Does your future include a PCS move to Naval Base Kitsap? Find the info you need for your family's transition to the area.
There are many hidden costs of PCS moves. Thankfully, there are some great ways to plan and prepare financially for these extensive costs.
Here's everything you need to know to prepare an Express Shipment for a PCS abroad when you receive military orders overseas.
The perfect starting point for your next PCS move
I recently described the Post-PCS Crash, also known as Complete Depletion. There is a process to arriving at this state of being, so I’ll explain.
The perfect starting point for your next PCS move
by Meg Flanagan Konnichiwa and welcome to your beautiful Okinawa military base, your island home for the next three-ish years. Okinawa, the most southern prefecture in Japan, is a gorgeous sub-tropical paradise and your new favorite duty station. Having spent three glorious, magical years here, I can assure you that you, too, can love Okinawa
received confirmation that you're headed towards the islands. Should you be ecstatic? or nervous? No need to worry. Here's your guide for PCS'ing to Hawaii.
PCS'ing from base to base can be exciting. Military members get a chance to start fresh. I'm here to help you prepare for a PCS move overseas in 10 steps.
Putting together a PCS Binder is simple and will spare you a headache come PCS time. How to make one and FREE DOWNLOADS included!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you're moving to South Korea to teach English, study or work. Welcome to the moving to Korea what to bring!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by AHRN.com. I only review and endorse products that I enjoy and believe that my readers will, too. All opinions (even the goofy ones) are my own. In the past (almost) 9 months of being married, I have learned a lot about being a military spouse. The military wasted no
Curious how to move to South Korea? This complete guide shares everything you need to know, down to the little life hacks for life in Korea.
Can a spouse or family member still move overseas without command sponsorship? Let’s break it down and also discuss the challenges.
It's officially official! Our little family will be on the move again this summer! We arrived at Fort Knox a little over a year ago, for a two-year assignment. This summer John has the opportunity
If you have an upcoming military move, or a PCS, get these PCS binder printables to help organize your move and keep you sane in the process.
My PCS binder, also known as "The Japan Book" around here, is the brain of our house these days. I cannot take credit for this idea because I saw it mentioned over and over again on military discussion forums, blogs and Pinterest. Of course, I'm an organizing gal, so it instantly appealed to me. This binder will never leave my side as we make the trip to Japan. There is SO much involved with moving overseas that the binder has almost become essential. I'm going to share with you what my binder includes in hopes that it might help anyone else that may be interested in making one. In the front of my binder, I have our passports in a document sleeve, but those will be going in my purse with me for our plane ride. I also want to mention that we scanned and uploaded all of these documents into mine and my husband's shared Google Drive account so that if we lose the binder (lord help me!), we will have access to copies wherever we are. The very first section of my binder is filled with all of our official military documents. I have about 6 copies of our official orders (I was told we would need copies for multiple things in Japan - cell phones, cars, off-base housing, etc.). I also have two copies of our Family Entry Approval Form. The last thing I have in this section is an emailed copy of our Port Call, or our flight information. The second section of my binder holds all the information that will be helpful to us once we arrive. These things include every single piece of correspondence from our sponsor, information about the Navy Lodge where we'll be staying, a print-out of our Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA), and our Overseas Cost of Living Allowance (OCOLA). I merged all of the emails from our Sponsor and put them into one large document that I could print out. I highlighted all of the dates that so that everything would be in order and easy to find. The third section of my binder has information about our shipments. This includes two copies of our Personal Property Checklist, our Entitlement Summary (how much weight can go in our shipments), two copies of each inventory from our movers (we only have one of these thus far, but once our HHG is picked up, that inventory will go in here too), and some helpful information about how to move from the Navy's Shipment Counseling website. In the fourth section of my binder, I have a guide for moving to Japan that was emailed to us by our Sponsor and Ombudsman. The last section of my binder has ALL of our important documents that I would HATE to lose in my luggage or HHG shipment. This is another reason that this folder will be with me at all times. This section has our Social Security Cards, our Insurance cards, our Marriage License, all of our dog's records (I will be giving these to my mother-in-law when we leave our dog with her), each of our family records (birth certificates, immunization records, etc.), copies of my husband's diploma from medical school, my husband's medical school transcript, a copy of our renter's and auto insurance, and a list of contact information for all the companies that we use (banks, insurance agents, cell phone, etc.). My binder is definitely full and it's going to add some weight to my backpack on the plane. However, it will be so nice to have EVERYTHING we need inside it. I know it will make the transition easier once we arrive in Japan. I hope that my binder will help you if you are wanting to put one together yourself. If you have any suggestions for other things to include, I'd love to hear them!
Learn what to expect when your Army soldier receives PCS orders to Korea. Find out about command sponsorship for this tour.
What is it like to move to South Korea? This interview shares personal experiences and practical tips about life in South Korea as an expat.
Do you have an upcoming PCS? Here are six things you can do NOW while you hurry up and wait for your upcoming military move.
How to pack and prepare for an overseas PCS. What items can you bring with you to a foreign duty station when you get orders to move overseas?
Welcome to Daily Mom's article on Daily Mom Military- What to Expect When You PCS on the Patriot Express, where you can find all the information and tips you
The flurry of moving is over, and now you're just facing a sea of boxes. Try these tips to get settled into your new home and community!
Thinking about traveling to South Korea but not sure what to expect? Here are 25 things you should know before traveling to South Korea, enjoy!
