Dress is usually informal and lightweight and clothing is comparable to that worn during the hottest months in the United States. For women, the dress is usually shorts, jeans, skirts, t-shirts, tops, and casual dresses during the day. In air-conditioned offices, women may prefer long pants, long sleeved shirts and sweaters. There are several formal events every year. Floor-length formal gowns and cocktail dresses are suitable for women and suits and tuxedos are appropriate for men. There are also occasions, including Asian Pacific Heritage Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, where a costume is appropriate.

For men, short sleeved sport shirts or t-shirts with shorts or slacks are typical. Men wear long trousers and Hawaiian shirts or dress shirts for parties and church.

Girls usually wear shorts or jeans and tops or summer dresses. Boys normally wear short sleeved sport shirts or T-shirts with shorts or jeans and, on occasion, long cotton dress pants. Some people find a need for a lightweight jacket or sweater to combat overactive air conditioners at work and home and for cooler evenings outdoors. Wash-and-wear clothing is convenient.

Sandals, sneakers and safety work shoes are the most prevalent daytime footwear. Fancier shoes and sandals are worn on more formal occasions. It is wise to bring along a pair of water shoes for reefing and other popular water-related activities. Because of the coral composition of the island, some type of footwear is desirable at all times, except when swimming. In some areas it is advisable to wear footwear even when swimming.

Because Kwajalein is close to the equator, the sun is intense. Bring high-SPF sunscreen, hats and sunglasses for the entire family. These items can also be purchased on-island.

Lightweight, breathable, raingear is essential and is sometimes not available on-island.

Adults (with the exception of food service and daycare workers) are not required to receive any vaccinations; however, it is recommended, that they receive a Hepatitis A vaccination. All adults should be current on standard immunizations and should make sure that their shot re-cords are up-to-date.

For children up to five years of age, routine preschool vaccinations are recommended.

Students are required to have the Hepatitis A and B series and the chicken pox vaccination (or documentation of having had chicken pox) to enter the Kwajalein school system. Students should also be current on standard immunizations and have up-to-date shot records.

Standard immunizations and vaccinations, as well as a limited variety of others that may be required for vacation destinations, are available at Kwajalein Hospital.

Travel arrangements for your move to Kwajalein Atoll will be made by your employer through their Human Resources office. They will advise you about flight schedules and hotels as well as make appropriate reservations.

Air travel time from the West Coast to Hawaii is approximately six hours. Travel time from Hawaii to Kwajalein is five to six hours. The time difference from the West Coast to Kwajalein is four hours earlier (five hours during daylight-saving time), plus one day ahead, as Kwajalein is located on the other side of the International Date Line. Example: 11:00 a.m., PST Monday, in Los Angeles, is 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, on Kwajalein. There is a two hour (and one day) difference between Hawaii and Kwajalein all year round, as Hawaii does not observe daylight-saving time.

Honolulu (or Hono as the Kwaj residents call it) and surrounding areas of Oahu Island offer ample opportunities for recreation and shopping. If you had any difficulty finding tropical items before leaving home, they are readily available year round in Honolulu. The Ala Moana Shop-ping center near Waikiki, the Pearlridge Mall in Aiea, the Kahala Mall near Diamondhead, and the Waikele Shopping Center in Waipahu are popular shopping areas with a wide variety of

stores. If you do some shopping, be aware of your potential airline baggage restrictions. Many Kwajalein travelers find it useful to have some spare luggage space when going through Honolulu in order to have room for these last minute items.

Your flight from Honolulu to Kwajalein will be on Continental Micronesian Airlines. Continental Micronesian Airlines operates out of the Honolulu International Airport. All travelers, regardless of airline, are to present valid travel orders for Kwajalein and a passport. Your travel office can advise you on check-in times, locations and procedures.

Continental operates three inbound flights per week from Honolulu to Kwajalein arriving on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and three outbound flights per week to Honolulu departing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. All flights to and from Kwajalein stop on the island of Majuro. The Continental City Ticket Office (CTO) is located at the mini mall on Kwajalein. The Continental agents can assist you with travel arrangements as well as hotel and car reservations for your trip.

Continental can also help you plan trips to the other islands in Micronesia and offers holiday packages to destinations such as Kosrae, Pohnpei, Guam, Manila, and other destinations west of Kwajalein.

