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Free Lance Travels
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Приєднався 17 жов 2011
Military retirement is on the horizon and we're winding down our last tour on active duty here in Okinawa. Join us as we prepare for the next chapter, where we'll be on Thai time, full-time! Welcome aboard, and cheers.
#retiredmilitary #retireandtravellingaboard #thailand
#okinawa
#retiredmilitary #retireandtravellingaboard #thailand
#okinawa
VA Benefits Advisors - Okinawa
At 180 to 90 days from separation - you need to be working on your BDD, or Benefits Delivery at Discharge...which really streamlines the process and gets your disability rating estimated and waiting for you BEFORE you make that final exit from active duty. To wait until you are separated will make the process take much longer - more than a year in some cases, from what I hear.
What is the BDD?
www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/benefits-delivery-discharge-program.asp
VA Benefits Advisors (Map does not appear to be updated at this link)...
They are located in the Education Center, adjacent to Commissary.
www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org/marine-family-support/veteran-affairs
What is the BDD?
www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/benefits-delivery-discharge-program.asp
VA Benefits Advisors (Map does not appear to be updated at this link)...
They are located in the Education Center, adjacent to Commissary.
www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org/marine-family-support/veteran-affairs
Переглядів: 21
Відео
Retirement Update - Okinawa Walk and Talk
Переглядів 4021 годину тому
MarAdmin 280/24 - Interim Guidance on the Implementation of the SkillBridge Program: www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/3809908/interim-guidance-on-the-implementation-of-the-skillbridge-program/ 00:00 Let's Catch Up 4:42 SkillBridge MarAdmin 6:25 Thai Visa Status 12:00 Walking and Talking 18:50 SkillBridge Talk 33:25 Parks and Recreation 38:00 The Lost Phone Mission 52:50 Sa...
Shabu-Shabu and Secondhand Shops OKINAWA
Переглядів 202 місяці тому
Let's see which secondhand shop is easiest when it comes to off-loading those unwanted items around the house...and then let's head over to American Village for some Shabu-shabu deliciousness! Second Street (03:00) Hard-Off (04:00) Shabu-Shabu (08:45)
Visas, Retirement, Luncheons...Oh, my!
Переглядів 192 місяці тому
En route to the office...scuttlebuttin' about document authentication in support of a Thai visa, military retirement, and retirement planning luncheon stuff... th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/authentication-procedure/
Unlock your NordicTrack
Переглядів 3222 місяці тому
Not thrilled about having to pay for an iFit account to enjoy ANY content on your NordicTrack equipment's tablet? Try this fix to get into the Android interface and then use this video below about the .wolfDev trick for a more persistent fix to keep you in the Andoid interface, where you can then watch whatever you want. Cheers! ua-cam.com/video/Z9X9MKTVEJk/v-deo.htmlsi=-sVwv_sQH83BCGX_ www.get...
Relaxing Okinawa Rain
Переглядів 332 місяці тому
Rainy season is upon us here on Okinawa...some footage from the porch.
Local Charity & Pizza, Visa Planning, Drinks at Home
Переглядів 203 місяці тому
Military moves often come with the realization that you've accumulated too much stuff...for folks here on Okinawa, Oki Hands Oki Hearts is a great way to donate clothing and other items that you may not want to move with. Plus, you might just not have the time/patience to deal with selling those things. In this video, we take a short trip up to Oki Hands Oki Hearts to donate some clothing and t...
Amari DMK and Jodd Fairs DanNeramit BANGKOK
Переглядів 663 місяці тому
Outro song: Bowklion cover by ZaadOat Studio ua-cam.com/video/XvsmZlwEQpo/v-deo.htmlsi=mU3WZEUbgnhpoZfa Air Asia www.airasia.com/flights/thailand Amari Don Mueang www.amari.com/donmuang Jodd Fairs DanNeramit maps.app.goo.gl/76qcWMdNaMmNzTDW8
Songkran 2024 - Nakhon Ratchasima, THAILAND
Переглядів 434 місяці тому
This is from the second day of Songkran, 14 April...celebrating the holiday with friends and family. After three days of such water antics and music, everyone seemed to be worn out. Another amazing Korat Songkran in the books. Thanks for coming along with us and we hope to see y'all on the next one.
