Japan can easily defend itself. I'd like to hear from other WAB members if they had similar experiances good or bad. Thank you:)

[Walking Dead]

I spent about two years on the beach...except there was no ocean.

[sappersgt]

I was posted to El Salvador as an instructor to the NCO school in Santana. This was considered a hardship post in the SADF but was a great deal for me. I got more money and I could go home on leave, it being a short flight to the US. That sure beat the hell out of the 22 hour flight from South Africa! That was guaranteed to give you gangrene of the ass and curvature of the spine! :))

[AAAO]

. . . but there is no biltong in El Sal . . .

[sappersgt]

. . . but there is no biltong in El Sal . . .

And no casamientos in South Africa...;)

[rperpetuo]

Hmm, not sure what AAAO meant, but I am surprized that The gov't of South Africa would send you (sappersgt) to train the locals in Central America. Not to say that the SA army would not be qualifide to do the job. Just that it's in the US back yard and we already have a long history of supplying Military Advisors there. But it could simply be that we're losing more influence in the region and those Central American gov'ts are turning to non traditional sources for help.

[AAAO]

(Biltong is meat jerky in the southern part of Africa . . . inside joke!)

[rperpetuo]

Ahh, ;) thanks for the clarification.

[Tarek Morgen]

Do soldiers get extra money who are overseasdue the currently weak dollar? Depending on where they are they must have lost pretty much 25% of their income (well concerning stuff they have to buy in foreign currency)

[rperpetuo]

Heh, that's a good question Tarek;) Soldiers, Marines, Airmen ect. do get extra pay overseas when stationed abroad. Of course it depends on alot of the circumstances on the amount he or she would recieve. Enlisted or Officer, Married or Single, and of course if it's a hardship post or combat zone your paycheck will definitly increase. You point out correctly that if your in Europe or in Asia were the dollar is much weaker. The service member will find it very expensive to shop or travel and generaly spend OUTSIDE the bases he or she is at. The US military will make sure that the costs inside the bases at the PX and other shops remain reasonable for its soldiers and families. In my case, I was single at the time, I slept in the barracks and ate at the chow hall. That meant that as long as i had enough money for a haircut (High and Tight) at the end of the week. I could blow 90% of my paycheck on the ladies out in town;) It's funny that, in a way alot of local economies of these nations do depend on soldiers spending their greenbacks there. But just as you mentioned the weakend Dollar will affect them greatly.

[Southie]

Heh, that's a good question Tarek;) Soldiers, Marines, Airmen ect. do get extra pay overseas when stationed abroad. Of course it depends on alot of the circumstances on the amount he or she would recieve. Enlisted or Officer, Married or Single, and of course if it's a hardship post or combat zone your paycheck will definitly increase. You point out correctly that if your in Europe or in Asia were the dollar is much weaker. The service member will find it very expensive to shop or travel and generaly spend OUTSIDE the bases he or she is at. The US military will make sure that the costs inside the bases at the PX and other shops remain reasonable for its soldiers and families. In my case, I was single at the time, I slept in the barracks and ate at the chow hall. That meant that as long as i had enough money for a haircut (High and Tight) at the end of the week. I could blow 90% of my paycheck on the ladies out in town;) It's funny that, in a way alot of local economies of these nations do depend on soldiers spending their greenbacks there. But just as you mentioned the weakend Dollar will affect them greatly.

Found out the hard way that when you're married to another military member and you're lower ranking than your husband, they take money away from you.

When I was sent to S. Korea in 95, my husband claimed the kids for dependent rate for housing, separate rations, variable housing, etc. Well, they bumped all of my additional pay to single rate. Lost over $500.00 a month.

[rperpetuo]

Ouch:( That definitly must have hurt. Hey Southie, I was TAD in Pusan for 6 months around that time. Did you like the Kimchee? Do you remember the Sojew experiance? ;)

[Southie]

Ouch:( That definitly must have hurt. Hey Southie, I was TAD in Pusan for 6 months around that time. Did you like the Kimchee? Do you remember the Sojew experiance? ;)

Didn't affect the partying I did!

Yes, I did like the kimchee, especially the cucumber!

I barely remember getting back to my dorm room after the sojew "experience". We used to go to a club at Osan called the Heavy Metal Club. Ordered what was called White Dogs, which was sojew, 7-up and yogurt. Was told to watch them mix your drink because they would take the leftover drinks and pour them into a pitcher and reuse them.

There was also a drink for your first Hail and Farewell that was a mixture of just about everything. I can't recall what it was called, but it was mixed in a helmet, and the newcomers had to drink it. Somehow or other I escaped that!

[rperpetuo]

Hah! Now that's what i'm talkin about! ;) I was worried that there were only Sober, Non-Drinkin Vets on this forum :) Finally someone responds that spoke my language back in the day ;)

[sappersgt]

Hmm, not sure what AAAO meant, but I am surprized that The gov't of South Africa would send you (sappersgt) to train the locals in Central America. Not to say that the SA army would not be qualifide to do the job. Just that it's in the US back yard and we already have a long history of supplying Military Advisors there. But it could simply be that we're losing more influence in the region and those Central American gov'ts are turning to non traditional sources for help.

You've gotta remember the Cold War was still on. You found two kinds of advisors in so called "non-aligned" countries, South Africans or Israelis. They were considered neither NATO or Warsaw Pact. Soon after the Americans showed up in force, up until then they had kept a relatively low profile.