Our
Mission: To provide assistance to U.S. Military
Retirees, service members in Thailand about to
retire, and eligible family members of the above. This
service includes maintaining this website with useful links to information and
listing offices that can assist you in areas beyond our charter. This RAO is an
official U.S. Air Force activity staffed by a small group of retired
U.S. military volunteers. We welcome your emails and can assist you and
eligible family members on a walk-in basis. We also maintain an RAO
Newsletter (below) with useful information updates.
If you find broken links on this site, please email us with the broken link!!
How to use this
website: The most important thing to know is that depending upon the web browser you use, some of the links on this website only work if you paste them into your web browser. So, if the link doesn't work, copy and paste into your browser. If it still doesn't work, email us please. Our goal for this website is to
provide information for the most commonly asked retiree questions. We
are not the subject matter experts for most areas, we provide
you links to the offices and agencies who are knowledgeable. We are happy to
answer your questions, but ask that you first familiarize yourself with this website, read each section, as it
contains useful information. Please note the final section at
the bottom of this page whch lists activities we are unable to perform, as they are prohibited.
There is a DEERs office located on the JUSMAGTHAILAND compound which will assist you. Contact them at 02-287-1036 EXT: 180 or 181.
Follow RAO on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RetireeActivitiesOfficeThailand
*RAO Informational Updates*
The RAO has a limited supply of U.S. postal stamps. You must purchase 5 stamps at the cost of 100 baht. As these stamps were donated, the proceeds from the sale will go to VFW Post 9951 Food Bank Fund. The RAO is open Tue/Wed/Thur from 0930 till 1430.
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Agent Orange exposure and VA disability compensation update!!!! Three more presumptive condictions have been added.
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"COVID-19 vaccines approved and authorized for use in the host nation will be covered by TRICARE, even if they are not U.S. FDA approved."
See Link here
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What are my Covid Options overeas? A link from TRICARE not necessarily Thailand-specific. The RAO has no additional info on vaccine availability other than what we have posted on this website.
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Here is a link for you to obtain proof of insurance if you have TRICARE. However, please be advised that the Royal Thai Government does not accept this document; we are simply providing you the link.
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Apply for your U.S. passport renewal by mail! The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok reminds U.S. citizens living in Thailand they are eligible to renew their U.S. passports and/or change their surname on their U.S passport by postage mail. This program saves applicants time and travel expenses. It is easy, convenient, and secure. You can prepare your passport application package at any time and the process takes approximately two to three weeks from the date we receive your application to when you receive your new passport book by mail. You can learn more about this process on the U.S. Embassy Bangkok website page here. NOTE....on U.S. Embassy Bangkok website page link, there is also a very handy infographic How to renew passport by Mail brochure that explains the information graphically.
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Stay Informed, Stay Connected, Stay Safe! The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai encourage retirees living in Thailand to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (SMART). The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in Thailand, help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, and help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. Follow the link here to enroll in STEP on its official website.
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An uncomfortable subject, but necessary one. What should we do to prepare for our eventual passing? The U.S. Embassy has information located here.
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Next Generation Uniformed Services ID Card
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Commonly requested handouts at U.S. Embassy. Good info!!!
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Preparing for a VA
Disability Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exam? Tips
for getting the most from your Department of Veterans Affairs-requested
disability benefits exam" is authored by a medical
doctor here in Bangkok who regulalry conducts these exams. His guide is based upon problems in preparation he sees from patients trying to get disability, and contains tips to overcome these. A second helpful guide is here. Highly recommended read!!!!!
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Agent Orange newsletter is now online!!!!
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VA's
Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry allows eligible Veterans and
Servicemembers to document their exposures and report health concerns
through an online questionnaire.
Eligible Veterans and
Servicemembers include those who served in:
Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi
Freedom/Operation New Dawn; Djibouti, Africa on or after September 11,
2001; Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm; Southwest Asia theater
of operations on or after August 2, 1990
• JUSMAGTHAI - Joint Support Section
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• DEERS
• |
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Location: Bldg. "D", Room
D-109 |
Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
(DSO) |
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DEERS Hours:
" By Appointment Only " |
400 Gigling
Rd. |
To make an appointment go to:
|
Seaside CA
93955-6771 |
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Tel:
1-800-538-9552 |
Enter location: Bangkok Thailand
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The JUSMAGTHAI TRICARE office is
chartered and funded to assist active duty personnel and eligible family members. The TRICARE Office, on a space-available basis, is able to provide limited assistance to the retiree community. This assistance is provided
as a courtesy, mission duties permitting, and only
when TRICARE
Overseas (International SOS, Singapore) is unable to answer your
query. If International SOS is unable to directly answer
your TRICARE questions, JUSMAGTHAI TRICARE may be able to assist you. Please find the coverage costs for TRICARE Select and TRICARE For Life here.
