The problem: You just got your first PCS orders! Why you should keep reading: You want to know what to expect and some tricks for a smooth move.
What is a PCS move?
In the military, a PCS move stands for Permanent Change of Station. This is when a military member has orders to move from one duty station to another. The military will pay them to relocate their family and their belongings to the new station. A PCS move can be stressful and exhausting, but it is a regular occurrence for most military families. I get a lot of questions from people planning their first PCS move. After three PCS moves in the past nine years, I can tell you more about your options and what to expect.
My first PCS move was from Virginia to North Carolina. My husband and I had been married for just over a year, and already had a baby girl. We were excited to stay on the East Coast, close to our families. But I was nervous because they would now be over eight hours away, the farthest I had ever lived from family. We had been saving up to buy our first house, so we visited the area before the official move to look at homes, close on a property, and then paint it before we moved in.
We decided to do a Do-it-Yourself Move (DitY move, which is now called a PPM), where we would pack up our own belongings and move them ourselves. The military would cover our moving expenses and also pay certain compensation for the weight of our goods and the mileage of the move. It was an opportunity to pocket some money by doing the work ourselves. (The standard military move is when professionals pack and move your goods, but you don’t receive additional compensation.)
“We did a DitY move where we packed and moved ourselves. It was an opportunity to pocket extra money. But we will never do it again! ~The Seasoned Spouse
So, for weeks I packed our stuff into moving boxes. On moving day, we rented a U-Haul, rounded up some friends, and packed up our 3-bedroom apartment. We drove to North Carolina, and had to unpack it all. It was So. Much. Stuff.
Do you get to choose where you move next?
Haha, that’s funny. The military is famous for sending people to bizarre places to serve “the needs of the military.” So even though service members may give input or fill out a top three list, ultimately the military decides where to send you and you don’t really get a vote. However, with that said, if a service member has a reason to request a particular duty station or job, then they should start by talking to their Monitor. Sometimes the military will work with you to get a preferred location. But nothing is ever certain, so try not to get your hopes up.
“Nothing is ever certain, so try not to get your hopes up for a particular location.” ~The Seasoned Spouse
When and How are you notified about a PCS move?
Typically, the military member knows when their current orders will expire, and they can guess when they will receive their next orders. However, there are so many factors to consider that it is never the same. Sometimes a military school must be completed before orders can be issued. Orders can also be changed at the last minute. Occasionally, the service member has the option to extend their current orders for one or more years. So it is hard to predict when you are notified of a move. But the process will generally be the same. The service member’s Admin shop (S-1) will notify them that they have orders. Or they can log into their military account to view Web Orders. Nothing is final until they have hard copy orders, which gives the service member the authority to schedule a PCS move.
What are the logistics of moving?
There are so many choices you have to make when you move, and a lot of paperwork, too. If you move overseas, there is even more to do. Some helpful tips and acronym translation are found on Military.com. But when you are moving within the United States, here are some of the steps:
Once the service member has orders, he or she can take a class on base about the moving process. Paperwork and details will be reviewed there.
Go to move.mil to set up an account, enter your orders, and set up your packing dates and moving details. Any problems should be discussed with your local Transportation office.
At IPAC (Installation Personnel Administrative Center), you can request some of your moving allowance to be paid to you ahead of time. This is called Advance Pay, to help you pay for renting vehicles and hotel rooms, since the military reimbursement will take at least a month. You can choose how much pay to receive in advance, but remember that it will paid back with automatic deductions from the service member’s salary.
As you prepare to move, save receipts for any moving expenses. Most charges now are supposed to go on a Government Travel Credit Card, but if this is not issued, then the service member will need to request reimbursement.
One of the first things you can start doing when you get orders is to begin cleaning out your house. This is a great opportunity to get rid of old, broken items. You can also have a yard sale and save up some money for your move. There is a lot to consider about your next home, and you won’t always know all the answers. Here are the main things to get rid of:
Furniture that won’t fit in the next house. (King beds, sectional couches, and dining room sets are usually the biggest culprits.)
Old or damaged furniture that will likely fall apart during the move.
Backyard items like trampolines, swing sets, play houses, patio furniture, grills, smokers, fire pits, and lawn care equipment are often too bulky or heavy to be covered in your move. If you go over your allotted weight limit, you will be charged for each extra pound.
Appliances that won’t work at the next home, like washer and dryer, microwave (if the next one is built in), and small appliances you don’t need or use.
Bulky items like craft and hobby supplies, children’s bikes, strollers, outdoor toys, baby clothes and maternity clothes, baby equipment like bouncers and high chairs.
Liquids or hazardous materials, like paint, cleaning chemicals, auto oil, propane, spray cans, etc. Follow local laws to dispose of these items properly.
Go through books and toys to give away or sell any that are no longer loved.
Get organized with colored labels! (Amazon affiliate link)
How long does it take you to adjust to a new place?
For me, it usually takes a year to actually make friends, learn my way around, and feel settled in the new home. The moving process itself takes a matter of months, not weeks. Even if I can get unpacked within a week or two, it takes additional time to locate new service providers, schools, doctor, dentist, babysitter, etc. It can take even longer to find myself a job or make new friends. Between all the costs of moving, paying bills from the previous station, paying security deposits at the new station, and refurnishing the new home, it is usually several months before our household budget levels out into anything ‘normal.’ So you have to be very patient and be prepared for the move to disrupt your life for about half a year.
“It can take a year to feel fully settled in a new home after a PCS move.” ~The Seasoned Spouse
Top 5 tips for a successful move?
Start planning early. Even before orders, you can start cleaning out the house or do a yard sale. Once you have orders, you can research your next duty station with input from fellow military families using the website PCSGrades.
Save money in advance. Before you even get orders, start saving at least $100 each month to prepare for the moving expenses. Even though the military reimburses some of your moving costs, there are tons of additional payments like closing out your bills at one location, paying security deposits at the new location, buying a different vehicle, setting up utilities, etc. Try to predict your expenses and plan for them.
Stay organized with a PCS binder. Save all your moving documents and paperwork in one place, along with copies of legal documents like ID, passport, car registration, marriage license, etc. Make sure to hand carry it with you, not pack it in moving boxes!
Be patient and flexible. Moving is stressful, and you can never plan for every possibility. Things will change suddenly or go wrong. Try to laugh with your spouse and adjust as things change.
Remember that many things can be replaced. Don’t waste weight and space on items you can easily find or replace at the next duty station.
Receipts! They didn’t tell us we needed to keep receipts. But thankfully, I did! Did you know they can consider the DLA “advanced pay” if you can’t provide receipts/proof you used the money for moving expenses?
I didn’t. But they can. Thankfully, I got one of those pencil cases that have the binder ring holes and put every receipt in it. Even gas station drink/bathroom stops. It added up to several hundred dollars over the course of the move.
Yes! You’re right, everyone needs to save receipts whether it is a full military move or a Do it Yourself PPM. That’s how you get reimbursed, and it really does add up! I’m so glad you saved yours. The pencil case is a great idea. We put them in our accordion binder with all our important documents. Thanks so much for sharing your insights!
This was very useful information! Thank you! My husband is in A school right now which coincidently is in another state from where we are and where we are going. We have a POV and he would have to come home first to do our move and finally drive CROSS-COUNTRY with our 2 year old. lol I feel super excited for the new adventure but I feel like I’m going crazy not knowing what to do first, or how many days they allow for us to make the drive, find a home, etc. I wanna do things right and want to help as much as I can but it seems that he is the one who has to do it all. Any suggestions?
Kindest Regards, (Currently Scrambled lol) New Navy Wife and Mom, Diana
Hi Diana, glad you found this page! And welcome to military life, haha. It’s very stressful, so try to just take one step at a time. You can sign onto Plan My Move at http://www.militaryonesource.com and it will give you details based on your husband’s specific orders (dates, rank, distances, etc.) There is also a new app called My Ultimate PCS which gives you checklist and can help you stay organized. He has to be the one to request base housing, but you can look off base by yourself. He should also get 10 days of house-hunting leave when he arrives (but that depends on the unit, so I can’t promise that.)
We did a cross-country move with 4 kids, and it was very stressful but honestly not as bad as I feared. We had 5 days of paid travel, but you can stretch it out longer, you just only get reimbursed a certain amount for so many days of hotels. We saved money by staying at National Parks and visiting friends along the way. I wrote some tips for car trips with kids here: https://seasonedspouse.com/road-trip-kids/ I hope that helps and I wish you luck with the move!
