Australia Departure Considerations 337th Air Support Flight Australia Departure Considerations
Highlights Enjoy the last bit of your tour (trips, parties, friends) Get ready for your move Help your replacement get ready Settle your debts and set up disconnect dates (schools, utilities, quarters) Don’t wait until the last minute! 337th ASUF will be here to support, but even miracles take time
Personnel Actions - PCS Orders – Provide a copy to: TSgt K15 and 337asuf.lgt@us.af.mil. - Contact info – Provide your forwarding: email, physical address, and phone number to TSgt K15. - ID Card – If required, schedule an appointment with 337th DP for renewal of CAC and dependent ID Cards before travel. - International Travel Requirements (official & leave) – Review the FCG for APACS and Passports requirements for all countries visiting (while on official duty or TDY) after departure from Australia. COT Leave – entitlement is service specific, ensure that if your entitled that your orders are annotated appropriately. Contact agency specific headquarters to comply with any service-specific PCS requirements
TRICARE/Int’l SOS Get a copy of your medical records from your GP and/or ADF medical facility for inclusion into your full service medical records. Leave your forwarding address with the TRICARE POC if you have any outstanding claims. TRICARE coverage IS portable while you PCS. To ensure that you are covered while traveling to your new location, DO NOT disenroll from any TRICARE coverage plan Update your new address & phone number in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) when you arrive at the new post - As of 1 Apr 2014, all walk-in TRICARE service centers in the US will be closed
Legal Office Legal Assistance – Power of Attorney, Will, etc Have you had any issues with your landlord relative to the military/defense ‘escape’ clause on your lease? Issues with your bond? If so, do you need to appoint an agent to act for you after you PCS? Refund of Superannuation for DoD dependents - It is your responsibility to settle all utility bills & financial obligations incurred in Australia (MotorPass, utilities, doctors, etc). Failure may result in UCMJ Article 134, Debt, dishonorably failing to pay; & Article 92, Dereliction of Duty, violations.
Finance Entitlements - Advance Pay, Dislocation Allowance and Travel Pay COLA - (Q) When does my COLA stop? (A) COLA will stop once you have signed out of your current duty station. OHA - (Q) When does my OHA stop? (A) Once you have terminated your residence. “handed keys to the landlord” BAH - (Q) When does BAH begin? (A) BAH will start at the non-locality rate once you have signed out of your current duty station and will stop when you sign into your new duty station. (Q) Were can I find the non-locality rate for my rank? (A) http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil
Finance Advance OHA (Security) – If you received this interest-free Gov’t “loan” to cover your security bond (repay upon PCS outbound), it will be due in-full after you PCS. Be sure to retain the funds received from your home’s security bond in order to repay the US Government. Temporary Lodging Allowance - Standard outbound TLA is authorized for 10-days. TLA beyond 10-days will not be authorized so members can ship HHG early, remain in-country on leave status or for member’s convenience. Exceptions may apply when delays or extensions are required and are outside of the member’s control.
DoDEA Non-DoD School Pgm Once you have orders & firm departure date, contact 337 ASUF Finance to confirm student disenrollment from the NDSP program & coordinate with 337 ASUF FM to discuss recoup any reimbursements for prior payments. Inform school(s) of your departure date Get a final invoice from your school showing all remaining charges. Send this to 337 ASUF/FM ASAP.
MotorPass & POV Shipments Contact 337 ASUF FM to cancel your MotorPass card at least 30-days prior to departure. (Only the 337 ASUF FM can close your account) Ensure your final MotorPass balance has been paid prior to closing your Australian bank account or contact MotorPass directly to pay your final balance. The MotorPass card is a benefit of the SOFA, not an entitlement. It is an account in YOUR name. Closing your account and paying the balance is your responsibility. Shipping POVs Australia is not part of the worldwide VPC so the process not same as most DoD locations. Drop-off instructions available in 337 ASUF
HHG Personal property shipment request MUST BE accompanied by PCS orders. Pack/pick up dates CANNOT be reserved without official “hard-copy” orders that authorize/fund movement. An assignment notification cannot be accepted. Dependent upon PCS destination & mode of shipment the process of arranging/securing/confirming pack/pickup dates for HHG/UB shipments can take approx. 14 days. Until shipment has been awarded to a local agent, 337 ASUF cannot confirm agent details or dates. Alcohol requirements vary widely between services and PCS locations. Prior to arranging shipment, a personal inventory of alcohol and import approval from gaining state must be given to the 337 Transportation representatives. - Pets: The USG may reimburse you for pet quarantine (not transport) costs up to a max amount of $550 per PCS (not per pet). You must provide an invoice showing payment to your destination transportation/finance office.
Official Travel Members doing Consecutive Overseas Tours (COT) or Circuitous Travel must have travel approved in their PCS orders prior to any tickets being issued. Government Travel Card (GTC): ** Having a valid GTC for PCS travel is YOUR responsibility. ** Be prepared to request a credit limit increase on your GTC due to the cost of airline tickets to/from Australia