USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, Baumholder  Base Essentials

Never ship important documents in your Household goods.

Never leave anywhere without the following:

• PCS and family travel orders (3 copies)
• Military identification cards for each family member (10 and up MUST have military ID)
• Medical dental and shot records for yourself and your family members
• Official passports for yourself and each of your family members
• Transportation documents
• Household goods/hold baggage documents
• Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).

  Additionally, always hand carry the following items:

• Marriage certificates/prenuptial agreements
• Birth certificates of all family members 
• Insurance policies, policy numbers, types of insurance and business address
• Previous discharge papers (DD FM 214) 
• Divorce and annulment papers pertaining to prior marriages
• Death certificates 
• Social Security cards for all family members
• Immunization records of all family members 
• Citizenship/naturalization papers 
• Property deeds, automobile titles and registration 
• Wills
• School report cards/education record for all children (also, IEPs)
• Church/synagogue records (e.g. baptism, confirmation) 
• Names and addresses of credit card companies you have business with 
• Savings/checking account books with appropriate mailing addresses 
• Statements for saving bonds, certificates of deposit, and stock certificates 
• Personal property inventory (include serial numbers)
• Receipts for high-value personal property 
• A list of companies due payments from you during the process of your move (to insure payment   does not become delinquent)
• Employment records (e.g., electronic resume, letters of recommendation) 
• A minimum of three current copies of Power of Attorney
• Port call and supporting documents
• State and federal tax records

The designated airport for official travel is Ramstein Airbase.  Any exceptions to policy need to be processed through the Chain of Command prior to departure, and if approved, confirmed with the gaining unit.

Upon arrival at Ramstein Airbase, you will be processed for further assignment and be issued pinpoint orders to Baumholder. The Sponsorship Bus (S Bus) will bring you to Baumholder if you make no arrangements for pick-up with your gaining unit.

Arrangements for lodging can be made by your sponsor if you can not do it. Accompanied Soldiers and unaccompanied E7s and above will be booked into the guesthouse (Lagerhof Inn +49 (0) 611-143-531-2900),or a local hotel . Unaccompanied E1s through E6s will be put up in the unit’s barracks. Ensure the receiving unit is aware of your arrival date in order to ensure someone from the unit is present to pick you up.

Arrival day is referred to as Day “0”. The S bus brings all Soldiers (married and single) and their Families to the post guesthouse, the Lagerhof Inn, or the MPD building (8660) for drop off. New arrivals will be handed  over to respective unit representatives.

The following day is “Day 1.” Soldiers report, in uniform,  to the In-processing Training Center (ITC), Bldg 8660, 2nd floor, NLT 0845 for further in-processing.

Soldiers will need to provide a copy of the following items for their initial briefing on “Day 1.”

• Complete set of orders
• Leave form
• DD 788 POV shipping document

Soldiers will follow their schedule.

All Spouses are welcome and are encouraged to attend the ITC program in-processing. The Army Community Service (ACS) Relocation program conducts a Host Nation briefing on Fridays and provides a post and local community tour.

Temporary Lodging 

Incoming personnel or their sponsor have to make reservations in advance to ensure availability. The Lagerhof Inn is located on post. If the lodge is full, a list of local area hotels is provided and a statement of non-availability is issued. The cost of off-post lodging varies. Allocate sufficient money to pay your hotel (approx. $50 per person/night). You will get reimbursed after in-processing with Finance if you have command sponsorship.

Command Sponsorship/Total Army Sponsorship 

Soldiers need to request a unit sponsor via Army Career Tracker (ACT) prior to departure.  Contact needs to be established and sponsor must be informed of arrival day and airport (if not Ramstein Air-base).

Command sponsorship is required for Family members to be placed on orders to accompany all Soldiers. Family members who are not command sponsored are not eligible to enroll in the Tricare Overseas Program, cannot access commissary or exchange services and may only remain in the host country for 90 days. Soldiers may not sign for family housing prior to receiving command sponsorship for family members. Families who travel to Germany prior to receiving command sponsorship will not be reimbursed for expenses and may be required to return at their own expense if command sponsorship is denied. An Exceptional Family Member Program screening is required for all Family members wishing to be command sponsored.

Arrival Outside Duty Hours

It is recommended that Soldiers and Families take the opportunity to eat prior to getting on the bus to USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, Baumholder as many facilities may be closed at the time of arrival to Baumholder. 

If you get married before you PCS, you must inform your commander and follow the procedures exactly as you are given them. The military will not pay for travel and housing of your spouse if you do not follow proper procedures.