I need help!! The packers arrive TOMORROW! And my husband hasn’t been given a single day off to do anything around the house as far as PCSing our home. He’s had to do PT and work every single day. But his battle buddy who is single w/ 0 kids, and lives in the barracks, was given 10 business days OFF to do what he needed on base and in his barracks room. They’re the same rank. My husband and I have one child (whom is 18 months old.) They let my husband clear medical, transportation, CIF, etc, but then required him to go to work as well. He cleared all that in 1 day. They had him sitting in a room staring at a wall. They wouldn’t let him be here with me and our child to help, and I have health problems that his COC is very aware of. Additionally, this past weekend he couldn’t help as he was basically on 48 hour duty as punishment (he had to drive to the CQ desk every 45 mins and get the NCOIC on duty to sign a paper, and call his NCO at designated times who had to verify with the NCOIC at the CQ desk that my husband was showing up on time), plus he had to write a 1000 word essay during the same weekend, and show up all this week (our last week) to PT 15 minutes early. This was his very first counseling in his entire Army career (he’s been in for over 4 years), and was 3 mins late due to our car breaking down. So he was punished. So it’s been hell on us, our family life, our married life, etc. Any advice? And aren’t they supposed to give him X amount of days to do things..? Including at home? They told him, “We own your ass until you leave, don’t think we won’t take your rank or your pay,” word-for-word. Also, I missed a doc appt this past Friday, due to his NCO, as he and I share one car due to finances. He actually even made a point about punishing my husband’s “wife and family” for his actions. I wish I was making this up. I really do. We are going halfway across the country (Southern part of the Midwest to the Upper East Coast.) But my husband doesn’t deal with things well. I’m older than he is, so it’s been harder as our maturity levels are different, plus they’ve been trying to make his life harder and harder. I’ve seen a noticeable change in this past year, and a bigger change from the time he left his old unit and went to this one (even though he changed units, he essentially stayed at the same military installation.) I wish we could reschedule moving and clearing housing due to his COC doing this to us. I just am at a loss of words and can’t handle anything else. Our 1 car was $1,000 to get fixed, which we don’t have, plus we are about to leave here! I’m so glad to leave. This place is hell, no one likes it. Almost everyone we knew here has gotten out of the Army, and it was due to THIS place. I would say the name but I’d rather not. I’m sure people could guess, if they’ve ever been in the military OR have been a military spouse for a good bit of time. Anyways. I need someone to talk to (no one here), and advice. Are they able to do that to him, as far as the punishment goes for a first time offender, and not giving him any days at all to clear? He is allowed to have tomorrow off, but he still has to do PT and show up early. He is only allowed off because he is supposed to be here when the movers are here. That’s the only reason. Otherwise he would be at work until he signed out to drive to the next duty station. Ugh. Anyways, I appreciate your time! Thank you.
Nixe, that sounds horrible and I am sorry your family is going through that. It sounds like poor leadership. Technically, the CO is probably allowed to do that– unless the service member has been approved for leave. In a normal situation, he could request mass, or elevate a complaint up the chain of command. Because of the imminent PCS, I don’t think there’s any time for that. At this point, I think you just need to gather the last of your strength and patience and just get through tomorrow! I sincerely hope that things go better at your next duty station. 🙁
Very imforming article! Thank you!
My husband and I got married in April of this year. We have one son together and were told we would get bah for the time he is on basis and AIT training. He joined in july and was on basoc by middle of August. He recently graduated basic October 31st,2018 and now is in AIT. We recieve his base pay each month, but have not recieved any bah. My question is, how would we get bah and how long does it take for us to receive it once it is known we need it… His AIT is only 6 weeks and we were hoping to save as much as possible for the move, finding a new house, anything that could happen unplanned. Haha. Please help I am just worried we are going to have to move and be on a waiting list for on base housing and not have enough to stay somewhere temporarily. We are both new to this and want the move to be as easy as possible! 🙂
Thanks in advance for any advise.
Hi Tracie, good question. BAH should begin once he either moves into private housing (like renting off-base to live with you) or moves into gov’t housing (living on base in a house with you). During school situations, he may qualify for partial BAH, since he is living in a barracks or similar building. It’s definitely a good question for him to ask his leadership, because I don’t know exactly when it kicks in, but you will want to make sure that you are listed properly on his paperwork so he can receive it.
Hi. I’m doing some research and came across this blog. Amazing tips and I was so blown away that you took the time to respond and help pretty much evryone on here. Thanks for that.
My husband has been reserved for 8 years he just singed active and we movie out of state he leaves next month (when do we get to go with him), we have 3 kids 5 year old, 2.5, and 9 months. I got saving receipts, what other things should I know like for the kids school and medical? I’m trying to inform myself as much as possible. We habe never moved out of state so this is big for us.
Hi Destiny, I know it is a lot to process! You may want to do a Google search for “PCS Binder.” It is not required, but many spouses use it to gather their essential moving paperwork and info in one place. You can also use the new app My Ultimate PCS.
For the kids school, you will want to keep with you (not pack in boxes) Birth certificates, shot records, previous school records or report cards, and any EFMP/doctor information. Once you move, you will also need to show proof of residency with a rent/mortgage form and a utility bill.
This was very helpful. I wanted to know when my husband gets assigned his duty station can we immediately go with him?(we have two kids a 11 year old and a 6 month old). He is doing his boot camp now and we haven’t received where his duty station will be.when will we know where we are moving? And do they allow us to go with him to tech school if it’s more than 6 month?
You’re very welcome! So yes, once he gets actual PCS orders to his first station, you and the children should be listed on the orders and be able to move with him. He will use those orders to apply for housing for the whole family near or on his next base.
As for tech school, that sometimes depends on the branch or school. Typically, if it is longer than 6 months the family is included on the orders and given the option to move with him to the school. But other times, the school orders only provide accommodations for the service member (in a barracks or type of hotel on the base). Family always has the OPTION to stay put or to move on their own dime, but you will only be reimbursed for a move and receive housing if the dependent family members are listed on the orders.
Ok thank you so much, another question how likely is it that we will go overseas for our first PCS? And, if we go overseas do they pay for everything as well? Shipping our things and getting plane tickets?
I’m happy I found this article it is very informative.
My husband just received his orders, he is not due to leave until another 10 weeks for officer training and he will be gone for 8 weeks. How soon can we get on the waiting list for housing? Also, he comes back for a week after training does he schedule for movers then to pack our belongings?
Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much, I have another question. How likely is it that we get our first PCS orders for overseas? If we do go overseas how does that work?(shipping our things and getting plane tickets) I also want to continue going to school would they work with me so I can continue overseas?
He Abby, overseas orders really depend on the type if job he ends up doing. He should get an indication during school which type of job and orders he would get. But yes, when you get overseas orders they cover the plane tickets and moving your things. Overseas bases have Education Offices which work with several US colleges and universities. So it is possible to continue a degree online, depending on your field.
If you get overseas orders, I have several posts to help walk you through that process too!
My husband is in the Air Force he’s going to Mississippi for his tech school for 6 months to a year will they pay for us to go with him and will we get bah?
It depends on the school and what accommodations they have for students. 6 months is the typical threshold to have family accompany the service member, so it could go either way. If the family members are listed on the orders, then yes, they will pay BAH for your accommodations and should cover the move too. If his orders are unaccompanied, then you could still choose to go, but would have to pay out of pocket.
Hi so my husband just reenlisted in the Army after many years and is going to training mid July until end of September. We have no clue where we will all be moving once he comes back. We have a 10 year old that I will have to enroll in a new school and we also own a home that we will have to try to rent out. He has 10 days once he gets back from training to prepare to move. I have a few questions that I’m not sure he can answer; Do movers come on the day of the actual move to help pack certain things or just to move boxes? Are we able to bring our car? We haven’t paid off our car yet. Does BAH happen right away or do they set us up on post or maybe in a hotel? Are schools, Drs offices and stores far from base or far from where we may live off base or are things fairly close by or even on post? I’m so close to everything right now and I have a disability that makes it difficult to drive and walk and it will definitely make packing and moving difficult for me. I wish I knew where we were moving, I have never moved out of my current city. Also, do they usually send you and your belongings by plane or would they drive you depending on how far it is? I’m trying to be positive but it’s stressful. Especially having a child and a movement disorder. Any help would really be appreciated!
So it sounds like you would want to do the full military move. Once he has hard orders, he will talk to the Transportation Office (during training, before he comes home) and file the move paperwork requesting a move date and approximate delivery date. Movers will come and pack your entire house for you and load up the truck, which they drive to the next location. You can usually ship one vehicle for free with orders, and drive a vehicle also (depending on location.) He can request base housing as soon as he gets orders by contacting the new base, but many places have a wait list, so sometimes you end up in temporary housing like a rental or hotel. Many bases have a school on-base near the housing area, plus the Commissary for groceries and the PX for other stores nearby. But it is different on each base. PCSgrades.com has a lot of info on each base so you can check out the options. I know it sounds like a lot, but you will see a lot of bases are organized to make housing convenient and accessible, and if you have special needs you can request EFMP and accommodating quarters.
I was wondering how exactly we can go about and get reimbursed for the hotel and travel expenses. My husband talked to someone in his command and they said they would not be covering those expenses, however they had told us previously during his MCT and first school that they would covering it. All the information is confusing and I don’t know where to get the accurate information. Please help.
There have been some adjustments during COVID, but he should still get reimbursed. It depends on the type of move, but you start the process with the Transportation Office on base. He will file a moving claim to start the process, and it will show him how many days he gets, plus mileage and weight allotments. But he will need hard copy orders to talk to the Transportation Office. In the meantime, you can get estimates and more details on http://www.Move.mil
Hello, I was wondering if you might know…is there anything offered by the Army, to cover the final month’s rent, when you have accepted housing at the new duty station as well?
