Concurrent travel to Kadena suspended

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Marasky
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Due to the more limited availability of billeting spaces as the summer PCS season approaches, concurrent travel has been suspended for Kadena for an undetermined amount of time.

This means that military members who don't already have concurrent travel approved, will have to have the military member arrive first to secure housing, and then have the family follow-on afterwards.

There are a few exceptions to this rule said Maj. Mark Adair, 18th Military Personnel Flight commander.

"All personnel departing from overseas locations will get automatic approval," he said. "Also, first duty-station personnel such as first-term Airmen out of technical school and second lieutenants will get approval.

"Finally, key personnel such as commanders, group superintendents and key civilians will get approval," he said.

The limitations are a direct result of the Hershey TLF being closed for renovations, which began in December and will take roughly a year to complete. The renovations were scheduled so that only one summer PCS season would be affected.

"The construction was scheduled to minimize the impact to customers as much as possible," said Andrew Cross, 718th Civil Engineer Squadron deputy director. "Since the construction will last approximately one year there was no way to avoid being closed for at least one major PCS season."

The Hershey TLF facility was created in 1988 and funding was approved in August 2007 to provide roughly $3.3 million worth of renovations to the aging facility.

Some of the improvements to the facility include upgrading the air conditioning to provide individual room controlled thermostats, newly renovated ceilings and guest bathrooms.

Safety measures are also being improved with a brand new fire protection system and two Americans with Disabilities Act-approved handicapped accessible units. Force protection improvements are also being integrated.

Upgrading the Hershey TLF will have implications on all those who PCS to Kadena in the future, said Mr. Cross.

"For many newly arriving personnel, the Hershey TLF is their first exposure to Kadena Air Base," he said. "We want everyone's first experience here to be positive."