The Epic PCS: The Passport

My not-smiling passport photo.

I have traveled out of the country before, so I did have a passport before this process started. However, I needed a special passport before they would let me on the military flight that is taking my family to Japan. It is called a no-fee passport, and it looks identical to the original except for some fine print.

The first step was to take a new passport picture. My photo from several years ago was taken on a sweaty day in July, so I was pretty sure I could do better. I walked into the photo studio on base, sat where the photographer told me, and smiled. I was shocked to learn that I could no longer smile in my passport photo! Airports are using facial recognition technology, and smiling with teeth distorts your face. I found it very difficult to take a photo without smiling. I was trying to reverse so many years of showing my smile that took years of orthodonture to perfect!

The next step was to obtain a signed application for a no-fee passport from IPAC, or Installation Personnel Administration Center. I printed off the correct form and called the base to obtain the location of this office. I traveled to the office they told me over the phone was the correct one. It was not. They told me they were the legal department. I went to a different building. The marine I ran into first had no idea what I was talking about. He asked his sergeant who had no idea what I was talking about. He told me to try the post office. This was clearly terrible advice. I called the passport office who finally told me the correct building...the one connected to the building with all the clueless marines! I walked into this building. The first marine I met had no idea what I was talking about. He made an announcement to the entire room full of marines, and finally someone had heard of this application! He took me up one flight of stairs to a different IPAC office, and the process was done in about five minutes.

I do need to point out that even though this experience was frustrating, every marine I passed offered to help me. I am sure this had to do with the fact that I stood out like a sundress in a building full of uniforms because that is what I was wearing, but even so it was very chivalrous.

With my stack of paperwork complete it was time to find the passport office. I took a friend with me this time. Christine is also on a journey to get the paperwork done for PCS-ing to Okinawa. The passport office is only open for five hours a day with a two hour lunch, so the timing has to be perfect. We showed up at one pm at the address on the website. The building and the parking lot were deserted. We didn't want to leave the car since a storm was coming, but we had to try the door. It was locked. We walked to the other side of the building and found a map with directions to the new office. It was located in the warehouse district of the base.

Christine cheerfully remarked that we were on a scavenger hunt. I told her that we might be in a horror movie as we traveled to a warehouse from the directions on an abandoned building in the middle of a thunderstorm. We both survived. We had to drive in circles because the directions were wrong, but we did find the right warehouse.

As I filled out more forms in the waiting room, the lady at the passport office yelled at the new marines getting their first passport. She told them exactly how she wanted the forms, and she would not take them any other way! She then turned to me and asked sweetly if I was done. Once again I am so glad I am not a marine! I did not get yelled at like everybody else!

The passport finally came! Yay!!! It is only good while I am a dependent on military orders overseas, so I will have to repeat this process in a few years. Maybe I can keep the same photo....