We're sitting at less than a month until our scheduled PCS leave and we don't have anything done. We finally got our physicals so we could schedule our EFMP screening. Thankfully the kids do not have to be there, so they are leaving in 2 days to go visit grandparents as scheduled. Well, not exactly as they were supposed to leave 4 days ago, but that didn't happen because of all these appointments. But on wed. we will do out EFMP screening and I thought that was that.
Wrong.
After our screening they have to send our paperwork to someone here on Bragg who will then send it to EFMP in Hawaii to get approval for us to go there with my husband. This sort of upsets me because already waited 2 weeks for this same thing with our youngest who is enrolled in EFMP. His paperwork was sent to Hawaii and approved before my husband could even take this job. But now we have to wait for the whole process to happen again? And it could take 2 more weeks! We cannot be added to his orders until that comes back approved. He also still does not have his orders yet so we cannot contact transportation or anything yet. If by some miracle this goes as we want it to I will be shocked. Utterly shocked.
We're still hopeful he will sign out of his unit on the 17th and we'll be on the road to visit family on the 18th of July and flying to Hawaii august 13th. That isn't very long from now and I am worried it won't happen like that, but only time will tell. It is out of our hands.
In the mean time things I have done to prepare-
EFMP physicals for everyone. make sure to tell the staff at the clinic the physical is for EFMP screening so you can move overseas, they have to state in your file if they feel you need to be enrolled in EFMP or not.
Dental visits. While I don't think this is required, having a check-up right before you leave isn't a bad idea. It will save you needing to find a dentist right when you get settled in.
Records! While I was at our last dental visit today I filled out paperwork for them to copy our records. Always always always hand carry your records. Do not rely on them being mailed. Someone ALWAYS loses them. So get your records copied, have them call you when they are ready and then make copies for your own records.
I also made a binder (I am sure many people in the Military have these) And in it is all our everything. I have colored folders inside for each kid containing their immunizations and school records as well as my youngest son's IEP and other EFMP paperwork stuff. I have a separate folder for official documents like birth certificates, marriage certificate and social security cards.
It never fails. we get to a new school to enroll the kids and we're the parents without birth certificates. So then we have to order new ones and wait because they won't enroll your kid without one!!
Also, check your new school's immunization policy. My kids need a TB test within 12 months. We did not have time here to get them done, so we will do it right when we get to Hawaii. They cannot enroll without this.
Well that's all for today. Hurry up and wait.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
Find yourself help!
One of the best things you can do for yourself before making a military PCS move to Hawaii is to find people to ask questions to!
The two places I have found most helpful so far have been-
http://hawaiimilitarywives.com/ You have to sign up to participate on their forums, but it's free.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/181781051831952/ Again, you have to join through Facebook and it takes a day or two to get approved, but invaluable information and tons of people to ask questions of. This one is for Army wives at Schofield Barracks. If you're moving to a different area, search FB for a group for your base/post.
The two places I have found most helpful so far have been-
http://hawaiimilitarywives.com/ You have to sign up to participate on their forums, but it's free.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/181781051831952/ Again, you have to join through Facebook and it takes a day or two to get approved, but invaluable information and tons of people to ask questions of. This one is for Army wives at Schofield Barracks. If you're moving to a different area, search FB for a group for your base/post.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
We have a date!
So it looks like we're looking at leaving Fort Bragg mid July to begin vacation to visit family before flying to Hawaii the second week of August.
I contacted a lot of companies about shipping the second car, for a lot of quotes, some for $1875 and other for over $3000! In the end we've decided to store it with family while we are in Hawaii. It will alleviate a lot of extra stress.
