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.

Your sponsor will offer all necessary assistance to make your move as smooth as possible. Typically, sponsors send you a Welcome Aboard Package, help with making temporary lodging arrangements, answer questions and provide useful information for your transition overseas. If you have not been assigned a sponsor or contacted by anyone from Naval Station Rota, please call the Relocation Assistance Counselor at the Fleet and Family Support Center by phone at 011-34-956-82-3232 or DSN 314-727-3232 to offer a warm handover with your gaining command.

You're likely to arrive by airplane at one of two main airports, Naval Station Rota Air Terminal or the nearby commercial airport at Jerez. If you arrive at the Naval Station Rota Air Terminal, your sponsor should meet you there after you in-process. If no one is there to meet you, call the Naval Station Admin Duty cell at 659-902-964. If you arrive at Jerez and your sponsor is not there, contact the Naval Station Admin Duty for assistance. Before departure, fill out a change of address card at the post office and make arrangements with your creditors before you leave to make payments. Not receiving a bill is not an excuse for letting payments slip while you are en route or settling in at Naval Station Rota.

The majority of incoming personnel will take Patriot Express CAT-B flights for both permanent change of station and temporary additional duty from the continental United States to the various bases around the world.

Once the service member completes his or her passenger reservation request through their local Personnel Support Detachment office, the request is sent to the Navy Passenger Travel Office where the mode of travel will be determined.

Defense Transportation Regulation 4500.9R states the Patriot Express should be utilized to the maximum extent possible. The regulation goes on to state the only exception will be non-availability of Air Mobility Command scheduled airlift to meet a member's requirements such as pet space limitations.