Day 1, Songkran 2024 - Nakhon Ratchasima, THAILAND
Переглядів 1764 місяці тому
This one's a bit lengthy...and we accidentally happened upon the parade in Korat City on this first night of celebrations. I kept the camera rolling because I think it's important to focus on some of the more traditional aspects of the holiday. Water splashing is still super-awesome fun, but the traditions in this city are solid gold and keep me awe-inspired on an almost daily basis. Hope that ...
An Issan Temple Visit - วัดบ้านดงมะเกลือ
Переглядів 214 місяці тому
On the first day of Songkran, 12 April, we visited a temple in vicinity of Dan Khun Thot. It was a pretty scenic ride and very much away from the busy Korat city centre. Join us as we make some new year merit by serving some local people at the temple. We got a blessing from the monks before departing and it was a really cool experience altogether. In the video you'll see what look like trees w...
Buying Guns in Thailand - Songkran Prep สงกรานต์
Переглядів 1214 місяці тому
I'm getting over this crud that I've had and we went to SaveOne Market in Korat yesterday to pick up a few blasters for Songkran. Good food and a walkabout...
Bangkok to Korat
Переглядів 614 місяці тому
We're traveling from Bangkok back up to Korat on this one. I'm trying to get caught up on the footage, sorry to slow roll things. I caught a nasty cold somewhere between leaving Okinawa and arriving in Korat, so I've been taking it easy for a bit.
Okinawa to Bangkok 2024 - Going home for Songkran | โอกินาว่าไปกรุงเทพ | สงกรานต์
Переглядів 1294 місяці тому
We took the newly added Thai Air Asia flight from OKA to DMK. Super-easy check-in at Naha. This video takes us from Okinawa to Bangkok, where we met with family at the hotel (Centre Point Silom) and explored Asiatique for a bit before having dinner and collapsing after a day of travel. Come along! Leaving Okinawa (0:00) Takeoff (02:50) DMK (04:35) Centre Point Hotel Silom (06:00) Asiatique (07:...
Update: Going to Songkran?! สงกรานต์
Переглядів 1214 місяці тому
It seems like we just got back from Thailand...but after talking to family this weekend, the kids convinced us that we should come back for Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year celebration. If you joined us last year for the Songkran videos, be sure to tune in again for this one! This video is just a much overdue update since I've been procrastinating a bit since the last video. Hope everyon...
A Thai School "Reunion" - โรงเรียนสุรธรรมพิทักษ์
Переглядів 275 місяців тому
A Thai School "Reunion" - โรงเรียนสุรธรรมพิทักษ์
Korat, Thailand - A Regular Day วันธรรมดาที่นครราชสีมา
Переглядів 4716 місяців тому
Korat, Thailand - A Regular Day วันธรรมดาที่นครราชสีมา
Thailand Retirement Prep - Visa and Marriage Stuff
Переглядів 4136 місяців тому
Thailand Retirement Prep - Visa and Marriage Stuff
Okinawa Blossoms, DonQ, Fireworks, Retirement Chat
Переглядів 216 місяців тому
Okinawa Blossoms, DonQ, Fireworks, Retirement Chat
SkillBridge. Retirement. Thailand. An Update.
Переглядів 266 місяців тому
SkillBridge. Retirement. Thailand. An Update.
Okinawa Staycation - Kokusai Walkabout | โอกินาว่าประเทศญี่ปุ่น
Переглядів 957 місяців тому
Okinawa Staycation - Kokusai Walkabout | โอกินาว่าประเทศญี่ปุ่น
Military Retirement Prep: Medical Documentation
Переглядів 397 місяців тому
Military Retirement Prep: Medical Documentation
Military Retirement: VGLI?! Term Life Insurance?!
