Ultimate PCS One-Stop
If you are PCSing this year, then you’ve come to the right place!
Here at Mission: Milspouse, we’ve faced our fair share of relocations, DITYs, government moves, overseas stints, and everything in between. We’ve been there and done that, and we have the stickers to prove it.
With all that experience, we know how stressful it can be. Packing and loading means moving all of your belongings—special things, irreplaceable things—and none of us really want things broken or damaged. While we can’t ensure there won’t be casualties of PCS, we can help you prepare to make the move a little smoother.
We know it’s a lot of information, so we want to break it down into smaller sections, as you can see below. Welcome to your ULTIMATE PCS One-Stop.
When your service member comes home with the words “we got orders,” you probably immediately begin making a mental list of all the PCS prep you need to do. We get it! It’s so many things, and none of us want to forget an important part.
The Exceptional Family Member Program, or EFMP, is military wide. However, there are some key differences in how branches implement the program which could impact your PCS. Namely, the Navy and Coast Guard have a category system; the other branches consider on a case-by-case basis.
You have received those beautiful orders and can officially begin preparing for your upcoming PCS! Now comes the fun part… As you prepare for your big move and start thinking about packing your belongings, we have some tips to keep in mind, regardless of whether you’re pre-packing for your movers or are moving yourself.
Moving brings on a whole set of expectations, frustrations, and stress. I have yet to meet someone who looks forward to the PCS process. However, I’d like to challenge you to take a fresh perspective into your next PCS season through a new series, The Ultimate PCS Handbook: Take Command of Your Move. This series explores tips from seasoned spouses and veterans who have been there, done that. Because of the intricacies of moving, this series is a big one, so be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
The first decision families make when they learn about an upcoming PCS move is whether to go with the standard military contractor or to manage the move on their own. Personally Procured Moves, or DITY (Do-It-Yourself) moves as they were once known, are a popular option because Uncle Sam incentivizes military families with a one-time cash payment. The advantage is that families that choose the PPM route and have the resources to plan ahead often come out with some extra cash.
Planning a PPM move piece-by-piece over several months is often the best way to avoid stress and focus energy making the transition easier for kids–who, quite often, collect the most anxiety in the process.
Summer time is upon us. It’s the season of BBQ, pools, beaches, and carefree sunny days. This is also known as PCS season.
A season of chucking all of your earthly possessions into a truck hopefully headed for a new duty station, repeatedly throwing your kids some chicken nuggets in the back row for the 32-hour drive, and reminding yourself that you won’t get any of your husband’s SGLI if you murder him for stopping for the 500,000th time for a pee break.
If you own pets, you probably already have some extra tricks up your sleeve when it comes to moving. However, if it’s been awhile, or if you’re moving for the first time with your furry friend(s), there are a few key things to remember. Whether you’re moving across the country or across the world, check out helpful information for relocating with pets.
An overseas PCS, also referred to an OCONUS PCS, is a whole new experience if you’ve never done one before. It requires many additional steps and decision making than a regular CONUS PCS. Some find it stressful because they can’t move anything themselves other than what they can pack into suitcases or mail ahead. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with a step-by-step look to guide you through the prep, packing, and moving, from start to finish.
We here at Mission: Milspouse want to take the some of the guesswork out of the need-to-knows about duty stations around the globe. Hence, our Embrace Your Base series.
Here you can find information about duty stations around the country. We even showcase locations in Japan, South Korea, Germany, Belgium, and Italy. In total, we currently feature 45 military duty station locations around the globe, with more added on the regular. Oh, and if you don’t see your current (or previous) duty station, email us via blog@missionmilspouse.org and let’s collaborate to get a post written up about your chosen location.
Many spouses have contacted us, asking, “What’s command sponsorship, and how do we get it?” We’ve got you covered!
It can seem like an initially daunting process, but it’s been done before (and will undoubtedly be done thousands of times per year. We hope this resource gives you just a little boost as you get ready to travel the world with your service member.
Mission: Milspouse is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
EIN Number: 88-1604492
Contact:
hello@missionmilspouse.org
P.O. Box 641341
El Paso, TX 79904
