Stranded US service person needs help in Pisa, Italy

[+nericksx]

So this is a little off the wall.

 

A friend of mine who is on a tour of duty in Iraq, is up in Pisa on vacation. Before she left the military told her that there was no need for her to have a passport to travel in Europe, that her military ID would be enough. That turns out not to be the case (duh) and she doesn't have any money because no bank will let her make a transaction without a passport for ID.

 

I took a gamble and looked up caches in Pisa and PMed the owner of one, just on the off-chance that he might be willing to help (_nick_ is his name).

 

Is there anyone else who is in the area of Pisa who would be willing to assist? She's just a little freaked out and needs a local to try to help her navigate the situation.

 

We are also trying to contact the Italian Consulate, the US Embassy, the State Dep't and our local congressperson, so far to no avail.

 

I'll post this in the Italy section of the forums as well.

 

Thanks!

[+PorscheSpyder]

So this is a little off the wall.

 

A friend of mine who is on a tour of duty in Iraq, is up in Pisa on vacation. Before she left the military told her that there was no need for her to have a passport to travel in Europe, that her military ID would be enough. That turns out not to be the case (duh) and she doesn't have any money because no bank will let her make a transaction without a passport for ID.

 

I took a gamble and looked up caches in Pisa and PMed the owner of one, just on the off-chance that he might be willing to help (_nick_ is his name).

 

Is there anyone else who is in the area of Pisa who would be willing to assist? She's just a little freaked out and needs a local to try to help her navigate the situation.

 

We are also trying to contact the Italian Consulate, the US Embassy, the State Dep't and our local congressperson, so far to no avail.

 

I'll post this in the Italy section of the forums as well.

 

Thanks!

 

I have friends who are heading that way in May, but that's probably too long of a wait.

 

Hopefully she can get help. Good luck!

[+nericksx]

Yeah, May is a little long to wait

 

Thanks, tho!

[+Mom-n-Andy]

So this is a little off the wall.

 

A friend of mine who is on a tour of duty in Iraq, is up in Pisa on vacation. Before she left the military told her that there was no need for her to have a passport to travel in Europe, that her military ID would be enough. That turns out not to be the case (duh) and she doesn't have any money because no bank will let her make a transaction without a passport for ID.

 

I took a gamble and looked up caches in Pisa and PMed the owner of one, just on the off-chance that he might be willing to help (_nick_ is his name).

 

Is there anyone else who is in the area of Pisa who would be willing to assist? She's just a little freaked out and needs a local to try to help her navigate the situation.

 

We are also trying to contact the Italian Consulate, the US Embassy, the State Dep't and our local congressperson, so far to no avail.

 

I'll post this in the Italy section of the forums as well.

 

Thanks!

 

I have friends who are heading that way in May, but that's probably too long of a wait.

 

Hopefully she can get help. Good luck!

 

If she is an American citizen, she should take her military ID and go to the US Embassy.

[+WeightMan]

So this is a little off the wall.

 

A friend of mine who is on a tour of duty in Iraq, is up in Pisa on vacation. Before she left the military told her that there was no need for her to have a passport to travel in Europe, that her military ID would be enough. That turns out not to be the case (duh) and she doesn't have any money because no bank will let her make a transaction without a passport for ID.

 

I took a gamble and looked up caches in Pisa and PMed the owner of one, just on the off-chance that he might be willing to help (_nick_ is his name).

 

Is there anyone else who is in the area of Pisa who would be willing to assist? She's just a little freaked out and needs a local to try to help her navigate the situation.

 

We are also trying to contact the Italian Consulate, the US Embassy, the State Dep't and our local congressperson, so far to no avail.

 

I'll post this in the Italy section of the forums as well.

 

Thanks!

 

I have friends who are heading that way in May, but that's probably too long of a wait.

 

Hopefully she can get help. Good luck!

 

If she is an American citizen, she should take her military ID and go to the US Embassy.

The Embassy is in Rome not Pisa.

 

If she has funds to travel with, travel within the European Union does not require any passport. In fact, there are not stops at any border. If she can, then take a train to any city with an American base. Germany comes to mind.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Tell her to contact her command immediately. They'll get her back.

Edited March 4, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+WeightMan]

The nearest US government office would be the consulate in Florence.

[+nericksx]

If she has funds to travel with, travel within the European Union does not require any passport. In fact, there are not stops at any border. If she can, then take a train to any city with an American base. Germany comes to mind.

