I think it’s safe to say that no one wants to think about moving over the holiday season. It isn’t the typical PCS season, and we often associate this time of year as the “settling-in months.” Think about it. We’re already into December, and you’re spending your energy doing what? Decorating for Christmas and buying presents? I am!

PCS stress tops the list of military families’ most unavoidable situations. Adding the decision of whether or not to buy a home makes the transition that much more difficult. Finances, emotions, and geography are just a few of the factors that go into making the choice. Couples need open communication as to what their long and short term goals are, so they can commit to a plan that accommodates those goals.

Whether you’re embarking on your first PCS move or your tenth, finding a rental home at your next duty station is the same: you’re in uncharted waters. You’re moving to a new place, with new people and a new culture. As unfamiliar as each move may feel, each one...

At a friend’s house some years ago, I noticed several rooms in her house were empty and taped off like crime scenes. Curious, of course, I wondered aloud about it and was informed these rooms were packed and prepped for PCS and now off limits. The family was down to living in just a couple of rooms in the house.

While this might sound extremely organized, the strangest part to me was that, while they had orders in hand, their impending move was six months away. Six months!