…we really don’t have the means to pay rent in two places right now.
My husband kept getting extended in Korea, and finally is being allowed to come home on a ETP…but I had no notice to give 30 day notice to the place I am living.
So we have no choice but pay one months rent at the old apartment…but we have also accepted housing for July, are we stuck using the BAH for housing, and the rent for the one month out of pocket?
The good news is that it’s fairly easy to move into base housing because they don’t make you pay until the end of the first month. So if you move in August 1st, you don’t pay until your BAH hits on September 1st, since military pays you for time already served. So if you have move-out fees for the end of July, you could use the August 1st paycheck to cover them.
There are other options too. The Dislocation Allowance may help cover lodging costs in between duty stations. A government travel credit card can cover temporary lodging too, if approved. And finally, if you can’t make rent payments, the Army Emergency Relief (AER) offers service members an interest-free loan that is gradually paid back from their paycheck.
Yeah, they offered us base housing…far sooner than either of us can even live in it. (We took it, because the waitlist is very long…I initially applied last February or March.)
…he won’t be returning to the States until the day before he would sign for housing, but he’ll have nowhere to sleep there.
So he is probably staying in barracks until I can join him, with our belongings…because they’ll likely be making him quarantine for 14 days.
I am just now giving notice at my apartment, because he just received the ETP “today”.
…we have fought so hard to be together again, it’s been 27 months apart for us.
Now that it’s actually starting to happen, it feels so daunting.
I have to do the HHG move, rent a car to drive there (I am not doing public transportation during Covid.)
…and the military won’t cover that, with our luck.
I’m just sitting here tonight happy, but overwhelmed. >.<
I understand that’s a lot to handle, but you’re getting close! The military doesn’t provide a rental car, but they do offer a per diem and travel costs like gas, lodging, and food while you drive. It is reimbursed afterwards, but that may help you with the cost. He needs to log into Move.mil to schedule his move. There, he can see all the entitlements and what costs will be reimbursed.
We checked into it, it’s .17 cents a mile…not even close to the costs, since it’s considered POV.
…but not dying of this virus, is most important for me.
You’d think they’d make it an option during times like this, but oh well.
…thank you so much for your help, it’s very much appreciated. 😊
My husband just received his soft orders and I’m just wondering how long it generally takes for those to become finalized and/or the chance of those orders changing? We knew we would be coming here for his school straight out of boot camp, so this is our first time dealing with the possibility of orders changing.
It’s hard to say anything for certain, but his orders should be finalized when he completes his current school. The orders could change depending on how he does in the school. But if he passes and does well, then the orders will likely remain the same.
Hi! My husband is at AIT right now, so I was wondering, how soon after he gets his official orders for his first base can I and our daughter move onto that base? Thank you!
As soon as he has orders, you can apply for housing on that base. They will ask for his Report Date (which will be a date range listed on the orders) and you will get housing assigned based on that date. Sometimes there is a wait list, other times you may be able to move in right away.
Hi! My husband I just got married, but we are still living apart until he reaches his new duty station in March. I’m so new to everything, it’s a little overwhelming… but, would like to help as much as I can. I’m trying to understand how it works if we are both moving from separate locations, will they cover both moves? Or only one? Also, his orders are for mid-march, but my current lease ends February 28 and I would love to move my stuff to wherever we are going to end up on March 1st (if we live off base) rather than pay an extra month rent at where I am currently. Will the military cover the move from my current house to our new house if it is 15 days before his date? I seriously feel so out of the loop with all of this… thanks!
Hi and welcome! I know it’s confusing and overwhelming at first. So the military only covers 1 move–from his current location to his new one. He could request a DitY or PPM move that would let him help move your stuff. He will have to make that request through the base moving office.
The date on his orders is probably the “Report no later than” date. He is allowed to move during a window a few weeks before that. If it doesn’t align perfectly with your lease, you may have to move early, not paid by the military, and get to the new apartment a few days or a week before he does.
Hey, my wife is currently in AIT and has her projections for her FDS. If I reserve lodging on post and arrive before she does, will she be able to stay in aforementioned lodging during in-processing or are all incoming SMs required to stay in the barracks until housing is acquired regardless of marital status?
It depends how her orders are worded. If your name appears on her orders, then she qualifies for family housing. If your name is not there, then she will be assigned a barracks room. You could still get a hotel, but it would be out of pocket, not reimbursed by the military. Sometimes family members do not appear on orders that only last a few months, so it depends how long her school is and what type of moving orders they give her.
I’m so glad I came across your blog. My husband is joining the Navy as a doctor. My question is: while at ODS, he’ll find out where we’ll move. Once he finds out, I’ll more than likely fly out to that city to find a place to live. Will the Navy reimburse me for that trip?
If you are married and your name appears on his orders, then will rate certain funds and reimbursements to travel to his duty station. However, it’s a complex process and he has to submit paperwork and get it approved before the move. They don’t reimburse plane tickets for a domestic move (within the continental United States). Instead, they reimburse travel based on mileage and a number of allotted days. So most people drive and use the per diem for gas and hotels. If you choose to fly, you will pay for the ticket out of pocket. He should ask questions from his leadership about whether that impacts his per diem or overall travel reimbursement, but most likely it won’t be directly reimbursed.
Hello! I love your blog! It is super helpful as I’m new to military life as a wife. My husband is currently in AIT but will go to Airborne once he graduates. He’s received his soft orders but nothing in hard copy. We already have an apartment set up at his future duty station. His DS told him that once airborne is done he will go straight to his duty station and into barracks. Will he not get time to come help me move as his Permissive TDY before getting set up in the barracks? Or will he go straight into a family housing on base? Or how exactly will that work out, he hasn’t received his official orders yet so there’s no say to know if I’m officially on the orders. More than likely I will be but I just wanted a general overlook of how might the process go?
Thanks so much for reading! Yes, what his instructor probably meant is that he will be expected to report to the next station without taking any extra leave (vacation days) in between. However, he should be granted several days to travel there, depending on the distance. So you would need to be mostly packed up and ready to go, but he may have a day or so to help you move, and you will have a few days to travel together to the duty station.
If you are married and registered in DEERS, then your name should be on the orders.
Hi, my fiancée and I have been together two years and will be married in the next few weeks. His PCS date is March 2022 and it will be our first move together (though he has done this many times).
I’m British and we are moving to San Diego where he is going to a ship. We are pretty on top of the paperwork and the visas are being filled out and applied for as soon as possible but it’s all a bit overwhelming!
Is there any extra advice you can give me or contacts that may help with the process? My concern is that while he’s deployed i’m left in a new country, with this new life and I’m not going to know where to turn. Its a huge life move and I want to be as prepared as possible.
The plus side is that San Diego looks so beautiful and I’m crazy excited!
Hi Amy, welcome to military life! Congratulations, and I’m excited for you. Yes, San Diego is beautiful and has lots to see and do.
I suggest you do a few things to find support and meet people. Join Facebook groups for military spouses in the San Diego area. There are many groups, most are good for aaking questions, making connections, and learning about local activities.
Also, ask your fiance to add your name and contact info to his military unit’s family Liason. It is probably called an Ombudsman. They can contact you throughout the deployment with details about his ship. Sometimes they organize events for spouses too.
Finally, get out and explore. It’s a big city, and has groups for every hobby or interest. Join a gym, church, and/or or local clubs that appeal to you, and make friends with people there. Even if they aren’t military, they can help you learn your way around the area and have fun during deployment.
Hi we just received our orders for Camp Pendleton and I wanted to know if you have any info on what we do to get on base housing? I saw a place that seems perfect for us called foster hillls and I emailed them for more information as well but I just wanted to ask since you seem very informative. Will is just be applying to live in this housing and giving our moving orders and then what lol? Do we have to pay anything or have any paper work filed ahead of time to qualify for this housing? (Marine spouse) thank you and info will help! I’m very scared and I want to handle as much of this for my husband as I can!
Hi Paige! I know it’s overwhelming and frustrating. Your husband should contact the base Housing office (Lincoln Military or Hunt) as soon as he has his hard-copy orders. He should do this BEFORE leaving the current assignment.
Camp Pendleton is huge, and has housing neighborhoods spread out almost 20 miles apart. But they are all based on rank and family size.
So the Housing company will ask him those questions, then put him on a Wait List. Eventually, they will call and offer a house in a certain neighborhood. You are allowed to turn down 1 house, but then they put you back on the wait list and you have to accept the next one, or get off the wait list.
If they call and offer it before you move, then great! You can complete paperwork electronically and it will be waiting fir you when he checks in.
But… sometimes the wait lists take months. So you may have to leave your current place and move to Pendleton without an assigned house. There is a Navy Lodge hotel on base, and his PCS orders will reimburse you for staying there fir up to 10 days at first. He can apply for an extension up to 30 days. But you should discuss a back-up plan. Ask the base Housing office if there is any temporary housing option. Some people rent an RV and stay at the RV park on base. There are short-term apartment rentals off base in Oceanside. Or you can pay out of pocket for a hotel. Be prepared for months of waiting, so then if you get a place sooner it will be a pleasant surprise! I wish you guys luck in your move!