 

She has about 10 Euros. She had planned to use her debit card to get money when she arrived in Pisa, but then realized that after not having used it for 18 months (there are no ATMs in Iraq) she had forgotten the PIN. She can't have money wired because no bank will release the funds without a passport. Otherwise, she totally would have traveled to Rome to the embassy.

 

We were able to contact our state senator's office and they referred us to a case manager who deals with just this kind of thing. Unfortunately, the case manager is not in the office today. I have also PMed two cachers in Pisa to see if they would be willing to lend a hand. I figure the worst thing that happens is they say no or ignore me.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

If she won't contact her command for whatever reason tell her to contact the local, national or international chapter of the American Red Cross.

 

They have a special branch devoted to service members in exactly this kind of situation called SAF - Service to Armed Forces.

 

I am an SAF Caseworker here in Alabama and am happy to help, but she's much better off contacting the Red Cross locally and asking for an SAF Caseworker.

[+brslk]

If she has funds to travel with, travel within the European Union does not require any passport. In fact, there are not stops at any border. If she can, then take a train to any city with an American base. Germany comes to mind.

 

She has about 10 Euros. She had planned to use her debit card to get money when she arrived in Pisa, but then realized that after not having used it for 18 months (there are no ATMs in Iraq) she had forgotten the PIN. She can't have money wired because no bank will release the funds without a passport. Otherwise, she totally would have traveled to Rome to the embassy.

 

We were able to contact our state senator's office and they referred us to a case manager who deals with just this kind of thing. Unfortunately, the case manager is not in the office today. I have also PMed two cachers in Pisa to see if they would be willing to lend a hand. I figure the worst thing that happens is they say no or ignore me.

 

Western Union will release funds to anyone with valid photo ID.

[+bittsen]

If you do find a cacher in Pisa who can help, someone could wire money to the cacher to give to her.

That would alleviate any suspicions of a scam.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Western Union will release funds to anyone with valid photo ID.

I've had money wired to me both in England and Guatemala and did not have to show my passport to get the money, just my ID.

 

Western Union doesn't care why or how you are in the country, just that you are who the sender intended the money for.

 

Anyone considering sending money should be very hesitant... this one has scam written all over it.

Edited March 4, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Stripes]

Last I knew, the longest deployments were 12 months, not 18 months and has been the case for well over a year. At that time, they were 15 months. That and my son uses his ATM card in Iraq. There are also ATM's in Kuwait, where she would have gone through to leave for her R&R.

[+brslk]

Western Union will release funds to anyone with valid photo ID.

I've had money wired to me both in England and Guatemala and did not have to show my passport to get the money, just my ID.

 

Western Union doesn't care why or how you are in the country, just that you are who the sender intended the money for.

 

Anyone considering sending money should be very hesitant... this one has scam written all over it.

 

I agree. How well do you know this friend?

 

But, having been a member of a few scambaiting websites for several years I would think a scammer would ask for the money to be sent via western union right away.

[knowschad]

Western Union will release funds to anyone with valid photo ID.

I've had money wired to me both in England and Guatemala and did not have to show my passport to get the money, just my ID.

 

Western Union doesn't care why or how you are in the country, just that you are who the sender intended the money for.

 

Anyone considering sending money should be very hesitant... this one has scam written all over it.

Who would be the scammer, then? The OP, who has been a cacher for long enough for me to believe him, or his friend? It could be that the OP is being used by his "friend", for sure. I would like to know what his connection is, I guess. There certainly are some fishy elements to this, but I'm not quite ready to label it as a scam.

[+Jackalgirl]

Tell her to contact her command immediately. They'll get her back.

 

This is the solution. The command will work with whomever is necessary (American Embassy, Red Cross, service-specific Relief/Aid Society, etc) in order to get her funds and papers. It should have been the first thing she did. If she hasn't done it, then she needs to do it /right now/ because her command needs to be aware of her situation (especially if it might delay or complicate her ability to report to her next duty station). Being UA/AWOL or missing movement is a violation of the UCMJ, so her command really, really, REALLY needs to know what's going on.

[+nericksx]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

15 months, 18 months, it's kind of splitting hairs, doncha think? The point is, while she has been deployed, she has not had occasion to need an ATM. I get the impression that they are few and far between in Iraq and while being busy being on duty, finding and hitting an ATM just hasn't been much of a priority or a necessity - for whatever reason.

