When you get orders for a permanent change of station (PCS), it can be an exciting time. You’ll have the opportunity to live somewhere new while advancing your military career, creating new opportunities for you and your family.

However, leaving your life behind in your old home and starting over fresh somewhere new comes with its own challenges, even if you’re excited. One of the most significant stressors while PCSing is moving and coordinating each step so the process moves smoothly. If you plan appropriately, you can relieve a lot of the stress associated with moving and adjust more easily after PCSing.

8 Tips to Help With Your Military Move

As exciting as it is to PCS to a new duty station, it can also come with stress and anxiety. We’ve compiled a collection of tips to help you make your move as seamless as possible:

1. Set Up Your Move Immediately

As soon as you get your orders, you should start making arrangements as soon as possible. You can receive your orders months from your report date or just a few weeks. Even if your orders are months out, it’s critical to set up your move as soon as possible. During busy seasons, it can be more difficult to get the pickup and delivery dates that work with your schedule. Once your orders are in hand, head to your current installation’s transportation office to start the process.

If you’re PCSing overseas, or a OCONUS PCS, the process is a little more complicated since you’ll need to have your car, household goods, and unaccompanied baggage shipped. Your local transportation office will have information about weight limits and how you can start the process of shipping your bigger items and vehicles overseas. Generally, unaccompanied baggage is shipped via plane so they arrive before you while household goods are shipped via sea.

2. Start Making a Plan

Once you’ve set up your move, you’ll want to start planning how you’re getting to your new duty station. If you’re driving, consider what routes you want to take. Do you plan on stopping? Are you looking for the fastest route, or are you expecting to hit traffic? If you’re flying, account for layovers and unexpected delays. No matter how you plan to get to your new duty station, plan for some wiggle room in case your packing dates change or you encounter delays.

3. Consider What Move Is Right for You

You have a few different options to complete a PCS, so you’ll need to choose which option is best for you:

●Traditional Move: If you choose this option, a military-approved moving company will come to your home, pack up all your belongings, and handle the shipment and delivery to your new duty station. One of the benefits of a traditional move is that the military covers the cost, so you’ll have minimal out-of-cost expenses. However, some items can get lost, stolen, or broken during a traditional move, which is an essential factor to consider.

●Personally Procured Move (PPM): Also called a Do it Yourself (DITY) move, a PPM move means you don’t use a military-approved company. Instead, you handle the process of hiring a truck, packing, loading, and driving to your new moving destination. If you choose a PPM, you’ll pay all the costs upfront, but the military will reimburse up to 95% of the cost. While you likely won’t have to wait as long during busy seasons, it can be challenging and time-consuming to do it all yourself.

●Partial PPM: You can also choose from a combination of traditional and PPM. A moving company will handle most of the move while you transport some personal belongings in your own vehicle. You can keep your most valuable items items inside your personal vehicle so they don’t become damaged during the move. The military will cover the cost of the moving company, and you’ll get a small amount for the stuff inside your vehicle based on the weight.

4. Create a Budget

Even though the military pays for transporting your belongings, whether directly or through reimbursement, you should still create a budget to prevent the need to go into unnecessary debt. Start estimating your expenses, including gas, pet expenses, lodging, and more. Start saving as soon as you can. If you have to move quickly, you may be entitled to a government travel card (GTC), or you can contact your service branch relief organization for a loan or grant.

Saving early can also help you pay the deposits for different utilities you might have, including electric, gas, water, and other essentials. You’ll want to save enough to have these ready to go as soon as you arrive so you’re not sitting in a home without power or electricity for you and your family to use.

5. Research Your New Duty Station

If you have the time before you PCS, you should visit your new duty station to learn as much as possible. However, you may not always have the opportunity for a trip, which is where your sponsor and the internet come in handy.

Anytime you’re PCSing, you’ll be assigned a sponsor to help you with the moving and adjustment process. You can reach out to them for information about your new duty station, including important locations, points of interest, family resources, and more. Your sponsor will have access to some of the best information about your new duty station, but you can also do some extra research to learn more.

You can look up more information on the base’s website, community pages, social media, forums, and more. Talking to other service members and veterans who’ve served at your new duty station can help you gain a better perspective on military life at the specific installation.

6. Create a Packing Checklist to Pack Efficiently

When you get around to packing, you’ll want to start by creating a packing checklist. A well-organized checklist will help you keep track of what’s packed, what’s not, and what you can donate or sell.

You’ll also need to prepare for military movers if you choose to have them pack and handle your belongings. If the military is packing for you, you won’t need to pack anything in advance. Before they arrive, get rid of anything you don’t want to bring with you or pack. Take photos and videos of everything, including proof that your electronics work, so you can file a claim if necessary.

Some other tips for preparing for military movers include:

●Empty all trash from trash cans

●Take everything off the walls

●Gather items into one place

●Wrap cords and place them in bags

If you’re packing and moving yourself, use your checklist to organize your boxes. Write on each box so you know what’s inside. You may also want to pack a “First Day Box” which you’ll bring with you in your personal vehicle and has everything you’ll need on your first night when you don’t feel like packing, including toiletries, chargers, spare clothes, and other essentials.

7. Keep Track of Important Documents

There are a lot of documents you need to establish yourself in a new city or town, especially if you have a family. You’ll want to keep your important documents with you so they don’t get lost or damaged with the moving company. Some documents you’ll want to keep track of at all times include:

●Social security cards

●Birth certificates

●School records

●Vet records

●Medical records

●Passports

●Driver’s license

●Other ID cards

●Car titles

Keep these documents in a folder or another safe place so they’re easily accessible. You can keep them in your glove compartment or secured in a bag while traveling. If you’re making a stop on the way to your new duty station and plan to stay the night somewhere, take them out of the car with you to prevent theft.

8. Plan Your Living Situation at Your New Installation

Consider whether you want to live on or off base. If you choose to live on base, you’ll likely need to get on the waiting list, so it’s best to do this as soon as possible. Call the housing office at your new installation and ask how to get on the waiting list. In some cases, the waiting list can be so extensive that you may need to find temporary housing, so be prepared to find different living arrangements until you’re at the top of the list.

If you want to live off base, start looking as early as possible. You can find local apartments and home listings online. If you’re having trouble finding a home, you can always reach out to a realtor in the area to help you find a house in your budget.

Let MLC Help You Facilitate a Seamless Move

Whether you’re PCSing a few states over, across the country, or overseas, you’ll need plenty of luggage and bags to carry all your belongings. Military Luggage Company stocks a wide selection of bags you can use for travel, including duffles, backpacks, loadout bags, and more. Use them as carry-ons, checked bags, or luggage you can stow in your personal vehicle during your drive. You can also use our bags for military operations, so once you get done traveling, repurpose our gear to carry your tactical equipment and military supplies.

Get started by browsing our selection of high-quality bags, packs, and cases, or contact us with any questions!