DEPARTMENT OF THE R FORCE
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH AIR FORCE (AIR FORCES KOREA)
Seventh Air Force
Informed Choice Guide for Non-Command Sponsored Dependents
Informing Airmen, Guardians, and Families
Updated: 9 February 2021
Introduction:
When a service remember receives an unaccompanied assignment to South Korea, they can choose to
bring their dependents in a non-command sponsored status. However, coming to South Korea non-
command sponsored means dependents may receive entitlements and benefits differently or in some cases
not at all. This is a significant family and life decision, and should not be taken lightly. This guide
provides a comparison of benefits between command and non-command sponsored families to aid in
making the decision.
Right Up Front: Key Airmen Responsibilities for bringing Non-Command Sponsored Dependents
to South Korea:
Emergency Evacuation Preparedness: Non-CSP dependents in South Korea must be prepared and
enrolled by their service member in their unit Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) warden
program in accordance with USFK Pamphlet 600-300, Noncombatant Emergency Evacuation
Instructions, 30 Jan 19, paragraph 2-10. All service members are also issued an emergency gas mask for
their dependents. Find out more in the NEO section of the Seventh Air Force website:
www.7AF.PACAF.AF.MIL.
Paid Allowances: In accordance with DoD 7000.14-R Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume
7A, Chapter 26, Housing Allowances, Service Members must properly certify the locations of their
dependents to ensure the entitlements are paid correctly. Airmen and Guardians assigned to Essential
Station Messing (e.g. assigned to a dorm) are not paid a Basic Allowance for Subsistence regardless of a
dependent’s location. A service member with non-CSP dependents in South Korea is not authorized
Family Separation Allowance and housing allowances are also impacted.
Getting Here: Travel, Documentation, Household Goods, and Cars
Travel:
(Note: CSP = command sponsorship program; SM = service member)
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Accompanied Tour
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied Tour
Unaccompanied,
Dependents not in
ROK
Transportation
Expenses
Government Funded
Travel includes:
PCS Travel
Govt Funded
Emergency Travel
Dependent Education
Student Travel
No government funded travel
entitlements to the ROK
No travel entitlements
to the ROK.
Quarantine
Arrangements
Entitled to government
funded base quarantine
Quarantine facilities are space
available and self-funded. If space
N/A
in a Public
Health
Emergency
facilities when
travelling on
government-funded
travel.
is not available, non-CSP
dependents quarantine at South
Korean Government approved
facilities at a higher cost.
Space-A Patriot
Express Travel
May use Space-A to
travel round trip
FROM South Korea as
Category V.
May use Space-A as Category V for
OCONUS to OCONUS travel.
May use Space A as Category I for
emergency travel FROM South
Korea. Cannot use Space A to
return to South Korea.
May use Space-A as
Category V on a
round trip TO South
Korea once every 365
days.
Space-A categories set the priority for Patriot Express seats made available to Space-A passengers.
Generally, the Space-A categories are: I. Emergency Leave Unfunded Travel II. Accompanied
Environmental and Moral Leave III. Ordinary Leave IV. Unaccompanied Environmental and Moral
Leave V. Dependents VI. Retirees and their Dependents.
Documentation:
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied,
Dependents not
in ROK
Orders
Service members receive
orders with a CSP number
and their dependents named
on the order as travelling to
South Korea via
government funding.
Service members coming to
South Korea on an
unaccompanied, dependent
restricted tour must work with
their servicing Military
Personnel Flight to ensure the
orders should reflect the
situation the family has elected.
Those who elect to bring non-
CSP dependents to South Korea
should get their dependents’
names listed on the service
member’s orders as electing to
live in South Korea non-CSP.
This is not automatic.
The orders reflect
the Designated
Location the
family has chosen
to live.
Government
funded options
vary depending
upon service
members
circumstances.
Speak with your
relocations
counselor and
unit.
Tour Lengths
Accompanied: two years.
Unaccompanied: one year.