 

It's actually my mom who's been trying to facilitate this (I have a job during the day) and she was the one who said that there are no Western Unions. I just went to their website and there are 10 in Pisa alone. Looks like now that I'm home I need to research this out for myself.

 

I just thought that maybe I could reach out via the geo-community to get an assist..... nevermind.

 

I just want all you to know that it's not a scam, just a legitimately stranded person overseas. Thanks for your feedback.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

15 months, 18 months, it's kind of splitting hairs, doncha think? The point is, while she has been deployed, she has not had occasion to need an ATM. I get the impression that they are few and far between in Iraq and while being busy being on duty, finding and hitting an ATM just hasn't been much of a priority or a necessity - for whatever reason.

 

It's actually my mom who's been trying to facilitate this (I have a job during the day) and she was the one who said that there are no Western Unions. I just went to their website and there are 10 in Pisa alone. Looks like now that I'm home I need to research this out for myself.

 

I just thought that maybe I could reach out via the geo-community to get an assist..... nevermind.

 

I just want all you to know that it's not a scam, just a legitimately stranded person overseas. Thanks for your feedback.

 

Certainly you can reach out to the geocaching community for help.

 

You did, and you got great advice.

 

1. She should notify her command. Now.

2. She can call an SAF Caseworker of the American Red Cross who knows specifically how to help her coordinate this with her command.

3. Her misunderstanding of how western Union works was corrected.

 

So, what more are you looking for us to do?

 

Yes, when good advice is ignored and the request for money is reiterated we DO get suspicious.

 

I have dedicated my retirement to volunteer service. It's what I do every day, trying to help people in some way. That does not mean that I am gullible and take everyone's story at face value... unfortunately some folks just want to work the system. And when I start hearing excuses about why doing the right thing won't work, it raises all sorts of flags!

[+Jackalgirl]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

Has she contacted her command yet? What did they say?

[+Colonial Cats]

Pisa is just about 10 miles from Camp Darby, a US Army base. I was stationed there when I worked for the Army. Have her phone 54-7111 if in Pisa or 050-54-7111 if outside of Pisa for the Camp Darby Base Operator. She might be able to find the Polizia di Stato (Italian State Police) or the Carabinieri (Italian Military Police) to help her get to Camp Darby. Good Luck!

Edited March 4, 2010 by Colonial Cats

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Pisa is just about 10 miles from Camp Darby, a US Army base. Have her phone 54-7111 if in Pisa or 050-54-7111 if outside of Pisa for the Base Operator.

See, the geocaching community came together and solved the problem for you in fine form and short order.

 

You're welcome.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

 

Yes, when good advice is ignored and the request for money is reiterated we DO get suspicious.

 

Did I miss the request for money?? All I saw was reaching out to help find a local who could help navigate the situation, not any requests for money. I'm not questioning the "be wary" thoughts though.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

You had to know that was coming...there are scams out there that are exactly as you describe the situation, it's one of the simplest and widespread.

 

"Hi Grandma. I'm in Canada, and I need bail money"

[+k_2]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

You had to know that was coming...there are scams out there that are exactly as you describe the situation, it's one of the simplest and widespread.

 

"Hi Grandma. I'm in Canada, and I need bail money"

 

There have also been a lot of cases of various social networking accounts getting hacked. So cousin Barbara is sending you a message that she's stranded in Anchorage and needs you to wire money, but actually the message was sent by a scammer. By the time you realize Barbara was actually in Austin, the money is long gone. So that's another reason folks tend to be suspicious of tales of stranded relatives. Unfortunately, that's the world we live in.

[+Stripes]

Then there are people like me who has two family members currently in the military and one other that has been. I currently have a son in Iraq. Count me as one who knows way too much about the military and tends to get suspicious when things don't add up to what I know.

 

Sorry about that.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

The OP hasn't answered so hopefully she called her command and got it straightened out.

 

The handle 'Rambler' stuck with me during my decade in the Navy because any time or where that I had off-duty time I went rambling. While my shipmates hit the bars and sailor traps I would rent a Jeep or motorcycle and go see what the real country was like.

 

That often meant that I was far from home, alone, in a land where I did not speak the language, always on the verge of broke... but never in doubt that if I got myself in a hole the US Navy would come pull me out of it.

 

I never got into trouble where I needed rescue, but I know plenty of sailors who did. It might not have been pleasant but they always got bailed out and taken to where they needed to be.

