Taking Leave en route Taking leave en route to Japan is not a bad idea due to the expensive costs of flying back to the United States later. There are a few things to know when taking leave while transferring: Your gaining command (us at CVN 76) cannot approve any transfer leave for you. Where you are now, whether it's the schoolhouse or a prior command, can and should assist you with receiving your flight itinerary to come here. Then you can work with them and SATO to redirect your flights to your requested leave location before flying to Japan. Even if you take leave, you are required to arrive here by your RNLT (Report No Later Than) date on your orders. The only two ways around that would be to contact your detailer and request an order modification to change the RNLT date, or your current command submit a DIR (Delay in Reporting). If you do either of these two things, please let us know so we know when to expect you. What to Bring to the Ship PASSPORT Although not required for this duty station, it is strongly recommended that you obtain a tourist passport which can be obtained at your local post office or visit these websites for details: https://travel.state.gov or www.usps.com Benefits of having a tourist passport: -Potentially alleviate travel burdens if you need to depart the ship for emergencies. Depending on the ship’s location, the country you may need to fly through might enforce the need for a passport. -You can fully enjoy the experience of living overseas and travel to other countries. SEABAG Ensure you have a full sea bag! You are expected to have PTU, NWU, Service uniform, Dress blues and Dress whites on board. You will be issued the appropriate underway uniform which is flame retardant variant (FRV) coveralls. Flight deck jerseys with pants are issued to personnel who work on the flight deck or hangar bay. It is recommended that you bring at least 14 days worth of brown undershirts, black socks and undergarments for daily use. Ship’s laundry is available as well as self-serve laundry. Bring appropriate civilian attire for in-port and underway periods, to include foreign ports. Bring personal physical training (PT) gear if you plan to workout in one of the gyms or hangar bay. Appropriate PT gear include shirts with sleeves, and shorts that extend beyond the finger tips when hands are placed on the side of the legs. The climate in Japan can vary from very hot, humid and rainy in the summer to very cold and windy in the winter. Snow is possible but usually unlikely. Some of the foreign ports require conservative liberty attire. The ship and Japan Regional Commander also has a civilian clothes policy such as no torn jeans or cut-offs. SINGLE SAILOR BARRACKS AND SHIPBOARD LIVING E4 (under 4 years) and below Single Sailors have an opportunity to request a barracks room as part of the Homeport Ashore Program (HPA). This is a VERY SELECTIVE process and the privilege is afforded to outstanding E-4 and below Sailors. Some Sailors do live onboard the ship. Ensure to pack smartly as storage space is limited. A typical Navy rack is about 28” wide by 75” long by 8” deep. You will also be provided a standup locker that is about 8” wide by 36” tall by 24” deep. While some departments may have a sea bag locker, it is your responsibility to store what you cannot fit into your rack & locker. Generally 1 sea bag, 1 backpack, 1 garment bag will fit perfectly with a little bit of room left for toiletries and daily products. Luggage, suitcase-type of bags will not have space to stow on board. ON BASE AND OFF-BASE HOUSING Residing off base is authorized for E-4 over four years and E-5 (with approval from chain of command). Single E-6 and above are authorized but Overseas housing allowance (OHA) will not be approved until service member is gained onboard the REAGAN. Sailors accompanied by dependents will be offered housing on-base. Sailors who are not accompanied by their dependents will live on the ship. SHOPPING ONBOARD Common items needed for everyday use such as shampoo, body wash and toothpaste are available at both of the ship’s stores located onboard. In order to pay for these items or use the vending machines, you will need a Navy Cash card. To receive a Navy Cash card, you will need to provide your banking information such as bank account number and the bank’s routing number. WHAT NOT TO BRING Alcohol, electronic cigarettes or any electronic cigarette component, knives, guns or any illegal substances are not permitted onboard the ship or in Japan. Other articles that could be seen as contrary to good order and discipline, as well as anything else that could be seen as inappropriate or offensive to others such as explicit photos, videos, or music.