Revisiting a Potential Trip from Germ...

Author Message   GySgt Dennis D. Member Username: Dirty Post Number: 9 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 84.162.24.111 Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2010 - 10:44 pm:    Thanks Dave for the great info.   Dave Nosek Member Username: Waterman15 Post Number: 46 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 134.215.253.245 Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2010 - 09:40 pm:    Dennis to try and answer some of your questions. 1. Since you appear to be on active duty you will not be able to sign up until your leave actually starts so you will not need to give a specific time frame. Your sign up is valid from the start of your leave until it ends. Because of this I would advise taking 30 days leave just in case. You can always sign back in from leave early if you manage to return before the time is up. 2. When you do sign up for space a send the e mail or fax to every base you plan to leave from. Make sure you keep copies of the sign up e mail/fax. The pax reps will use it to verify your sign up time if necessary. You may or may not get a reply from the various basis but your copy will be valid. When you arrive at Ramstein or Spang you will have to be available for show times but otherwise your free to go to a hotel BX etc. The times will be posted but do be prepared to do some waiting. There are also unannounced flghts which you would not know about unless your there in the terminal. 3. Don't limit yourself to Ramstein-BWI. Sign up for Dover,Mcguire, etc. Your goal is to get to the states and using BWI only limits your choices. The PE only flies a few times a week and taking the first thing moving is what you want. If you do make it to BWI you will probably have to consider commercial means i.e train,rental car etc.The same applies no mattter where you arrive but other than an occasional flight to McGuire or Jax there is little stateside space a from BWI. New York to Oklahoma again check anywhere within a reasonable distance like McGuire or Willow Grove for flights heading that way. Don't think there is a lot to Tinker but getting to the general area is doable. Look at JRB Ft Worth from Willow Grove or even into Randolph/Kelly and rental from there. Again sign up at all of these bases as soon as your leave starts. Same applies for the return to Germany. I know it seems like a lot of seperate e mails but that is the way it works. Other than that read the FAQ's several times there is a lot of good information there and be prepared to wait. It is Space Available and there are no gurantee's as far as seats etc so you pretty much have to take your chances. Have your plans A,B,C etc. in place and be flexible. So much depends on timing and available flights. Good luck on your travels I hope you have a wonderful trip. Dave   GySgt Dennis D. Junior Member Username: Dirty Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 84.162.24.111 Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2010 - 08:19 pm:    As the subject line states, revisiting my plan to go from Germany to BWI but there are a few other stops I'd like to consider. I'd like to run through my idea of how things work and if you have any tips/suggestions/guidance. - I'll be traveling CAT III. - I'll have 5 family members (Myself, Wife, 3 kids aged 9, 7 and 1) -Flying from Germany (stationed in Stuttgart but willing to fly from Ramstein or Spangdhalem) -Want to travel to New York and Oklahoma so I have multiple destinations (I'll get into that in the body of the message) -Probably could take up to 30 days but would rather go with about 20 if able I've already resigned to the fact of flying out of Ramstein because it seems most flights go out of there. I'm ok with going up there and spending a few days waiting. I'm also ok with flying to BWI because it seems like most are flying out from to there but if possible would like to fly to either Stratton ANG base in Scotia, NY or Stewart ANG in Newburgh. After a week stay in NY I'd like to head to Oklahoma either through Fort Worth or Oklahoma City. I believe Fort Worth is Navy so not sure if Air National Guard or Air Force in general translates well to a Navy base. So, thinking Tinker AFB in OK City is best bet. One week there give or take a day. Then finally OK City (Tinker AFB) back to BWI and then to Ramstein. By the way, I want to fly Patriot Express from Ramstein to BWI. Does Space A have commercial planes that fly to other parts of the country as well that I've mentioned? With all that said, are these the generic steps? 1. Go on leave 2. Sign up with Ramstein at this address (do I give approx dates?) spacea@ramstein.af.mil. Can I also sign up with all the other areas I plan to use? BWI, Stratton ANG, Stewart ANG, Tinker AFB, etc? 3. Drive to Ramstein and show up in person at the PAX desk (wherever that is...) to confirm my sign up dates/times. 4. This is where I get kinda lost, do I stay at the terminal for as long as it takes? Or do I go to a hotel to sleep and come back at designated times? 5. Rinse and repeat for all other bases/terminals I arrive at to depart from? Hopefully I was coherent enough for you all to help me out.