Yokota AB info

[FourFans]

Hey all, another new C-130 co-pilot in training here. I just finished corpus and I'm enroute to the rock. Final destination: Yokota AB. Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but assuming I survive CP school, any advice for moving to Japan?

Thanks!

J

[Beaver]

Don't plan on taking your car and don't get married just because you are moving to another country.

[Mambo]

Get ready to have some fun! I've been up to Yokota several times from Okinawa and always have fun. The base is very nice, new BX/Commissary, nice O'Club, great food off-base. The train system in Japan is great. There is a train station about a 10 minute walk from the back gate (near billeting). You can take it anywhere. Tokyo is a blast! Mt. Fuji, skiing in Misawa, plenty of available trips all over the Pacific through ITT Travel, mt. biking, hiking, lots to do. If you've got kids you can take the train to Tokyo Disney, or go by yourself for the "kid" in you. You'll probably be getting to Japan this summer which means "Typhoons"! You guys sometimes evac down here to Okinawa, which means mucho partying and per diem! Not really sure on the stuff you really want to know, housing , vehicle, stuff like that.

Congrats and hope you enjoy Japan!

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

Two words:

GAS PANIC!! Clubs system in Roponggi (Tokyo)

I was there from 97-99, prior to all the new stuff (BX, commissary, etc). The base is fairly small, being spilt by Route 6 into a East vs. West (Crips vs. Bloods).

Off base living can be cool if your single, if married, plan to live on base in 6 story towers. I lived both on and off base while we were there. American Village in Tachikawa is a decent place with "US" standard sized homes. Out the main gate (Fussa) there a few nice apartment set ups...it's what ever you want.

Traveling is awesome as mentioned above. The train system is fairly inexpensive. Space-A is key...but you'll see enough OSAN-KADENA missions you'll sh!t your pants.

At the time I was there, you weren't allowed to take your POV, but times have changed. If you drive a full size SUV (Tahoe or bigger), I'd recommend leaving it or selling it. The roads are EXTREMELY small, and driving conditions aren't always condusive to our style of driving. Motorcyles are popular, as are "Suped" up Nissans, Toyota's and Honda CRX's.

If your a Golfer, I highly recommend getting a membership to Tama Hills. One of the best maintained GC's in the AF. The Japanese courses are way too short for the amount of money you'll fork out ($150+ for a round). There is also a par-3, 9 hole on base.

If you have any more questions, I'll try to answer them. My info may be a bit outdated.

[Guest jchrampanis]

Dude,

I just left Yokota this past summer. I spent 2 years there and it was unbelievable. Japan is amazing and you can tavel all over. The people and the culture are very interesting. You can snowboard, surf, scuba dive, and hike with in a few hours of the base (Tokyo).

The clubs of roppongi are awesome too. You can get the C-130 discount on cover at the lexington queen, party with filipino hostesses at wall street, and hang with X-men at Quest.....yea, dude..watch out for the x-men or ladyboys, what ever you want to call them. They love preying on the young navy guys after the kitty hawk docks after a few months out to sea! Yediiiiiiii. Don't worry, your squadron will hook you up with the details.

You will also get to travel all over asia. In your herc and on your own. New Zealand/Australia, thailand, indonesia, china, korea, guam....all great places.

I'm hoping to get the herc out of UPT and take my world tour to Ramstein and then back to Yokota for an encore performance. I loved Japan.

Living off base in Japan is very cool too but don't expect to have many parties. I almost got evicted from my place for cramming a 100 friends into a 2 bedroom japanese apartment! If your married you might want to just stay on base. I lived on for a year and off for a year.

If you have any questions, drop me a line. Otherwise have fun at the Rock. I hope to be there in about a year from now.

[Guest Hydro130]

4Fans--

Agree; as a first-assinment guy, getting off-base is huge -- the only way to truly see the local flavor. Fight for that.

Beyond that, you are NOW walking into a great squadron -- the new CC/DO are both awesome, and I think (despite what you may have heard about Yokota), things are now very much on the up-swing...

See you soon!

[Wing Sweep]

How far a drive are the beaches from Yokota?

[LockheedFix]

I have yet to see a Japanese beach, but we do end up on the beach on a lot of the trips we take.

[Mambo]

Originally posted by gabe2surf:

How far a drive are the beaches from Yokota?

About 600 miles south to Okinawa! ;) They've got some great beaches down there and the scenery is very excellent.

[Wolf424]

Revival! I selected to Yokota today, and most of this info is from '05. Any updated information as far as guys bound for Japan?

[czecksikhs]

Revival! I selected to Yokota today, and most of this info is from '05. Any updated information as far as guys bound for Japan?

Yokota still rocks balls in 2009. You can live on or off base, Tokyo has pretty much anything you could ever hope to see or do, and the flying is tits. You're gone about half the year like stateside units, but instead of the 4 month on and off grind you get to go to cool places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. Pretty soon you'll get on the inbound list to the squadron and we'll hook you up with a sponsor. If you have any questions in the meanwhile, PM me. Have fun at the schoolhouse and start checking the box on your masters!