Переглядів 2378 місяців тому
Military Retirement: VGLI?! Term Life Insurance?!
วันเกิดนาวิกโยธิน | 248th Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration and Birthday Message
Переглядів 2989 місяців тому
วันเกิดนาวิกโยธิน | 248th Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration and Birthday Message
Isaan, Thailand - Blessing at Our Family's Little Garden | อีสาน
Переглядів 9311 місяців тому
Isaan, Thailand - Blessing at Our Family's Little Garden | อีสาน
Back in Nakhon Ratchasima - August 2023 | นครราชสีมา
Переглядів 125Рік тому
Back in Nakhon Ratchasima - August 2023 | นครราชสีมา
Bangkok Arrival | S31 Hotel | Benchasiri Park
Переглядів 279Рік тому
Bangkok Arrival | S31 Hotel | Benchasiri Park
Naha to Bangkok...before the typhoon returns!
Переглядів 65Рік тому
Naha to Bangkok...before the typhoon returns!
Love it bro! Can’t wait till we cross paths in Thailand!
@@kaosaeteurn425 Come on, anytime family!!! 🙏🫡
What's with all the planning? No sense of adventure! 😅😅😅
@@dazdragon445 Haaaa!!! Trying to not live dangerously...with at least this one process. 🤣🤣
@@freelancetravels good plan.... Don't want to start retirement being stressed. Supposed to be stressed free and the most difficult thing you need to do is remember what day of the week it is. :)
Oh I'm ready for that. Sounds like every day spent in Thailand. 🙏🫡
Think someone has a Happy Birthday coming up HAPPY BIRTHDAY bud.
Joe D
60 days on arrival.... And you can extend another 30 after you are there.... If you Chinese or Russian you get 90.... But..."no soup for you!"
@@dazdragon445 Ha!!! Mucho thanks, my friend! Always with the good gouge. I've been digging into the "stay with family" visa requirements...things are looking good thus far. Getting pretty excited for the move.
@@freelancetravels yeap... It's getting close for you now.... I'm back in a month until just before Xmas
That's awesome...are you planning on just rotating back and forth a few times a year for now? That 60-day on arrival visa is great...that plus another 30 when we make the move should give me enough time to sort out visa, banking, etc... Have a great week, brother.
@@freelancetravels yeap .. It's my normal. I usually bounce back and forth about every 3 months. So I'm back in the US for summer, Xmas & new years and my granddaughter birthday. Gotta get my time with my granddaughter before she become a teenager hahaha You can always bounce to to Malaysia, Vietnam or Indonesia for a little vacation and get another 60 days when you come back in. It's more fun than just getting an extension :)
That all makes good sense to me! We're looking forward to the adventure.
Is this still working, considering buying a NordicTrack
@@mvthew It's still working here...and I watched another video that walked me through how to make it a more persistent state of Android functionality.
@@freelancetravels Amazing! Thanks for the quick reply
Thanks this is super useful. I'm about to move into a condo in Bangkok...exactly which AIS package did you select? Their website is chaotic
Thanks for checking out our channel! Stay tuned for our big move over there this coming year! So I think what we have is the Super Mesh WiFi package...and then my wife added a phone to it also. www.ais.th/en/consumers/fibre/package/super-mesh-wifi
@@freelancetravels Much appreciated man - see you here!
Black Friday deals?
Ha...old flea market footage. These are fun and wild.
@@freelancetravels that's crazy.... Never seen anyone run into flea market like that
Rick and Nok Noy saying Hi🎉long time no see 😊good to see y’all doing well later buddy
Hey!!! Hope y'all are doing well. Been too long, sir. Shout anytime. 🙏🫡
Who has a better Southern accent, Lance or Tom Hanks in Forest Gump?.... Vote Below
Haaaaaa...you ol' mainlander! Mah name's Free...Free Lance Travels. Most folks call me yokel.
good you getting your paperwork before hand...less headaches later
Thanks, Daz...my OCD keeps me pretty occupied, ha! Trying to streamline the process the best I can now...knowing we'll inevitably hit a few bumps along the ride. How are things?!