In addition to hand carried and checked personal luggage, there are two ways to transport your belong-ings to Kwajalein: sea shipment and the U.S. mail.

Individuals and families traveling to Kwajalein with the military, civil service, and some contractors, are authorized an air shipment. For DoD personnel, DA Pamphlet 552 contains a list of authorized air shipment items. For DoD personnel, check with your transportation office for details. For contractor personnel, check with your travel office. It takes an average of 30 to 40 days transit time.

Your sea shipment will include the bulk of your household goods. Movers pack items just as they would for any move and the cartons are then transported to a loading site. The cartons are specially crated, stenciled and loaded into shipping containers which are transferred to a barge and shipped to Kwajalein. Normally, a sea shipment takes an average of 60 to 75 days.

The U.S. mail is a good way to ship some of the items you will want as soon as you arrive. The weight and size limits are 70 pounds and 108 inches, length and girth combined. Contact your local post office for rates, fees and additional information. Please note that mail, on aver-age, takes at least two weeks to arrive from the states.

No matter how early you ship your household goods to the islands, there is no assurance that they will be waiting for you on your arrival. If there are some items you will need the day you arrive, it is best to bring them with you or mail them ahead to your post office box (arranged by your sponsor). Check with your hiring organization when packing out for a time estimate of your shipment’s arrival.

Some items cannot be shipped to Kwajalein. These include cars, boats, motorcycles, any motorized modes of transportation including scooters, all-terrain vehicles, campers, aircraft, heavy shop equipment, satellite antennas, plants, building materials, hazardous materials and firearms.

Several recommendations are applicable to sea and air shipments. If the movers will be packing shipment and storage items all on the same day, it is a good idea to separate items and set aside and label one room for each group. For insurance purposes, keep a careful inventory of all items shipped. One system is to list the contents of each box separately. You may want to bring a few medium weight clothes to the island in case you return to the States during winter months.

All employees and their families traveling to Kwajalein Atoll must have a current passport. United States personnel who work at USAKA/RTS and their family members are exempt from obtaining a RMI passport and/or visa. You will be issued Travel Orders that you will need to present at the Honolulu International Airport upon boarding the plane for USAKA/RTS.

When packing personal luggage, keep suitcases and carry-ons to a minimum to conform to airline weight limits and for ease of handling. Suggested items for packing in a carry-on are: alarm clock, small radio, camera, prescription drugs (30 to 90 day supply) and a copy of the prescription, extra set of prescription glasses and a copy of the prescription, sunglasses, personal papers, passports, birth certificates, insurance papers, hair dryer and infant needs or toys for children. You may want to leave room for en-route purchases such as tropical clothing in Hawaii. Please contact your air carrier regarding maximum size weight and number of bags allowed.

these respective maximums, a wait list is established. Only cats are allowed in single bachelor quarters. Dogs or cats are allowed in family housing. All pets must be at least six months of age, spayed or neutered, have current vaccinations, a health certificate issued within the last 10 days of travel, an ISO compliant microchip, and be approved prior to travel. Pet owners must contact the Veterinary Clinic on Kwajalein at (805) 355-2017 regarding entry procedures. Pet owners should contact the airlines for travel rules. There are dog and cat breed restrictions and owners must clear their animal with veterinary services prior to starting the importation process. Pets with health conditions may not do well on Kwajalein as their needs may not be fully met.

Pet owners are responsible for the cost of shipping a pet to Kwajalein or Roi-Namur. There is an annual registration fee. All pets must be on a leash or inside their living quarters. Owners must properly dispose of pet waste. Owners must take their pets when permanently moving from Kwajalein or Roi-Namur.

If your animal requires special food or medication, you should have a plan to have it shipped to you during your time on Kwajalein or bring it with you. AAFES PXtra carries only a limited selection of dog and cat food (no prescription diets) and treats.

Privately owned weapons, such as handguns and rifles, BB guns, archery equipment, any device that is capable of firing a projectile, or privately owned ammunition are strictly prohibited on U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA). There are circumstances when personnel arrive on USAKA in personal watercraft carrying these prohibited items. These items must be surrendered at the police station for the duration of the owner’s stay; a police escort must provide transportation both to and from the dock for safety purposes. In the event transiting personnel hire on with a local organization and become permanent residents, their prohibited items must remain at the police station for safekeeping; privately owned ammunition will be destroyed.