Thank you so much for your response I told him to contact them and gave him that info! Do you know of anything else I should be doing right now to help things go over well. I know we need to go to the DMO for a counseling session before we can schedule our pick up dates. Is this something I can do or will it need to be my husband? And should he wait until he gets home from his MOS training or should he see the DMO at Fort Leonard wood? For extra clarification we got our orders literally yesterday, he finishes school September 13th and he need to report to Camp Pendleton by October 13 I know this is a busy time for PCS and I’m super scared because we’ve both been really broke since living apart and don’t have extra fund saved for a whole ton of moving expenses (we will be setting aside more until then) but I want to stay on top of this as much as possibly so I get us there on time and we don’t waste to much out of pocket
The Marine needs to contact DMO at the duty station where he is scheduled. (You can’t do it for him.) He can start the process while he’s away at school by logging in with his CAC card. Go to the Military OneSource moving page for the official process.
If money is an issue, he can request an Advance Pay in his DMO counseling (but remember that comes off his paycheck or reimbursement later.)
October is not peak season, so it way easier to get the dates you need then. But start now, as soon as possible, to research and begin paperwork. Decide if you will use the govt movers, or move yourself (called a PPM.) Ypu can find tons of moving tips on PCSgrades.com.
Paula Jean Goodknight
on September 16, 2021 at 1:11 pm
My son got married while on leave between BMT and his FDS. He was told they would pay to move his wife and their belongings to Sumter SC as long as he was married before reporting there. Now he is being told that they won’t pay to move their things? How can this be correct? What can he do? I feel at a loss on how to help because his wife flew there to be with him and they are staying off base until their house is ready, which will be Nov. 3rd. We have been storing their things and furniture at out place. We can’t afford to transport their belongings and they don’t have much money because they are newlyweds. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Hmmm, it sounds like his paperwork might not be correct or complete for a sponsored move. First, he needs to check the orders to received to go to Sumter. Is his wife’s name listed on the official orders? If so, then he should qualify for a funded move with a dependent. If her name is not there, then he needs to get those orders corrected as soon as possible to include her name.
Next, he needs to talk to his chain of command about his situation. To get a government-funded move, he should have submitted paperwork at the transportation office during before traveling to Sumter. If he has already reported in to his new unit and assignment, he is outside the window of his moving dates and needs to request delivery of non-temporary storage items. The government should pay for a moving truck to come to your house, pack up and pick up all the items he and his wife have stored there, and deliver them to his new house in Sumter. But this won’t happen without him submitting the correct paperwork. Sounds like he is Air Force, so he needs to talk to the First Shirt about that.
My daughter just got married in July. Her now husband, recently graduated Basic and is stationed in Hawaii. Now that they are married he is trying to get command sponsorship for his wife and daughter. His command is telling him he must pay for transportation and for them to move to Hawaii. And once they arrive on island, they will approve their command sponsorship. And of course without CS they can’t get military housing so they would have to rent off base, which is not what their plan is.
Have you heard of this? I am also a army wife, but this is not how it was when we first married.
His Sgt is not being helpful and told him he couldn’t go higher up the COC.
That sounds very frustrating. Did they get married before or after he moved there? It matters because the military only pays for the move if the marriage license is filed before the PCS, and if her name is listed on his orders. Otherwise, the spouse pays out of pocket to move to the first duty station, which is a big deal since Hawaii is considered OCONUS. And yes, they would both need command sponsorship and a marriage certificate on file to get base housing. He can get the orders amended to include her name, but will probably have to be on a wait list for base housing.
My husband is coming home from AIT on 10/14/2021. He was thinking about joining the Army Special Forces, but that means we may have to move to Texas or Atlanta. The thing is we bought a home in UT 2 Years ago.. how does that work if we end up wanting to move forward with him joining the Special Forces? Also, does the Army pay for my family to move?
My husband comes home from AIT on 10/14/21. He has been talking about joining the Army Special Forces, but doing so we would have to move to Texas or Atlanta. The thing is we just bought a home in UT 2.5 years ago. How does that work if we end up moving forward with him joining the Special Forces? Also, would the Army pay for the move?
So, welcome to the military family! Yes, the Army will pay for each of your moves. It is a somewhat complicated process, so he has to make sure to submit paperwork before each move, and you can choose to work with military moving companies (that the military pays for) or you can choose to move yourselves and get a lump sum from the Army that you either keep for your expenses, or pay to hire 3rd party packers and movers. But make sure that your name is listed on his orders and paperwork to get you covered in the move.
As for the house question, home ownership can be frustrating for military families, because we do move a lot. Basically, if he gets orders to another state, you can either choose to sell your home (and then buy another one or rent at his new location) or you can continue to own your home in UT and rent it out using a property management company. There are benefits either way, so research which option will be best for your situation.
You may not know the answer to this, but does the army help with moving expenses if the spouse is not moving at the same time as the service member? (We just got married this month. He has been at his base since August. I’ll be following in December.)
Unfortunately, the military does not pay for a fiance(e) or spouse to move to the service member’s duty station when they get married. 🙁 The next time the service member gets orders, you will be listed on those orders as a Spouse and you will be covered. But since he didn’t have a spouse when he moved, the military expects you to pay out of pocket to join him at his current base.
Hi! I just came across your blog while doing some research.
My fiancé and I are set to get married in July, but he just graduated from A training and finishing the rest of his schooling (which should be early July) but hasn’t gotten his PCS date yet. I have so many questions and I’ll be sure to read through your blog for any that you may already have answered! I don’t know if you’ll know the answer to this, but how long will the process be after he submits the required paperwork? And if he gets his PCS date during the process but I’m not listed, would he be able to amend it? Or what would need to be done if he gets his PCS before we’re married? I’m trying to get on top of the paperwork to help him out while he’s finishing school and he’s basically entrusted me to also help him with the process and come up with questions to ask his CO. Any tips on questions for his CO would be much appreciated!!
His orders will be issued while he is still in school, with a report date at least a week after graduation. I assume you can’t get married while he is in school, so your name won’t be on the orders yet. In that case, the military won’t pay any of your moving expenses, and will expect you to make your own arrangements to drive or fly to his next station.
He should definitely ask his CO about the timing of your wedding, and whether orders can include your name. If not, the military will give him 10 days of leave, then expect him to drive (if he owns a car) or fly to his next assignment. They will ship his belongings from the barracks if he wants, but if he has anything at his parents’ house or another address, then he needs to talk to the Transportation Office about setting up a PCS move.
It’s not reasonable for you to plan any paperwork or official moving details, because the service member has to do all of that. He really needs to talk to his chain of command to get more details.
My son Is getting ready to PCS to his military school at another duty station. He got married this year as well. His wife currently lives in another state and has never lived with him. She will be joining him at his new Duty Station. I know the military will pay for him and his move from his current duty station to his new one. But will the military pay for his wife to move from her other state as well? He’s going to do a DITY with his own stuff from his current station to his new station, but would they pick up his wife’s stuff with a mover and take it to his new duty station? They will be living together then.
No, the PCS is only authorized from his current location to his next station. Unless he has items stored at her address that he wants to claim in the move, then she will have to make her own arrangements to move herself and her stuff.
Since they are married, her name should be on the orders, so he should talk to his Transportation Office to check his options for getting assistance or per diem to move her.
Hi.. Thanks for sharing!
We are currently in San Diego, and my hubby just got order to Virginia, but he has to go to school in Mississippi for 90 days first.. not sure what type of training he needs at this particular shipyard: he is been doing this job for 12 years now and we have never done that where he has to go to school before reporting to duty.. but my question is would me and kids be able to pcsing while he is in school or we will have to wait until his done.: I mean it’s so many things I could get done like finding schools, daycare, job, housing etc.. it will sucks if we have to pcsing around Christmas. Specially with the kiddos!!
Great question! Officially, his orders will approve the family to PCS after his school is done. Those will be the dates for the military-funded movers, travel days, reimbursement, etc.
However, he should talk to his bade Transportation Office, because if kids are in school, he can apply for a waiver to move the family a few months early. It has to be approved, but that would allow the govt movers to pack you out of San Diego before or during the time he is in school. He should check his BAH dates too, and figure out which state he’ll receive payment in, and starting on which date.
My husbands duty station is in Washington and I’m in Nevada. We recently got married in October. We finally got notified that we’re getting a house within the military community! But, I’ve been getting mixed answers. If I’m on his Deers but not on his orders, can I still qualify for moving assistance?
Are you currently living with your service member? His moving assistance is from one base to his next base, and will not include items from another location (like your parents’ house or your own apartment if you haven’t moved in with him yet.) And he only gets moving assistance when he gets PCS orders from one base to a new location. Is he going from Washington to another base somewhere else? Or are you just trying to join him in base housing in Washington.