[dream big]

Heading to Yokota soon to fly the herc! I have heard that we are forced to live on base and we cannot bring pets. Is there any truth to this/ is there any way to live off base or in more pet friendly places? Willing to dish out extra cash, thanks!

[czecksikhs]

Heading to Yokota soon to fly the herc! I have heard that we are forced to live on base and we cannot bring pets. Is there any truth to this/ is there any way to live off base or in more pet friendly places? Willing to dish out extra cash, thanks!

There are two types of on-base housing: towers and garden units. Dogs are only allowed in garden units. Some tower units can accept cats. The wait list for a garden unit is typically longer since they are the only ones where dogs are allowed, and you get a yard and don't have to take the elevator everywhere.

Get a copy of your orders to base housing ASAP. That sets the date you get on the waiting list, not the day you show up. They will offer you the first unit available that matches up to your family size, so if you have dogs and need a garden unit and they offer you a tower, you are paying for lodging out of pocket until a garden unit opens up.

Best assignment ever!

[dream big]

Just an update..

The C-130 squadron is almost 60% overmanned. Guys are averaging 5 hours a month if they are lucky. 3 UAVs just came down to our squadron and two of them went to brand new copilots who got here just a few months ago. On top of this, they are denying extensions for everyone, some people had their extensions taken away (which means single guys will be here two years and married guys three instead of three/four years respectively.)

Drunken nights in Tokyo are great but in terms of flying, grim outlook for any pilots coming in.

[Slow-Smooth-Fast]

Just an update..

The C-130 squadron is almost 60% overmanned. Guys are averaging 5 hours a month if they are lucky. 3 UAVs just came down to our squadron and two of them went to brand new copilots who got here just a few months ago. On top of this, they are denying extensions for everyone, some people had their extensions taken away (which means single guys will be here two years and married guys three instead of three/four years respectively.)

Drunken nights in Tokyo are great but in terms of flying, grim outlook for any pilots coming in.

How's the manning now?

[Butters]

How's the manning now?

Not very good. Since losing the Super Bowl he has been kind of depressed.

[KState_Poke22]

Not very good. Since losing the Super Bowl he has been kind of depressed.

You're such an idiot, clearly he wasn't talking about Peyton Manning. He meant Eli.

[Butters]

My reading comprehension has been a little off lately.

[HercDude]

How's the manning now?

Not sure if you are asking because you already have an assignment or are just looking at options, but if you are a pilot actively trying to go to a legacy C-130 unit, you should probably talk yourself out of it tonight.

Join the ARC or find a different MWS.

[Flare]

My reading comprehension has been a little off lately.

Understandable, given how focused you are on getting that airline job.

[Kelvin]

To answer the actual question, the manning's not bad right now. It's actually a good time to be a copilot (it's always been a good time to be a nav, FE or load) and forecast to get better (you know, because the legacy Herk is dying, so why make new copilots?). That being said, follow on assignments are a crapshoot right now, so if you can hold on, get a J (good f-ing luck) and come back in a few years, I'm sure the assignment will look great again at any angle.

My guess is, if anything, we'll get even shorter-manned in all crew positions as time goes on, being that the 36th will be the last active duty H squadron by a few years and nobody wants to stick around and find out what assignments are left at the very end.

[dream big]

How's the manning now?

Much better! Awesome leadership, lot of tactical flying and tons of awesome TDYs (ie New Zealand, Hawaii, Malaysia.) That being said it's a dead end in terms of the legacy 130 community, unless you're one of the few that have the pipe dream of being initial J cadre.

[Bandit6139]

Howdy. Got picked up for a Nav slot recently and hit a serious snag. My 1 year old daughter's overseas medical clearance was denied on account of being labeled "failure to thrive". Long story short: she's underweight and not on the growth chart (weight gaining genetics aren't on her side as my wife and I weigh a combined 260 lbs). Despite this, she's perfectly healthy and hitting all of her developmental milestones. We're going to appeal this ASAP, so I'd thought I'd throw this feeler out there regarding the appeals process. Any tips or points of contact that anyone has to offer?

[nunya]

Take the denial and go to something other than a slick 130 that you can stay in for a tour or three. Being is a dying community is bad enough, worse for a nav.

[guineapigfury]

Howdy. Got picked up for a Nav slot recently and hit a serious snag. My 1 year old daughter's overseas medical clearance was denied on account of being labeled "failure to thrive". Long story short: she's underweight and not on the growth chart (weight gaining genetics aren't on her side as my wife and I weigh a combined 260 lbs). Despite this, she's perfectly healthy and hitting all of her developmental milestones. We're going to appeal this ASAP, so I'd thought I'd throw this feeler out there regarding the appeals process. Any tips or points of contact that anyone has to offer?

Bro,

My wife failed the medical clearance on our way out to Japan. I did everything in my power to get us both out there and eventually did. Her situation deteriorated and Medical drug it's feet fixing it making a bad problem horrifically worse. It destroyed my marriage (finishing up the divorce now). If one of your family members fails the medical screening for an assignment .... DON'T GO.