Mango mojitos looking good!!! I haven't heard of anyone not having to get the marriage license translated into Thai.... But maybe since you are getting authenticated at the Thai embassy you don't have to. And normally when you're getting the marriage visa, they give you a Visa for 90 days.... To get your bank account and get all your paperwork done while they're processing your marriage visa. So that first year you'll end up with actually 15 months. And also you don't have to send your passport to the embassy anymore for visas they do everything online.
Heck yeah!!! All good news....mucho thanks, Brother Daz. Been doing alot of mailing here lately, 5555. 🙏
@@freelancetravels and if you can... Try to set up two bank accounts. One for the Visa money, and one for daily use. Makes things much easier at renewal time. Especially if you using scan pay a lot 5555
Copy all, brother! Thank you. Will set up two...I guess one for my pension amount (to maintain the minimum monthly requirement) and another for spending/savings. Not alot of folks online referencing the monthly deposits...seems like most just keep that lump sum requirement in an account. Maybe because folks don't like disclosing pension information? 🤔
Very nice 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers. 🙏
Brilliant hat!
Cheers, mate!! 😆🫡
Try and find you a battery tender if the car will be sitting until your wife comes back. I bought some years ago.... One best purchases I ever made!
Heck yeah, thanks...might look into that, brother. Plan for now is to have family start it and drive her around weekly.
That travel bet taste so good doesn't it
It was refreshing!!
Haha! That look at :46!
Ha...never short on character, for sure!
Your food pics are making our mouths water; hope they open some direct flights to VN some day soon too!
Ha! When y'all get there, let us know so we can come visit, brother!
Nice bro. I used my GI bill at Stamford international university in Bangkok. I studied MBA but they have undergraduate programs too.
That's awesome...I'm going to keep looking around at programs. I'd love to do a Thai language for foreigners program...I've found one in Bangkok and another in Korat. Was your program already VA-approved or did you have to do a little homework to get it approved? I appreciate you stopping by the channel, brother.
It is normal in Thailand. to have the internet speed that you see And if you use the highest package for general home users and systems and computers Do you support LAN2.5 networks? You will be able to see speeds of 2200++ and above with the average home user.
ปีนี้มาเล่นที่สยามสแควร์นะครับ
elder brother พูดไทยได้ชัดมากครับ 😂
555...ขอบคุณครับ🙏 Maybe not coming this year, but living there soon.
@@freelancetravels I am Thai of French descent. I 26 year 😁
@@TimmyLouis-sk3lf Nice to meet you and thank you for visiting the channel. 🙏
@@freelancetravels Brother, where are you going to play Songkran this year? I to play Siam square and silom road
@@freelancetravels i come from ubon ratchatani
Hi there. We’re looking for a nice and quiet neighborhood like this for our retirement home in Korat. What area is this?
This development is Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima...off of 304 and close to army camp. Very quiet neighborhood for sure...lots of little shops inside, too.
I see thank you. We’re coming in January 2025 hoping to get lots of home lined up to see and yes 304 is on my list. Thank you for replying.
2024년 4월 13일 치앙마이에서
Enjoy Songkran 🙏👍
ฝรั่งเจอฝรั่งยังเรียกฝรั่ง 5555 น่ารักจริงๆ❤❤
55555! 😅🙏 สนุกมากครับ
You should wear that hat in all your videos!
Haaaaa...I had a fedora style one, too. It either got smashed or left in a car and got moldy (maybe both). That huge one stays in Thailand...gonna need it in the garden one o' these days. 😆🙏
That upload speed 😢
For half of what we pay in Japan, too!
