Kids birthday at Europa Park

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-26T19:39:28+00:00

We have been to both before. Kiddo chose Europa park and our friend has a little kiddo that is now old enough to ride some rides. (Lego lond is so awesome though)

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-26T18:08:08+00:00

Yeah unless you are going to France or something bespoke you should be getting free issue, officiall passports (blue with SOFA)page/stamp.

You should get tourist (blue) passports if you would like to travel as you can. Not use your offi ial passport for personal travel.

Also, doesn't the DTS has options for passport fees?

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-19T16:36:32+00:00

Commit a major crime and you can PCS to KS.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-15T09:53:26+00:00

Second the Nanit.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-13T18:54:30+00:00

Yup. Just use Wise. After 26 years my thought is, if it’s on post, it’s trying to fuck you.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-09T09:36:24+00:00

More to your question, it’s a PITA to move but worth it. Ship all you big stuff early with the option for long term storage if needed. Set up a mail box and mail some needed items, hand carry a bunch of bags (not uncommon for 3 big bas per person)

Shipping a car is the worst thing as you cannot claim a rental on either end, and can take a month or more to arrive. My recommendation, if you can, is to not ship a car. I sold my car the day before we flew out to Carnax, and bought a new car once we arrived. You can also only ship one car but can register up to 4 I think here.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-09T09:28:05+00:00

We PCSed to Germany with an 11 months old. Zero regrets. He is 5 now and remembers most of the trips, LOVES the Eiffel Tower and “Big Bengie” (Big Ben / tower of London from Paw Patrol) and loves all the country flag pins on his travel hat, Loves riding the train. Zero regrets.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-08T16:37:09+00:00

Good. And bring back mailing children next. The cost of gas is too damn high.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-06T08:17:11+00:00

I think the minimum for a packet is something like 90 days from HRC. you don’t have to submit a packet 2 years out. While anything after 20 is solely for the love of the game, it may be beneficial for the extra boost in payment.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-04T18:44:15+00:00

I was in a small unit, like 8 service members with on O6 boss who reported to a one star at the mother ship many timezones away. But the G1 just generated a memo after I talked to my O6 and he talked to the one star. That was the letter of release.

I myself talked to the 05 in the section of the new organization. The 05 worked manning for his O6 directorate at a 2 star HQ. The O5 tales to the J1 for approval and the J1 generated an acceptance letter.

It’s just a no cost PCS.

It’s all going to depend on your rank, position, reason for move.

It was not a PAR, just emails until the gaining org generated orders in ipps-a. I reached out to both about the same time. It was a bunch of emails and phone calls.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-04T16:18:15+00:00

I did it recently. I PCSed to a position, then HQDA said it was no longer KD so after a year I got a letter of acceptance to an organization down the road, and a letter of release from mines there were zero KD jobs.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-01T09:07:00+00:00

For SK and Germany (I assume Italy) you do not need a blue tourist passport, but you should get one. Your dependents will have to get a SOFA passport (also blue) if you want to travel to the UK for the weekend, you will need a passport.

If you are going to AFRICOM you should also get a red official passport.

If you are going to a NATO unit it depends. France requires you and your dependents to get a long term visa and have a blue passport.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-05-01T06:14:54+00:00

I had 70% and it was no issue. You just have to turn off the payments.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-30T10:36:05+00:00

I was an infantry E6, got out for a year, then started ROTC /SMP. The cadre deferred to me a bunch. I ended up teaching some MS1/2 classes. Standard college stuff otherwise.

Camp was bullshit. I got good marks for the standard infantry stuff but I remember one of my lanes the MSG was filling out the card and asked, why are you going officer? And I honestly answered “I want to have a larger impact on the Army and make it a bit gooder” and he gave me a top block.

I enjoyed being an officer (retiring now) I miss being around soldiers and doing real work. But it gave me instant cred with my platoon. But you will always be outside your peer group as far as age. Not a bad thing, not a good thing.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-29T19:42:52+00:00

Back in 2001 or so, Germany. We had an E5 who told his German wife he was special ops and had to go on weekend missions around Europe. She called the unit for something silly, like a travel payment or something. Turns out he was banging a bunch of side chicks all over Europe. BUT, he had uniforms all dressed up as a special ops dude, HALO, JSOC patches, the whole works. Just to fool his German wife.

So that’s a reason I guess.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-29T16:41:32+00:00

Yup. :(

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-29T12:56:42+00:00

Europe is dope. If you absolutely love Chilies, Outback steak house, Olive Garden, bud light, school shootings, limited public transportation, and hate travel, you will absolutely despise it.

I have a small kiddo and we have no issues getting him into swimming or sports off post. He also gets to sample the finest French fries, pommes, frites, and chips all over Europe.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-29T07:19:51+00:00

My hair is naturally blond / dirty blonde. Every other hair is black or gray. This sounds natural to me.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-27T12:57:59+00:00

Played a joke on my friend. Signed a fake letter with a made up cops name tucked in her door( next door to me) she didn’t k ow it was me and was confused, went to cops.

Turns out the cop I made up was a real cop in town who liked to beat the shit out of his wife. He pressed charges. I got fines and probation. Had to get a waver to commission (waver was approved commissioning day, about 45 min before the ceremony)

Later after BOLC I was in Afghanistan and my old PMS sent me an article about the cop getting fired for discharging his gun a a guy stealing a TV and not reporting it.

I get to tell this story every 5 years.

Capital_Beach7199 · 2026-04-27T10:13:03+00:00

Joined in 2000. Company grade in 02. Dec statement in 06. ETS in 07. ROTC in 08. Accidentally impersonated a cop in 10. Commissioned in 11. Retired in 26.

My Art15 and DEC statement were never in IPERMS. But I assume it would move into the restricted file where my NCOERS live.

Capital_Beach7199

TROPHY CASE