MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Effective immediately, accompanied personnel are only authorized to bring 75 percent of their full Joint Federal Travel Regulations weight allowance, according to the Station’s Traffic Management Office regulations.
Lower weight allowance is being implemented because of the generally smaller size of government quarters available aboard MCAS Iwakuni compared to the other military installations.
“They lowered the weight allowance because housing here is too small for Marines to bring over their complete weight allowance,” said Staff Sgt. Alex A. GarciaSilva, TMO staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “A lot of Marines tend to bring all their stuff when traveling overseas and then they are forced to live cramped because their space is so small.”
Service members are still offered their full JFTR weight allowance, but the percent of weight they are not authorized to bring over must be stored in non-temporary storage at their place of origin, according to GarciaSilva.
According to TMO regulations, it is recommended that large furniture items such as oversized couches, sofas and king size bed sets be placed in non-temporary storage at the place of departure.
Unaccompanied baggage shipments are not authorized to exceed 600 pounds for active duty members and 200 pounds for each family member. Limited exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis until Oct. 1, 2006.
Unaccompanied personnel are authorized to ship no more than 10 percent of the full JFTR weight allowance, according to TMO regulations.
The only persons authorized to bring their full JFTR weight allowance are O-6’s and above and only on an accompanied tour as commanding officer of MCAS Iwakuni or Marine Aircraft Group 12.
“The reason behind that is simple. Colonels rate more because their quarters are bigger than everyone else’s.”