Your First 30 Days: A Practical Checklist
The first month after arriving in Germany is a whirlwind of in-processing, house hunting, and adjustment. This checklist keeps you on track so nothing falls through the cracks.
Days 1-3: Arrival and Immediate Needs
- Arrive and check into temporary lodging (Ramstein Inn or TLA apartment)
- Meet your sponsor and get initial orientation
- Get a German SIM card or activate international plan for immediate phone service
- Exchange some USD for EUR (ATM on base or Service Credit Union)
- Get basic groceries — Commissary or nearby German store
- Familiarize yourself with base layout (gate locations, Commissary, BX, KMCC)
- Start jet lag adjustment — get outside in daylight, resist napping
Days 3-7: In-Processing Begins
- Report to MPF In-Processing (Building 2120, Ramstein)
- Finance Office — Set up OHA, COLA, TLA claims
- TRICARE enrollment — Enroll at TRICARE Service Center
- DEERS update — Verify all family members are enrolled
- Housing Office briefing — Building 1001, Ramstein
- Apply for ration card at the Ration Card Office
- Begin studying for USAREUR driver's license test
- Register children for DoDEA school (bring all required documents)
- Register for Child Development Center if you have young children (waitlist may be long)
Days 7-14: Getting Mobile and Connected
- Take and pass the USAREUR written driving test
- Register your vehicle (if shipped) or arrange a rental/loaner car
- Open a EUR bank account (Service Credit Union, Community Bank, or German bank)
- Set up home internet order (if you have found housing — takes 2-4 weeks to activate)
- Begin house hunting — Housing Office referrals, online listings, drive around
- Visit potential neighborhoods at different times of day
- Attend Newcomer's Orientation at Airman & Family Readiness Center
- Get CAC enabled for NIPR email and computer access at work
Days 14-21: Housing and Settling
- Select housing — sign lease (after Housing Office review)
- Conduct move-in inspection with landlord (photograph everything)
- Set up utilities (electricity, gas) if not included in rent — your landlord or Housing Office can help
- Order kitchen and light fixtures if needed (MIHA reimbursement)
- Receive Unaccompanied Baggage (UAB) — usually arrives within 2-4 weeks of shipping
- Set up German bank direct debits for rent and utilities
- Register your address with the Military Post Office for mail forwarding
- Get your APO/FPO mailbox set up and operational
Days 21-30: Integration and Exploration
- Kids are settled in school — meet teachers, join activities
- Explore your neighborhood — find the local Baeckerei, grocery store, and Apotheke
- Introduce yourself to German neighbors
- Learn the recycling system for your municipality
- Sign up for a German language class (offered by A&FRC and local Volkshochschule)
- Visit the Kaiserslautern city center — get familiar with downtown
- Check out the Outdoor Recreation and USO trip schedules
- Plan your first European weekend trip
- Join the Key Spouse or community group for your unit
- Set up a routine — gym, commute, shopping days, family time
- Breathe — you made it. The hardest part is over.
Ongoing Tasks (First 60 Days)
- Receive Household Goods (HHG) — typically 6-10 weeks after shipping
- File any HHG damage claims within 75 days of delivery
- Submit MIHA receipts to Finance for move-in expenses
- Ensure TLA claims are submitted and processed correctly
- Complete all unit in-processing requirements
- Establish with your TRICARE Primary Care Manager (schedule first appointment)
- Dental enrollment and first appointment for dependents
The first 30 days are intense, but each day you cross items off this list, life in Germany gets easier. Trust the process, lean on your sponsor and community, and remember that every family who came before you went through this same whirlwind and came out the other side loving it here.