When military personnel receive a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) notice, it means they have to move immediately. Now, either they can select DIY moving sources and get reimbursed from the military office or they can select government-sourced moving services of packers and movers.

If you’ve decided to do it on your own by using non-military movers and getting reimbursed later, then you can go for Ship a Car, Inc. transportation services. They move private vehicles to new duty stations at an affordable rate. They have moved around 35,000+ vehicles of different sizes and kinds across the country since 2012. They also provide door-to-door and base-to-base military auto transport services to keep it hassle-free for military members and their families.

Relocation Tips –

Whether you are moving first time or the 18th time, we have some useful tips to help you prepare for your PCS move –

Start The Process The Moment You Get Your PCS Order

Service members receive orders to move within 5 months or maybe two weeks depending upon the scenario and criticality of the situation.  It doesn’t matter what time frame you are subject to, the moment you receive the orders you have to start the moving process. If you are moving during the peak summer season it is better to start early to get decent pickup and delivery dates.

Visit the Transportation Office

Visit the local installation transportation office or personal property office to receive a relocation estimate. You have the right to know all your options before moving to a new location. If you don’t understand anything, ask the official to keep it simple and clear. The best way is to prepare a list of questions that you have in your mind and while they are giving you the answers write it down somewhere.

Get Services Online

A lot of Military people go online on the military website and take the move services of the military base. The whole military move system is well planned. You can request moving services from the website and file claims later.

PPM decision

Personally Procured Move PPM is a DIY move that allows using non-military transportation and moving services to relocate and later get reimbursed by the government. If you are not sure about the details, you can ask your transportation office for more information.

Enroll For On-Base Housing

If you want to keep your family within you, then plan to live on-base.  Contact the housing office to know details and how to get on the waiting list. Certain new locations have long waiting for queues, so it is wise to find alternative living arrangements until your name reflects on the list.

Create PCS Binder

Before relocating, it is imperative to keep all documents in one place.  These are important documents that are required at the new base camp. Create a PCS Binder where you can store everything from birth certificates to packing checklists to PCS orders.

Inform your Family

Moving can be challenging for children if not for your spouse. Spouses are accustomed to the frequent relocation but children get emotional because they have to leave their friends, school/college. Tell them about the move as soon as possible so they have time to control their emotions.

With these few moving tips, you can prepare yourself easily and keep your next PCS movement tension and hassle-free.