PCS with Military.com

Making a military PCS move carries a hefty financial burden for military families. That means smart money management and knowing and using all of your PCS entitlements is necessary for getting you from Point A to Point B without draining your bank account. And even as you balance that cash flow, you also need to keep another life management factor in mind: All of that paperwork that makes the military life go ’round. From passports to shot records, knowing where your documents are won’t just save your sanity, it can also save you money. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, financial columnist and accredited financial counselor Kate Horrell joins us to share her best tips and tricks for a financially smart and sanity-safe military move. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingRead Kate Horrell on Military.comVisit Kate’s website Check out Kate’s military life binder systemPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

Ready to take on the challenge of your first military move? In the complex world of military permanent change-of-station (PCS) moves, it’s hard to know what you’re getting yourself into until you’ve done it. From packing to dealing with the move itself, a maze of rules, guidance and advice is waiting for you. So how do you know what to do? And is there a way to simply learn the best practices without first making mistakes? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Army veteran, spouse and military move industry insider Isabel Schmitt lays out her best tips for military families getting ready for a PCS. Co-founder of LOGSA Mil Moves, Isabel’s help is based on her boots-on-the-ground knowledge about how military packers and movers really work. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingRead about LOGSA Mil MovesVisit Military No Stress PCSPCS WIth Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

You’ve unpacked the boxes and registered your kids for school. Your military PCS is all wrapped up, and now you’re friend single and ready to mingle. If only plugging yourself in to your new duty station was that simple. No matter your cultural background or interests, finding that perfect new community wherever you are can feel hard. So how do you successfully relocate those passion points while dodging the temptation to reinvent yourself after every move? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Air National Guard spouse Tawny Trottier Cale, an activist and small business owner, talks about how she navigates the tricky subject of relocating culture and passion, and shares her tips on how you can successfully do the same. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingVisit Sister Beads, Tawny’s companyPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

Think doing your PCS move yourself without the help of the on-base transportation office is too much work? Military spouse Mallory Pevoto, aka the “DITY Mama,” says think again. A Personally Procured Move (PPM), also known as a DITY move, might sound like too much to handle, but by organizing packers and movers yourself without the help of Uncle Sam, you can have more control over what happens with your household goods and maybe even make some money in the process, she says. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Mallory talks us through why military families should strongly consider a PPM for their next military move and what to do if you find yourself facing one when it’s not what you want. Listen now. Follow and Subscribe to the PCS With Military.com Podcast Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingVisit Mallory’s website, DITYmama.comFollow DITY Mama on InstagramPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

If you have kids, relocating with the military can also mean moving schools and sorting through a maze of academic requirements and rules. That’s just one of the reasons many military families choose homeschooling instead. But it still brings plenty of challenges. Rules for homeschooling vary by state, and getting plugged into a new, supportive community can be a challenge, no matter how often you do it. Toss learning to navigate homeschooling thanks to an overseas PCS, and the process can seem even more complicated. Military homeschooling expert Natalie Mack has the tips, tricks and insight for making military homeschooling just a little bit easier. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, she lays out the help you need for moving with your homeschooled family and making the best of schooling, no matter where you are stationed. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingLearn more about the Homeschool Legal Defense AssociationDefense Department State LiaisonsLearn about DoDEA Find regional School Liaison OfficersPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

Ready for your 2023 military PCS? Each year, the Defense Department updates the rules and regulations around military moves. Knowing and using those changes is an important part of making a successful PCS. But learning what they are and understanding how they impact you? That’s where things get harder. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, military move expert Megan Harless gives us a quick view of the most important changes for 2023 and what you need to do about them. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingVisit PCSLikeaPro.orgFind PCS Like a Pro on FacebookJoin the PCS like a Pro Facebook groupPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

