Settling In: A Moving Checklist for After Your Military Move

Once your household goods have been delivered, if you discover that any items are missing or damaged, you have up to 75 days to submit itemized claims for their full replacement value. In some cases, you have even more time. Find out more about filing a claim via the Defense Personal Property System.

If you arrived at your new location, but some of your household goods didn’t, see if your installation has a loan closet or loan locker. You can borrow some items at no cost – such as dishes, cooking utensils, or coffee makers.– until your goods arrive.

Use MilitaryINSTALLATIONS to see if your new installation offers a loan closet:

1. Select Program or Service from the drop-down menu.
2. Under Choose Programs or Services, select Loan Closet.
3. Select your location under Select Installation or Zip Code.

Your voice matters. The survey is only eight questions and will help the Department of Defense evaluate your mover and hold them accountable, and make future moves better for you and other military families. To access the survey, log in to the Electronic Transportation Acquisition website and select DPS.

The Department of Defense will pay for some things related to your move, including mileage expenses and dislocation allowance. See how to submit your travel voucher online.

The relocation assistance program, through your installation Military and Family Support Center, offers key resources to help you adjust to your new location. Locate programs and services, maps and directions, and links to location overviews and community points of interest for military installations worldwide using MilitaryINSTALLATIONS. See an overview of how to use the MilitaryINSTALLATIONS tool.

Military and Family Support Centers, sometimes referred to as family centers, assist you and your family through your PCS. Services may vary at your installation:

• Newcomers’ orientations
• Welcome packets
• Lending closets
• Free internet café and printers
• Free fax and photocopies

Relocation assistance program helps families plan, address questions and provide access to resources related to moving. Services vary by installation but may include:

• Workshops and moving tools to lessen the stress and maximize the benefits of a move
• One-on-one assistance from experts on topics ranging from settling into a new community or getting help with local schools
• Referrals to the personal financial management program on your installation or organizations that offer emergency financial assistance

If you were assigned a sponsor before your move, now is the time to draw on their knowledge about how things work at your new duty station. They may also be able to show you around and help you and your family get to know your new community.

Will your child attend a Department of Defense school? Learn about eligibility and enrollment. If your child will attend a public school, the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children makes the switch easier for military families moving between states. The compact is applicable in all 50 states and helps in areas of enrollment, placement and attendance, eligibility, and graduation.

Need support? A Military OneSource education consultant can help you locate schools on and off your installation and advise you on registration. They can also direct you to resources if you are moving with a child special needs such as your installation’s Exceptional Family Member Program. Locate your local EFMP program on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS by searching for “EFMP – Family Support” under Programs or Services.

Also, many installations have a school liaison office to serve as a bridge and facilitator between schools and military families. Find your installation’s school liaison office contact information on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS by searching for “School Liaison Office/Community Schools” under Programs or Services.

For parents with preschool kids, contact your installation’s child development center immediately to sign up your child because there can be a waiting list. If you need child care, the Department of Defense website MilitaryChildCare.com provides military-operated and military-subsidized options across all services.

Contact TRICARE and let them know you have moved, especially if you have relocated to a different part of the country or OCONUS. You’ll want to be connected with a new primary care provider. TRICARE can also advise you on dental and vision care.

If you will live on an installation, basic services such as phone, TV, internet and trash removal will be taken care of for you. If you live off the installation, you are responsible for arranging these services yourself. Some companies offer military families a discount, so always ask when you are setting up a new service.

If you’re a military spouse, chances are you will be looking for a new job after your PCS. Fortunately, you have access to helpful resources to help you start the search.

• The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities provides education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering comprehensive resources and tools related to career development, education guidance and employment opportunities.
• The Military Spouse Employment Partnership connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses in portable careers.
• Installation spouse employment readiness specialists, accessed through the Military and Family Support Center on your installation or through your service branch, offer hands-on assistance with everything from resume writing and preparing for interviews to resources for portable careers.
• If you move due to a permanent change of station and you pursue the same licensure or certification in your new location, you can apply for up to $500 for reimbursement of relicensure or certification fees from your service branch.
• Military spouses with a MySECO account can get a free upgrade to LinkedIn Premium to assist with job searches, networking and more.