OCONUS Transition Resources

This page will cover the unique challenges of separating from military service while stationed overseas — including the legal status that evaporates at ETS, shipping and travel entitlements back to a home of record, the option to remain in country as a civilian, and how to file VA claims from an international address. It will include country-specific notes for the most common OCONUS duty stations (Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy).

Topics to cover

SOFA status expiration timeline — when Status of Forces Agreement protections end at ETS, what changes legally (housing, vehicle registration, banking, travel documents)
Overseas shipping entitlements — final move weight allowance, non-temporary storage, overseas tour completion shipment rules, what happens if you separate without returning to CONUS
Returning to CONUS vs staying overseas — weighing cost of living, employment options, healthcare, and whether the civilian life abroad is realistic
NATO/SOFA employment options — DoD civilian positions, contractor jobs on base, local national hiring rules, how clearance status affects OCONUS hiring
Base access for contractors — how to maintain access to facilities after ETS while pursuing contractor work, ID card expiration and reissuance
VA claims from overseas — filing from an APO/FPO address, overseas VA facilities, telehealth options, timeline considerations when not near a VAMC
Country-specific employment resources — American Chambers of Commerce, expatriate job boards, local labor law basics for Germany, Japan, Korea, and Italy