Authorized Housing Flexibility Options Increase for Service Members and their Families During PCS Moves

Eligible service members and their families now have increased housing flexibility options when they receive PCS orders within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, based on changes in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018.

Read on to learn about the new flexible options and whether you are eligible.

Eligibility for housing flexibility options

Under this new legislation, service members who meet requirements are eligible for authorized housing flexibility options before and during a PCS move.

Service members who qualify include those with:

• One or more dependents enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, or EFMP;
• A spouse who is currently employed or enrolled in a degree, certificate or license-granting program;
• An immediate family member with a chronic or long-term illness who they are caring for; or
• One or more children attending an elementary or secondary school.

New authorized housing flexibility options

Eligible service members may request flexible housing arrangements for their family starting 180 days before their PCS date, with the options ending 180 days after the PCS date:

• Continuation of stay in government-owned or -leased family housing if they are living in such housing at the start of the covered PCS period, though approval of this request requires that remaining there would not impact the housing arrangements of other service members assigned to that duty station. Note that this option does not cover Public Private Venture housing, or PPV, otherwise known as privatized military housing.
• Early housing options at a new duty station within the flexible housing period if housing is available, even if their service member has not yet arrived.
• Occupancy of government-owned or -leased unaccompanied housing if a spouse or dependents relocate at a time that differs from the service member’s arrival to an assigned station. This housing flexibility will be offered on a “space-available” basis that does not displace unaccompanied service members with no dependents.
• Equitable basic allowance for housing, or BAH, based on prescribed criteria.

The military service branch reserves the right to adjust the timing and general availability of these flexible moving options depending on mission needs.

Requesting authorized housing flexibility options

For additional information regarding these legislative changes, contact your installation’s military personnel office.

These authorized housing flexibility options were designed with the service members and their families in mind. The focus on minimizing certain stressors associated with PCS moves helps to increase force readiness toward the Department of Defense’s goal of increased lethality.

For general moving support, you can always take advantage of the Plan My Move tool, with customizable checklists and tips to make your next move a breeze.