Unaccompanied:
one year
Key Source: AFPC Guide on Korea Assignment Incentive Pay on myPERS, Keyword: Korea
Tour Length Note: Key Leadership positions at Osan AB are two years in length regardless of the choice
to serve accompanied or not.
Passport Funding
for Dependents
(US Passport
Holders)
Government funded blue
no-fee US passport using
the installation official
passport office and DoD
network.
Self-funded US Blue Tourist
passport. No access to DoD
passport network.
N/A
Visa and SOFA
Stamp
(DoD
Authoritative
Korean A-3 visas allow DoD dependents the ability to live in
Korea and work long term while the service member serves in
South Korea. All DoD Dependents named on military PCS
orders are issued A-3 Visas by Korean immigration
concurrently with the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
N/A
Source: Foreign
Clearance Guide)
stamp in the passport. The SOFA stamp certifies the holder is
accompanying the service member. It is not related to
command sponsorship. Korean A-3 visas allow DoD
dependents, both CSP and non-CSP, to live and work (on base)
in South Korea for the duration of the service member’s
assignment. The stamp is annotated for expiration based on the
last month of the orders, also called the DEROS month (Date
Estimated Return from Overseas). Non-CSP dependents who
arrive in South Korea without their names listed on the service
member’s orders are not allowed to work and are required to
depart South Korea within 90 days of their arrival (when the A-
2 tourist visa expires).
Immigrating
South Korea:
Immigrating
South Korea
(continued):
(DoD Source:
Foreign Clearance
Guide)
US Passport holders: U.S. passport holders enter South Korea
on a visa waiver program and get a 90 day A-2 “tourist” visa
upon arrival. They must get the A-3 visa and SOFA stamp
within 30 days of arrival.
Republic of Korea Passport Holders: ROK passport holders
enter as nationals of the country.
Third Country (non-US, non-ROK) Passport Holders:
DoD dependents with passports from other countries other
than the US or South Korea must determine if they need a
visa issued prior to coming to South Korea from a South
Korean embassy or consulate or they will be barred entry
from South Korea and returned. This applies to both CSP
and non-CSP travelers. Using the DoD Foreign Clearance
Guide, find South Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs resources
that pertain to your passport nationality and requirements for
South Korea.
N/A
Automobiles and Household Goods:
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied,
dependents not in
ROK
Shipping a
vehicle, USFK
drivers license,
and vehicle
registration
Only E-7 and above and CSP dependents (18+) may obtain a
USFK driver's license. All E6 and below, and all non-
command sponsored dependents, require an exception to
policy (ETP) to obtain a USFK driver's license. The first O5
in their chain of command must sign the ETP letter. ETPs are
generally approved only if the service member is living off-
base. E-7 and above are authorized to ship and register one
vehicle. E-6 and below may not ship a car and require an
ETP to register a vehicle. Registering a second vehicle is not
approved for non-CSP families.
N/A
Unaccompanied
“Hold” Baggage,
Household Goods
DoD Source: Joint
- Accompanied service
members are entitled to
ship their full accompanied
JTR weight based on their
rank entitlement in the JTR.
- Non-CSP dependents are not
entitled to shipping household
goods. Unaccompanied service
members, to include those who
bring non-CSP dependents to
N/A
Travel Regulation
(JTR)
- Hold baggage is an
entitlement set at typically
500 pounds and shipped
regardless of CSP status.
- Reference the JTR for
limits and restrictions.
Please do not ship
appliances. They are
provided.
South Korea, are entitled to ship
a limited unaccompanied weight
based on their rank and the JTR.
- Hold baggage is shipped
independent of CSP status.
- Reference the JTR for limits
and restrictions that apply to
you. Please do not ship
appliances. They are provided.
Key Entitlements and Benefits: Medical, Base Schools, Child Care
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied,
dependents not
in ROK
Tricare Medical
Services in
Korea
Receives Primary Care on
base. Enrolled in Tricare
Prime.
