FIELD PERSONNEL RECORDS: There are various other records
which you should be sure to have before you leave your
old station. These records include Form 4 and 11 (Your
field personnel records); Dental & Medical Records;
538's (Individual supply records); Current weapons qual-
ification for the M-16 and .38 cal; GI dirver's license
or current civilian license. The best answer is to make
yourself a check list and insure that you have them all!

CLOTHING (MILITARY): The normal duty uniform for non-flying
is either fatigues or 1501's. It is adviseable to bring
2 or 3 sets of fatigues and 2 sets of 1505's (or more).
You are authorized 4 sets of summer flying suits, however
bring as many as you can, up to 7. Do not attempt to 
dress up your flying suits or fatigues. The fatigue
uniform for non-flying consist of U.S. Air Force (white
on blue) over the left pocket and your Last Name (white
on blue) over your right pocket. On flying suits and 
fatigues to be used for flying the requirement is black
name tag (right side) and U.S. Air Force (left side) with 
grade on shoulders in black (Major's lightly trimmed in 
gold, Lt Colonels trimmed in silver), and no wings or 
other patches. Fatigue hats are required for flying. 
For 1505's, insure you have the standard plastic name 
tag (white on blue) in your possession. This is a must
item with the Wing Commander! There is no need for your
mess dress or garrison hat and you would be wise not to
bring them because of the high humidity and mildew. You
may, on occasion, have a need for one lightweight blue 
uniform. Flight caps are the standard item for wear with 
1505's or light weight blues and they are very scarce.
Recommend you bring at least 3 with you. You will be
issued at least 1 pr of jungle boots when you arrive, how-
ever, bring at least 1 pair of flying boots with you.
You should bring at least one summer flying jacket also.
Buttons for fatigues and 1505's are also in short supply,
so we would suggest you bring a small quantity of these.

CIVILIAN CLOTHES: Don't bring an excess of civilian
clothes with you and what you do bring, try to make
them wash and wear short sleeve shirts and lightweight
pants. Dry cleaning is expensive and usually unsat-
isfactory. It is advisable to bring one light weight
suit of sport jacket for use during R&R or while on 
leave. Wool clothing mildews very rapidly - cotton
should be substituted where possible. Travel light 
and bring only items you can afford to discard dur-
ing or at the end of your tour. Many items will
rust or rot (particulary leather items). "Hush-
puppie" type shoes are excellent for this climate
and require minimum maintenance. Remember, most 
laundries are the "beat with a rock to clean" type
so don't bring clothes you want to take back!

PERSONAL ITEMS: Some quick tips on personal items:
Get a plastic type wallet - leather rots
Alarm clocks are hard to get -bring one.
"Letter writing recording tapes" are available.
Have your inbound mail addressed to "Box J-56, 360th
Recon Sq, APO San Francisco 96307 HOLD FOR ARRIVAL".
Get your watch cleaned and adjusted before you leave.
If you have a new type razor (the one that has the 
blade on a roll) forget it for now - no replacements 
are available -
If you have time and desire, mark all your cloth-
ing with name & AFSN-

PAY POLICY: No government checks will be issued to 
you. You will be paid once monthly in the Officer's
club with MPC's (Script). You may select any amount
you wish to be paid here, as the $200.00 limit no 
longer applies. You may purchase money orders (not to
exceed your monthly pay) or the finance office here
will send a check in any amount you designate, via
allotment, to your stateside bank. They have recently
opened AMEXCO  branches and you can have a checking
account opened. Green (US Dollars) are not allowed
in this country and the penalty is high for possession.
All military concessions use MPC and in some cases, pre-
paid chit books.

PIASTERS: (or "P's" as they are called locally) is Viet-
nams' only money. They may be purchased at Base Fin-
ance or at the BOQ's or USO downtown, at the rate of 118
to the dollar. P's are used on base for haircuts, laundry
an local gift shops.