•
Notary Stamp •
AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO NOTARY AVAILABLE - THIS MAY CHANGE WHEN A REPLACEMENT ARRIVES. Notary Stamp. The JUSMAGTHAI Adjutant currently
provides a no-fee Notary Stamp service (duties permitting). The notary stamp is not a seal is derived from U.S. Army authority that may
or may not be accepted outside of the Department of Defense,
particularly if those documents are used in legal
proceedings. Determination of acceptance rests
solely with the entity requesting notarization.
Further, if your document requires the presence of witnesses
in addition to notarization, you must supply those
witnesses. Also, do not sign any documents until
instructed to do so by the Adjutant. If you desire notarization, please first visit the JUSMAG Joint Support
section personnel that issue DoD ID
cards--and tell them the purpose of your visit. They will direct
you to the correct office. Remember, JUSMAG provides this
service strictly as a courtesy.
Note: U.S. Citizen Services
(ACS), U.S. Embassy, Bangkok and U.S. Consulate, Chiang
Mai, provide a fee-based Notarial Service ($50 per embossed
seal). U.S. Embassy: Notary
Services.
• GI Bill
•
The VA
recognizes many Thai institutions of higher learning for the GI Bill,
meaning you can use your Montgomery or Post 9-11 GI Bill at these
institutions. Frequently, only certain departments within
institutions accept the GI Bill. To check which institutions and departments worldwide within that institution accept
the GI Bill, go to the GI
Bill WEAMS website and click on the button "to
search by country, click here." Remember that to use the GI Bill, you
must have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from VA. If you do not have
one, you can apply at eBenefits.
• No
Staff Judge Advocate •
Staff Judge Advocate (SJA). JUSMAGTHAI does
not have an SJA on staff, and hence, is unable to help
prepare a Power
of Attorney (paragraph 4, next section), Living Will (Advanced Medical Directive), or a Last
Will & Testament. You
may consult an attorney or visit one of several online *free
legal forms* websites and have your document(s) notarized (seal)
at the U.S. Embassy / U.S. Consulate General, or chance using a
JUSMAG Army-derived Notary Stamp. U.S. Embassy: Attorney
List | U.S. Consulate: Attorney
List.
• No
Commissary, No BX / PX / NEX, No MWR, No Military Lodging
•
The nearest
facilities are in Singapore.
• No Space-A
Flights •
Space-A. The nearest Space-A is in Singapore
although Clark Air Base in the Philippines is beginning to get more
SPACE-A. Visit our Space-A
section below for more information on the Singapore hub, for the Clark
Space-A here.
U.S. Embassy: Notary Services. (Note: JUSMAG does
not have a Staff Judge Advocate on staff, and hence, is unable
to assist with preparing a Power of Attorney).
• Defense Finance & Accounting
Service •
Defense Finance & Accounting
Service (DFAS)
|
Tel:
1-800-321-1080 or 1-216-522-5955 |
|
U.S. Military
Retirement Pay |
Fax:
1-800-469-6559 |
|
8899 E 56th
Street |
|
Indianapolis IN 46249-1200 |
|
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EYEGLASSES - NOSTRA
- If you are retired military and eligible for other
medical services, you are authorized to receive a limited
quantity of standard issue spectacles per year (click on header) for delivery to a U.S. address.
Email: NOSTRA-CustomerService@med.navy.mil.
• Social
Security Administration (SSA) •
Social Security Administration | United States Embassy | 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita | Manila 0930 Philippines.
Phone: +63 2 5301 2000 option 9 | Fax: +63 2 8708 9714 / +63 2 8708 9723 | Email: FBU.Manila@ssa.gov
| • VA
Benefits - Education • |
|
| |
Education (GI Bill):
1-888-442-4551 |
| |
|
eBenefits is your one-stop shop for online benefits-related tools and
information. This portal is designed for Wounded Warriors,
Veterans, Service Members, their families, and their caregivers.
VA Medical
Facility. *** None in Thailand ***
Planning a
visit or relocation to Thailand? Educate yourself
now, before you arrive:
Foreign
Medical Program (FMP).
VA
Manila Outpatient Clinic |
Guam |
Hawaii |
American
Samoa. If you require
medically-necessary treatment for a VA-rated service-connected
medical condition, you can either pay up front to the
caregiver and file for payment consideration through the VA's
FMP (see next section), or obtain care at a VA medical
facility.
Also, for a visiting veteran from the
U.S., Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the Philippines, FMP will
cover emergency care for a service-connected medical condition,
but normally not entertain a claim for a veteran who comes to
Thailand to circumvent VA health care available to them where
they reside (aka Medical Tourism). Contact FMP directly
to learn more about VA health benefits
before you
travel.
Death
of a U.S. Citizen. U.S. Citizen Services (ACS) (U.S. Embassy or
U.S. Consulate General) is designated to assist family and friends in the
event of the death of an American Citizen in Thailand.
