Arrival & In-Processing

Once service members and their families arrive in Alaska, Airmen and Soldiers go through slightly different processes to join their gaining units.

For Airmen, the Arctic Warrior Orientation Center (AWOC) is a one-stop shop for in-processing. This facility allows service members to in-process within 5 duty days.

After Airmen arrive, they must report to AWOC within 24 hours to be scheduled for in-processing. AWOC is located at 7153 Fighter Dr. in the North Star Inn.

The five-day orientation course focuses on helping resolve those transitional challenges of housing, household goods, car shipment, and other family matters associated with getting settled at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Experts from personnel, legal and traffic management are on site twice a week.

If you have any questions or encounter any problems during in-processing, call the AWOC at 552-6619. For assistance after duty hours, call the 24-hour arrival point at 552-2454.

Upon arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Soldiers must sign in at the Welcome Center in Building 600, Room 103. The Welcome Center is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for in-processing. After 5 p.m., a Staff Duty is available to sign you in off leave only and to contact your unit for a sponsor.

Soldiers arriving at the Anchorage airport can call the Welcome Center at 384-0425 for transportation to the Welcome Center. Soldiers arriving in Alaska from Oct. 1 to May 1 must arrive with their Gortex jacket, trousers and gloves due to possible extreme frigid temperatures.

Soldiers MUST have Concurrent Travel in order to be authorized to bring their family with them when initially arriving to Alaska and in order to be paid for the dependent travel. This travel decision MUST be processed through the losing installation Levy Section BEFORE PCSing to Alaska.

If family members travel BEFORE they are authorized, YOU will NOT be reimbursed for their travel. If you are authorized to bring your family members to Alaska with you initially, their names must be listed on your orders.

If your family is with you in concurrent travel status, you will be sent to lodging, which is open 24 hours a day. Lodging is available on a space-available basis for Soldiers without reservations, arriving at or departing on permanent change of station orders.

All personnel traveling on PCS orders are required to check with the Lodging Office before seeking transient accommodations off post.

Only Family Housing can authorize a Temporary Lodging Allowance; you must check in with them as soon as you are scheduled for in-processing.

TLA is available for single Soldiers in the pay grade of E-6 and above, married Soldiers in all grades arriving without family members due to deferred travel and for all married Soldiers on concurrent travel who are accompanied by command-sponsored family members. TLA is authorized to partially offset the cost of temporary lodging for the first 20 days after arrival, unless government housing is immediately available. TLA can be extended on a case-by-case basis.  read more...

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