Department of Defense Education Activity

Wiesbaden MS: PCS Information

When it is time to PCS, please help us best serve you by observing the following guidelines:

1. Notify the registrar at least two weeks before the student's final day of school. If your move will occur over the summer, please notify us at re-registration time. Complete an "Intent to Withdraw" form and provide a copy of your PCS orders.

2. On the next to the last full day of school, the student goes to the registrar before 8:00 and gets a clearance form to be signed by all his/her teachers, the Information Center and the Cafeteria.

3. The student takes the clearance form to every class at which time the teacher writes the grade on the form and collects all materials issued.

4. The student must return the completed form to the registrar at the end of the 2nd day.

5. The sponsor may pick up student records after 2:45 pm, but before 4:00 pm, on the student's last day or as soon as possible after that. Students may not pick up records.

6. If the student has damaged or lost books or materials, the sponsor will need to replace them. Contact the appropriate teacher or registrar to determine the specifics of the items needing to be ordered.

7. Once students have withdrawn, they may not return to school, the school campus, or to the cafeteria to visit friends, classes, or teachers.

Other external sites of interest

For Newcomers

Each year some 250,000 military children move. Moving to a new school. Making new friends. Those are just a few of the stressors that plague teenagers and children of military families more often than their civilian peers. However, help in dealing with the anxiety of yet another permanent change of station can be found at here. (ES) The website is designed especially for teens and children of military families. Additional help can be found about Relocation Assistance, Shipping vs. Storing and also at VisitEurope.com (ES).

Tips:

  1. Traveling In Germany: All military, civilians, and family members, must have a USAREUR driver's license (ES) before they are allowed to operate a vehicle in Germany. You cannot operate a vehicle on an International drivers license, or a state drivers license.
  2. Gasoline is rationed in Germany and may be purchased at the Hainerberg AAFES gas station, or on Mainz Kastel, using an AAFES Gas card. These cards are required and are issued at the PX and can also be used at many ESSO gas stations in town and on the Autobahn in Germany.
  3. German law requires children under 12 years of age and shorter than 4 feet, 11 inches, to be in a child-restraint seat. In addition, lap or shoulder belts are required for children who are age 6 years and up, weigh 48 or more pounds and are shorter than 4 feet, 11 inches.
  4. Soldiers and DoD civilians who are on pinpoint orders to USAREUR may contact the Child and Youth Services (CYS) Central Enrollment Registration Office (CER) at their gaining installation to register their child(ren) on the child care waiting list 60-90 days prior to their arrival. To sign up, parents should fax a copy of their orders to the gaining CER office.
  5. The Telephone System in Germany is different from telephone companies in the United States. The basic measure of time for home phone billing purposes is the unit. Billing will vary depending on the service provider. Home telephones are becoming more rare, as most people use cell phones, or a "handy", as they're called here.
  6. The Euro currency rate changes daily. Economy buying can be expensive in Germany, depending on the dollar to Euro exchange rate. A 18% tax is added on to every purchase that you make. However, the STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT provides an exemption for all DOD personnel. Value Added Tax (VAT) forms can be purchased from the VAT office located on the Airfield, with a satellite office located in the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center on Hainerberg.
  7. Most Army housing and all economy housing are wired for 220 volts, and the standard U.S. 110 volt appliances cannot be used, except with a transformer. Transformers tend to be rather expensive, so plan for this extra cost. Refrigerators, stoves, washer's and driers are usually available from the base.
  8. The Wiesbaden Lodge, located on Hainerberg, is the U.S. American guest house in the Wiesbaden/Mainz area.
  9. The 221st BSB provides a weekday shuttle bus service to aid you in getting around from within the installation as well as our other communities.
  10. The Relocation Assistance office has a lending closet located in the Hainerberg Housing area, building 07790. Basic household items such as irons, ironing boards, dishes, pots and pans, and some baby items,and microwaves can be signed out on a short term loan.