It’s a little unclear from your question. But if you are just moving to his location, no, the military does not assist with moving new spouses to the service member’s location. 🙁
If he has actual PCS orders, he should get them amended so your name is on them. His moving weight allowance will be slightly higher if he has a dependent (you, the spouse), but that will still only include items packed out from one location. During a PCS move, the travel and per diem allowance is also slightly higher if a spouse is on the orders, so your name should definitely be on his next set of PCS orders.
My husband is in the Navy. We are currently in WA but his household goods were moved when he was (single) in January. We got married in February. His ship is going back to its home port San Diego. I am not moving with him as I have to finish out my teaching contract. We were notified that the next duty station is Spain but we don’t have the official date yet. His home goods are currently in storage because he could not take them down to San Diego.
When we have our official PCS orders to Spain, would the movers pack up my stuff as well? Or would it be easier to speak to a military liason between the Navy and the moving company and start putting my stuff into his storage unit? Sidenote: he has been going to the storage unit and putting out stuff into it.
Despite the always expanding local population, finding base housing that meets your family’s needs is still a time-consuming process that often includes a length waiting list. If you decide to choose base housing for your family, you’ll likely need to find a temporary rental arrangement while you wait for approval for an on-base home.
I’m so excited about my first-ever PCS order, to be honest. I have been waiting for it for quite a while now, and now that the time is close, I’m super excited.
Hello! My son is currently in C school in Oceania. He got married right after A school before his flight to Oceania. His stuff is and has been here at our (his parents house) and his wife lives here. When she is entered into Deers how long does it take for orders to be reissued so her name is on them? Otherwise she will have to take her belongings with him when they drive to his first duty station? They don’t have a lot of things as they are just starting out but just trying to figure out if the movers would take her things or they just take them with them when they drive. She has to be on the official orders for her to count not just in Deers. Yes they waited till the last min for everything and drives me nuts.
Yes, you’re right that the spouse’s name must appear on the orders, not just in DEERS. I don’t know if there’s a standard amount of time for that change to occur. The service member should follow up with their Admin office and base Transportation Office to make sure the paperwork gets pushed through in time. They can also inform their chain of command if there are issues. But ultimately it’s their responsibility to follow up and make sure the paperwork is updated.
My husband and I got married in Dec 2022. I PCS’d from England to Guam in Sep 2023. Before we left, my losing base advised us not to move my husband with me, so I can command sponsor him when I get to Guam and get reimbursed for travel expenses.
Now I am here in Guam and my gaining command is telling me command sponsorship does not authorize reimbursement for dependent travel since my dependent was not command sponsored at your previous base.
It seems no one knows what the actual regulations are when it comes to command sponsorship. Do you know what the regulations are and where I can find it in writing? I’ve tried searching and can’t come up with anything. Thank you
Which branch are you in? In most branches, a dependent is considered command sponsored if their name appears on the PCS orders. If you were married before getting the orders, he should have been eligible to move with you. And his name should have been listed on the orders.
Receipts! They didn’t tell us we needed to keep receipts. But thankfully, I did! Did you know they can consider the DLA “advanced pay” if you can’t provide receipts/proof you used the money for moving expenses?
I didn’t. But they can. Thankfully, I got one of those pencil cases that have the binder ring holes and put every receipt in it. Even gas station drink/bathroom stops. It added up to several hundred dollars over the course of the move.
Yes! You’re right, everyone needs to save receipts whether it is a full military move or a Do it Yourself PPM. That’s how you get reimbursed, and it really does add up! I’m so glad you saved yours. The pencil case is a great idea. We put them in our accordion binder with all our important documents. Thanks so much for sharing your insights!
This was an excellent read! Tank you very much for sharing your effort with others. Wish your all the best.
This was very useful information! Thank you! My husband is in A school right now which coincidently is in another state from where we are and where we are going. We have a POV and he would have to come home first to do our move and finally drive CROSS-COUNTRY with our 2 year old. lol I feel super excited for the new adventure but I feel like I’m going crazy not knowing what to do first, or how many days they allow for us to make the drive, find a home, etc. I wanna do things right and want to help as much as I can but it seems that he is the one who has to do it all. Any suggestions?
Kindest Regards, (Currently Scrambled lol) New Navy Wife and Mom, Diana
Hi Diana, glad you found this page! And welcome to military life, haha. It’s very stressful, so try to just take one step at a time. You can sign onto Plan My Move at http://www.militaryonesource.com and it will give you details based on your husband’s specific orders (dates, rank, distances, etc.) There is also a new app called My Ultimate PCS which gives you checklist and can help you stay organized. He has to be the one to request base housing, but you can look off base by yourself. He should also get 10 days of house-hunting leave when he arrives (but that depends on the unit, so I can’t promise that.)
We did a cross-country move with 4 kids, and it was very stressful but honestly not as bad as I feared. We had 5 days of paid travel, but you can stretch it out longer, you just only get reimbursed a certain amount for so many days of hotels. We saved money by staying at National Parks and visiting friends along the way. I wrote some tips for car trips with kids here: https://seasonedspouse.com/road-trip-kids/ I hope that helps and I wish you luck with the move!
I need help!! The packers arrive TOMORROW! And my husband hasn’t been given a single day off to do anything around the house as far as PCSing our home. He’s had to do PT and work every single day. But his battle buddy who is single w/ 0 kids, and lives in the barracks, was given 10 business days OFF to do what he needed on base and in his barracks room. They’re the same rank. My husband and I have one child (whom is 18 months old.) They let my husband clear medical, transportation, CIF, etc, but then required him to go to work as well. He cleared all that in 1 day. They had him sitting in a room staring at a wall. They wouldn’t let him be here with me and our child to help, and I have health problems that his COC is very aware of. Additionally, this past weekend he couldn’t help as he was basically on 48 hour duty as punishment (he had to drive to the CQ desk every 45 mins and get the NCOIC on duty to sign a paper, and call his NCO at designated times who had to verify with the NCOIC at the CQ desk that my husband was showing up on time), plus he had to write a 1000 word essay during the same weekend, and show up all this week (our last week) to PT 15 minutes early. This was his very first counseling in his entire Army career (he’s been in for over 4 years), and was 3 mins late due to our car breaking down. So he was punished. So it’s been hell on us, our family life, our married life, etc. Any advice? And aren’t they supposed to give him X amount of days to do things..? Including at home? They told him, “We own your ass until you leave, don’t think we won’t take your rank or your pay,” word-for-word. Also, I missed a doc appt this past Friday, due to his NCO, as he and I share one car due to finances. He actually even made a point about punishing my husband’s “wife and family” for his actions. I wish I was making this up. I really do. We are going halfway across the country (Southern part of the Midwest to the Upper East Coast.) But my husband doesn’t deal with things well. I’m older than he is, so it’s been harder as our maturity levels are different, plus they’ve been trying to make his life harder and harder. I’ve seen a noticeable change in this past year, and a bigger change from the time he left his old unit and went to this one (even though he changed units, he essentially stayed at the same military installation.) I wish we could reschedule moving and clearing housing due to his COC doing this to us. I just am at a loss of words and can’t handle anything else. Our 1 car was $1,000 to get fixed, which we don’t have, plus we are about to leave here! I’m so glad to leave. This place is hell, no one likes it. Almost everyone we knew here has gotten out of the Army, and it was due to THIS place. I would say the name but I’d rather not. I’m sure people could guess, if they’ve ever been in the military OR have been a military spouse for a good bit of time. Anyways. I need someone to talk to (no one here), and advice. Are they able to do that to him, as far as the punishment goes for a first time offender, and not giving him any days at all to clear? He is allowed to have tomorrow off, but he still has to do PT and show up early. He is only allowed off because he is supposed to be here when the movers are here. That’s the only reason. Otherwise he would be at work until he signed out to drive to the next duty station. Ugh. Anyways, I appreciate your time! Thank you.
Nixe, that sounds horrible and I am sorry your family is going through that. It sounds like poor leadership. Technically, the CO is probably allowed to do that– unless the service member has been approved for leave. In a normal situation, he could request mass, or elevate a complaint up the chain of command. Because of the imminent PCS, I don’t think there’s any time for that. At this point, I think you just need to gather the last of your strength and patience and just get through tomorrow! I sincerely hope that things go better at your next duty station. 🙁
Her should have talked with someone out of the Chai of command line a counselor, behavioral health or the Chaplain.
Very imforming article! Thank you!
My husband and I got married in April of this year. We have one son together and were told we would get bah for the time he is on basis and AIT training. He joined in july and was on basoc by middle of August. He recently graduated basic October 31st,2018 and now is in AIT. We recieve his base pay each month, but have not recieved any bah. My question is, how would we get bah and how long does it take for us to receive it once it is known we need it… His AIT is only 6 weeks and we were hoping to save as much as possible for the move, finding a new house, anything that could happen unplanned. Haha. Please help I am just worried we are going to have to move and be on a waiting list for on base housing and not have enough to stay somewhere temporarily. We are both new to this and want the move to be as easy as possible! 🙂
Thanks in advance for any advise.