In a world where dual-income households are the norm, leaving a civilian career behind every few years thanks to a military PCS move creates a host of challenges. Even if you can easily find a role in your profession, how are you supposed to grow a career when you keep hopping jobs? A series of programs offered by the Defense Department seeks to help with that problem. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, director Eddy Mentzer walks us through what those programs are, where to find them and how to get the most out of the assistance available. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingMilitary OneSource spouse career programPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

Two military spouses walk into a bar … No, that’s not the kind of joke we’re looking for. Military moves can be wildly stressful, but if you can find the humor in them and learn to laugh through what you’re dealing with? It makes everything just a little bit easier. Comedian and Air Force spouse Ashley Gutermuth knows that is true. Through her many military moves, she has learned to flip circumstances around to find the humor, and the standup comedy she does as a result is downright hilarious. This episode of PCS with Military.com shares plenty of laughter as Ashley reveals her secrets for finding the funny in military life, why she owns six Roombas and her jokes that make people mad. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingFollow Ashley Gutermuth on InstagramPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

You’re excited for an overseas military PCS move with your service member until … that is, until you realize that taking your career with you is likely to be very complicated. Even if you’re a remote employee already, the rules around working while living at an OCONUS duty station are murky at best. And even if you can figure them out, you still have to convince your employer to let you do it. Those rules are created by what’s known as a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the host nation. So how do you figure out what you need to know about taking your career overseas? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Beth Conlin, a military spouse and OCONUS career advocate, explains the ins and outs of SOFA, how to figure out what you need to know and some steps for working with your employer to take your job with you when you move. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSing More about Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA)PCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

No matter how many times you’ve relocated or how long you think you’re going to be at your new duty station, every military PCS comes with this major question: Where are you going to live? Whether you rent or buy a home depends on a host of factors specific to your situation. But you also need to take into consideration the current housing market. So what do you need to know, going into this military move season? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, VA home loan and mortgage industry insider Michelle Crumley sits down to talk us through the many considerations for deciding whether to buy when the home market is wild. Listen now. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inboxLearn more about military PCSingConnect with Michelle CrumleyPCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union

Are you ready for your next military move? Make sure you have all the information, tips and tricks you need to help make your next PCS a success. Military.com’s executive editor and Army spouse Amy Bushatz brings you another season of PCS With Military.com, packed with everything you need to get your next PCS season started. Whether it’s your first PCS or your 10th, PCS With Military.com will help you navigate the how-tos of military moves, from military money insights to insight on the latest PCS changes you need to know. Listen wherever you get your podcasts starting May 1, 2023.

Whether you’re PCSing across the country or just down the road, you still need to find a place to live. But base housing is often not the right fit or even readily available, and finding a home off base can be really expensive, especially in a tight housing market. Military members and veterans have access to a special home loan benefit through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA home loan. Yet using it can feel too complicated, while how it works is often surrounded in rumor and misinformation. So what’s the real deal? Today’s guest, real-estate expert and military veteran JP Pena, gives his best advice for buying a home using a VA home loan. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Get free VA home loan rate quotes Visit the JP Pena Real Estate Team Facebook page Follow the JP Pena Real Estate Team on Instagram

After two decades, a variety of military spouse-focused nonprofits and government programs are still working to find solutions to a long-term problem: military spouse unemployment. With the spouse unemployment rate sitting at about 24%, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Foundation, the turn to remote work during COVID and consistent employer education campaigns from military organizations are starting to help. But military spouses continue to face issues around finding and growing careers that meet their skill sets and geographic locations. Those are the kind of challenges Brian Alvarado, who leads the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Program, is trying to solve. In today’s episode, Brian talks through those challenges and ways military spouses can navigate employment issues during and around a military PCS. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Learn about the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Program Learn about the Amplify program

Military members spend an average of $5,000 out of pocket without being reimbursed for each Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, according to data from the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN). And that’s just one of the reasons having a financial plan going into your PCS is a good idea. But even if you didn’t plan ahead for your military move, you can still have a financially confident PCS, says Kia McCallister-Young, an Air Force veteran and former military spouse who now leads the nonprofit America Saves program. In this episode, Kia explains ways military members can start planning today for a PCS, even if they’re already in the middle of one. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Visit MilitarySaves.org Follow Military Saves on Facebook Follow Military Saves on Twitter

