MCB HAWAII -- Annual leave is something most of us look forward to, especially on long days on the job like everyone else. Why make taking leave more aggravating.
What can make taking leave even more stressful, other than requesting basic leave, is completing a request for foreign travel. I can tell you from experience, that it seems intimidating, but it’s not bad if you plan ahead.
Recently, my husband and I took a trip to Greece. Between securing basic leave for both of us, buying tickets, verifying hotels and waiting for passports, I almost felt like not even going. Hopefully these guidelines can help someone have an easier time planning their trip.
First, apply early for a passport. You’re not going anywhere out of the U.S. without it unless you’re on a deployment.
Passports are good for five years and the expedited service fee starts at $60 plus overnight delivery charges. You save money early. So even if you’re thinking about a trip next year, plan ahead.
Second, decide where you want to go. If you’ve never been to the destination, use a travel agent. I used to think they were a waste of money. I can plan a vacation on my own, right? Wrong. Not to Greece. All the money the travel agent saved me getting discounts on hotels and attractions made up for the cost. I even had free transportation lined up throughout my stay. Plus, it really made our trip enjoyable knowing that we always had someone there to call, besides the local embassy. We also didn’t worry about Euro to dollar conversion rates since we prepaid our travel agent and worked it out.
Third, it’s time to visit your Operations and Training (S-3) shop. If you complete the Anti-Terrorism Level 1 Awareness Training at https://atlevel1.dtic.mil/at/ and the SERE 100 Level B Code of Conduct Course on MarineNet, you will be ahead of the game. They will instruct you on how to complete an Isolated Personnel Report (ISOPREP).
The fourth step is to complete an antiterrorism force protection plan template. You will need to know where you’re staying, your flight schedule, local embassy contacts and research local medical facilities to fill out the form. This will be put into the Aircraft and Personnel Automated Clearance System (APACS). This system crams country and threat clearance if needed, according to Capt. Raymond J. Tung, operations officer, Headquarters Battalion.
At this point is the waiting game. It’s important to get your request for foreign travel in at least 30 days ahead, since after submitting it, it must run through an extensive approval process through your chain of command. How long this process takes depends on the threat level of the country you’re visiting.
“Marines sometimes come in our office a week before they go on overseas travel, and it puts a burden on us,” Tung said. “We can help them out and get their leave approved if they give us the proper time to do so.”
Each unit may do things differently, so be sure to contact your specific S-3 shop.
I did this and enjoyed my trip. If you’re going to Greece, be sure to check out the Acropolis, The New Acropolis Museum and the neighboring islands in the Aegean Sea. Their culture is amazing. But make sure to plan your trip in advance.