What’s it like being stationed in Japan in the US ARMY?

SFC (Join to see) - Sad how things change; BUT even when I went for an ACCOMPANIED tour; some household goods and my vehicle, I was only there for three months or so! Why? DA had sent something like 140 TOO MANY NCO's.
When DA called me one afternoon and asked, "Where in the States do you want to go?" I suggested that they pull back someone else who was a short-timer, but the SOFA required that those sent OVER whatever the limits were, had to be reassigned. Dumb! (Long story here!) Now, EVERY "dream sheet" I had EVER filled out, Navy AND Army, I asked for the West Coast, but ALWAYS got the East! Figuring I'd outsmart the system (LOL), I said, "Send me back to Walter Reed (the original one in D.C.). He said he'd see what he could do.
Called me back the next day & said, "Sorry. Reed has no NCO slots." I was THRILLED and figured, "Presidio, or Lewis, or Ord, 'here I come!'" He continued, "I got you close though. You're going to- Fort Belvoir, VA."
I said, "NO WAY ... I want the WEST COAST!" He asked, "Then why did you say Reed?" I told him about the years of "dream sheet" thing ... he said, "Oh, well yeah; BUT when MP's do a tour with ASA, we get them as close to where they want as we can." DUH!!

SSG Bill McCoy that's a shame. I can definitely say that Okinawa has been the best location of my career so far

I enjoyed it while there, and really did wan to stay despite it being ASA which is BORING for someone used to actual Law Enforcement duty - what used to be termed, "White Hat MP." ASA was nice - the PM was just a 2LT but trusted his NCO's (I was an E5 then). Our OPNS NCO was a SFC MP and he too trusted his NCO's. Even as a relatively new SGT, I was the ranking one so i got tasked with updating the Desk Sgt and communications SOP's which was great experience.
My next duty station turned out to be THE best, and it was my last duty station. I was on orders to the "Garrison MP Company," but when I checked in at MilPerCen, they said, "Oh! You're a Sergeant. You're not going to that unit - you're going to a 'STRAC' unit!" I asked what that was and he said, "Oh, you'll find out!" It was a tactical MP Company and it was GREAT. Ended up getting police classes form the N. VA Community college during our 6-week Training Cycle; classes at the D.C. PD and with VA State and Fairfax County PD, and even got SWAT training at the FBI Academy which was truly awesome!
So, sometimes what SEEMS to be like getting the shaft, turns out to be THE best thing!

Concur with all comments above, Okinawa was a great assignment, but then again the 97th MP Bn aint to bad either