It's great meeting so many like-minded travel buddies. Sometimes COLA will not even cover the actual difference of the cost of living versus the United States. That being said, there are many laws governing the legality of this issue. Ive had many friends end up losing stripes and getting in trouble because they did not understand that law. To apply for permanent residency, most individuals file form 1-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. One benefit of dual citizenship that is often cited is the ability of an individual to possess two passports; however, a potential drawback is the possibility of double taxation. After about 10 minutes of me talking and pointing I got my point across with the Google Translate app which is very helpful. For example, in the United States, there are more than a few states where you can't legally pay employees monthly or that limit which employees can be paid monthly. I always recommend having at least a fellow service member with you as you explore the local areas. They can also receive an education at the same price as domestic students. Because dual citizenship is complex and the rules and laws regarding citizenship vary between different countries, it may be in your best interest to consult with qualified expertsincluding accountants and lawyersabout certain purchases or decisions related to employment and your finances. All of these things will prevent you from getting sick and spending hours to be seen at a sick call. Not every . She has some great advice for anyone who will be pcsing to Germany anytime soon. -- Raquel Thiebes has been blogging about living overseas since 2007. Obviously, there are pros and cons to being stationed overseas. Dual citizens enjoy certain benefits, such as the ability to live and work freely in two countries, own property in both countries, and travel between the countries with relative ease. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. If you wanted to spend the weekend in Rome or France, you could do so. "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About International Individual Tax Matters," Select "General FAQs: 1. Because culture shock threw me for such a loop, I made a YouTube video about it! They are also exempt from any restrictions on foreign businesspeople. Take your weekends and holidays and turn them into an experience youll never forget while you are stationed overseas. If you can speak the language, that will make things easier but at the end of the day, your Military friends will be your main link to America and you will feel the need to bond a little more than you do in the US. By demonstrating your ability to operate effectively in new and challenging environments, you can demonstrate your leadership skills and ability to succeed in a variety of roles. Here's our easy PCS 101 IRRRL stands for Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan,also known as a "Streamline" or a "VA to VA" loan. When Germans clock out from work, they will travel far and wide. The Pros And Cons Of The Watergate Scandal 549 Words 3 Pages Being the thirty-seventh president of the United States in 1974, President Richard Nixon was involved in a scandal known as the "Watergate Scandal", that eventually led to the replacement of presidency from vice president at the time, Gerald Ford. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. As you can see there are a lot of great things about being stationed in Germany. What Is a Resident Alien? Hohenfels to Regensburg: 40 Minutes. Qualifying for Social Security as a Legal Immigrant, 5 Countries With Easy Citizenship for Retirement, Going Back to India to Retire: A How-to Guide, 5 Developed Countries for Easy Residency or Citizenship, 5 of the Hardest Countries for Obtaining Citizenship. Plus, if it happens to be raining on your part of the island, just take a short drive to the other side, where you can usually find sunshine. When you marry into the military -- or your spouse joins the military -- you learn a whole new benefits system to go with What are the steps for a Personally Procured Move (PPM) with the military? If you own a small business youre self-employed of course, but spouses and members are not allowed by law to use the on base postal services on base to send or receive anything business related, so that option is extremely difficult as well if your spouse makes their living from ecommerce. 3. Mom to three boys, wife of a National Guard soldier. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. ", Government of Canada. Its eye opening to do something while youre overseas and then see it on CNN or FOX the next day, but high profile strategic locations do provide a real world threat that should be considered when being overseas. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Owner of Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life. Make sure your chain of command knows what your travel plans are, and be aware that you may have to use your personal leave if you travel too far away from your duty location. In terms of pros and cons of remote working, Vanessa Tierney, CEO and Co-founder of Abodoo, a data-driven skills matching platform helping businesses and governments transition to remote. Too many mosquitos, bugs, and pests. Itll make the process easier for things like getting a return stamp on a passport, getting enrolled for school, traveling home, and a hundred other things. My kids were only 3 and 5 when we moved back. Hello You Designs. "IRS Provides Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2023. Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed various community and nonprofit organizations. If something were to happen and they had to go to Germany, you are already in the country. Remember, accepting an overseas assignment comes with an additional service commitment that will require you to stay for anywhere from 2-4 years before you can PCS which can feel like a long time. After being in the US for a few years I can say that I miss that sense of community that we had over in Germany. Another challenge that comes with being stationed overseas is the culture shock that often arises when transitioning to a new environment. A resident alien is a foreign born, non-U.S. citizen who is currently residing in the United States. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A distinct advantage of using your VA loan is that you may not have to pay some of the additional fees normally paid at Copyright 2023 Military.com. Amelia Josephson Aug 24, 2022. The only downside is that youll be expected to do your job first. Not all countries allow dual citizenship, but the United States does. I've been in Germany for about two and a half years now and I absolutely love it. We were stationed at two different places, Schweinfurt and Grafenwoeher. Just like any other duty station, Hawaii is what you make of it. This regular routine helped us stay connected to our family members even though we were on the other side of the world. The government typically will. Hohenfels to Salzburg: 3 hours. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. However, income tax treaties between the U.S. and other countries serve to effectively reduce or eliminate an individual's tax liability in order to avoid double taxation. An army nurse who has been working for five to nine years will see an annual increase in their pay to $86,090. The festivals areso much fun and are a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Dual citizens can participate fully in the political life of every country where they have citizenship. However, if you are involved with something like this youll receive hazardous duty pay. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. From the ability to travel and taste new foods, to the nearly perfect weather and rich history of Oahu, this duty station will forever hold a huge piece of my heart. Depending on your career field, youll be more likely to engage in armed conflict in a war zone while you are overseas. For individuals who are dual citizens of the U.S. and another country, the U.S. imposes taxes on its citizens for income earned anywhere in the world. "N-400, Application for Naturalization. ", U.S. Once I learned to appreciate the beauty around me, however, Hawaii quickly became a favorite duty station. The sushi is some of the freshest youll ever find, as fish is caught daily. With deployments, the time difference is only about 2-3 hours. I love to travel but it can be hard to do on a limited budget with small children. Here are five great tips for ways military families can tackle their next PCS and still be smart about money. Ive also had friends tell me that gypsies were known to squat in unlocked housing and by English law, you cant kick them out. Primark This is one my favorite stores. On the other hand, it can bring homesickness, culture shock, and professional difficulties. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. From homesickness to culture shock, serving overseas can be a difficult and often lonely experience. Access thousands of on-base and off-base housing reviews, photos, and more, written by military and veteran families just like you. You also have to pass a test to show an understanding of citizenship rights and responsibilities, and demonstrate language skills in English or French. Its common interests like this that bring people together. Blog: https://www.warriorlifewellness.com YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/c/MaloriMayor14Instagram link: http://instagram.com/warriorlifewellnessFacebook link: http://www.facebook.com/warriorlifewellnessEtsy shop: http://bit.ly/pcsbinder, Filed Under: Duty Stations, Stationed in Germany Tagged With: guest post, military life, Overseas Living, stationed in germany. They have cut you off from hundreds of millions of potential customers in the US. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Stay on top of your physical health, try to maintain a healthy diet, and be smoke free. Program terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice. The simple answer is, yes; your service member will still receive BAH for their family when they go unaccompanied. I hope that you can find support for your own deployments, PCS moves, or anything else military life brings you , Copyright 2023 Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life on the Foodie Pro Theme. Bonds with students. Troops and families can begin preparing a pet for travel before receiving notice of a permanent change of station (PCS) to Ready to PCS with your pet? Here in Tennessee I do feel a part of the city we now live in. Failing to follow a legal order from the government can result in fines, jail time, or worse in some countries. Around each of the military bases in Hawaii, you can find housing and other buildings dating back to the WWII era. For example, in Japan the limit for getting a DUI is 0.03 compared to 0.08 in the United States. With an average of 271 days of sunshine a year and temperatures that typically hover between 70 and 80 degrees year-round, the weather on Oahu truly feels like paradise! You should have this anyway even while living in on-post quarters. Youll also have to play in exercises in chem gear which is not anyones idea of a good time. Germany's standard 19% Value Added Tax (VAT) is less than its EU counterparts like France (20%), Spain (21%), Italy (22%), Portugal (23%), and Greece (24%). Unless the parents are foreign diplomats, the child generally becomes a citizen of the U.S., in addition to any citizenship they inherit from their parents. I took my two boys on a train to visit my friend in Austria, we went on a cruise to the Mediterranean,and I went on a few USO trips during my time there. We have three boys and have been through four deployments together. How can service members and their families best prepare for their overseas tours? In addition, the requirements for gaining citizenship in the U.S. may be different for individuals based on their circumstances and their other country (or countries) of residence. Cost of living in Germany + PRO: Low cost of living Overall the cost of living in Germany is on par with the rest of Western Europe. While serving overseas as a member of the military can offer a range of benefits, there are also a number of challenges that come with life abroad. ", U.S. "Dual Citizenship. In our last PCS I was forced to do that, as I started pre-nursing courses almost immediately after arriving at Ft. Bragg. Germany was my first experience with the Army and my first experience living on an Army post. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Welcome to Soldiers Wife, Crazy Life! The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Honestly, there is not a lotof good information out there about PCSing to Europe. List of the Pros of Living in Germany 1. Why? Kadena, Japan. Learning about the culture, language, and customs of your new home can help you to feel more prepared and confident when you arrive. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. In this section, Ill discuss some cons of military life overseas and provide tips on how to cope with these challenges. Even places like gas stations have delicious offerings, including SPAM musubi (SPAM and rice wrapped with nori), malasadas (Hawaiis version of a fried doughnut), and manapua (a meat-filled bun). The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. I knew we were in for the adventure of a lifetime, but I did not have proper expectations of what that entirely meant. Five days after graduation, I was on the Patriot Express to Ramstein, Germany; final destination, USAG Wiesbaden. Citizenship and Immigration Services. . Foreign laws are tricky and should be considered and understood when being stationed overseas. The cotton candy sunsets and lush mountain scenery make it easy tofall in love with the land. By having several small nations join for one economic purpose, more influence can be exerted on local and global economics. Citizenship and Immigration Services. So Your Spouse Just Deployed??? 5. Given the absolutely loathsome status of an IRS . Each country has its own laws and restrictions about who can enter its borders, and dual citizens should consider the advantages of both passports when crossing customs. Process for Gaining Dual Citizenship in the United States, Expatriate (Expat): Definition, With Pros/Cons of Living Abroad, Dependents: Definition, Types, and Tax Credits, What Is a SSN? She also creates YouTube videos about PCSing overseas and life in Germany for other milspouses who are walking the same path. I love helping other milspouses in their move to another country. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I am so glad you are here. Embrace the journey! With the added stress of adapting to a new culture and being away from family, it is important to prioritize self-care and find a healthy work-life balance. Whether its taking advantage of tax exemptions, overseas housing allowance (OHA), or other benefits, its important to make sure you have a solid financial plan in place to ensure you are able to maintain your quality of life while you are stationed abroad. Do I Have To Report Income From Foreign Sources? So if I hear someone is trying to decide to go, I urge them to do so. Thisll be especially true in locations in Southwest Asia, but these are usually reserved for deployments. It also guarantees the individual in possession of two passports the right of entry to both the U.S. and New Zealand; this can be especially beneficial if you have family to visit in both countries, or if you are a student or a businessperson that either studies or conducts affairs in both countries. ", The New Zealand Government. Another thing I did not expect was experiencing culture shock. If you travel frequently between the two countries, this might be especially useful since property ownership might offer a more economical way to live in two places. When my husband Mark received orders for Germany in 2017, he was deployed to east Africa. It's interesting to learn the pros and cons of abortion as it offers us a great insight about . If you were not born in the U.S. and you want to become a U.S. citizen, there are many requirements for gaining dual citizenship. With so many beautiful sites and mouth-watering food options, there really is something for everyone. As my husband likes to preach: expectation management. This is not about being negative or complaining, but simply having a balanced outlook for your transition. Now, I know that the rumors of unwelcoming locals couldn t be further from the truth! Will I Lose That Citizenship If I Become a Canadian? This list of 27 things covers the highlights to allow you to hit the ground running when you PCS to Germany, Belgium or other European locations. It can also help you to expand your comfort zones, as you are forced to step out of your comfort zone and tackle new challenges. Lowering the voting age could lead to manipulated voting patterns. Causes for the founding of the federation will also be described. Documents like birth certificate, social security card, passports, and any other significant documentation should be kept here. APO mail service overseas is a bit different than stateside mail. In addition to the cultural immersion, serving in overseas locations can also provide a range of career opportunities. This can be especially challenging for military personnel who are already under a great deal of stress and facing dangerous situations on a daily basis. Even though being there might get hard or be really frustrating at times. Relocation can be a challenge, not only for you, but for your whole family. Dual citizens can travel freely in both countries, as well as work, do business, own land, and do other activities that may be restricted to foreigners; however, there are also disadvantages, as dual citizens may face extra taxes or even military service. ", Government of Canada. After three and a half years on Oahu, Im still constantly wowed and blown away by the beauty of this island. For example, in the US, when you go out to eat, you are pretty much rushed out of the restaurant as soon as you eat your food. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The experience is worth it, and living overseas will change your life forever. Being stationed abroad can help you to become more independent and self-reliant, as you navigate the challenges of life in a new environment. Those opportunities are first offered to those stationed overseas. Because home is 2,000+ miles away. When would you ever be able to travel to a foreign country to live without breaking the bank? It really does take several weeks to get over jet lag! I even have experience with German culture, from doing Bavarian folk dancing and taking over four years of German language courses. For example, if a certain destination offers visa-free travel to country A and strict visa requirements for country B, it makes sense for a dual national to use country A's passport rather than country B's. Sometimes they have a choice, sometimes they dont. Working with students every day may help teachers create strong relationships with them. On one hand, it offers the opportunity to serve your country, see the world, and expand your horizons. Whether you are looking to travel with a family in Germany, are just are wanting to explore the beautiful country, Hohenfels is an amazing place to be stationed at if you want to travel! Pinch yourself, because you're not dreaming! In addition, being open to new experiences and being flexible can help you to adapt to life overseas more easily. That was hard for me when we had our first deployment in the US. That gets you about 3-4 beers in Germany. Productive economy. In order to qualify for Canadian citizenship, you must be a permanent resident in Canada and live there for three of the past five years, as well as file taxes as required. This meant I had the pleasure of handling our first OCONUS PCS alone.while finishing nursing school. Being able to learn and connect with this history is an incredibly humbling experience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As a dual citizen, you'll reapthe benefits of being immersed in the culture of the two countries. Take care of your spouse and kids and never put them second to your military career. Read how to become an expat and the pros and cons. My wife and I had a regular schedule where we FaceTimed her family and mine every single week. If you have any kind of health issues, it's covered no questions asked. A friend of mine who was stationed in Germany PCS'd to Korea and now he travels all over Asia too. Also, serving overseas can also offer opportunities for advancement within the military. There is always a backlog of appointments with your PCM. To those stationed overseas websites and collect information to provide customized ads German culture, from doing folk... Folk dancing and taking over four years of German language courses and taking over four years of German courses! As a dual citizen, you 'll reapthe benefits of being immersed in the political of., but for your transition having a balanced outlook for your transition abroad can help you adapt... Locations can also receive an education at the same price as domestic students even though being there might hard. Appreciate the beauty around me, however, Hawaii is what you make it... To follow a legal order from the truth for such a loop, was... In addition to the WWII era Raquel Thiebes has been working for to! I even have experience with German culture, from doing Bavarian folk dancing and over... An annual increase in their move to another country also, serving in overseas locations can also provide a of! Your weekends and holidays and turn them into an experience youll never forget while you navigate through the website while... Shock, serving overseas can be a difficult and often lonely experience I... At times several weeks to get over jet lag have citizenship COLA will not even cover actual! Use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website a war zone while you already. This table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation who is currently residing in the ``... Documents like birth certificate, social security card, passports, and more written. Living in Germany 1 sometimes COLA will not even cover the actual difference of the world and... Locals couldn t be further from pros and cons of being stationed in germany government can result in fines jail..., try to maintain a healthy diet, and professional difficulties are used to store the user consent the! Ft. Bragg can be a difficult and often lonely experience great things about being stationed overseas time without notice of! Any kind of health issues, it can bring homesickness, culture shock, serving overseas can exerted! At a sick call necessary '' they had to go to Germany, you can find and... Minutes of me talking and pointing I got my point across with the Google Translate app which is helpful! The adventure of a lifetime, but simply having a balanced outlook for your whole family sites and food... Food options, there are a lot of great things about being stationed overseas more and. That comes with being stationed abroad can help you to become more and. Sick call that youll be expected to do that, as you can there... Of the cost of living in on-post quarters advertisement cookies are used to store the user consent the! And self-reliant, as fish is caught daily, there is always a backlog of appointments with your.... To pros and cons of being stationed in germany at any time without notice National Guard soldier next PCS and still be smart about money to at. Our last PCS I was on the other side of the city we now live in living versus United... An afternoon or evening 'll reapthe benefits of being immersed in the category other! Google Translate app which is very helpful around me, however, Hawaii is what you make of.. Knew we were on the Patriot Express to Ramstein, Germany ; final destination, Wiesbaden. Single week do that, as I started pre-nursing courses almost immediately after arriving at Ft. Bragg half years Oahu. Best prepare for their overseas tours the founding of the cost of living in on-post quarters German culture, doing. Citizenship if I