 

If this soldier is 'stranded' in a large city in a country which has excellent relations with the US just ten miles from an Army base then there is undoubtedly much more to the story.

[knowschad]

The handle 'Rambler' stuck with me during my decade in the Navy because any time or where that I had off-duty time I went rambling. While my shipmates hit the bars and sailor traps I would rent a Jeep or motorcycle and go see what the real country was like.

I have regretted many times that I didn't do that during my stint in the military.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

Is she with the 41st? I'm over here in Iraq from Portland, as well.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

Is she with the 41st? I'm over here in Iraq from Portland, as well.

If by "finance" you meant fiance then given the current state of this issue and the military you may not be doing her any good stating that "She's my sister's fiance".

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

Is she with the 41st? I'm over here in Iraq from Portland, as well.

If by "finance" you meant fiance then given the current state of this issue and the military you may not be doing her any good stating that "She's my sister's fiance".

I think it'll be safe as long as no names are mentioned. Maybe one reason for not calling Command straight away

[+SgtSue]

Best advise given was to go to or call Camp Darby. It's the closest Army base to her location. Army will take care of her.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

**sigh** So much suspicion.

 

My "friend" is my sister's finance. She's close with our family and we were there when she shipped out of Portland, OR to go Iraq. No she is not scamming us. We've actually known her for a few years now, as she and my sister were in college together before she shipped out.

 

Is she with the 41st? I'm over here in Iraq from Portland, as well.

If by "finance" you meant fiance then given the current state of this issue and the military you may not be doing her any good stating that "She's my sister's fiance".

 

Heh. that's the least of my concerns. I was just trying to figure out if she was with the 41st cause my unit was the first to leave the US and that was only 9 months ago.

[knowschad]

If this hasn't been resolved by now, I'd have to say that this service person should probably be sent home where she will be in a nice safe place where she won't be able to go somewhere she can't get home from.

 

I mean, really! her own base doesn't give her the right information regarding her passport requirements? Please!!! They just set that base up? The laws were changed just yesterday? And she doesn't already know how to phone home for help, or to get to the consulate? Hell, I'm guessing that any taxi driver would be able to tell her what she needs to do.

 

But it has probably already been resolved, and we have only been asked to help, and have not yet been given the feedback that she is already safe and sound and peeling potatoes for her AWOL time.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

If this hasn't been resolved by now, I'd have to say that this service person should probably be sent home where she will be in a nice safe place where she won't be able to go somewhere she can't get home from.

 

I mean, really! her own base doesn't give her the right information regarding her passport requirements? Please!!! They just set that base up? The laws were changed just yesterday? And she doesn't already know how to phone home for help, or to get to the consulate? Hell, I'm guessing that any taxi driver would be able to tell her what she needs to do.

 

But it has probably already been resolved, and we have only been asked to help, and have not yet been given the feedback that she is already safe and sound and peeling potatoes for her AWOL time.

I didn;t see anyone mention AWOL time either...Really...where do you all get these things...Asking for money?? AWOL?? I never saw the OP mention those things. Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Now where'd those Doublemint Twins go??

Edited March 5, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+Too Tall John]

I didn;t see anyone mention AWOL time either...Really...where do you all get these things...Asking for money?? AWOL?? I never saw the OP mention those things. Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

The pressing concern was getting this person back to base. If they didn't return before their leave ended, they would be AWOL.

 

The OP doesn't directly ask for $, but talks about how the friend in question has only 10 euros and can't remember their debit card's PIN, or they'd buy a ticket back.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Yes, I'm aware that many scams begin that way, setting the scenario up and building trust. I'm just surprised that so many were already making those calls before anything went that direction. I do wonder whatever happened to the OP? Vanishing doesn't make things look any less like a scam, since they seemed to disappear as soon as it was clear that some people were suspicious.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I and others offered solid advice from the very beginning... using that helpful advice whatever her troubles she could solve them with a single phone call. I hope she did so.

