Hello ladies and gentlemen,

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to prepare to come here until
the command sponsorship is approved. Are you already covered by military benefits and medical or are you waiting on that too? You are going to need to show a recent dental exam with updated dental work to pass the dental screening, which is part of the overseas screening process. You'll also have to show an updated physical, including a recent pap smear, and be up to date on vaccinations. There will be vaccinations you will have to get later to come over here to Japan. I know this can all be very expensive if you're not yet on Tricare through your husband. You can start on those things. You're also going to need a passport if you dont already have one. You can get a no-fee passport from the Navy, but they won't even consider that until you've received command sponsorship, pass your screenings and get approval to come here. So, while you're waiting, it might be a good idea to get a passport on your own. The big thing is just to nag your husband like crazy to nag his command and get things established. Once they sponsor you all the paper work will start to come in to be filled out and signed off. Just keep pushing your husband. You'll soon learn that you can't depend on the Navy to do anything. Your husband has to keep up with things. Spouses and children are not a priority. Your husband has to make it one. If he doesn't push and keep up with things, nothing will ever get done. Make sure he's asking the right questions and filing paper work like crazy to get you approved.

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I agree with Kate- Nag your husband lol! I got married after my husband got orders, and the original plan was for him to do his 2 years and we would meet back up in the states...but he missed us terribly! lol! Any way, its not that awful of a situation. Even if you were to have gotten married before his orders were cut, its not an automatic approval for you to join him like it is in the states. You still have to go through the command sponsorship process...only you have to do the non-concurrent sponsorship since he came over way before you did. You do have to do the medical/dental/pap smear, make sure you have your shot records on hand because they want to make sure you are up to date and they will gove you whatever you are lacking in immunizations. You cant get your no-fee passport because you havent been approved, so you can just get a tourist (no worries, when you get to Japan, they will give you that big SOFA stamp when you show them your approval letter and your husbands orders). The only thing that will be a pain is your husbands admin on the ship staying on his job, and making sure PSD has everthing that is needed for you to get approved. Once the package gets sent to PSD, dont get too comfy thinking everythings done, stay on top of everyone and only relaz when your husband forwards you a copy of your approval letter. If you have other questions, please let me know! GOod luck to you!

I personally think lots of Husbands don't stress it lol. We woman worry over it all. I agree with everyones advice, nag your husband to stay on top of it all, there seems to be a trend of admin dropping the ball around here. My big problem getting over here was that evil passport guy in San Diego, everything else was smooth sailing, once I got my Overseas Screening done we had Command sponosorship within 72 hrs.