Hi Tracie, good question. BAH should begin once he either moves into private housing (like renting off-base to live with you) or moves into gov’t housing (living on base in a house with you). During school situations, he may qualify for partial BAH, since he is living in a barracks or similar building. It’s definitely a good question for him to ask his leadership, because I don’t know exactly when it kicks in, but you will want to make sure that you are listed properly on his paperwork so he can receive it.
BAH should start the day of the marriage or enlistment of already married.
Hi. I’m doing some research and came across this blog. Amazing tips and I was so blown away that you took the time to respond and help pretty much evryone on here. Thanks for that.
You are so welcome! And I appreciate you!
My husband has been reserved for 8 years he just singed active and we movie out of state he leaves next month (when do we get to go with him), we have 3 kids 5 year old, 2.5, and 9 months. I got saving receipts, what other things should I know like for the kids school and medical? I’m trying to inform myself as much as possible. We habe never moved out of state so this is big for us.
Hi Destiny, I know it is a lot to process! You may want to do a Google search for “PCS Binder.” It is not required, but many spouses use it to gather their essential moving paperwork and info in one place. You can also use the new app My Ultimate PCS.
For the kids school, you will want to keep with you (not pack in boxes) Birth certificates, shot records, previous school records or report cards, and any EFMP/doctor information. Once you move, you will also need to show proof of residency with a rent/mortgage form and a utility bill.
This was very helpful. I wanted to know when my husband gets assigned his duty station can we immediately go with him?(we have two kids a 11 year old and a 6 month old). He is doing his boot camp now and we haven’t received where his duty station will be.when will we know where we are moving? And do they allow us to go with him to tech school if it’s more than 6 month?
You’re very welcome! So yes, once he gets actual PCS orders to his first station, you and the children should be listed on the orders and be able to move with him. He will use those orders to apply for housing for the whole family near or on his next base.
As for tech school, that sometimes depends on the branch or school. Typically, if it is longer than 6 months the family is included on the orders and given the option to move with him to the school. But other times, the school orders only provide accommodations for the service member (in a barracks or type of hotel on the base). Family always has the OPTION to stay put or to move on their own dime, but you will only be reimbursed for a move and receive housing if the dependent family members are listed on the orders.
Ok thank you so much, another question how likely is it that we will go overseas for our first PCS? And, if we go overseas do they pay for everything as well? Shipping our things and getting plane tickets?
Hi Liz,
I’m happy I found this article it is very informative.
My husband just received his orders, he is not due to leave until another 10 weeks for officer training and he will be gone for 8 weeks. How soon can we get on the waiting list for housing? Also, he comes back for a week after training does he schedule for movers then to pack our belongings?
Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much, I have another question. How likely is it that we get our first PCS orders for overseas? If we do go overseas how does that work?(shipping our things and getting plane tickets) I also want to continue going to school would they work with me so I can continue overseas?
He Abby, overseas orders really depend on the type if job he ends up doing. He should get an indication during school which type of job and orders he would get. But yes, when you get overseas orders they cover the plane tickets and moving your things. Overseas bases have Education Offices which work with several US colleges and universities. So it is possible to continue a degree online, depending on your field.
If you get overseas orders, I have several posts to help walk you through that process too!
My husband is in the Air Force he’s going to Mississippi for his tech school for 6 months to a year will they pay for us to go with him and will we get bah?
It depends on the school and what accommodations they have for students. 6 months is the typical threshold to have family accompany the service member, so it could go either way. If the family members are listed on the orders, then yes, they will pay BAH for your accommodations and should cover the move too. If his orders are unaccompanied, then you could still choose to go, but would have to pay out of pocket.
Hi so my husband just reenlisted in the Army after many years and is going to training mid July until end of September. We have no clue where we will all be moving once he comes back. We have a 10 year old that I will have to enroll in a new school and we also own a home that we will have to try to rent out. He has 10 days once he gets back from training to prepare to move. I have a few questions that I’m not sure he can answer; Do movers come on the day of the actual move to help pack certain things or just to move boxes? Are we able to bring our car? We haven’t paid off our car yet. Does BAH happen right away or do they set us up on post or maybe in a hotel? Are schools, Drs offices and stores far from base or far from where we may live off base or are things fairly close by or even on post? I’m so close to everything right now and I have a disability that makes it difficult to drive and walk and it will definitely make packing and moving difficult for me. I wish I knew where we were moving, I have never moved out of my current city. Also, do they usually send you and your belongings by plane or would they drive you depending on how far it is? I’m trying to be positive but it’s stressful. Especially having a child and a movement disorder. Any help would really be appreciated!
So it sounds like you would want to do the full military move. Once he has hard orders, he will talk to the Transportation Office (during training, before he comes home) and file the move paperwork requesting a move date and approximate delivery date. Movers will come and pack your entire house for you and load up the truck, which they drive to the next location. You can usually ship one vehicle for free with orders, and drive a vehicle also (depending on location.) He can request base housing as soon as he gets orders by contacting the new base, but many places have a wait list, so sometimes you end up in temporary housing like a rental or hotel. Many bases have a school on-base near the housing area, plus the Commissary for groceries and the PX for other stores nearby. But it is different on each base. PCSgrades.com has a lot of info on each base so you can check out the options. I know it sounds like a lot, but you will see a lot of bases are organized to make housing convenient and accessible, and if you have special needs you can request EFMP and accommodating quarters.
I was wondering how exactly we can go about and get reimbursed for the hotel and travel expenses. My husband talked to someone in his command and they said they would not be covering those expenses, however they had told us previously during his MCT and first school that they would covering it. All the information is confusing and I don’t know where to get the accurate information. Please help.
There have been some adjustments during COVID, but he should still get reimbursed. It depends on the type of move, but you start the process with the Transportation Office on base. He will file a moving claim to start the process, and it will show him how many days he gets, plus mileage and weight allotments. But he will need hard copy orders to talk to the Transportation Office. In the meantime, you can get estimates and more details on http://www.Move.mil
Hello, I was wondering if you might know…is there anything offered by the Army, to cover the final month’s rent, when you have accepted housing at the new duty station as well?
…we really don’t have the means to pay rent in two places right now.
My husband kept getting extended in Korea, and finally is being allowed to come home on a ETP…but I had no notice to give 30 day notice to the place I am living.
So we have no choice but pay one months rent at the old apartment…but we have also accepted housing for July, are we stuck using the BAH for housing, and the rent for the one month out of pocket?
The good news is that it’s fairly easy to move into base housing because they don’t make you pay until the end of the first month. So if you move in August 1st, you don’t pay until your BAH hits on September 1st, since military pays you for time already served. So if you have move-out fees for the end of July, you could use the August 1st paycheck to cover them.
There are other options too. The Dislocation Allowance may help cover lodging costs in between duty stations. A government travel credit card can cover temporary lodging too, if approved. And finally, if you can’t make rent payments, the Army Emergency Relief (AER) offers service members an interest-free loan that is gradually paid back from their paycheck.
Yeah, they offered us base housing…far sooner than either of us can even live in it. (We took it, because the waitlist is very long…I initially applied last February or March.)
…he won’t be returning to the States until the day before he would sign for housing, but he’ll have nowhere to sleep there.
So he is probably staying in barracks until I can join him, with our belongings…because they’ll likely be making him quarantine for 14 days.
I am just now giving notice at my apartment, because he just received the ETP “today”.
…we have fought so hard to be together again, it’s been 27 months apart for us.
Now that it’s actually starting to happen, it feels so daunting.
I have to do the HHG move, rent a car to drive there (I am not doing public transportation during Covid.)
…and the military won’t cover that, with our luck.
I’m just sitting here tonight happy, but overwhelmed. >.<
I understand that’s a lot to handle, but you’re getting close! The military doesn’t provide a rental car, but they do offer a per diem and travel costs like gas, lodging, and food while you drive. It is reimbursed afterwards, but that may help you with the cost. He needs to log into Move.mil to schedule his move. There, he can see all the entitlements and what costs will be reimbursed.
We checked into it, it’s .17 cents a mile…not even close to the costs, since it’s considered POV.
…but not dying of this virus, is most important for me.
You’d think they’d make it an option during times like this, but oh well.
…thank you so much for your help, it’s very much appreciated. 😊
You’re welcome!
My husband just received his soft orders and I’m just wondering how long it generally takes for those to become finalized and/or the chance of those orders changing? We knew we would be coming here for his school straight out of boot camp, so this is our first time dealing with the possibility of orders changing.
It’s hard to say anything for certain, but his orders should be finalized when he completes his current school. The orders could change depending on how he does in the school. But if he passes and does well, then the orders will likely remain the same.
Hi! My husband is at AIT right now, so I was wondering, how soon after he gets his official orders for his first base can I and our daughter move onto that base? Thank you!
As soon as he has orders, you can apply for housing on that base. They will ask for his Report Date (which will be a date range listed on the orders) and you will get housing assigned based on that date. Sometimes there is a wait list, other times you may be able to move in right away.