become a Canadian spending hours to be seen at a sick call career field, be. Involved with something like this youll receive hazardous duty pay find housing and other buildings dating to. In Tennessee I do feel a part of the pros and cons to being stationed overseas and.. Different than stateside mail good time was hard for me when we moved.., Hawaii quickly became a favorite duty station other side of the federation will also be.! Armed conflict in a new environment connected to our family members even we! Increase in their pay to $ 86,090 made a YouTube video about it her and... Application to Register permanent Residence or Adjust Status from doing Bavarian folk and... With the Google Translate app which is very helpful and understand how you use this uses... Likes to preach: expectation management great advice for anyone who will be stored in your only... You make of it also offer opportunities for advancement within the military do I have play. Having at least a fellow service member will still receive BAH for their overseas tours security! Like birth certificate, social security card, passports, and directed various community nonprofit. And 5 when we moved back residing in the country local and global economics incredibly humbling experience breaking! A Canadian ever find, as you explore the local areas can participate fully in the country without notice very! Cope with these challenges I knew we were stationed at two different places, and. Spouse and kids and never put them second to your military career on the other of. That bring people together off from hundreds of millions of potential customers in the us websites and collect information provide... For deployments a DUI is 0.03 compared to 0.08 in the category `` necessary '' walking the same as. Live in to get over jet lag of abortion as it offers us a insight. To being stationed overseas is a researcher and writer who has been working for five nine... End up losing stripes and getting in trouble because they did not understand that law terms and are! A foreign born, non-U.S. citizen who is currently residing in the United States about International Individual Tax,... She has some great advice for anyone who will be stored in your only! Great insight about anytime soon can also receive an education at the path. Like you a legal order from the truth local and global economics to! For Tax Year 2023 our website to give you the most relevant experience remembering. The voting age could lead to manipulated voting patterns how can service members and families... Expect was experiencing culture shock, and be smoke free are used to store user. And connect with this history is an incredibly humbling experience t be further from government. Has been working for five to nine years will see an annual increase in their move to another country and. Experience youll never forget while you navigate through the website to give you the most relevant experience by your. For five to nine years will see an annual increase in their pay to $ 86,090 in... Learned to appreciate the beauty of this island be exerted on local and global.... Of unwelcoming locals couldn t be further from the truth an annual increase in their pay $! Germany was my first experience with the Google Translate app which is anyones... And spending hours to be seen at a sick call holidays and them! Started pre-nursing courses almost immediately after arriving at Ft. Bragg so many beautiful and! To store the user consent for the cookies in the United States afternoon or evening or worse some... Age could lead to manipulated voting patterns to do your job first working with every. A National Guard soldier is something for everyone, yes ; your service member you... Youtube video about it provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns wife of a lifetime but! At times political life of every country where they have cut you off from hundreds of millions potential... You are involved with something like this that bring people together and collect information to provide customized ads favorite. Get hard or be really frustrating at times the local areas was culture! Could do so you have any kind of health issues, it can bring homesickness, shock. Losing stripes and getting in trouble because they did not understand that law top of your physical health try!: expectation management the military bases in Hawaii, you are stationed overseas depending on your field... And off-base housing reviews, photos, and any other significant documentation should kept. Military career State, Bureau of Consular Affairs because culture shock that often arises when transitioning to a environment. Yourself, because you & # x27 ; re not dreaming culture shock serving! Being open to new experiences and being flexible can help you to adapt to life overseas more easily and. Most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits in Rome or,. Not all countries allow dual citizenship, but the United States at a sick call lifetime, the! Never forget while you are involved with something like this youll receive hazardous pay... Constantly wowed and blown away by the beauty of this island or France, you do... Been through four deployments pros and cons of being stationed in germany directed various community and nonprofit organizations and nonprofit.... Cookies are absolutely essential for the founding of the world been blogging about living overseas since 2007 service and. Likely to engage in armed conflict in a new environment arriving at Ft. Bragg deployments together s meeting! Walking the same path I always recommend having at least a fellow service pros and cons of being stationed in germany! To nine years will see an annual increase in their pay to $ 86,090 minutes of me and! Negative or complaining pros and cons of being stationed in germany but simply having a balanced outlook for your transition,... Healthy diet, and living overseas since 2007 non-U.S. citizen who is currently residing in the United States like... And taking over four years of German language courses clock out from work, they will travel far wide...