Non-CSP dependents in South Korea
receive medical benefits on the
economy for care. Tricare eligible
non-CSP dependents in South Korea
must enroll in Tricare Select and see
a provider off base for primary care
and specialty care. Some medical
services, especially mental health
care and certain pediatric specialties,
may not be available or are
extremely limited on the Korean
market. Please review the Tricare
Overseas (International SOS)
Provider Look up to search for
availability of care which suits your
needs: http://www.tricare-
overseas.com/provider-search
Receives Tricare
plan they select
at the Designated
Location.
Base Schools
Enrolled in DoDEA
Schools on base.
Space Available Only. There are
very few seats. Availability will
change from school year to school
year and school to school.
Review the DoD Education Activity
Guide for non-Command Sponsored:
https://www.dodea.edu/SpaceABrochure
Receives US
public school
education in
accordance with
law if in US.
Base Child Care
Earned based on DoD
Priority. Osan has limited
slots.
Space Available Only.
Earns slot base
on DoD priority
Education and Child Care alternatives: These self-funded options are not DoD affiliated or endorsed and
are open to all.
Off base religious, private, public, and international child care and schools (mostly in Pyeongtaek)
Private or public home schooling programs (non DOD). Community groups do exist.
Living Arrangements
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied,
dependents not in
ROK
Housing
CSP dependents are
eligible to live on base in
military family housing.
Those who live off base
receive an Overseas
Housing Allowance with
Dependents rate.
Non-CSP dependents are not
eligible to live on base. Service
members bringing non-CSP
dependents to South Korea and
who certify it with base finance,
are entitled to the Overseas
Housing Allowance with
Dependents rate for those
dependents who reside in South
Korea. The member may still be
assigned a dorm and not
authorized to live off base.
Receives quarters
or housing
allowance at
designated
location.
Government
“Loaner”
Furniture
Service members and CSP
dependents are eligible to
use government loaner
furniture while awaiting
their furniture to arrive and
before PCS when their
furniture is shipped. The
service is for the service
members and the number
of command sponsored
dependents.
This service is not available to
non-CSP dependents. Service
members who are not assigned a
dorm but live off base, do have a
loaner furniture service limited
to them.
N/A
Government
Appliances
Command Sponsored
families and
unaccompanied service
members receive
appliances (washer, dryer,
dishwasher, stove, and
refrigerator) for the
duration of their tour.
Non-CSP dependents residing in
South Korea are not authorized
government appliances in their
own right. Unaccompanied
service members receive
appliances in their dorm or off
base housing to accommodate
one person.
N/A
Other Benefits, Entitlements, and Services:
Benefit /
Entitlement
CSP with dependents
Non-CSP with dependents
Unaccompanied,
dependents not in
ROK
A USFK Rations
Control Card
All DoD dependents in South Korea, both CSP and non-CSP,
use their service member’s orders to South Korea with the
dependents listed to obtain a United States Force Korea
(USFK) Rations Control Card. The card is required to access
Duty Free Goods from the Commissary (DeCA) and Base
N/A
Exchange/Shoppette/Gas Station (AAFES). The USFK
Rations Control Card is a controlled item the service member
signs for and returns at the end of the tour.
Where available, both CSP and non-CSP Dependents may use the following base facilities and services:
Base Access:
Defense Biometric Identification System (registration is automatic globally now)
Escorting Guest on Base (installation rules and age restrictions apply)
Base Human Resource Office:
Any DoD dependent with an A-3 Visa may apply for base jobs and work on base.
Helping Agencies:
Airmen and Family Readiness Center; Red Cross; Women, Infants, and Children Overseas Program
(WIC)
Base Legal Services
Duty Free Goods (must present USFK Rations Control Card):
Commissary
Base Exchange/Shoppette/Gas Station
Services:
Force Support MWR Facilities, Club Membership, Community Centers, Fitness Centers, Lodging
Education Center College Classes (Space available)
Base Shuttle (Space available)
Veterinarian Services (Osan Air Base; only offered at other select USFK bases)
Post Office Box, Post Office Mailing
Movie Theater, AAFES eateries, base restaurants and cafes, food trucks, concessions