Wait....good or bad? 😂
@freelancetravels is amazing. I pay $82 a month for 1 gig download and 100 mb upload in the USA.
@freelancetravels what the heck UA-cam keeps deleting my response. It's great! I have 1 gig download but only 100mb upload
@@BigTimberLodge Copy all, old buddy! Ha...UA-cam givin' you fits?! Brother, your channel is jamming!!!
The pineapple sunglasses should have been the thumbnail 😂
Haaa...still asking myself why I didn't purchase those hot shades!
Ha. That pic a a young Lance! That’s fantastic!
Wee young lad, he was! Haaa.
Love the marriage photo, 20 years, congrats man! I hope all is well with you and the family!
Hey, brother - Thank you!! Young lovers there, ha. Hope you all are great over there. Miss y'all.
That girl and her smile!
Joe D
@@user-ty9sb4sl2j Miss y'all! She says thank you.
Surprised I didn’t see you down there. We walked by all the same places. Got Korean at Chan-Ga. It was unreal. So good
My dude! Sorry we missed ya. We weren't planning on Korean, but it didn't disappoint!! We left full and went to bed after a few drinks. Let's go visit together one of these days.
Can you provide more info on moving oversea with household goods?
UPDATE: Heck yeah, found an article on it the other day...I'll look around for it. This one family moved to NZ and they briefly talk about it: www.poppinsmoke.com/expat-retiree-retirement-in-new-zealand/ Biggest thing to remember is probably that DMO/government will ship to your home of selection, but you'd be due the difference of how much it would cost to ship stateside to home of record...keep in mind that DMO's due diligence likely stops at the port of entry for whatever country you are importing your goods to. If we're moving things to Thailand, for example, I'd expect to pay any customs fees and land transport from port of entry to our home.
Awesome!
Thank you! You motivated me to actually sit down and put it all together, ha!
Oh. Didn’t see you made a new video. good info!
Duuude - Likewise, really enjoyed your thriftin' video! Thank you and cheers, brother.
Yes!
Semper Fidelis, may the rest be jealous.
Great video!
Very brief...but work's been wild and the channel was going stale. 😆 Thank you and Happy Birthday, brother!
Happy Birthday Devil Dog!!!
Happy Birthday, brotherrrrr!!!
Hi, Lance, It’s Zoe. Hi Miss Tik.
@@kristindriscoll9517 Hello, Miss Zoe! Hope all is well over there. 😀
didn't know you guys were heading back already....enjoy!
Yeah figured we'd make a trip over the school break. Mucho thanks - sooo ready for "retirement!"
Looks a little different than I remember. But hadn't been there since 2009.
We stayed in a totally different area of the hotel back a handful of years ago...these rooms kinda felt cramped, but it was only for a brief stay. Good hotel, overall.
Was that an AMEX centurion lounge?!
We did notice an AmEx lounge above where we were sitting, but we didn't see it until we were about to leave. We will go next time for sure!
Booo! Safe travels.
Ha!! Hoping for the best!! 🤣🤟🙏
Hotty Toddy!
That's right, brother!!
Mmm Mark McGrath still got it goin’ on 😂😂😂
Ha...dude they were playin' ALL the 90s hits.
Just submitted mine to the CO, we will see what the monitor complaints about when I route it up, where does it go after the CO signs it ?
Thanks a ton for checking out this video...hope it helped. Once the CO signs, your S1 (assuming you're in a standard unit) should forward to MMSR, which is who receives and processes these at HQMC. You will see your BIR (bottom of page) retirement date change to "pending" and they'll probably email you also to let ya know it's processing. The way I think that it works once in their system, is that they will share with monitor so that there's a holistic understanding across manpower that you are a potential retiree. Best of luck and please shout back anytime. Cheers!
9 minutes in, good stuff! I’m sure the series will help a lot. Maybe we can collaborate about my unique experience thus far.
Absolutely and thank you for checking it out, brother. Always down for some collab action.