ARRIVAL:
  Commercial: Upon your arrival you will be met at the
Airport by a member of the Base Personnel Processing Section.
You will pick up your baggage, change all U.S. Dollars and 
then be transported to the Base Personell Processing Section.
Upon arrival the Personnel people will give about a 30 min
briefing and require you to fill out certain forms, give
copies of your orders etc - About a total time of 1 hr. You
will also be told when you will start actual processing.
(Normally the next full day). Immediately after this brief-
ing get to a phone and call us at EX 4182 or 4609. We will
pick you up and get you settled and you won't have to spend
the night in the transient billets!

  Ferry Crews: We will meet you and park the aircraft,
unload your baggabe, turn in your personal survival equip-
ment, change your money and transport you to the BOQ and 
schedule you for the Personnel processing.

Our Squadron processing is brief and designed to get the 
most accomplished in the minimum amount of time with the
least delay to the individual. Return the forms re-
quested in page 6 and it will cut it down even more.

WEAPONS: Personel weapons are not authorized in this
country except for inbound ferry crew members - Be sure
to have them authorized in your orders if they are 
issued to you!

BILLETING: This unit has a new an fairly modern 
(in Vietnam standards) BOQ, where you will be billeted
upon arrival. Most of out officers are located in this 
one villa which makes recall convenient if necessary, and
your transportation requirements to and from work are 
taken care of. It is located about 1/2 mile from the
front gate and is extremely convenient. Maid service is
in use and they take care of cleaning the room, shining
shoes, sewing, etc. Laundry service is available and is 
satisfactory. The total cost is about $8 per month.

TRANSPORTATION: You will find the Saigon area extremely 
congested and transportation extremely difficult - if 
not next to impossible at times. For traveling down 
town the best transportations is the base busses. There
are local taxiis whose prices vary with the weather.
As noted above, the squadron furnishes transportation 
to and from the BOQ on a regularly scheduled basis.
However, be prepared to walk considerable more than you 
have done in the past! Some individuals have purchased 
motot scooters/cycles but the Base has imposed specific 
requirements on purchasing which will be explained to 
you upon arrival.

BASE FACILITIES: Although  this is a combat zone, we 
here at Tan Son Nhut enjoy many of the benefits offered 
stateside bases. The Post Exchange on Tan Son Nhut is 
small in comparison but is fairly well stocked in
basic essentials. Occasionally they have radios, tape 
recorders and like items but don't plan on just walking 
in and buying! The commissary is located at Cholon, 
some 5 miles from the base and is fairly well stocked.
Again it is on a first come, first served basis so be 
prepared.

SPECIAL SERVICES:  This program is constantly being 
improved to give personnel assigned here the best 
possible recreational available. As of this date the 
facilities include Tape Recording Center, Photo Lab,
Library, Basketball courts, Handball courts, Wood 
hobby shop, Weightlifting room and ogher facilities 
of this type. There are also facilities off base which
includes a golf course, swimming pool and Army operated
recreational facilities.

CLUBS: All of the clubs (Officer's NCO's and Airmen
are overtaxed due to the large number of personnel 
here. All in all they are doing the very best they
can and you will find them more than adequate. Most 
personnel eat at the facilities whild on base, but 
there are several BOQ's and civilianj restraurants 
in downtown Saigon available to all military personnel.

LEAVE & R&R: During your tour here you will be auth-
orized one 7 day leave and one 7 day R&R. As the pro-
gram changes from time to time, you will be briefed
on this upon your arrival.

CLIMATIC DARD: Inclosed you will find a card published
by our local weather people showing you a year round
temperature, precipitation and humidity record for this
area. Please make note and bring a plastic type rain-
coat - when it rains here, it really pours!

PERSONAL INFORMATION: Inclosed are forms that we would
like you to fill out and return to us as soon as possible.
It is our policy to have as much of your squadron proc-
essing completed as possible so that your arrival can 
be made easier. You will find a self-addressed envelope
for your convience in returning this info to us.