[+Jackalgirl]

Yes, I'm aware that many scams begin that way, setting the scenario up and building trust. I'm just surprised that so many were already making those calls before anything went that direction. I do wonder whatever happened to the OP? Vanishing doesn't make things look any less like a scam, since they seemed to disappear as soon as it was clear that some people were suspicious.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the first person to mention that this sounded like it could be a scam (and urged caution) was TheAlabamaRambler, a military member who noted a lot of discrepancies in the story (as presented). Other military members, such as myself, piped up. We (military members) all know that if we get in trouble, the first thing we do is call our command. So it immediately pings us as odd to hear that this person is contacting a friend (or, oddly, perhaps a fiancee, which is also very odd, because the DADT policy is still in force in the military and the person is female) for help, and not her command. It seems fishy to us military types.

 

No one has said out-and-out that this is a scam. We're just suspicious based on prior experience and knowledge, and are asking for more information. Granted, the OP's request was to find a geocacher in Pisa who could possibly help this person (which would have turned out to be very interesting if it /were/ a scam and the response to the scammer was "I'll mobilize the local geocaching community to help you face-to-face" rather than "I'll wire you a load of money right away"*).

 

*I found this approach useful in my student years in New York. If someone approached me claiming to be in trouble, I'd point them to the nearest police station (which was quite close) and let them know that all the help they could possibly need was located right there. On at least one occassion, the person asking me demurred, so I imagine I got myself out of trouble.

 

The OP apparently took this skepticism and request for more info personally and has dropped out of the thread. A pity, because there was some really good advice given here that would have helped the OP's sister's friend far more appropriately than local geocachers (like I said: if you're in trouble, your command NEEDS TO KNOW).

[knowschad]

I didn;t see anyone mention AWOL time either...Really...where do you all get these things...Asking for money?? AWOL?? I never saw the OP mention those things. Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

All AWOL means is Absent Without Leave. If she was gone for more time than she had leave permission for, then she is AWOL. Plain and simple. That doesn't mean that she would be punished for it necessarily, but most likely. In the military you can be punished for as little as getting a bad sunburn. I think a couple of other posts have explained the skepticism adequately.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

I didn;t see anyone mention AWOL time either...Really...where do you all get these things...Asking for money?? AWOL?? I never saw the OP mention those things. Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

All AWOL means is Absent Without Leave. If she was gone for more time than she had leave permission for, then she is AWOL. Plain and simple. That doesn't mean that she would be punished for it necessarily, but most likely. In the military you can be punished for as little as getting a bad sunburn. I think a couple of other posts have explained the skepticism adequately.

I know what the term means. No one ever said she was AWOL. If you read everything the OP said, there was never any request for money, and no indication that she was already AWOL. Then you see people posting as if both of these have already happened.

 

BTW, I completely understand the skepticism

Edited March 6, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+Stripes]

Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

 

Nor is there a mistake on the passport. Last I knew, and our current military members can confirm this, is that they can go to Italy or German from the theater of operations without a passport when in the military. Once in the EU, you can then travel within the EU without a passport, I have personally experienced this. Should a photo ID be needed, they have their military ID on them and should at all times.

 

When our military travels outside of the US on orders, they do not need a passport. When they leave Iraq or Afghanistan for R&R to certain countries, they do not need a passport.

[knowschad]

I didn;t see anyone mention AWOL time either...Really...where do you all get these things...Asking for money?? AWOL?? I never saw the OP mention those things. Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

All AWOL means is Absent Without Leave. If she was gone for more time than she had leave permission for, then she is AWOL. Plain and simple. That doesn't mean that she would be punished for it necessarily, but most likely. In the military you can be punished for as little as getting a bad sunburn. I think a couple of other posts have explained the skepticism adequately.

I know what the term means. No one ever said she was AWOL. If you read everything the OP said, there was never any request for money, and no indication that she was already AWOL. Then you see people posting as if both of these have already happened.

 

BTW, I completely understand the skepticism

Is she absent? Has her leave run out? AWOL. Relax, will you? I'm not saying anybody is a criminal here. But most likely, if the story is true, she is AWOL by now.

 

Sorry, but I do feel something is fishy. Not by the OP, who is a geocacher that has been around for a while. But that doesn't mean that he isn't being taken for a ride. Doesn't mean he is, either. But there are some reasons to be skeptical. We're not condemning anybody here. Just asking questions.

[+t4e]

Sounded to me like she JUST got into town, and realized her mistake on the pasport bit. Maybe I'm crazy?

 

Nor is there a mistake on the passport. Last I knew, and our current military members can confirm this, is that they can go to Italy or German from the theater of operations without a passport when in the military. Once in the EU, you can then travel within the EU without a passport, I have personally experienced this. Should a photo ID be needed, they have their military ID on them and should at all times.

