Command Sponsorship Vs Overseas Screening & SOFA stamp

I hope this post is able to help advise a fellow Navy spouse.

Everyone's experience is very individual, based on when they were married and where in their career their spouse was.
Mine went something like this-
1. Husband received orders
2. We got married
3. He left for new PCS (Permanent Change of Station) overseas at Yokosuka Japan
4. Husband had orders changed to reflect a spouse
5. I started overseas screening in NYC
6. He found out I can move to his new PCS without Overseas Screening approval and begin Command Sponsorship approval INSTEAD of overseas screening
7. I found out I could get my SOFA stamp before I was Command Sponsored!
8. Command Sponsorship paperwork complete, screened, and awaiting completion from husband's command


1. He received orders about 6 months before we got married. He could not have altered until after we were married

2. Yay! Marriage!

3. Boo! after 1.5 weeks of marriage he leaves

4. Husband went through a frustrating amount of phone calls and answer hunting to get orders changed and to get me to Japan- and I love him even more for it

5. SO FRUSTRATING. Closest military hospital is in West Point, all paperwork needs to go through them, you'll need all your health records from the past 7 years to complete an Overseas Screening. I recommend just leaving and doing Command Sponsorship if you can. Because I had Tricare Standard I was able to get appointments with local Tricare doctors. HOWEVER the wait for West Point's approval of OS paperwork is at least 3 weeks

6. I went to Japan, on a tourist Visa (90days). I then started Command Sponsorship paperwork (this CAN be done while a ship is underway the OS office will coordinate with ship ).

7. I went to Immigration Office in Yokohama. I brought my Passpot, Military ID, husband's military orders,  & dependent paperwork ( I got this confirmation paperwork when we registered me for my ID). I filled out a form to cancel my Tourist Visa. They then cancelled my Tourist Visa and stamped my passport. It took about 90 minutes, and they were all super friendly!
Now that I'm SOFA sponsored I do not have to worry about Command Sponsorship approval before the end of my tourist visa- PHEW!

8. My fate is in the Captain's hands! At least I can stay in Japan. I can't register at the base for a PO Box, register in DBIZ or make regular doctor's appointments (ER only and excluding command sponsorship appts)


Leave questions below- I'll do my best to answer!

Japanese Fashion and Shopping

I keep writing posts in my head when I'm out and about and forgetting to do it when I get home. 

Back in NYC the summer is hot with a few unbearably humid days in August, resulting in everyone wearing as little as possible to survive. Here in Japan every day in August is unbearably humid and hot.  September has not been much better, according to friends it will easily stay 70F into November. But instead of wearing less clothing, the Japanese wear more. The style is Hobo chic + anthroplogie = lots of loose layers and no tight fitting clothes. They love horizontal striped and nautical themed, navy blue articles & accessories. I rarely see jeans, though it may happen more in the fall/winter.

Also 80% of women wear heels or wedges everywhere. I've seen women wearing heel trekking up the hundreds of steps to shrines & temples. Sometimes I noticed women with shoes that are obviously a half size too big or too small. I wondered why until I went shoe shopping for interview heels. Shoes here are labeled in 2 ways, either by cm size or S, M, L. S/M/L shoes- 3 sizes to fit ALL women?? I don't know the logic behind this system. In the US I'm a size 7, and have the smallest feet of all of my friends. Here I fit a size L. I could squeeze into a M but it's too uncomfortable, I'd rather stuff the toes of a L if I need. 

RETURNING CLOTHES. I had to return some clothes to the local H&M. The word to return clothes is Henpin (hen-peen). I walked up to the purchase counter held up the bad and said Henpin- thankfully I got a cashier who spoke English, but she appreciated my effort. When you buy with a Credit Card- You will only get credit back on the Credit Card if you return EVERYTHING on the receipt. So she gave me cash back. Aslo there were no returns on accessories, they wouldn't accept the headband I never used that still had the tags. 

LOCKERSIn every major train station and shopping mall there are lockers you can rent for ¥100-500 depending on the size. So you can shop comfortably without lugging bags around

CASH ECONOMY
Most of Japan is a cash economy so unless you shop at a major chain, you'll have some issues using a credit card

PACK YOUR OWN BAGS
At grocery stores and house ware shops they may want you to bag your own items. They will ring you up, transfer all items to a new basket and throw some plastic bags in there. After paying take your basket to a counter by the door and bag yourself- tape and packing materials will be on the counter too. 

SIZES
Consult a chart to convert your US sizes to Cm