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United States Air Force
425 Amerikan Hava US Birligi
Hilton Is Merkezi A-Blok
Gazi Osman Pasa Blv No:7
Konak, Izmir Turkey 35210
+011-90-232-455-6694
314-675-6694
Relatively low compared to US national average. You can look up the Turkish conversion rate to US Dollars online to get a better idea.
NATO ORDERS
All military members performing official duties in Turkey must enter and exit the country using official NATO travel orders (AF Form 1631) in lieu of a passport. The NATO order must have an "official" stamp and a signature (blue ink). Ensure your NATO order is signed in blue ink (stamp color does not matter). Some MPFs may tell you that NATO orders don't have to be signed in blue ink, according to their guidance, but be sure they do. Turkish officials caution that lower-level customs officials at ports of entry may be under the impression that the orders have to be signed in blue ink, which may delay your entry into Turkey. The Turkish Passport Police will stamp your NATO orders when you exit or enter Turkey. The NATO travel order is your de facto passport while performing official duties in Turkey and allows you to enter or exit the country without paying for a visa. Travelers must still carry their PCS or TDY orders when traveling to Turkey. NATO orders are only valid when accompanied by PCS/TDY orders. However, PCS/TDY orders with "NATO travel authorized" will not suffice for Turkish Immigration and the separate NATO travel order is required. When flying commercial into Turkey without orders, you will be denied entry into Turkey and immediately placed on an aircraft departing Turkey.
Do NOT depart your current station without NATO Travel orders.
Civilian Employees (Department of Defense, GS/DAF)
Official travel to Turkey requires an official passport. Your passport should have a Turkish visa before departing your home station. Civilian Employees are not issued NATO Travel orders.
Unaccompanied Tour
As of 1 March 2005, Izmir was designated as an unaccompanied tour.
Community Dress Code
All US military personnel assigned to 425 Air Base Squadron and to NATO are required to wear ABUs at work. You must bring a full set of uniforms (ABUs and blues) to Izmir. All US military personnel should not wear uniforms on the streets of Izmir and while traveling. DoD Civilians Dress Code: Smart Business Casual.
Passports
It is highly encouraged that service members acquire a "U.S.Tourist Passport" prior to getting assigned to Izmir. If you plan to travel to Greece; they require a U.S. Tourist passport and will not accept your NATO Orders. Also, if you plan to buy a Turkish Cell Phone or SIM card for your US Cell Phone, you will need to show your U.S. Tourist Passport along with a Foreign Identification Number which is requested by you to the Turkish Government via the NATO Customs office once you start inprocessing or 30 days prior to your arrival by email, ask your sponsor for more details.
These actions are necessary to prevent unforeseen hardships to the military service members.
All military members performing official duties in Turkey must enter and exit the country using official NATO travel orders (AF Form 1631) in lieu of a passport. Travelers must still carry their PCS or TDY orders when traveling to Turkey. NATO orders are only valid when accompanied by PCS/TDY orders. It is highly encouraged to bring your valid Tourist Passport, if you don't have one it's highly encouraged to get one prior to coming on your assignment. You will need this in order to and pay Turkish taxes on your Foreign cell phone (which needs to be unlocked prior to arriving in Turkey and the Turkish Government requires a one-time Tax payment of 1900 TL). Also you will need it to purchase a Turkish SIM Card. If you decide to purchase a Turkish Cell phone/SIM Card you will not be required to pay the 1900 TL Turkish Government taxes. If you decide not to do any of the above options; while in the states you can purchase a Google phone which doesn't require a SIM card and you can use anywhere internationally or a Google SIM Card to insert in your current U.S. Cell phone but you must do this prior to coming to Turkey.
All US military personnel assigned to 425 Air Base Squadron and to NATO are required to wear ABUs at work. You must bring a full set of uniforms (ABUs and blues and Service Dress) to Izmir. All US military personnel should not wear uniforms on the streets of Izmir and/or while traveling.
Defense Service Network (DSN) Dialing Instructions
The DSN is the provider of long-distance communications service for the Department of Defense (DoD). Every installation has a special DSN number and the numbers vary by world-wide location. In order to place a call using DSN, the caller must be using a military phone on an installation. If dialing from your cell phone to a Izmir DSN you must dial: +90-232-455-xxxx. When dialing a DSN number from a United States installation to another United States installation, it is unnecessary to dial the DSN 312 area code. When dialing a DSN number to/from overseas locations, the DSN area code 314 must be included.
