New Arrivals

Your Sponsor
All newcomers deserve a sincere helping hand getting settled on base, as well as in the community. Your sponsor will help accomplish this, will answer your questions and clear up any concerns you may have about Malmstrom, its facilities or the Great Falls area before you arrive.

Your sponsor will also greet you upon arrival, so let him or her know your travel plans. Throughout your in-processing and the first week at Malmstrom, let your sponsor help, rather than trying to do it all yourself. The purpose of a sponsor is to help you settle as quickly as possible with the least amount of difficulty.

Malmstrom Inn and Suites
The Malmstrom Inn serves as a 24-hour arrival point for the base. The staff will help you contact your sponsor if you have not already done so and provide you with temporary lodging, if required. Reservations are taken 24 hours a day and should be made when you receive PCS orders. Reservations can be made for up to 30 days, and in case of extreme hardship, extensions can be requested through the front desk and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Airmen should report to the Malmstrom Inn, Building 1680 when arriving after duty hours, on weekends or on holidays for assistance with lodging. The reservation number is DSN 632-3394 or commercial (406) 727-8600.

Extended Stay Suites (TLFs)
The extended stay suites consist of 30 units. These units have a kitchenette, a dining and living area, a full bath and a separate bedroom. They are fully equipped with kitchen and eating utensils, small appliances, telephone and color TV. For reservations, call lodging at DSN 632-3394 or commercial (406) 727-8600.

In-Processing
Newly arrived personnel should report to Building 1191, Room 103, to begin in-processing. Individuals should bring the following documents for initial in-processing:
1. Medical and Dental Records (Hand-carried by the member)
2. Unit Personnel Record Group (Unless UPRG is an ARMS or Electric record)
3. Copies of PCS Orders

Once initial in-processing is complete, individuals will be scheduled for their actual base in-processing appointment held in conjunction with the Finance Services Office in Building 1191, Rooms 113 and 114, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 to 11 a.m.

For this appointment, personnel will need the following additional items:

1. Travel voucher documentation such as airfare tickets, with the amount paid, receipts and recruiters assistance letter, if applicable.
2. Any military issued passports.
3. Recruiters Assistance Program sheet (First-term Airmen only).

For further information, contact the Military Personnel Section at (406) 731-4114/3295.

Household Goods and
Unaccompanied Baggage, Traffic Management Office
When preparing for shipment of your household goods and unaccompanied baggage to Malmstrom, your local Traffic Management Office will provide personalized entitlement briefings to you prior to your PCS.

It is advisable to include small house hold items in your unaccompanied baggage. Also, depending on the time of year you are arriving here, seriously consider shipment of warm or cold weather clothing due to the possibility of extreme weather conditions. Upon arrival, immediately contact the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office (JPPSO-COS) in Colorado Springs, Colo., at (800) 771-1819/DSN: 692-9291, to inform them you've arrived on-station and to schedule a delivery date for your personal property.

Housing Office
The housing office has professionals who can help incoming personnel decide whether to live in off-base housing or on-base family housing. The housing management office is located in Building 130 and is open Monday through Friday, 7:15 to 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:45 p.m. For more information, call (406) 731-3056.

On-base: Malmstrom has more than 1,100 military family housing units with many different floor plans and construction to increase housing numbers is ongoing. All units are equipped with central heat, a stove, refrigerator and dishwasher. Most of the units have central air. To be eligible for military family housing, the military member must be in a PCS status with an assignment of six months or more at Malmstrom and be accompanied by dependents. The member must agree to reside in housing for one year before voluntary relocation will be allowed.

An Application for Assignment to Housing, DD Form 1746, may be completed and forwarded through the housing office at the base where you are now stationed. You can expect to wait from 60 days up to two years depending on the type of housing unit you select. The housing office can help you plan for temporary housing while waiting for on-base housing to become available.

Off-base: The Housing Office maintains a current listing of rental properties in the local Great Falls and Cascade County area. However, vacant rentals are sometimes difficult to locate. Average rental prices in the area range from $400 for a one-bedroom unfurnished, $450 for a two-bedroom unfurnished, to $600 for a three-bedroom unfurnished apartment. Four bedroom or larger rentals are scarce with minimum rent starting at $800. Most rentals in the area are unfurnished. The price range for renting single-family homes is considerably higher.

