PCS with Military.com

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves with kids come with their own layers of challenges, not the least of which is switching schools. For military parents who do not homeschool, each move is met with the task of finding a new school, shifting school records and meeting the teachers and staff. Many parents also face the additional challenge of dealing with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or gifted and special education programs. And for the parents with high schoolers nearing...

Every military family has a stash of curtains purchased for odd window sizes in a previous home. But today’s guest, interior design expert and Army spouse Maria Reed, has built an expertise out of saving families undergoing their latest military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move from bad curtains and misfit furniture. In this episode, Maria shares her best advice for creating a living space that can move with you, no matter the size of your home or shape of your space. See full show...

If only a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move was as simple as letting the movers pack your stuff and then unpacking it on the other end. Instead, you’ve still got a pretty big decision left on your plate: where to live. Deonte Cole, a Marine Corps veteran and real-estate agent, and Derrick Abbott, a loan officer who has spent his career helping families access and use their VA home loans, work together in the Tampa, Florida, area. In this episode of PCS with Military.com,...

One of the challenges with any military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is that you likely won’t ever see your new home until you actually arrive with your stuff already packed away. The Pentagon doesn’t pay for house-hunting trips or new duty station fact-finding missions. In this episode, Army spouse Kellie Artis shares her best tips and tricks for understanding your future home and dealing with all of the things you need to know about it without actually being there. Artis is the...

Military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves are going to happen whether you’re ready or not. Moving is simply a part of military life. You can make things a little bit easier on yourself by preparing not just your home and family ahead of time, but also your wallet. Clay Stackhouse is a regional outreach manager for Navy Federal Credit Union, which sponsored season one of PCS with Military.com. In this sponsored episode, he shares some financial tips and tricks every military member...

Military spouses know the challenges of a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move don’t end with the packing and unpacking. Relocating a career or a small business adds an entirely new layer of complexity. Fortunately, highly successful military spouses like Marine Corps spouse Lakesha Cole are willing to pass on what they’ve learned to make life a little bit easier for the next person. In this episode, Lakesha skips the how-tos on paperwork and goes straight to the things business...

Theoretically, the U.S. military covers the cost of each Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move. But any service member or military family member will tell you that’s not entirely true. Fortunately, military discounts offered by businesses nationwide can make the financial pinch a little easier. In this episode, Military.com social media manager and military lifestyle blogger Joanna Guldin-Noll shares her best tips and tricks for finding and using military discounts during and around your...

Preparing for and unpacking from a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is an exercise in patience and wherewithal and a test of organizational skills. Many military members and families also use it as an opportunity to see, sort and organize everything they own. After all, who doesn’t love a good PCS purge? But the process also can be incredibly overwhelming. In this episode, Navy spouse and home organizational expert and consultant Christa Curtis, owner of Permanent Change of...

Moving can be really expensive. The Defense Department is supposed to foot the bill for your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, but reimbursement isn’t immediate and there are plenty of financial gotchas to consider as you get ready for and recover from a move. In this episode, Military.com financial columnist Ryan Guina lays out some of the money issues service members and military families should keep in mind as they relocate -- and what the Defense Department does to help. See full...

While much of navigating your military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is up to you, some things are just a matter of rules and regulations. But navigating that information can be confusing and riddled with rumor and misinformation based on one individual’s experience. On this episode of the PCS with Military.com podcast, Matt Butler, a Defense Department civilian employee at Transcom whose 22-year Air Force career focused on helping service members move their personal belongings,...

Surviving your military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move isn’t magic or rocket science. By taking time to plan and keep your paperwork and move organized, you can get to the other side of your current or next PCS experience with at least your sanity safe and sound. In this episode, Megan Harless, an Army veteran and spouse, and unintentional advocate and expert in military moves, shares her best advice for smoothly navigating your military move from start to finish, including building...

If moving was simple, this would be easy. But it's not, and Military.com is here to help. On PCS with Military.com you'll hear the best tips and tricks from military life and relocation experts. Learn more about military moves on Military.com/PCS PCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.