Throughout the military community, 2018 PCS season notices are making their way to service members and their families. While everyone’s needs are a little different, here are 5 basic tasks to include on your PCS To-Do List.
- Research
Start to research your new installation. Review official websites, social media, local/community websites to collect important contact information you will need during your move. Research doesn’t have to mean finding the official website of your next duty station. When you need the nitty-gritty details, there is no better resource than other military families! Social media like Facebook pages offer the opportunity to hear recommendations from military families who have walked in your shoes.
- Housing Options (BAH)
Finding housing that’s the right fit for your family can make or break your experience at a new duty station. Lifestyle, budget, schools, and commuting distance are all important pieces of the housing puzzle. The financial aspect of housing decisions is key to making the best choice. To get you started, search for your BAH rate HERE. AHRN.com also has a built in BAH search function- allowing you to search for options based on BAH.
- Creating a Move Timeline
Whatever your move date, it’s essential to create a basic timeline to organize all of the details. From forwarding mail to turning off utilities, providing proper notice to your landlord, time lines are critical and can be organized in a number of ways. If you prefer to track tasks digitally, there are apps like MoveAdvisor, Moving Checklist for iPhone and iPad or you can organize lists in Evernote to access from your computer, phone or tablet. If you prefer a pen and paper organization, try AHRN’s PCS Toolkit which will give you a printable checklist of tasks arranged in a suggested timeline.
- Local Community and Attractions
Make a note of interesting attractions along the travel route to make the trip more enjoyable. Look at each new duty station as an opportunity to broaden your horizons in some way and explore new opportunities. Is there a sport your kids have wanted to try? Are there interesting parks or monuments nearby? While there is plenty on your checklist that needs to get done, finding something fun and exciting to look forward to will help ease the transition for everyone.
- Start or Update a Household Goods Inventory.
There a few PCS headaches more painful than dealing with claims and lost or broken belongings. Get ahead of the game with a thorough, up-to-date household goods inventory. In the process of your inventory, separate out the items that you would rather donate or sell than move. This is a perfect opportunity to clean out clutter!
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