Leases are sometimes required and range from six to 12 months, but many units are available on a month-to-month tenancy. Security deposits range from $150, to a deposit plus the first and last month's rent in advance. Many landlords do not allow pets, and those who do often require a deposit. Homes for sale in Great Falls are available in all price ranges. The average home in the local area, a typical three-bedroom ranch-style home with about 1,000 square feet of floor space, sells for approximately $130,000-$145,000. Before you enter into any rental, lease or sale agreement for off-base housing, you must report to the housing office.

To contact the housing office, send an e-mail to larry.boggs@malmstrom.af.mil or visit http://www. malmstrom.af.mil. For updated off-base housing information, write to:
341 CES/CEH
6945 Goddard Drive
Malmstrom AFB, MT 59402-7508

Pets
If you plan to live in base housing, you must maintain proof of current pet vaccinations. Occupants of base housing are permitted only two pets per household. Pets are not allowed in any of the temporary living facilities such as the Malmstrom Inn or dormitories. There are animal boarding facilities near Malmstrom. You will need to find available facilities for your pet and make arrangements before you arrive.

Visitor Control Center
VISITOR PASSES
Base passes for visitors can be obtained at the Visitor Control Center in Building 192, located adjacent to the 2nd Avenue N. gate. Visitor's requesting vehicle passes must have their current vehicle registration, proof of insurance and a valid driver's license.

Vehicle Registration/
Licensing
In order to operate a privately owned vehicle on base, it must be registered in accordance with state law. Military active-duty are entitled to maintain registration plates from their state of record or the state of their last duty station. However, if the military member or spouse obtains off-base employment, a Montana driver's license must be obtained within 90 days.

If you are not a Montana resident, Montana vehicle registration and license tags may be obtained at a substantial savings by presenting your military ID card and current LES at the county treasurer's office. It would be beneficial if only the active-duty member's name appears on all vehicle registrations.

Winter Driving
Winter in Montana is unpredictable at best. Therefore, winterizing a car and or truck is extremely important. Good heaters and defrosters are vital in winter driving.

Plastic frost and fog shields on the back and side windows may aid visibility. Windshield wiper blades mounted on arms with proper tension are a necessity. An antifreeze additive should be used in windshield wiper fluids that do not already contain an antifreeze solution. A scraper is the best thing to use to remove rain and snow when it turns to ice. Proper tune-ups and winter lubrications are also essential. Enough antifreeze should be used to protect the cooling system to 45 degrees below zero. All-season radial tires with good tread are recommended.

Additional items to consider carrying in your vehicle for winter driving are:
• Winter coat or parka
• Mittens
• Overshoes
• Ice cleats
• Sunglasses
• Blankets
• Tow cable or chain
• Bag of sand
• Jack
• Jumper cables
• Tire chains
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Battery operated radio and batteries
• Small tool kit
• Shovel
• Axe
• Tire and wheel wrench
• Knife
• Flares
• Matches and candles
• Emergency food and water

Honor Guard
The Honor Guard renders military honors for Air Force personnel and their family members during funeral services. They also provide support for parades, retreats, changes of command, distinguished visitors, ceremonies and posting of the Colors. To learn more, or join the Honor Guard, please visit http://www.341fss.com/honorguard for more information.

Safety Office
The safety office conducts an overall mishap prevention program for your welfare. The program covers the following major elements: Sight, missiles, explosives, industrial, recreational and traffic investigations. Education, promotion and publicity are important aspects of keeping informed, as is a system of identifying, reporting and eliminating safety hazards.

The office's motor vehicle safety education program plays an important role in reducing accidents. For motorcycle operators, there is a mandatory motorcycle operating training course, in addition to the evaluation of motorcycle operating skills. Motorcycle drivers must attend a local driving conditions course upon arrival to acquaint you with the unique driving situations you will encounter in the Great Falls area. For more information, call (406) 731-6726/6724.