Hey To All!

I'm am currently at Tech School at Lackland, and just found out that my first base is going to be Kunsan in December. I've had my family back home looking for any info they can find online about what it's going to be like when I get there, and this forum is one of the things they came up with for me to check out. I'm hoping all of you who are there, or have been there, can give me any and all advice as to what I need to do or bring with me to make my stay there as good as it can be.

The first, and most important, question I have of y'all is: Should I try to trade bases w/ one of the other guys here while I still have a slim chance??? Ha! So far I've said no because I've heard that after a year in ROK I'll be able to pick my next base, and that while I'm there I'll get COLA, are either of these true?


Questions About Kunsan:
1. What do I need to bring with me on the plane?
2. I've read on here about cold weather gear, exactly which gear is it that I should bring? Should I get it at the BX or would online be cheaper?
3. I've also read where I should stock up on the brands of toiletries and stuff that I like because there are slim pickin's at Kunsan and they're real expensive at the nearest big base. Should I bring these with me on the plane?
4. On that topic, how many bags can I bring with me on the plane?
5. I've read that it's good to have a bike there. Will I be allowed to have one too? Should I buy it here or there? How would I get it there if I bought it here?
6. I've been hearing about this SlingBox thing, is it something I should try to get and set up before I get there?
7. My family has read about the Skype phone, so they're telling me to get that, but with Vonage being shut down by the Korean government already, is Skype next?
8. Where is the best place to get calling cards so that I'll be able to call home when I get there?
9. What the heck is a "juicy"??? I realize that it's a woman, but is it a job description?
10. What else do you advise me to bring or do?


General AF Questions That I'd Like Answers To:
1. Where will I leave for Korea from? I'm heading home after Tech School for Recruiter's Assisant and leave, so will I have to fly back to Lackland before going to Kunsan?
2. Being in the military, will I be able to get a reduced airfare when I go home after Tech School? If yes, how do I go about getting it?
3. Did any of y'all's recruiters lie to you too???


My family has to do most all of my research for me because I don't know if I can, or how to, get internet in my dorm, and I've only made it to the BX a couple of times where they have wifi. That, plus the fact that I don't know who to ask about this stuff, really has me in kind of in the dark about everything, so I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks!

BTW...How do I upload a pic/logo for my avatar?

Sorry,, but I'm a little confused is your family coming with you? LOL Bit slow today...

First off, Kunsan is one of the posts/bases I've not been to in S. Korea. So I can't tell you much about there.

Our vonage here still works (knocks on wood).. Osan is the biggest one I've heard that has shut it down.

As far as your bike and things you want to bring, you should be getting around a 500lb weight limit shipment to send over here. IN that I would put your bike. You could get one here or get one there, that is really up to you.

A "juicy" is a beverage girl.. haha, that's all I'll say about that.

The PX sells calling cards, however once again, we have vonage so we don't use them.

There are a couple of people on here that can probably help you with the slingbox, we just got the cable once we got on Yongsan for 35.00/month and so far so good. We are movie buff's anyway, so that is good enough for us.

Don't know where you'll be leaving from to get here. It varies I think. I left from KY to Atlanta then 15hours from ATL to Korea. The planes have already changed their carry on policy just since I flew over here 5 months ago, so you should be able to check their website with what you can bring and what you cannot.

To upload an avatar, go to your User control panel, there should be an option under there FOR your avatar.

As far as being able to "pick" your next base.. I think it all depends on if there is a slot available for you. Far as I know, you should get COLA and also separation pay. Might be a hazardous pay too depending on what area? However, I'm not in the army.. just married to it.

Most of the food courts and PX's have wifi, some of the restaurants do too.

That's about all I know. You can do a search for a lot of what you asked on here and most likely get answers.. sorry I tried my best. lol

Also, 99.99999999% recruiters lie to you


Welcome to the forum!

__________________

"To disagree with me is your human right. To argue with me just because you think you are right and want to see me wrong makes you legally retarded."

Welcome! You remind me of when I first came to Osan Korea with two stripes!
Now I'm a Civilian in Seoul. You don't need a lot of stuff! Most things you might need are NOT more expensive here. Learn to use Google for most everything you want to find out about Korea, and stick with us for the true story! Some Air Force person at Kunsan please set this young man straight. Maybe even find him a sponsor!

girl20racer: Thank you for replying. No, I'm not married, so there won't be anyone coming with me to Korea. The family I wrote about is really my mom and my friends. I still have a lot to learn about the Air Force life. In fact, I've been 18 all of a month now, so all of this is REALLY new and kind of intimidating to be honest, but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge. If you have more advice, I'd sure like to hear it. Again, thanks for the tips!

Mr. Joe: Thanks for the welcome! I'm glad I found this forum.

By The Way...My mom has been reading all of this stuff, and the whole "juicy" thing has her REAL concerned! LOL I'm not looking forward to the "talks" we're sure to have about it when I get home!

