MOVING TO GUAM

 
Reporting Instructions

A representative or Command Sponsor (sponsor) from your new organization should be available to meet you upon your arrival, provided advance notice of your arrival is received. Your sponsor will assist you by providing necessary transportation and arranging for temporary lodging. If you are not met by anyone and require transportation, local taxis are available at the airport exit. Please report to the Human Resources Office (HRO), Bldg. 200, Commander Joint Region Marianas (CJRM), Guam on the first workday after your arrival.
 

Tour of Duty

The initial tour of duty in Guam is 24 months and begins on the date you report to the Human Resources Office to process in for duty. You must complete this initial tour to earn return transportation entitlements to your home of record in the Continental United States (CONUS). Renewal Agreement Travel (RAT) is authorized for tours in Guam.
 

Return Rights to Continental United States

The Command (e.g., CJRM, Naval Base Guam (NBG), NCTS, NSAAG, MCAG, etc.) authorizes return rights to employees on a transportation agreement who accept a permanent change in station (PCS) to Guam. This means you have rights to return to the position you held prior to accepting an assignment to Guam for a period of five years. Once you complete five years on Guam and do not return to the position you have return right to, you will lose return rights. To return to CONUS without return rights, employees may register in the Priority Placement Program (PPP) within six months of the end of their transportation agreement. Return transportation to your home of record is earned after the prescribed tour of duty is completed.
 

Renewal Agreement Travel (RAT)

Employees may be eligible for RAT after completing the initial 24-month tour of duty. Eligibility is subject to the negotiation of a new transportation agreement for 24 months. Employees may travel to and from their home of record (place of actual residence at time of hire) or to an alternate destination. You will need to check with the Civilian Personnel Flight for specific conditions governing travel to alternate destinations.
 

Leave

Home Leave. Employees accrue fifteen (15) calendar days of Home Leave annually which can be used while in an Overseas Tour status.

Annual Leave. Employees accrue a maximum of 360 hours of Annual Leave while in an overseas tour status. The 360 hours of accrued annual leave balance will remain on your leave records once you return to the US as long as you do not go below the 360 hours.

 

COMPENSATION, LOCALITY PAY, COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE,
& NON-FOREIGN POST DIFFERENTIAL

Living in Guam is very expensive! To help offset this high cost, General Schedules (GS) employees receive a 16.82% locality pay (included in the salary table at SALARY TABLE 2024-RUS (opm.gov). In addition, GS employees receive 12.04% cost of living allowance (COLA) in addition to their basic pay. The rate of COLA is based on the cost of living in Guam compared with the cost of living in Washington D.C. This rate is subject to annual review and may change without notice. Eligible GS employees also receive a Non-Foreign Post Differential (NFPD) set at 12.96% of their annual base pay. 

The COLA is not subject to federal income tax; however, it is subject to state income tax. The NFPD is taxable. The amounts for COLA, NFPD, and Locality Pay are subject to change, so please check with the Human Resources Office before accepting an offer for employment. 

Federal Wage Systems (FWS); i.e., WG, WL, WS, employees do not receive COLA or NFPD; however, their wages are based on annual locality wage surveys, and cost of living adjustments are included in the basic hourly wage rate. All FWS salaries are subject to both Federal and State income taxes. https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/901/901R-25Jan2024.pdf In addition, eligible FWS employees currently receive a 20% Non-Foreign Pay Differential (taxable).

COMPARISON SNAPSHOT FWS 2024        
  Guam  Pearl Harbor, HI Bremerton, WA Norfolk, VA Portsmouth, NH
Entitlements         
Hourly Rate 29.18 35.43 34.74 29.89 32.27*
Annual Salary 60,899 73,942 72,502 62,380 67,347
Pay Differential (if eligible) 12,180        
Total  73,079 73,942 72,502 62,380 67,347
Leave, Benefits, & Rotation           
Home Leave (if eligible) 15 days         
Annual Leave Carry Over (if eligible) 45 days        
Foreign Rotation after 5 years N/A N/A      
Return Rights (if applicable) Yes  Yes      

Comparison captured at the WG-10, step 1
*Special Rate Table AC-B087
 

COMPARISON SNAPSHOT GS 2024        
  Guam  Pearl Harbor, HI Bremerton, WA Norfolk, VA Portsmouth, NH
Entitlements         
Annual Salary (w/locality) 86,962 90,662 97,376 88,183 98,240**
Base Salary 74,441 74,441 74,441 74,441 74,441
Cost of Living Allowance* 8,962 6,625      
Non-Foreign Post Differential (if eligible)* 9,648        
Total 105,572 97,287 97,376 88,183 98,240
Leave, Benefits, & Rotation          
Home Leave (if eligible) 15 days        
Annual Leave Carry Over (if eligible) 45 days        
Foreign Rotation after 5 years N/A N/A      
Return Rights (if applicable) Yes  Yes      

Comparison captured at the GS-12, step 1
*Combined total cannot exceed 25%