You attended the transportation briefings, read the military’s moving instructions website, talked to friends, gleaned advice from Facebook groups, prepared for the movers and said goodbye to your favorite coffee shop. But did you ever stop to think about how understanding your personal psychology can help you create a successful military Permanent Change of Station (PCS)? The Enneagram system helps individuals not just understand how they tend to approach and think about the world, but also how to not just move through challenges, but come out better on the other side. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Kellie Artis, a certified Enneagram expert, explains how to not just understand your own type, but use it to make your PCS move awesome. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Visit GoMillie.com View Miliary.com’s base guides Find Millie on Facebook

Military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) stress can feel like one thing after another piling on until you’re just so exhausted, you crack. One way to lower stress ahead of time is to get organized around your move. That can include leaning into organizational tools or even an Excel spreadsheet. For CC Gallagher, an Army spouse and military spouse resource expert, that means leveraging a label system for your pack-out. When she couldn’t find one that fit her needs, she created it herself and now sells it through her website. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, CC talks about her favorite PCS organizational tools and her Stressless PCS Kit. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing See more about the Stressless PCS Kit

Rules and regulations around military moves are set by two sources: laws passed by Congress, and policies created and directed by the Pentagon. How those are implemented is up to U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and the military and civilian officials there who oversee the military move system. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Brig. Gen. Joel Safranek, who oversees the personal property system, and Kristen Johnson Barnat, a TRANSCOM spokesperson, give us the inside view on rule and regulation changes that impact the 2022 PCS season. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Learn about military moves on Military OneSource Log into the Defense Personal Property System (DPS)

It’s easy to feel nervous about the entire military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process when every step seems packed with risk that your belongings will be lost, broken or stolen. But have you ever stopped to hear from the people who have an insider view on the moving industry? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, moving industry representative Katie McMichael offers a window into how the industry operates, the best way for military families to work with the people hired to pack and move their belongings and what military members and families need to know about this peak PCS season. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Learn about the Moving and Storage Conference Learn about the Moving and Storage Conference on LinkedIn

When it comes to paying for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, pets are left out in the cold. That’s because while the military pays to move your household goods and your human family, they don’t provide any funding or help moving animals. If you want to relocate a dog, cat or anything else, it’s up to you to pay for it and figure out a way to make it happen. That gets complicated and expensive for any overseas move. Not only do you need to get your pet on a plane, but you have to understand and abide by local destination laws. Military families and service members often spend thousands of dollars working to get a pet to and from a new duty station – a price that only goes up if the wrong flight is booked or rules are misunderstood. That’s where pet shippers like Kari Mendoza and Island Pet Movers come. Shipping pets worldwide for military families has become Kari’s expertise, post-Navy service. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Kari gives the best tips and tricks for moving pets based on her years in the industry. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Learn more about Island Pet Movers Find Island Pet Movers on Facebook

They come in, wrap your stuff, stick it in boxes and help get it in the truck while you helplessly watch, hoping that your household goods make it to the other end in one piece – or make it to the other end at all. Working with the individuals or “agents” packing your home can be one of the most stressful parts of any military Permanent Change of Station (PCS). Fortunately, Isabel Garcia Schmitt and Wendy Way want to help. Army veterans and military spouses, Isabel and Wendy started LOGSA Mil Moves to provide military packers who understand the challenges because they’ve lived the military PCS life. In this episode, Wendy and Isabel talk about working with your military movers to create the best PCS experience possible. Connect with this episode: Get military PCS advice in your inbox Learn more about military PCSing Read about LOGSA Mil Moves Visit LOGSA Mil Moves on Facebook Read a Military.com article about what military movers can and cannot pack.