Hi! My husband I just got married, but we are still living apart until he reaches his new duty station in March. I’m so new to everything, it’s a little overwhelming… but, would like to help as much as I can. I’m trying to understand how it works if we are both moving from separate locations, will they cover both moves? Or only one? Also, his orders are for mid-march, but my current lease ends February 28 and I would love to move my stuff to wherever we are going to end up on March 1st (if we live off base) rather than pay an extra month rent at where I am currently. Will the military cover the move from my current house to our new house if it is 15 days before his date? I seriously feel so out of the loop with all of this… thanks!
Hi and welcome! I know it’s confusing and overwhelming at first. So the military only covers 1 move–from his current location to his new one. He could request a DitY or PPM move that would let him help move your stuff. He will have to make that request through the base moving office.
The date on his orders is probably the “Report no later than” date. He is allowed to move during a window a few weeks before that. If it doesn’t align perfectly with your lease, you may have to move early, not paid by the military, and get to the new apartment a few days or a week before he does.
Hey, my wife is currently in AIT and has her projections for her FDS. If I reserve lodging on post and arrive before she does, will she be able to stay in aforementioned lodging during in-processing or are all incoming SMs required to stay in the barracks until housing is acquired regardless of marital status?
It depends how her orders are worded. If your name appears on her orders, then she qualifies for family housing. If your name is not there, then she will be assigned a barracks room. You could still get a hotel, but it would be out of pocket, not reimbursed by the military. Sometimes family members do not appear on orders that only last a few months, so it depends how long her school is and what type of moving orders they give her.
Does your name have to be in your SMs orders, or does it just need to state “dependents?”
Each branch does it differently. Some actually list names, others just say dependents. If it says dependents she qualifies for the move and housing.
I’m so glad I came across your blog. My husband is joining the Navy as a doctor. My question is: while at ODS, he’ll find out where we’ll move. Once he finds out, I’ll more than likely fly out to that city to find a place to live. Will the Navy reimburse me for that trip?
If you are married and your name appears on his orders, then will rate certain funds and reimbursements to travel to his duty station. However, it’s a complex process and he has to submit paperwork and get it approved before the move. They don’t reimburse plane tickets for a domestic move (within the continental United States). Instead, they reimburse travel based on mileage and a number of allotted days. So most people drive and use the per diem for gas and hotels. If you choose to fly, you will pay for the ticket out of pocket. He should ask questions from his leadership about whether that impacts his per diem or overall travel reimbursement, but most likely it won’t be directly reimbursed.
Hello! I love your blog! It is super helpful as I’m new to military life as a wife. My husband is currently in AIT but will go to Airborne once he graduates. He’s received his soft orders but nothing in hard copy. We already have an apartment set up at his future duty station. His DS told him that once airborne is done he will go straight to his duty station and into barracks. Will he not get time to come help me move as his Permissive TDY before getting set up in the barracks? Or will he go straight into a family housing on base? Or how exactly will that work out, he hasn’t received his official orders yet so there’s no say to know if I’m officially on the orders. More than likely I will be but I just wanted a general overlook of how might the process go?
Thanks so much for reading! Yes, what his instructor probably meant is that he will be expected to report to the next station without taking any extra leave (vacation days) in between. However, he should be granted several days to travel there, depending on the distance. So you would need to be mostly packed up and ready to go, but he may have a day or so to help you move, and you will have a few days to travel together to the duty station.
If you are married and registered in DEERS, then your name should be on the orders.
Hi, my fiancée and I have been together two years and will be married in the next few weeks. His PCS date is March 2022 and it will be our first move together (though he has done this many times).
I’m British and we are moving to San Diego where he is going to a ship. We are pretty on top of the paperwork and the visas are being filled out and applied for as soon as possible but it’s all a bit overwhelming!
Is there any extra advice you can give me or contacts that may help with the process? My concern is that while he’s deployed i’m left in a new country, with this new life and I’m not going to know where to turn. Its a huge life move and I want to be as prepared as possible.
The plus side is that San Diego looks so beautiful and I’m crazy excited!
Hi Amy, welcome to military life! Congratulations, and I’m excited for you. Yes, San Diego is beautiful and has lots to see and do.
I suggest you do a few things to find support and meet people. Join Facebook groups for military spouses in the San Diego area. There are many groups, most are good for aaking questions, making connections, and learning about local activities.
Also, ask your fiance to add your name and contact info to his military unit’s family Liason. It is probably called an Ombudsman. They can contact you throughout the deployment with details about his ship. Sometimes they organize events for spouses too.
Finally, get out and explore. It’s a big city, and has groups for every hobby or interest. Join a gym, church, and/or or local clubs that appeal to you, and make friends with people there. Even if they aren’t military, they can help you learn your way around the area and have fun during deployment.
Hi we just received our orders for Camp Pendleton and I wanted to know if you have any info on what we do to get on base housing? I saw a place that seems perfect for us called foster hillls and I emailed them for more information as well but I just wanted to ask since you seem very informative. Will is just be applying to live in this housing and giving our moving orders and then what lol? Do we have to pay anything or have any paper work filed ahead of time to qualify for this housing? (Marine spouse) thank you and info will help! I’m very scared and I want to handle as much of this for my husband as I can!
Hi Paige! I know it’s overwhelming and frustrating. Your husband should contact the base Housing office (Lincoln Military or Hunt) as soon as he has his hard-copy orders. He should do this BEFORE leaving the current assignment.
Camp Pendleton is huge, and has housing neighborhoods spread out almost 20 miles apart. But they are all based on rank and family size.
So the Housing company will ask him those questions, then put him on a Wait List. Eventually, they will call and offer a house in a certain neighborhood. You are allowed to turn down 1 house, but then they put you back on the wait list and you have to accept the next one, or get off the wait list.
If they call and offer it before you move, then great! You can complete paperwork electronically and it will be waiting fir you when he checks in.
But… sometimes the wait lists take months. So you may have to leave your current place and move to Pendleton without an assigned house. There is a Navy Lodge hotel on base, and his PCS orders will reimburse you for staying there fir up to 10 days at first. He can apply for an extension up to 30 days. But you should discuss a back-up plan. Ask the base Housing office if there is any temporary housing option. Some people rent an RV and stay at the RV park on base. There are short-term apartment rentals off base in Oceanside. Or you can pay out of pocket for a hotel. Be prepared for months of waiting, so then if you get a place sooner it will be a pleasant surprise! I wish you guys luck in your move!
Thank you so much for your response I told him to contact them and gave him that info! Do you know of anything else I should be doing right now to help things go over well. I know we need to go to the DMO for a counseling session before we can schedule our pick up dates. Is this something I can do or will it need to be my husband? And should he wait until he gets home from his MOS training or should he see the DMO at Fort Leonard wood? For extra clarification we got our orders literally yesterday, he finishes school September 13th and he need to report to Camp Pendleton by October 13 I know this is a busy time for PCS and I’m super scared because we’ve both been really broke since living apart and don’t have extra fund saved for a whole ton of moving expenses (we will be setting aside more until then) but I want to stay on top of this as much as possibly so I get us there on time and we don’t waste to much out of pocket
The Marine needs to contact DMO at the duty station where he is scheduled. (You can’t do it for him.) He can start the process while he’s away at school by logging in with his CAC card. Go to the Military OneSource moving page for the official process.
If money is an issue, he can request an Advance Pay in his DMO counseling (but remember that comes off his paycheck or reimbursement later.)
October is not peak season, so it way easier to get the dates you need then. But start now, as soon as possible, to research and begin paperwork. Decide if you will use the govt movers, or move yourself (called a PPM.) Ypu can find tons of moving tips on PCSgrades.com.
My son got married while on leave between BMT and his FDS. He was told they would pay to move his wife and their belongings to Sumter SC as long as he was married before reporting there. Now he is being told that they won’t pay to move their things? How can this be correct? What can he do? I feel at a loss on how to help because his wife flew there to be with him and they are staying off base until their house is ready, which will be Nov. 3rd. We have been storing their things and furniture at out place. We can’t afford to transport their belongings and they don’t have much money because they are newlyweds. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Hmmm, it sounds like his paperwork might not be correct or complete for a sponsored move. First, he needs to check the orders to received to go to Sumter. Is his wife’s name listed on the official orders? If so, then he should qualify for a funded move with a dependent. If her name is not there, then he needs to get those orders corrected as soon as possible to include her name.
Next, he needs to talk to his chain of command about his situation. To get a government-funded move, he should have submitted paperwork at the transportation office during before traveling to Sumter. If he has already reported in to his new unit and assignment, he is outside the window of his moving dates and needs to request delivery of non-temporary storage items. The government should pay for a moving truck to come to your house, pack up and pick up all the items he and his wife have stored there, and deliver them to his new house in Sumter. But this won’t happen without him submitting the correct paperwork. Sounds like he is Air Force, so he needs to talk to the First Shirt about that.
My daughter just got married in July. Her now husband, recently graduated Basic and is stationed in Hawaii. Now that they are married he is trying to get command sponsorship for his wife and daughter. His command is telling him he must pay for transportation and for them to move to Hawaii. And once they arrive on island, they will approve their command sponsorship. And of course without CS they can’t get military housing so they would have to rent off base, which is not what their plan is.