As a geographically separated unit of the 39th ABW at Incirlik, Turkey, the 425th Air Base Squadron (ABS) supports the NATO Land Command Headquarters here in Izmir and GSU at Istanbul. The NATO Land Command Headquarters is led by an American U.S. Army Lieutenant General and consists of military members and civilians from the U.S. and 16 of the 19 NATO countries. The 425 ABS does everything normally accomplished by a wing with the exception of operations. Additionally, the 425 ABS maintains the U.S. facilities on Cigli (pronounced Chili) Air Base, a nearby Turkish Air Force installation. The 425 ABS primary customer is NATO's Component Command Land Headquarters-Izmir. Land component is responsible for the full range of NATO air operations throughout the AOR stretching from the Azores and Canary Islands to eastern Turkey.
The 425th Air Base Squadron was activated in Izmir as the 7266th Support Squadron in November 1955 to support Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe and Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force relieving the U.S. Sixth Fleet of that responsibility. On July 1, 1959, most of the 7266th moved to Cigli Air Base, 13 miles north of Izmir. In 1970, U.S. facilities at Cigli Air Base were turned over to the Turkish Air Force, the 41st TG was inactivated and the 41st Combat Support Squadron was renamed the 7241st Support Squadron and moved to downtown Izmir. In 1973, the 7241st Support Squadron was changed to an Air Base Squadron until August 1980 when it was then designated as the 7241st Air Base Group. In 1993, the 7241st ABG was changed back to an air base squadron and renamed the 741st Air Base Squadron. On November 1, 1994, the 741st ABS was renamed the 425th Air Base Squadron. On October 3, 2005, the 425th ABS was redesignated as the 425th Air Base Group. The most recent change came July 1, 2009, when the group was renamed the 425th Air Base Squadron.
Izmir provides services to service members from 16 of 19 NATO member countries.
Izmir population: 3 million.
Congratulations on your assignment to Izmir, Turkey! The NATO base is located about 15 minutes from the city of Izmir, a modern and extremely large city on Turkey's western coast with a population of approximately 3 million people. It is in the center of a beautiful coastal and mountainous area that is visited by millions of European tourists each year, and there is plenty to do in our off-duty time. Izmir is a 12-month unaccompanied assignment.
Both duty organizations; the 425th Air Base Squadron and NATO's Land Component Air are located by the port city of Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. Izmir is 450 miles away from Incirlik Air Base.
NATO LANDCOM is located at Vecihi Akin Garrison in Sirinyer, Izmir. 425th ABS Command Section, Command Support Staff, Communications, Host Nation Advisor, Finance Customer Service/Cashier Cage, Post Office and Pass & ID Office. The Housing Office, Legal Office, Education Office, Traffic Management Office, Customs, Inbound/Outbound, Library, Security Forces, Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Medical Aid Station, Airmen and Family Readiness Office, Vectrus Site Management Office and Chapel are located on the 6th floor. Services Club/Restaurant, Commissary, Troop Store and Concessionaires (Barber/BeautyShop, Tailor,Carpet, Furniture, Electric Repair/AFN installation and Turkish souvenir shop) are located on the 5th floor.Airports
Arrival via Commercial Airlines
Most of the inbound personnel will travel to Izmir via commercial air. The airport you will arrive at is Adnan Menderes Airport. Your sponsor should meet you at the airport. If your sponsor fails to meet with you, you may take a taxi to the Hilton, Swiss or Renaissance Hotel which are located in Alsancak. If you choose the HAVAS (private shuttle bus approximate cost 12 TL) will drop off by the Swiss hotel only. Shuttle bus is cheaper than taxi; so you would need to walk approximately 100 yards to the Hilton and 50 yards to the Renaissance Hotel. You can check the shuttle hours at the HAVAS Bill Board outside at the airport. If you take a taxi to Hilton, you will pay in Turkish Lira (TL). It costs around 100 to 110 TL).
There is no USO facility in Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. Your sponsor will be welcoming you at the airport. If you are PCSing with a pet and the pet traveled in the cargo section in stead of the cabin, you will need to go to the Cargo Building right after you land to pick up your pet. For more information on the Cargo Building get in touch with the 425 ABS TMO office prior to you arriving in Turkey for specifics.
Check-In Procedure - Reservation Assistance Office
Once you arrive at the Hilton, Swiss or Renaissance Hotel, make sure you let the 425 ABS Reservations Office located on the 6th floor know you arrived. The Reservation assistance office is open from Mon & Fri 0730 to 1630 hours.
Transportation office handles limited shuttle bus service to and from NATO. Time and pick up locations change from time to time. You must always check with the dispatch office (located on the 6th floor of the Hilton) for the pick up and departure times. They will not give you the information over the phone, you must go in person to their office or take a photo of the shuttle schedule which is posted on the wall of their office. Also, your sponsor can arrange a shuttle to take him or her to the airport to pick you up. There is a parking ticket fee that you will pay but can get reimbursed with the receipt when you file your PCS travel voucher through Finance.
None available. You may be able to go through the Ramstein AB Telephone Operator at DSN: 314-480-1110 and they may be able to transfer you to a 425 ABS DSN phone line.
Release 2021.04.02.1.11