Plane. Typical plane carry-on stuff. MP3 player, laptop, a few cds, possibly a PSP and some munchies. They will keep you pretty well stocked on food and drink, but it is always just smart to bring a little extra. I don't know if they are giving you guys a hard time about checked baggage and a second bag. Just remember to try to pack a bit of everything since it can take a couple of weeks to get the 500# shipment.

Clothes...uniforms, undies, running shoes, work shoes. Right now the weather is pretty nice. It is cooling off a little at night and the days aren't quite soo steamy or sticky.

You will want cold weather clothes. It can snow and the wind is biting at times. You can bring some stuff with you (as part of your 500#) or you can buy here. The bike would fall under the 500# limit as well. If you are hard to fit (head size) bring a helmet too. Game systems tend to go over well with the single bunch. Sling box if you have a hookup on the other side of the world. Skype looks like it will be around for awhile. You can get the 161 $20 calling cards (for calling on a cell or regular phone) at a lot of places.

Depending on what your "I can't live without" toiletries" are, you might want to look at what your on-line options are. Can someone send you that kind of stuff in a regular care packet, or is it something that is available at the commissary? (I don't mind looking stuff up when I go to the commissary, but we have to know what to look for).

Juicy girl is a cute/attractive young woman who's job is to get you to buy her drinks. In return, she will spend a bit of time talking with you on a variety of subjects. By buying her (and you) drinks, you are spending money in the bar. Some of the girls can also act as bar entertainment. At some of the off-limits type locations, some of the girls make extra money as prostitutes. Some of the girls become juicy girls in the hopes of meeting a GI and making a love connection.

To summarize: Girl just wants you to spend $. You keep wallet in pants; you walk out with your money.

Where would you want to trade to?

BTW, I think all recruiters lie...just be happy that you are headed to a relatively safe posting over here (even if it isn't in Seoul) instead of being sent to play in the sandbox.

Hey There!

ClemsonFan is too busy this week at Tech School to get online, so he asked me (mom) to get on here and try to find out more stuff for him. This week we were able to get his sponsor request emailed to the address that he found on the Kunsan AB website, so at least we’re making progress there. The strange thing is that on that website, it said that the request needs to be made 90 days before arriving, but when he asked them at Lackland about it they told him that it’s something that gets done about 3 weeks before you leave. Why the discrepancy?

The two biggest questions that he has so far been unable to figure out are the travel arrangements, and the 500lb. shipment of his stuff that everyone on here has mentioned.

As for his travel arrangements, he did get some information this week. If he does leave from his home leave to go straight to Korea, then he will have to pay for his plane ticket himself, but that he can be reimbursed for the cost at some point later on. Our questions are: Should he go somewhere on base to buy those tickets at a reduced cost, or should we try to get those for him now, because I don’t think he’ll be able to afford an expensive ticket like that for at least another month and a half? We’ve been hearing on the news where plane ticket prices are going to get even more expensive as the fall arrives, and his RNLTD (report no later than date?) is early December. Would it be more cost effective to fly back to Lackland before shipping out, as opposed to leaving from home, or is that even possible?

As for the whole 500lb. shipment of his belongings that is supposed to arrive after he does, he can’t find out anything about that so far. He definitely wants to buy a good mountain bike to use while he’s there (he’s wanted one for a while), but we don’t know if it would be more cost effective to buy it here at home, or wait and get it over there. It all depends on prices here as compared to there, and that 500lb. shipment. First, are ABs even allowed this 500lbs with it being their first assignment? Can anyone offer their advice as to the comparable cost of a good mountain bike between here and there? How will he make arrangements for that 500lb shipment, and from where in the US will it be shipped from? Is it something that he’ll have to pack and send before he leaves Lackland, or can it be done from home? If it can be done from home, will we then have to drive it to the nearest AFB so that it can then be shipped to him, or is it something that UPS or some other private company can pick up here? Who pays for it?

I realize that y’all probably can’t answer all of these questions for us, because it’s probably different for each branch of service, but ANY info that y’all can help us with is appreciated more than you know. Thank you all so much, and God bless everyone single one of you for all that you, your spouses, and families do and sacrifice for our country! Words are not adequate to express how proud I am that my son has joined your ranks.

ClemsonFan’s Mom

P.S. To ClemsonFan, don’t be embarrassed by anything I’ve written, Mama’s are allowed!

As far as shipping his House hold goods(mountain bike, whatever else) the air force will hire a contracting company to pick it up and ship it to korea from his home of record. He needs to get with TMO at Lackland, and they will set this up for him. So if you buy the bike at your home, and your home is what he put as his home of record when he joined, then the air force will pick it up from your house.

The Air Force will only pay to move him from his Tech School location or the closest port call(place where he will catch the main flight from lackland) to his duty station(Korea). Anything other than that, I believe he will have to pay the difference. So for instance, if he flies to South Carolina from Lackland, he will have to pay for that ticket and for the ticket to fly back to Lackland or his port call place. Quite often, if he goes through TMO at Lackland, and explains what he wants to do, they will work out the best plan for him. He just needs to know where he wants to go between Lackland and Korea, but TMO and his tech school instructor/MTL will be his best friend for answering these questions face to face.

Good luck.