The RAO advises that you plan carefully for funeral arrangements. Local authorities have been known to hold bodies for long periods of time. While the RAO does not endorse private businesses, we welcome reports of international repatriation services in Thailand.
• Survivor
Assistance •
Survivor
Assistance. Please see these links Survivor Assistance, What My Family Should Know, Casualty Assistance Worksheet.
These sources detail typical benefits and typically required information. Numerous documents will need to be assembled. Please include a cover letter detailing your marital history, insurance, and finances. A cover letter helps remove ambiguity and quite possibly helps explain information that is needed to support applications for benefits. Lastly, all Thai language documents require certified English translation. Thai language and certified English translation documents are submitted together. Legalization of Thai documents is no longer required to apply for U.S. benefits. But, Legalization of Thai documents is an option when applying for an ITIN).
|
• U.S.
State Department • |
|
Register with the U.S.
Embassy. American citizens in Thailand are encouraged, even if visiting Thailand for a short time, to enroll with the Embassy’s Consular Section. Being that online
registration requires a nine-digit Passport #, if you
have an older seven-digit # that begins with an alpha character, do not enter the alpha character but do enter two
"zeroes" before your seven-digit #. In the event
of an emergency, the Embassy will provide information and other
critical assistance to U.S. citizens. Registration is
the only way to guarantee that the Embassy is aware of your
presence in the country and is able to contact you and assist
you in such circumstances. Registering also provides
delivery straight to your email inbox Emergency
Messages & Announcements. Registration is fast
and easy and is highly recommended.
• Consular
Services and Visa Info •
You must have an appointment
for non-emergency services. Appointments must be made
on-line by using the ACS Appointment System website.
U.S. citizens who come to the Embassy or Consulate for
non-emergency services, but who do not have an appointment, will not be
able to receive non-emergency services, such as routine
passport applications and renewals, additional visa pages,
notary or report of birth services at that time. Email ACS: acsbkk@state.gov | Telephone ACS:
02-205-4049.
ROYAL THAI EMBASSY AND
CONSULATES-GENERAL IN THE U.S.
Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C.
Consular Office
Royal Thai Embassy
2300
Kalorama Rd. N.W.
Washington, DC 20008-1623
Phone: 202-459-9536
Email: http://thaiembdc.org/contact/
Web: https://thaiembdc.org/
Royal Thai
Consulates-General
Royal Thai Consulate-General, New York
351 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-754-1770 (Consular Section)
Email: info@thaicgny.com
Web: https://www.thaicgny.com/
Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles
611 N. Larchmont Blvd., 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA
90004
Phone: 323-962-9574
Email: info@thaiconsulatela.org
Web: https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/home-2/
Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chicago
700
North Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2504
Phone: 312-664-3129
Email: info@thaiconsulatechicago.org
Web: http://www.thaiconsulatechicago.org/index.php
|
• Some Things
We Cannot Do • |
 |
1. The following referenced topics are
outside of the charter and scope of the RAO, or violate established
directives or federal law.
2. Loan or Gift
Money. The RAO is not an aid organization.
Limited emergency
assistance is available through the U.S. State Department, U.S.
Citizen Services.
3. Promote
Private Businesses. The RAO doesn't promote,
support, or endorse any specific private businesses.
4. Political
Issues. RAO
staff members acting in an official capacity are not
authorized to contact elected officials.
5. Copier
Service & Office Supplies. The copier is
for RAO official use only. There are numerous printing and office
supply stores in Thailand.
6. Employment
Listings. The RAO does not track expat
employment opportunities nor do we participate in
networking. U.S. Federal Jobs: FedsHireVets | OPM | USAJobs | VA
Jobs.
7. The RAO does not
possess unit historical information although the local VFW
Post 9951 has a historian. Concerning service treatment records during the
Vietnam War period, hospitals in Thailand destroyed medical records five
years after a patient's last visit due to the lack of available storage
facilities for the immense volume of records created.
8. Your Income
Taxes. We don't order or print tax
materials, nor do your income taxes. For IRS
info, please start here.
9.
Consular Appointments and Outreach
Schedule. Links to U.S.
State Department info are on this page.
10. Intercountry adoption is governed
by both the laws of the country in which the child lives and
the country in which the adoptive parents live. Important Information on Post Adoption Requirements and obtaining U.S. citizenship.
11. We cannot recover, nor assist in the recovery of, your DoD or other passwords, nor reset accounts.
12. The RAO
regularly receives requests for information concerning Thai
Immigration policy, but we decline to answer
specific questions. The U.S. Embassy (Bangkok) provides some information on Thai Visas for
Americans.
• RAO Comment: The RAO
recommends you direct your questions to the specific Thai immigration
office, embassy, or consulate having jurisdiction over your case or geographic area.
