Check-in Procedures

Air Force

Most personnel arrive at Misawa AB on the Patriot Express from Seattle however some personnel may fly in to Misawa commercially thru Haneda Airport in Tokyo.  Depending on your mode of transportation, your sponsor should arrange to pick you up from the passenger terminal (Rotator) or Misawa Airport.  Please relay your travel plans to your sponsor as soon as you know them. Please remember to keep all your required documents with you and have at least one uniform in your carry-on luggage.

Report to your unit commander's support staff the next duty day following your arrival to receive in-processing checklists. Stop by the Misawa Post Office to receive your combination to your post office box. Your sponsor should have arranged your post office box number prior to your arrival. Your sponsor will help you get to all your appointments.

You must report to the housing office within 24 hours of your arrival to complete your housing application. Contact the Housing office at DSN: 315-226-3200.

Driver's License Training Course, USFJ Form 4EJ:

The Drivers' License Training Course is online. You must complete this course to be able to drive on and off Misawa AB.  Contact the Pass & Registration office at DSN: 315-226-3995.  Military members, dependents, civilians on status of forces agreement can take the training online up to 60 days prior to arriving at Misawa. Members who have a common access card can login to the JKO website via their ID Card. Spouses/dependents will need to register for an account on the website. After the account is created, the steps to finding the course are the same. Upon completion of the course, members will print out their certificate and report to the Pass & Registration Office with the certificates, orders and your stateside license for 4EJ Issue. 

More information on Pass and Registration (af.mil) or contact the Pass & Registration Office at DSN: 315-226-3995.

Finance In-processing:

Finance in-processing is held Mon-Thu at 2 p.m. in the Finance Office at the Torii Building, building 656, room 2210. The following are needed: copies of orders plus amendments, any relevant memos, flight itinerary, and all applicable receipts. In addition, members need to know their Postal Service Center box number, unit and office symbol, personal and duty phone numbers, and the date out-processed from the last duty station. Finance in-processing is mandatory for all Air Force active duty and must be completed within the first five duty days on base. Contact the Finance Office at DSN: 315-226-2274.

Misawa Air Base Newcomer's Orientation Right Start (Wednesday):

Right Start is held on Wednesdays at the Military & Family Readiness Center (M&FRC). Sign up through your Commander's Support Staff (CSS). Arrive no later than 7:15 a.m. in uniform with multiple copies of your orders, P.O. Box number, duty phone, and cell phone number to complete required paperwork. Right Start is mandatory for all Air Force & Space Force active duty personnel. Civilian employees are highly encouraged to attend and all dependents are welcome on a space available basis. Contact the M&FRC at DSN: 315-226-4735 for more information.

You will be signed up for the Cultural City Tour during Right Start upon your request. Civilian employees are highly encouraged to attend. Spouse and dependents are welcome. For further information contact the M&FRC at DSN: 315-226-4735.

Cultural City Tour (Friday):

The Cultural City Tour is conducted on Fridays and starts at 8:30 a.m. The meeting place for the tour is in the parking lot behind the Overstreet Library, building 629 . You and your family members will be going on a tour of Misawa and Hachinohe. The tour will return to Misawa AB at 2:30 p.m. and it is considered a duty day. Wear civilian clothing and bring identification for yourself and family members to gain reentry to Misawa AB. Bring Japanese yen for lunch and souvenirs. For further information contact the M&FRC at DSN: 315-226-4735.

Note: Changes may occur for all mandatory briefings, in-processing and trainings. Check with your squadron Commander's Support Staff regarding the availability of these events during holidays and exercises.

Another Day Wasted (Monday):

Another Day Wasted briefing is held every Monday except holidays at 9 a.m. in Tower 220. Another Day Wasted is mandatory for following ranks stated below.

AB -SSGT 

2lt - 1LT

In reagrds to all other service members the required brief is conducted during Right Start. Contact the Community Support Coordinator at DSN: 315-226-3544.

LRS IPE In-processing (Wednesday):

In-processing and further instructions for obtaining IPE gear will be given at the Right Start briefing. Contact LRS/IPE at DSN: 315-226-4579 for further information. 

Additional Mandatory Briefings

Professional Development Center (PDC):

If Misawa Air Base is your first duty station, you must attend a five day orientation through FTEC. Your supervisor is responsible for signing you up for FTEC.

1st Duty Station Officer’s Financial Class:

This brief is mandatory for all officers for which Misawa is their 1st duty station. To set up an appointment contact the M&FRC at DSN: 315-226-4735.

Navy

You must in-process within 24 hours of arrival to Misawa AB. Check-in is by appointment at building 980. You or your sponsor can schedule the appointment to check-in.

