Once you have received your orders for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) in the military and got over the initial panic at the news, you will need to make sure that you and your family are able to get properly organized for the coming move. After being given your PCS orders, you should take the steps outlined below.
The first thing to do is to arrange a meeting with the transportation office at your current base. The name of the government office that will handle your relocation is likely to vary depending on your service branch, and could be either Joint Personal Property Shipping Office for the Department of Defense, the Traffic Management Office for the Air Force, the Installation Transportation Office for the Army, the Personal Property Shipping Office for the Navy and Marine Corps, or the Household Goods Shipping Office for the Coast Guard.
You should make certain that you make your appointment with the appropriate office as soon as you possibly can; when the meeting takes place, be sure to learn about all of the various options for making a move that are open to you, including the possibility of a DITY move, and begin to make the preliminary arrangements.
You should also make contact with the family center at the location you are moving to, as it offers moving assistance programs that provide information about relocation to both you and to your family, such as details about your new community.
Rick Wozniak
