Relocation Assistance

Your Military and Family Support Center provides relocation assistance to help make PCS moves as smooth as possible. Resources include:

• PCS planning: Most relocation assistance programs offer consultations to help you with the moving process. If this your first military move, your first time moving overseas or you have challenging or complex circumstances contact your installation Relocation Assistance Program as soon as possible for support.
• Plan My Move: An online Defense Department relocation tool that provides you with customizable checklists and links to helpful resources for the tasks ahead.
• Military OneSource: A website and call center that offer 24/7 support for moving information and resources. Learn more about PCS basics and download this fact sheet 7 Steps to Make Your Household Goods Move a Smart Move. For comprehensive moving resources and information, including Defense Personal Property log in details, visit Moving Your Personal Property.
• Workshops and briefings: Workshops vary by location. You may find classes on housing options, moving with children, moving with pets and more.
• Predeparture briefings: These sessions provide essential information about your move and may be required for some populations.
• Special needs: If you have a child or family member enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, contact your installation EFMP-Family Support office to assist you.
• Settling-in services: Look for welcome programs or local area tours that may offered. Overseas services may include introductory language classes and cultural awareness activities.
• Foreign-born spouse support: Assistance includes information and referral to resources such as immigration and naturalization.
• Emergency assistance: Sometime emergencies occur while moving. The Military and Family Support Center has the resources to provide emergency financial assistance, as well as information and referrals.
• Authorized housing flexibility options: Eligible service members with PCS orders may be entitled to flexibilities such as extended stays in government housing and early housing eligibility. Contact your military personnel office for more information.
• Spouse licensure reimbursement: Your service branch may reimburse spouses up to $1,000 for relicensure and certification costs resulting from relocations or PCS moves. See this Military OneSource article Transferring Your Professional License for more information and specific service branch policies.

Welcome Aboard   

The 2-DAY Welcome Aboard Brief (WAB) is not just a formality, but a crucial orientation for all Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) status personnel aged 16 and older, including those on TAD or UDP orders for 30 days or stationed in MCAS Iwakuni and Okinawa before. It is an essential introduction to life aboard MCAS Iwakuni and occurs over two days.

Monday (DAY-1) 07:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday (DAY 2) 10:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. & SOFA permit test 2:00–4:00 p.m.      
Location: Sakura Theater
Dress code: Appropriate civilian attire 

During the 2-DAY Welcome Aboard Brief, you will have the chance to delve into your responsibilities as a military community member, learn about Japanese culture and customs, and much more. You will also have the opportunity to meet representatives from different entities aboard the air station and learn about the services available to you.

Childcare is space-available provided at the Child Development Center and the School Age Center. All children attending childcare programs must register with registration packets, immunization, and confirmation of allergies before attending the Welcome Aboard. 

Step 1: Attend Welcome Aboard Brief for both (2) days. 

Step 2: Complete and Pass the SOFA permit test, a crucial assessment of your understanding of local driving laws and regulations, administered by Base Safety Office personnel on Tuesdays from 14:00 to 16:00 p.m.

            Note: Your name must be listed on the passing roster, and it is only valid for 60 days after the date of the test. 

Step 3: Visit the PMO Pass and Base Registration Office only on Thursdays. Note: The PMO will not issue SOFA permits until your 2-DAY WAB attendance is confirmed.

Requirements for SOFA Permit (4EJ) at PMO, Pass and Base Registration office 

-Valid DoD ID Card
-Valid stateside (or Government of Japan) driver's license 
-Copy of Orders/Letter of Employment (LOE)/Letter of Authorization (LOA)-(as applicable)
-E-5/below ranks - Unit Commanding Officer endorsement - provide an approval letter from a unit commanding officer. ( If applicable)
-If uniform service personnel (age 25 and under) - complete drivers' awareness (or equivalent) 

SOFA Permits: SOFA permit valid periods are based on the date of employment terminations, change of statutes, rotation date, or expiration date on driver's license (whichever occurs first) 

Please be sure to study the SOFA permit test material (Self-study), which can be found at https://www.mcasiwakuni.marines.mil/PCS-to-Iwakuni/Driving-in-Japan/
You will have 60 randomly selected questions and 40 seconds to answer each question correctly. After 40 seconds, the question will be replaced with the following question, and you can miss up to nine questions to receive a passing score. 

Driving School 

At MCCS Driving School, driver education should be accessible, affordable, and effective. Whether you're a new driver or looking to improve your skills, they are here to help.

First Time Driver's course

The course costs $ 495, and it is open to all SOFA-status persons aged 16 and older. 

Please contact OMBIwakuni.Drivers EducationCourse@usmc-mccs.org or DSN at 253-5996. 
 

For more information or assistance, you can always reach out to the Information, Referral, and Relocation at 253-6161, the Station Safety Office at 253-3925, and the Station PMO at 253-3161/4626. We are here to support you. 

PCS with Success Workshop

This workshop will assist you by providing the right relocation information at the right time. Experts from the Installation Personnel Administration Center (IPAC), Distribution Management Office (DMO), Behavioral Health, disbursing, financial readiness, TRICARE, the Information, Referral and Relocation (IR&R) and more will conduct overviews on benefits, required documents and relocation preparation. We provide helpful hints, checklists, pamphlets, resources and vital information on clearing housing, DMO shipments, disbursing allowances, claims, financial planning and more. All Marines are required to attend at least three months prior to your detachment date.

Sponsorship

The Information Referral and Relocation program acts as the coordinator for the Navy and Marine Corps Command sponsorship program. To ensure optimal transition, the program requires all personnel, regardless of rank, marital status, and assignment to an accompanied or unaccompanied tour, to be assigned a sponsor.

Lending Locker

The IR&R program provides a Lending Locker free of charge while you are awaiting the arrival of your household goods shipment. You may borrow the items for up to 60 days for inbound personnel. If, after 60 days, your shipment still has not arrived, contact the office at DSN 253-3357. Items include a kitchenware set. We do not have any bed linens, towels or shower curtains. This service is available for all SOFA status personnel, accompanied or unaccompanied, under permanent change of station orders (inbound and outbound).

In-Transit Emergencies

No matter how well you've planned, emergencies do happen. What should you do in case of emergency while you are traveling? First of all, make sure you have all your important papers with you - not packed with your household goods. Numbers for the officer on deck, your command duty office and your sponsor can be invaluable in case of emergency while in transit.

The American Red Cross is always available for emergency aid anywhere you may be. Contact the nearest chapter (phone numbers are usually listed in the white pages of the local phone directory). They can sometimes help with emergency financial assistance and contacting individuals that will need to know where you are and what's happening.

PCS with Success Workshop

This permanent change of station workshop will assist you by providing the right relocation information at the right time. Experts from the Station's Installation Personnel Administration Center (IPAC), the Distribution Management Office (DMO), disbursing, financial readiness, TRICARE, the Provost Marshal's Office (PMO), the Behavioral Health, the Relocation Assistance Program office and more will conduct overviews on benefits, required documents and relocation preparation. We provide helpful hints, checklists, pamphlets, resources and vital information on clearing housing, DMO shipments, disbursing allowances, claims, financial planning, check-out process, stress management, and more. This is a required training for all Marines who will be PCSing out from MCAS Iwakuni 60-90 days in advance, and spouses are welcome to attend. We recommend attendance at least three months prior to your detachment date.

Sponsorship

To ensure optimal transition, the program requires all personnel, regardless of rank, marital status or assignment to an accompanied or unaccompanied tour, to be assigned a sponsor. Any SOFA personnel are welcome to attend the sponsorship training to obtain the most updated/accurate information to support all inbound personnel who will be stationed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.