Have you heard of this? I am also a army wife, but this is not how it was when we first married.
His Sgt is not being helpful and told him he couldn’t go higher up the COC.
That sounds very frustrating. Did they get married before or after he moved there? It matters because the military only pays for the move if the marriage license is filed before the PCS, and if her name is listed on his orders. Otherwise, the spouse pays out of pocket to move to the first duty station, which is a big deal since Hawaii is considered OCONUS. And yes, they would both need command sponsorship and a marriage certificate on file to get base housing. He can get the orders amended to include her name, but will probably have to be on a wait list for base housing.
My husband is coming home from AIT on 10/14/2021. He was thinking about joining the Army Special Forces, but that means we may have to move to Texas or Atlanta. The thing is we bought a home in UT 2 Years ago.. how does that work if we end up wanting to move forward with him joining the Special Forces? Also, does the Army pay for my family to move?
My husband comes home from AIT on 10/14/21. He has been talking about joining the Army Special Forces, but doing so we would have to move to Texas or Atlanta. The thing is we just bought a home in UT 2.5 years ago. How does that work if we end up moving forward with him joining the Special Forces? Also, would the Army pay for the move?
So, welcome to the military family! Yes, the Army will pay for each of your moves. It is a somewhat complicated process, so he has to make sure to submit paperwork before each move, and you can choose to work with military moving companies (that the military pays for) or you can choose to move yourselves and get a lump sum from the Army that you either keep for your expenses, or pay to hire 3rd party packers and movers. But make sure that your name is listed on his orders and paperwork to get you covered in the move.
As for the house question, home ownership can be frustrating for military families, because we do move a lot. Basically, if he gets orders to another state, you can either choose to sell your home (and then buy another one or rent at his new location) or you can continue to own your home in UT and rent it out using a property management company. There are benefits either way, so research which option will be best for your situation.
You may not know the answer to this, but does the army help with moving expenses if the spouse is not moving at the same time as the service member? (We just got married this month. He has been at his base since August. I’ll be following in December.)
Unfortunately, the military does not pay for a fiance(e) or spouse to move to the service member’s duty station when they get married. 🙁 The next time the service member gets orders, you will be listed on those orders as a Spouse and you will be covered. But since he didn’t have a spouse when he moved, the military expects you to pay out of pocket to join him at his current base.
Hi! I just came across your blog while doing some research.
My fiancé and I are set to get married in July, but he just graduated from A training and finishing the rest of his schooling (which should be early July) but hasn’t gotten his PCS date yet. I have so many questions and I’ll be sure to read through your blog for any that you may already have answered! I don’t know if you’ll know the answer to this, but how long will the process be after he submits the required paperwork? And if he gets his PCS date during the process but I’m not listed, would he be able to amend it? Or what would need to be done if he gets his PCS before we’re married? I’m trying to get on top of the paperwork to help him out while he’s finishing school and he’s basically entrusted me to also help him with the process and come up with questions to ask his CO. Any tips on questions for his CO would be much appreciated!!
His orders will be issued while he is still in school, with a report date at least a week after graduation. I assume you can’t get married while he is in school, so your name won’t be on the orders yet. In that case, the military won’t pay any of your moving expenses, and will expect you to make your own arrangements to drive or fly to his next station.
He should definitely ask his CO about the timing of your wedding, and whether orders can include your name. If not, the military will give him 10 days of leave, then expect him to drive (if he owns a car) or fly to his next assignment. They will ship his belongings from the barracks if he wants, but if he has anything at his parents’ house or another address, then he needs to talk to the Transportation Office about setting up a PCS move.
It’s not reasonable for you to plan any paperwork or official moving details, because the service member has to do all of that. He really needs to talk to his chain of command to get more details.
hello waiting on a follow up from my last question.
My son Is getting ready to PCS to his military school at another duty station. He got married this year as well. His wife currently lives in another state and has never lived with him. She will be joining him at his new Duty Station. I know the military will pay for him and his move from his current duty station to his new one. But will the military pay for his wife to move from her other state as well? He’s going to do a DITY with his own stuff from his current station to his new station, but would they pick up his wife’s stuff with a mover and take it to his new duty station? They will be living together then.
Thanks!
No, the PCS is only authorized from his current location to his next station. Unless he has items stored at her address that he wants to claim in the move, then she will have to make her own arrangements to move herself and her stuff.
Since they are married, her name should be on the orders, so he should talk to his Transportation Office to check his options for getting assistance or per diem to move her.
Hi.. Thanks for sharing!
We are currently in San Diego, and my hubby just got order to Virginia, but he has to go to school in Mississippi for 90 days first.. not sure what type of training he needs at this particular shipyard: he is been doing this job for 12 years now and we have never done that where he has to go to school before reporting to duty.. but my question is would me and kids be able to pcsing while he is in school or we will have to wait until his done.: I mean it’s so many things I could get done like finding schools, daycare, job, housing etc.. it will sucks if we have to pcsing around Christmas. Specially with the kiddos!!
Great question! Officially, his orders will approve the family to PCS after his school is done. Those will be the dates for the military-funded movers, travel days, reimbursement, etc.
However, he should talk to his bade Transportation Office, because if kids are in school, he can apply for a waiver to move the family a few months early. It has to be approved, but that would allow the govt movers to pack you out of San Diego before or during the time he is in school. He should check his BAH dates too, and figure out which state he’ll receive payment in, and starting on which date.
My husbands duty station is in Washington and I’m in Nevada. We recently got married in October. We finally got notified that we’re getting a house within the military community! But, I’ve been getting mixed answers. If I’m on his Deers but not on his orders, can I still qualify for moving assistance?
Are you currently living with your service member? His moving assistance is from one base to his next base, and will not include items from another location (like your parents’ house or your own apartment if you haven’t moved in with him yet.) And he only gets moving assistance when he gets PCS orders from one base to a new location. Is he going from Washington to another base somewhere else? Or are you just trying to join him in base housing in Washington.
It’s a little unclear from your question. But if you are just moving to his location, no, the military does not assist with moving new spouses to the service member’s location. 🙁
If he has actual PCS orders, he should get them amended so your name is on them. His moving weight allowance will be slightly higher if he has a dependent (you, the spouse), but that will still only include items packed out from one location. During a PCS move, the travel and per diem allowance is also slightly higher if a spouse is on the orders, so your name should definitely be on his next set of PCS orders.
Hello,
I read all the comments and they were insightful.
My husband is in the Navy. We are currently in WA but his household goods were moved when he was (single) in January. We got married in February. His ship is going back to its home port San Diego. I am not moving with him as I have to finish out my teaching contract. We were notified that the next duty station is Spain but we don’t have the official date yet. His home goods are currently in storage because he could not take them down to San Diego.
When we have our official PCS orders to Spain, would the movers pack up my stuff as well? Or would it be easier to speak to a military liason between the Navy and the moving company and start putting my stuff into his storage unit? Sidenote: he has been going to the storage unit and putting out stuff into it.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Despite the always expanding local population, finding base housing that meets your family’s needs is still a time-consuming process that often includes a length waiting list. If you decide to choose base housing for your family, you’ll likely need to find a temporary rental arrangement while you wait for approval for an on-base home.
I’m so excited about my first-ever PCS order, to be honest. I have been waiting for it for quite a while now, and now that the time is close, I’m super excited.
Hello! My son is currently in C school in Oceania. He got married right after A school before his flight to Oceania. His stuff is and has been here at our (his parents house) and his wife lives here. When she is entered into Deers how long does it take for orders to be reissued so her name is on them? Otherwise she will have to take her belongings with him when they drive to his first duty station? They don’t have a lot of things as they are just starting out but just trying to figure out if the movers would take her things or they just take them with them when they drive. She has to be on the official orders for her to count not just in Deers. Yes they waited till the last min for everything and drives me nuts.
Yes, you’re right that the spouse’s name must appear on the orders, not just in DEERS. I don’t know if there’s a standard amount of time for that change to occur. The service member should follow up with their Admin office and base Transportation Office to make sure the paperwork gets pushed through in time. They can also inform their chain of command if there are issues. But ultimately it’s their responsibility to follow up and make sure the paperwork is updated.
Hello, thank you for this website and Q&A!
My husband and I got married in Dec 2022. I PCS’d from England to Guam in Sep 2023. Before we left, my losing base advised us not to move my husband with me, so I can command sponsor him when I get to Guam and get reimbursed for travel expenses.
Now I am here in Guam and my gaining command is telling me command sponsorship does not authorize reimbursement for dependent travel since my dependent was not command sponsored at your previous base.
It seems no one knows what the actual regulations are when it comes to command sponsorship. Do you know what the regulations are and where I can find it in writing? I’ve tried searching and can’t come up with anything. Thank you
Which branch are you in? In most branches, a dependent is considered command sponsored if their name appears on the PCS orders. If you were married before getting the orders, he should have been eligible to move with you. And his name should have been listed on the orders.
For Navy dependents, here are the rules: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Support-Services/Distribution-Management/Dependent-Entry-Approval/