( 2 Days pass)
Yesterday things sort of went to hell. By asking questions online in a group I am in called Schofield Barracks Army Wives FB page, I learned a lot of things we did not know yet. I learned that before we can get Command Sponsorship, the kids and I all need physicals, then EFMP screenings. Now, we're trying to leave here in 6 weeks and we didn't know this because we only JUST got notification of orders on Monday. So I scheduled the physicals, but they cut into my kids vacation with their grandparents, so we have to figure that out. To get an appointment for EFMP screening, he needs to bring a paper called a 5888 for them to review before they will make an appointment. This has to be done in person, not over the phone. He won't get the 5888 until he has his Levy Brief, which isn't until the end of the month! So we can't book our plane tickets or schedule our HHG pick-up or anything until after that, and if it doesn't happen until the end of the month, that gives us barely 2 weeks to get it all done before we -want- t leave here on PCS leave to visit family. We're probably going to have to cut our PCS leave short. He is trying to see if he can get his Levy Brief moved up so we can move everything else up. Physicals have to be done before the EFMP screening. You do not need to schedule one if you have had a physical in the past 12 months. Women need a pap within the past 3 years. Now, this may vary from Post to Post, we live on Fort Bragg. If you have questions, call your local EFMP office and ask what they need to have done before your EFMP screening.
No, we don't have to report 60 days early, but we want to because of school. School in Hawaii starts July 31st. School here starts August 24th. If we get there closer to the beginning of August the kids will only miss out on a couple weeks of school, but the later we push it, the more they will miss. Hawaii starts earlier and gets out earlier then here. So my kids will start late and get out early. I don't want them to miss too much.
That's all I have for now. This next 2 months is going to be quite a roller coaster.
I contacted a lot of companies about shipping the second car, for a lot of quotes, some for $1875 and other for over $3000! In the end we've decided to store it with family while we are in Hawaii. It will alleviate a lot of extra stress.
( 2 Days pass)
Yesterday things sort of went to hell. By asking questions online in a group I am in called Schofield Barracks Army Wives FB page, I learned a lot of things we did not know yet. I learned that before we can get Command Sponsorship, the kids and I all need physicals, then EFMP screenings. Now, we're trying to leave here in 6 weeks and we didn't know this because we only JUST got notification of orders on Monday. So I scheduled the physicals, but they cut into my kids vacation with their grandparents, so we have to figure that out. To get an appointment for EFMP screening, he needs to bring a paper called a 5888 for them to review before they will make an appointment. This has to be done in person, not over the phone. He won't get the 5888 until he has his Levy Brief, which isn't until the end of the month! So we can't book our plane tickets or schedule our HHG pick-up or anything until after that, and if it doesn't happen until the end of the month, that gives us barely 2 weeks to get it all done before we -want- t leave here on PCS leave to visit family. We're probably going to have to cut our PCS leave short. He is trying to see if he can get his Levy Brief moved up so we can move everything else up. Physicals have to be done before the EFMP screening. You do not need to schedule one if you have had a physical in the past 12 months. Women need a pap within the past 3 years. Now, this may vary from Post to Post, we live on Fort Bragg. If you have questions, call your local EFMP office and ask what they need to have done before your EFMP screening.
No, we don't have to report 60 days early, but we want to because of school. School in Hawaii starts July 31st. School here starts August 24th. If we get there closer to the beginning of August the kids will only miss out on a couple weeks of school, but the later we push it, the more they will miss. Hawaii starts earlier and gets out earlier then here. So my kids will start late and get out early. I don't want them to miss too much.
That's all I have for now. This next 2 months is going to be quite a roller coaster.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Still waiting.
We're still waiting for official orders so we can get things rolling. We heard he should have them on Monday or Tuesday. it's funny how we were all anxious waiting for the yes/no form EFMP so we could get things started. Now that we have that, we are still waiting!
We're still figuring out what to do with the second car. Need to go through every room in the house to cut down the clutter and have a yard sale. Need to find homes for the dogs also.
Lots to do, just wait wait wait!
We're still figuring out what to do with the second car. Need to go through every room in the house to cut down the clutter and have a yard sale. Need to find homes for the dogs also.
Lots to do, just wait wait wait!
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