Ramstein Air Base is in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC), the largest U.S. military community in Europe. It’s 90 minutes from Frankfurt and about 4 hours from Paris, making it a great starting point for exploring Europe or other places in Germany. Here’s what you need to know if you’re …
Many military retirees had an overseas duty station during their career, but returning to an OCONUS location as a civilian is a whole different experience. Michael Carpentieri, an Army Reserve retiree, took a DoD job in Germany when the opportunity arose unexpectedly, and he enjoys the best of both worlds: …
Daniel Fraley, an Air Force retiree, has no regrets about his decision to retire in Thailand — except that he didn’t do it sooner. He and his wife, Somjit, enjoy a low cost of living, proximity to family, and extensive travel! In this Q&A from our Veterans Living Overseas Interview Series, …
Welcome to Poppin’ Smoke’s “Veterans Living Overseas” interview series! In this series, we feature profiles of veterans who moved to a foreign country after military service. For those who love to travel, can’t imagine “settling down” after the constant changes of military life, or whose favorite duty station was in …
Japan is one of the most unique travel destinations in the world and well worth the time and effort to get there. Eligible military travelers are very fortunate to have the privilege of taking Space-A flights (aka “MAC” flights) to Japan, which can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars …
If you travel to Japan, one of the places you must see is the city of Hiroshima. It’s very beautiful, with many fun things to do and delicious local cuisine, but the historical significance is what makes Hiroshima worth visiting. We toured this incredible city and were charmed by its …
Did you know there is a U.S. military hotel in the heart of Tokyo? It’s called the New Sanno, and it’s a luxury hotel run by the U.S. Naval Joint Services Activity. If you plan to visit Tokyo, there’s no better place to stay! We had heard great things about …
Mount Fuji has profound importance and a mystical quality to the Japanese people. They refer to it as “Fuji-san,” a name of respect for the sacred mountain. At an elevation of 12,388 feet, Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and unmistakable in photographs. If you’ve ever flown into one …