Sponsorship

To help prepare sponsors for success, the Sponsorship Program provides training and access to important information and resources that can help newcomers master their move. The Sponsorship Program helps sponsors fulfill their responsibilities, which may include:

• Contacting the service member and family with an introductory email
• Staying in contact with the service member throughout the moving process
• Sending information about the new community and duty assignment, responding to questions and providing information about resources
• Confirming transportation and lodging arrangements
• Helping with post office arrangements
• Meeting service members and family members upon arrival
• Going with service members to unit check-in point
• Introducing service members to the Military and Family Support Center and loan closet, if it’s available
• Familiarizing service members and families with the installation and key locations, like the commissary

Note: Responsibilities may vary based on service-specific policies and guidance. Make sure to check with your service branch for sponsor training requirements.

Overall, the Sponsorship Program aims to:

• Provide newcomers with a sense of belonging
• Ease the transition for inbound service members or civilians and their family members
• Increase productivity of service members and loved ones
• Help newcomers make informed decisions
• Cultivate new friendships
• Improve morale

For more information on the Sponsorship Program, contact your installation Military and Family Support Center.

Sponsorship is also available for youth. Installation youth sponsorship programs help military-connected youth make a successful transition to a new community. Primarily directed to preteen and teenaged youth, installation youth programs/centers provide information and materials on programs and services available at their new location. Where available, youth can exchange emails, talk on the phone or chat online with other youth. The youth program staff at your new installation can offer more information on installation youth sponsorship programs.

You can also contact your installation School Liaison Program office for information about school-based youth sponsorship programs such as Anchored4Life and Student2Student. These peer-to-peer programs help your student adjust to and navigate their new school.

If your child would like to become a youth sponsor, contact your installation School Liaison Program or youth program/center.

Having a sponsor before you come to Korea is essential to having a smooth permanent change of station overseas and getting settled into your new command. Sponsors are assigned upon receipt of orders and should contact you within a few days. Contact the admin office DSN 763-5310 or 010-7628-4759 if you have not heard from your sponsor within 2 weeks of receiving orders.

You are required to complete some short trainings before your arrival in Korea.

Visit the United States Forces Korea website https://www.usfk.mil/Newcomers/Training/

Click on the link button on the left side of the page that says Theater Specific Required Training. There are instructions for completing USFK Theater Specific Required Training. It is a mandatory training that arriving personnel and units assigned to, rotating to or in temporary duty status to USFK must complete prior to deployment to the Republic of Korea.

Please ensure that you contact your sponsor before arriving in Korea and stay in touch with them during your travels especially to inform him/her of delays or changes in flight details.

Under normal circumstances arriving personnel are met at Gimahe Busan/Pusan Airport Korea and about 60 to 90 minutes from Chinhae /Jinhae. It is highly recommended to pack a clean uniform and other essentials in your carry-on luggage because flight delays or changes can cause your baggage to arrive after you have.  If the COVID pandemic is still current, ensure you connect with your Sponsor as process changes depending on US Forces Korea.

If your flights are delayed and you end up in Seoul, Tokyo or another airport overnight, you need to let your sponsor know or call the SDO 24/7 phone 82+10-6256-1184 to let them know as soon as possible.