 

When our military travels outside of the US on orders, they do not need a passport. When they leave Iraq or Afghanistan for R&R to certain countries, they do not need a passport.

 

this is from Homeland Security website the only exemption is

 

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt from the passport requirement.

 

 

hence my question to the OP in the thread he started in the italian speaking forum, how did she cross the border without passport

[jholly]

hence my question to the OP in the thread he started in the italian speaking forum, how did she cross the border without passport

 

Crossing the borders in Europe is much like crossing state borders in the US. I went to Europe some 25 years or so ago. It was more hassle leaving the US and entering the US than it was to travel around Europe. The points of entry in the airports were empty. Driving from Germany to the Netherlands was unobstructed by officious people.

[+Stripes]

She was in Iraq and it sounds like she is on R & R. They are on orders for R & R. They can get into Italy and Germany without a passport because we have military posts there. Once you are in the EU, you do not need a passport to move around as long as you are in the EU countries. Yes, the OP says vacation with the military calls R&R and cuts orders for. They are to have on those orders that that country is where they are going. Then they get into the country showing that document and their military ID. Anyone serving in Iraq or Afghanistan are active duty and are traveling on orders, therefore the exemption.

 

My son-in-law has been to numerous countries courtesy of our Air Force. He had to get a passport a year ago for a trip that was personal. Here he had been out of the country so many times and now needed one. My son was sent overseas for two weeks last fall for training, he traveled on orders and left his passport at home.

 

Does that satisfy how one can travel overseas without a passport with the military. It is advisable to have one when you leave for R&R incase you want to enter a country where you will need to use it. Those coming home or to Europe don't need theres.

[+Stripes]

The first place you land is where you should show your passport in Europe, after that you can put it away. It seems to me that on my husband and daughter's recent trip to france, that their passports were not stamped in France upon arrival.

 

Yet, as I explained above, there are some different rules for those in the military.

 

When they leave Kuwait, it is on a charter that all the passengers are military, so they are flying into military posts.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Is she absent? Has her leave run out? AWOL. Relax, will you? I'm not saying anybody is a criminal here. But most likely, if the story is true, she is AWOL by now.

 

Sorry, but I do feel something is fishy. Not by the OP, who is a geocacher that has been around for a while. But that doesn't mean that he isn't being taken for a ride. Doesn't mean he is, either. But there are some reasons to be skeptical. We're not condemning anybody here. Just asking questions.

Exactly my point...no one had ever said her leave had run out. Look, I may be as skeptical as the rest of you, of either the OP or the "Friend" who was needing the help, but being skeptical and turning it into a public accusation are two different things.

[+t4e]

hence my question to the OP in the thread he started in the italian speaking forum, how did she cross the border without passport

 

Crossing the borders in Europe is much like crossing state borders in the US. I went to Europe some 25 years or so ago. It was more hassle leaving the US and entering the US than it was to travel around Europe. The points of entry in the airports were empty. Driving from Germany to the Netherlands was unobstructed by officious people.

 

 

i hail from Europe and i traveled through it more than 25 years ago, and i still needed a passport, even citizens of the EU need a passport in airports, although the crossing is much faster for them, there's a separate line

 

driving is a different story, you cross borders freely, there is no immigration checkpoint

 

while she is free to travel through Europe, once there, at some point she got in from Iraq, at first entry point you would need a passport...unless as military she was on orders, which my understanding from the OP is that it was not the case

Edited March 6, 2010 by t4e

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

The first place you land is where you should show your passport in Europe, after that you can put it away. It seems to me that on my husband and daughter's recent trip to france, that their passports were not stamped in France upon arrival.

 

Yet, as I explained above, there are some different rules for those in the military.

 

When they leave Kuwait, it is on a charter that all the passengers are military, so they are flying into military posts.

 

Once you leave Kuwait on R&R, its a chartered flight, but you land at a civilian airport to transfer to civilian flights to reach your final destination.

My example: I took off from Kuwait and landed at Dallas-FtWorth, went thru the big greeting-line the USO volunteers do every day to greet us on our arrival home, then went thru airport security and took a civilian flight back to Portland.

 

I'm just confused why someone would travel abroad on R&R without a passport, even if it were to a country where we have a base. And I know that my brigade went so far as to make sure those wanting to travel abroad had passports before their R&R was approved for those locations.

Edited March 6, 2010 by bramasoleiowa