POC: Misawa Administration Office
Location: Building 980
Telephone: DSN 315-226-3811 Commercial: 011-81-176-77-3811

Please bring the following items with you to your check-in appointment: original orders, amendments, overseas screening, post office box number, all travel receipts, flight itineraries, record of emergency data\dependency application (page 2).

Navy Indoctrination

All active duty Navy personnel are required to attend a five-day orientation course to include Base Indoctrination, Overseas Duty Support Program (Japan indoctrination), and Driving Safely in Japan. Family members are welcome to attend the base indoctrination and overseas duty support program. All active duty members will be scheduled upon arrival. Point of contact is U.S. Naval Air Facility, Misawa Administration Office at DSN 315-226-3811.

Temporary Lodging Reservations 

Eligibility/Orders

On-base lodging facilities are for accompanied and unaccompanied personnel.

Availability, Costs, Registration

The Misawa Inn is the main lodging office for the base located in building 670. The Misawa Inn manages four buildings containing 174 rooms. Most of the rooms are modern with a separate bedroom, living room and full kitchen.  https://af.dodlodging.net/propertys/Misawa-AB-Japan. 

Visiting Quarters rooms configured to sleep one or two with a queen bed, sofa cost $94 a night; Temporary Living Facility rooms configured to sleep five with a queen bed, two twin beds and a pull out sofa cost $101 a night. There are a limited number of pet-friendly temporary lodging family rooms that cost $101 plus $10 pet fee per night. Air Crew (ACR1P) rooms are without kitchenettes configured to sleep one/two with a queen bed for a charge of $94 a night.

The Misawa Inn also offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a computer room, laundry room and complimentary coffee. Personnel or sponsors should make reservations as soon as they are clear on their arrival dates. You can make reservations by emailing or calling the Misawa Inn. Space is limited during the heavy PCS season (June - August). If space is unavailable, lodging staff will assist in arranging accommodations for you at another facility. Check-in time is 2 p.m., check-out time is 11 a.m.

Maximum Length of Stay

Temporary lodging is authorized for up to 10 days for military; this may be extended on a case-by-case basis depending on occupancy and the availability of housing at that time. Inquire at the housing front desk about submitting requests for additional days. Please note that processing of requests or coordinating alternate accommodations may take up to five working days.

Location

The Misawa Inn is centrally located in the main base area, building 670, and is within walking distance of all the major facilities, such as the BX, commissary, post office, schools, Potter fitness center, library, bowling center, hospital, and the Military and Family Readiness Center.

Pets

Pets are only allowed in a limited number of pet-friendly rooms. There are pet kennels available on base (DSN 315-226-2228) and off base (011-81-176-52-3423).

Overseas Clearance; Special Needs

Family members moving to Japan must have completed an overseas travel clearance and must be listed on the sponsor's official PCS orders or amendments. Family members not on official orders can only enter the country on a 90-day tourist visa. Family members that are not command sponsored do not have privileges to use base facilities, including lodging, the BX, commissary, base housing and base schools. Family members must be command sponsored in order for the sponsor to receive financial and housing benefits associated with "accompanied" status. There is one handicap accessible temporary living facility.

All branches of service need to make their temporary quarter accommodations through the Air Force Lodging Misawa Inn. Personnel or their sponsors should make reservations as soon as arrival dates are scheduled. You can make reservations by calling the Misawa Inn at 011-81-176-66-0282 or DSN 315-222-0282 or email misawa.reservations@us.af.mil. You must show a copy of your orders at check-in. If you have a confirmed pet-friendly room, you must present updated shot records at check-in for each pet showing required rabies and distemper immunization, verified by the local vet clinic.

If you are planning on getting married please contact your first sergeant prior. Each case is unique and may require differing requirements. Family members need to be on official orders prior to PCS. If a member moves without their family member on their orders, it can take a significant amount of time to approve command sponsorship.

Command Sponsorship

To have command sponsorship, family members moving to Japan must have completed an overseas travel clearance and must be listed on the sponsor's official PCS orders or amendments. Family members not on official orders can only enter the country on a 90-day tourist visa. Family members that are not command sponsored do not have privileges to use base facilities, including the base exchange or BX, commissary, clinic, base housing and base schools. Non-command sponsored family members cannot be enrolled in TRICARE Prime Overseas and will have to be put on TRICARE Select Overseas. Family members must be command sponsored in order for the sponsor to receive financial and housing benefits associated with "accompanied" status. Please make sure to have proper identification cards for all family members before PCSing.

When an active-duty member arrives to Misawa on an unaccompanied tour and then gains a family member (i.e., married, adoption, or remarried), the active-duty member must request command sponsorship for them to receive SOFA status and live in Japan throughout the sponsor's tour. Please note military personnel may have to extend their tour an additional year to serve a full accompanied tour length.