So, you want to move abroad. To Germany! I have to tell you, you’ve made a good choice. Germany is an excellent place to live. This gorgeous, livable place is one of the best in
Moving To Hawaii With A Pet: What You Need To Know - Everything you need to know about moving to Hawaii with your cat, dog or other family pet!
This is the first duty station where we have lived in military housing. I was skeptical at first after hearing the horror stories from the military housing at our last duty station.
Getting ready for a cross-country move but not sure how to transport your furry friend? Read my tips for cross country moving with cats here.
How to pack and prepare for an overseas PCS. What items can you bring with you to a foreign duty station when you get orders to move overseas?
Making a PCS checklist can help so much with your final days before a move. There's a lot on your mind, so make a giant a to-do list to keep it all in order
PCS season has enough stress as it is. Staying organized is vital! Here is what I consider to be vital items to have in a PCS binder and why.
Everything you or your spouse needs to know about a PCS military move. Even if it is your 1st time, 5th time, traveling solo, or with family.
I PCS'd to Ramstein (Feb 2011) and kept notes along the way. I started taking notes when I was having a hard time finding out the basic in...
A blog about army life, cooking, and traveling. With a little Pinterest tested thrown in!
Kim and I have been getting a lot of questions on PCSing overseas. We've been reading about the many problems people are having trying to ge...
Grab a free printable PCS checklist for changing schools with military kids. Learn step-by-step what military families need to know before moving kids to a new school.
A blog about army life, cooking, and traveling. With a little Pinterest tested thrown in!
Be prepared for a smooth move with these ten great pinnable resources to help you prepare for moving time! Pin moving checklists, moving hacks and more!
Are you thinking about moving to Japan? For me, I knew I wanted to move here ever since I was a freshman in college. Then came the problem of “How the hell do
This is a compensated review for The Unclassifieds. I only review and publish on produce that I truly believe in and believe you will, too. All opinions (and goofy comments) are my own. Military spouses have the uncanny habit of seeing holes in services-- in the military and civilian world-- and figuring out a way
A blog about army life, cooking, and traveling. With a little Pinterest tested thrown in!
Our Unaccompanied Baggage/Express shipment gets picked up tomorrow morning between 0800 and 1000. I've poured over the internet, trying to figure out what the heck to put in that shipment. We've got to be able to go 10 days without whatever we send Express. However, these are also items that we would like to have asap once we arrive in Japan. I've been thinking about this list for about a month now and I wanted to share it with anyone else who might find themselves PCS'ing in the future. Bedrooms: (1) Queen sheet set, 2 pillows, 2 pillow cases (2) Twin sheet set, 2 pillows, 2 pillow cases (2) Twin comforters/blankets (1) Down comforter (2) Quilts (3) Sleeping bags (2) Formal dresses (just in case) Bathrooms: (2) Adult towels (2) Child towels (2) Washcloths Shower rod Shower rings Girls’ shower curtain Hair Clippers Toys: Aircraft carrier Toy Story Imaginext Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head Toy computer Disney Princesses/Barbies Large floor puzzles Dress-up Dolls Workbooks and crayons Board games Variety of children’s books Musical instrument set Living Room: Rotating fan Small black fan (2) Throw pillows Kitchen: (1) Large skillet (1) Small cookie sheet (1) Spatula (1) Wooden spoon (1) Large mixing bowl (1) Small mixing bowl (1) Muffin tin (1) Toaster oven (1) Medium pot (1) Oven mitt (1) Colander(1) Large glass measuring cup (1) Small glass measuring cup (1) Set of measuring spoons (5) Towels (5) Washrags (4) Plastic plates (4) Plastic cups (2) Coffee mugs (4) Forks (4) Spoons (4) Knives (4) Blue plastic bowls (4) Green plastic bowls (1) Medium cutting board (2) Cutting knives (1) Small cooler tote (1) Pair of scissors Office: Small tool box (2) Extension cords Extra household cords (chargers, A/V, etc.) Sharpies Pens Envelopes Bank deposit slips/envelopes Garage/Outdoor: (2) Adult camping chairs (2) Child camping chairs Small Bissell vacuum Mop Broom Shark Steam Cleaner (4) Beach towels Professional Gear: Medical books/folders Some professional clothing I decided to clear out the guest room and put all of our Express shipment in there. Then, when the movers come in the morning to pack up, they won't be all over the house and everything will be in one convenient place for them. This is what I started out with: I spent most of yesterday and this morning cleaning and laundering things that would be shipping out. At the middle of the day, I paused for a snack (notice my popcorn) and didn't really feel like I'd done much. Finally, by the afternoon, I started getting things together. I tried to sort things by type and pack some things myself. I bought a couple of space bags to put comforters and pillows in so that they might stay fresh after being washed. I also used a Rubbermaid tub for all the sheets and towels. I tried to put things in baggies when I could (toy parts, pens, sharpies, extra parts, etc.) and I also took batteries out of things in case they decided to corrode on the way to Japan. And, let's keep it real. This is what my bedroom looked like for most of the day: Seeing as how this is my first move by the Navy, I will definitely try to keep an eye on the movers tomorrow so that I can see exactly how they pack and if I can do anything better next time. I might even take some pictures of the poor, unsuspecting movers. Stay tuned!
A post about moving/pcsing and some moving tips on what you can do to make it easier!
