Time to delurk because I'm not liking what I'm reading in this thread.
To the OP, young man, you are PCSing to GERMANY! GERMANY! You are going to spend the next several years in EUROPE! (unless this is TDY)
Your flight to and from the continent, room and board will all be paid for by Uncle Sam. And you'll be protected from German laws by the SOFA agreement (not that you'll be breaking any laws, but it's nice to know).
The next few years should be devoted to TRAVEL, not women.
The opportunities for you to travel while there are almost limitless!
Females should be VERY low on your list of priorities while you're over there. The women, whether here stateside or over there, will always be around...but...you will not always be in Europe.
Travel young man! See everything you possibly can while you're over there. Sure, you might get back to Europe later in your military career, or after you retire...but what if you don't ?
Take advantage of this opportunity NOW!
While you are still stateside:
1. Buy a good quality map of Europe and another one of just Germany. Start picking out places to visit. Cities, battlefields, monuments, whatever. Make a prioritized list and keep the maps and list with your PCS stuff.
2. Get a passport! (unless you already have one). This will allow you to better blend in while travelling (better than having to show military ID and leave/pass papers).
3. Buy a German phrase book and a German/English dictionary. Make sure the phrase book has an example of a train schedule. Look at the book and go online and learn how to read the train schedule. Germany has a tremendous public transportation system, and you can get just about anywhere on the continent by train.
4. Make sure you have a good quality briefcase or planner/binder to store all your PCS stuff. Keep extra copies of your orders, clearing papers, shot records and medical records in your luggage. Shot records are vital if you end up deploying somewhere else.
Once you arrive in country:
1. Get the civilian telephone numbers for your unit CQ, battaltion and brigade Staff Duty, MP station, and the American Embassies in Germany. Put them all on a piece of paper and make a copy of it. Laminate them both and keep one in your wallet and the other with your travel bag (the one you'll take with you when you are out and about in Europe).
2. Go to the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation office on post and get trip and travel flyers for everyplace on the list you made stateside. If they don't have a flyer then ask the staff for help in planning a trip. Make the staff there your friends.
3. Buy a quality overnight bag at the PX. Go with a small rucksack design, but one that is CIVILIAN. You don't want to attract attention while you are out. This is the main bag you will use when travelling on the continent. Keep a small survival kit in there: first aid items, pain reliever, Rolaids and Pepto Bismol, a sewing kit, duct tape, candy or treats and a lighter if you smoke.
4. Don't get caught up with the Barracks Rat crowd. These are guys who spend their tour 80% on post and 20% off post at a crappy, loud, smoke filled bar. And they're drunk almost 100% of the time. And don't buy a $3,000 stereo system either, use that money to travel.
5. Kick ass while you're on duty. Be Soldier of the Month every single duty day. This will better your chances of taking regular 3 day or even 4 day passes. And if you can't take many passes, then use your accrued leave. Yes, use your leave days, screw going home mid-tour. Stay there and TRAVEL.
6. Eat in the chow hall if you have a meal card. Pay only for the amazing food you can get off post in every single country you'll visit.
7. German Beer. German Beer is the best beer in the world. All other "beer" should be properly reclassifed as piss-poor colored water when compared to German Beer. Enjoy it, but don't become an alcoholic.
8. Bicycles. Europe is very bike friendly. You can even take it with you on the train. Consider buying a good mountain or touring bike from the PX. Ride your bike around the general area you are stationed if you don't want to go too far.
9. Camera. If you don't already have a good digital camera then buy one. Take pictures of EVERYTHING. My one major regret was not taking more pictures, a LOT more pictures. I have many treasured memories of Europe, but I wish I had the pictures to prove them.
10. Volksmarching. Do as many as you can. If you don't buy a bike then use your "down" weekends to go Volksmarching. You should find people in your unit who regularly go to them (it's like a drug for some people, but a very healthy drug). I guarantee you'll find some friends to walk with, and you'll have fun.
Alibi Rounds - ask your First Sergeant about qualifying for the Schuetzenshnur. That's the German Army marksmanship badge. Most Army units should have a partnership with a local German Army unit. You go out and qualify with each other's weapons and you can wear the badge on your Class A uniform.
If you bank stateside check and see if they have a branch in Europe. If not ask if they have any special programs for active duty military.
If you haven't been overseas before then start thinking now about what you are going to take in your luggage, what you are going to ship overseas to join you at your unit, and what you will put in storage until you return stateside.
Make sure your SGLI is up to date.
That's enough, but PLEASE take my advice: put the women on a very low priority while you're there and spend as much time and money as you can TRAVELLING!
Good luck.