Have you spent a few years OCONUS? What was it like going back after being gone for so long?

2016-10-25T09:25:01-04:00

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2016 9:39 AM

2016-10-25T09:39:20-04:00

I came onto Active Duty in Aug 2002. I have spent 6 years in Germany, 2.5 years in Bolivia and when this tour is over 2 years in Iraq for a total of 10.5 years OCONUS. Making a total of 4.5 years in the U.S. for a 15 year career. Every time I returned to the U.S. my system was shocked with the little things: doorknobs, banking hours, grocery store hours, people driving everywhere even when it's only two blocks down, plastic grocery bags, the list is endless. I think everyone suffers from a "reverse" culture shock when coming home.

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made Oct 25 at 2016 9:41 AM

2016-10-25T09:41:41-04:00

Spent some time on the South Korean peninsula, and was glad to be back. There were always worries about the yellow dust from the Chinese mainland, and the driving there was maddening. Their driving make us look like amateurs. The food was good; always fresh and ready to be cooked. I would always think of the hamburgers and loss of Chik-Fil-A, and looked forward at getting back to the good ole USA for some good eating.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2016 9:44 AM

2016-10-25T09:44:55-04:00

I did three years in Germany and a year in Iraq. It is always strange coming back to one type of society after being engrossed in a different one for so long. Door knobs was always a huge adjustment for me. And toilets without a built in shelf in the bowl.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2016 11:18 AM

2016-10-25T11:18:30-04:00

I was in Japan for three tours, for a total of ten years. I was 22 years old and single E-5 when I arrived. I left there married with 2 kids and a dog as an E-7. For my first few months in Hawaii, I felt like I didn't know how to function as an adult in the U.S. anymore.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Oct 25 at 2016 2:04 PM

2016-10-25T14:04:15-04:00

Spent first 6 yrs of my career on Diego Garcia, Panama and Philippines. Did a 3 yr CONUS tour, then to Japan for 5 yrs, before finishing up CONUS. Going back to the US, it felt like the foreign country and took some getting used to.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2016 3:20 PM

2016-10-25T15:20:49-04:00

biggest surprised free refills when not asked

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 26 at 2016 2:03 AM

2016-10-26T02:03:31-04:00

Hah. I've lived OCONUS quite a few times. 2 years in Japan, 4 years in the Philippines, 2 years in Halifax, a year Down Under...there is definitely a contrast between US culture and...well, nearly everywhere else. Canada wasn't TOO different. To me, the US feels like a safe, comfy blanket to sleep in, but....I really, really enjoy seeing other cultures.

Response by MSgt Richard Rountree made Oct 26 at 2016 8:01 AM

2016-10-26T08:01:06-04:00

I departed the CONUS on 31 Mar 1981 and returned in early Sep 1991...after ten years and five months OCONUS. During this period I completed two long tours in Germany, a long tour in England, and a short tour in Saudi Arabia (Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm). My new duty station was Los Angeles CA. That was enough culture shock all by itself! I remember the first thing I wanted to do was go to a Denny's for some American style over-medium eggs. Another thing that was a bit disconcerting was a particular brand of car alarm, that seemed to be very popular in L.A. ,sounded _exactly_ like the alarm that sounded in Saudi Arabia when a SCUD alert sounded off. It took some time to stop wanting to jump into the nearest bunker every time someone was stealing a car. The morning commute to work was vastly different than anything else I've ever experienced. I lived about 30 miles away from work. One of the first things I learned in L.A. is no one uses miles for describing a commute. It's travel time...getting to work in South Central L.A. by 0730 from San Pedro required a departure time from the house at 0500 or earlier. If it wasn't for Howard Stern on the radio during the commute, it would have driven me crazy!

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Oct 26 at 2016 8:10 AM

2016-10-26T08:10:26-04:00

I spent 2 years OCONUS from 71-73 during Vietnam. I am now starting my 12th year as an ExPat living in Asia. We went Stateside in 2014 for 50 days. It was like visiting a familiar yet foreign country.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Oct 26 at 2016 6:09 PM

2016-10-26T18:09:37-04:00

I went from one Capitol City to another. From London to DC after 3 years. Some Culture Shock. London Population 6 Million very Ethnically Diverse at the time. DC 700,000 Mostly African American when I arrived there but over a Career the effect was negligible. Lived in Brandywine, WV Pop 250 Mostly White Turkey Farmers whiles stationed at NSGD Sugar Grove, WV and I've lived with 2,000 Filipino Contractors in Diego Garcia.

Response by SFC George Smith made Oct 26 at 2016 6:22 PM

2016-10-26T18:22:34-04:00

Back from Asia... "Drive Right... Drive Right... Drive Right..."
Back from Europe ... WFT does that sign Mean...
Remember the legal Drinking age...

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Oct 27 at 2016 6:24 AM

2016-10-27T06:24:00-04:00

After being in Okinawa for three years, we had to learn how to drive stateside again. Wrong side of the road, driving on the wrong side of the car and such. For a long time I would walk up and get in the passenger side of my Jeep. That, and what we call the Okinawa wave, which is hitting the wipers instead of the turn signal because they are on the wrong dang side.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Oct 27 at 2016 6:26 AM

2016-10-27T06:26:48-04:00

Too many years in Germany completely warps you for life when it comes to beer.