Newcomers Info

Welcome to our Team!

We look forward to your arrival in Okinawa. If you are on assignment to the 78th Signal Battalion and have not been contacted by a sponsor, please call the Battalion S-1 at:

DSN: 315-641-0261.
Within Japan: 098-911-5111 and when you receive a dial tone then dial 641-0261
From the U.S.: 011-81-98-911-5111 and when you receive a dial tone then dial 641-0261

Arriving on Okinawa

If you fly in on the weekly Air Mobility Command’s “Patriot Express,” you will land at Kadena Air Base. Your sponsor will meet you in the arrival terminal once you clear Immigration and Customs.

If you fly in on a commercial flight, you will land at Naha International Airport. Your sponsor will meet you in the arrival terminal.

In either case, if you arrive at time other than what was passed to your sponsor, contact the 78th Signal Battalion’s Facility Control Office (FCO) to arrange for pick up. The FCO is manned 24/7. You can call the FCO at:

DSN: 315-641-3277
Within Japan: 098-911-5111 and when you receive a dial tone then dial 641-3277
From the U.S.: 011-81-98-911-5111 and when you receive a dial tone then dial 641-3277

Housing Info

Temporary Living Facilities:

Typically, you will reside at the Shogun Inn http://af.dodlodging.net/propertys/Kadena-AB on Kadena Air Base or the WestPac Lodge http://www.mccsokinawa.com/westpac_lodge/ on Camp Foster until you secure permanent housing.

Housing:

Military Family Housing is administered by the Air Force and all personnel must report to the housing office for application upon arrival to Okinawa.
http://www.housing.af.mil/okinawa/index.asp

There are over 8,000 military family housing units, spread over 19 different areas island wide. 78^th Signal Battalion personnel are typically assigned to Kadena Air Base, Camp Foster, or Lester Naval Hospital housing areas for on-post housing. There are a number of high-rise apartment complexes and quadplexes. There are also a lesser number of duplexes. Single-family homes are very limited.

The housing is built out of concrete and designed to withstand typhoon conditions. What they lack in curb appeal, they make up for in durability..

Barracks: Barracks space should be available when you arrive. Based on your duty location, you could be housed on either Torii Station or Fort Buckner.

Vehicle Info

Vehicles:

Generally you will not be allowed to ship a POV to Okinawa. There are vehicles available in Lemon Lots from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. There are numerous car dealers off-post that cater to the military and usually offer some type of warranty/repair service.

In order to register a vehicle, you must possess a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) driver’s license. You can only register one vehicle unless you have multiple licensed drivers in your household. Vehicles must pass a Government of Japan inspection and have Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI). Most vehicles purchased from car dealerships usually have two years of JCI.

Note: You must have a valid stateside driver’s license in order to obtain a SOFA driver’s license.

Motorcycles:

Before arriving on Okinawa, you must be a motorcycle rider and possess a stateside motorcycle operator’s permit in order to operate a motorcycle on Okinawa.