Tag: pcs

Ways to keep the family sane during this staycation

Active Duty, Family, Mental Health, Military Life, Resources,

Right now, military families are playing a terrible game of “hurry up and wait.” In an ordinary year, this would be the peak of PCS season. Military kids would be celebrating their final weeks at one school before transferring to another one over the summer. Families would be planning summer “vacations” to visit their relatives and do sight seeing during cross-country PCS moves. But of course, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is no ordinary year.

Military kids and school moves through a pandemic: FAQ

Active Duty, Family, Military Life, Military Moves,

Any normal year, nearly half of all military families would be gearing up for PCS season. However, this season is anything but normal. The COVID-19 crisis has consumed our country, if not the globe. Our new normal is living life on hold, while homebound and swallowing hefty doses of uncertainty with every news cycle. Many military families are in a hurry-up and wait phase, feeling helpless and anxiously awaiting the PCS process to continue.

How to adjust to your new normal during coronavirus

Mental Health, Military Life, Resources, Tactics, Tech & Tactics, Training,

In October 2019 my family started moving from our previous station in Ecuador to Virginia. It is now spring 2020. It took six months from the time we started our moving process to get where we are today. PCSing is a long game, and each time I play, the move requires every tool in my toolbox to complete the transition. The moves do not seem to get easier, but I know through experience we will get through it.

Helping military kids through PCS moves

Active Duty, Family, Military Life, Military Moves,

Military kids move much more often than their civilian peers, averaging a move every 2-3 years. Every PCS move means a new house, new school, new friends, and new routines. It is a lot for a child to adjust to and accept. Sesame Street for Military families has created a variety of online tools and programs to make this process easier for military families. If you are preparing kids for a PCS move, here are some tools to help your child make the most of the experience.

An overseas milspouse on COVID lockdown

Active Duty, Family, Military Life, Military Spouse,

This is our second week in total and complete lockdown and our 5th week homeschooling our children. Why? Because my military family is currently stationed in Northern Italy; where COVID-19 has impacted tens of thousands of people. But not all is lost. I’d like to share with you some things I’ve learned in the last month living in the hardest hit area of the world, and perhaps you’ll ponder these takeaways as you navigate your new normal during this international pandemic.

Put your movers on notice the next time you PCS!

Active Duty, Family, Military Life, Military Moves,

Some people have amazing experiences when military moving. My first and only door-to-door PCS went exceptionally well. Our items all arrived and there was very minimal damage. It’s reasonable to expect a knick or scratch anytime you load and unload furniture. Because of personal preference, we have since completed all the rest of our moves as DITY moves (Do IT Yourself).

“Your PCS checklist saved my life!”

Active Duty, Military Life, Military Moves,

I am a Virgo who is married to a Logistics officer, so it should come as no surprise that we own a label maker, all of my spices are in alphabetical order and we have a moving checklist. Although we add to our checklist with each military move, somehow, we always end up forgetting something.

Rent vs Buy military families need to weigh their options

Active Duty, Family, Housing, Military Life, Military Moves,

There are any number of reasons why in a given situation renting might be better than buying or vice versa. For military families, it might make more sense to buy at one duty station and then rent at the next. Up for consideration with each PCS is whether to buy or rent, to stay on-base or off. In making these decisions, there are numerous pros and cons to consider.

Buying lunch for movers: yea or nay?

Active Duty, Military Life, Military Moves,

By: D’antrese McNeil It’s the infamous PCS, and that means preparing your home for the movers to come and invade. I’m kidding! If you’re not brave enough to tackle and conquer doing a DITY (Do It Yourself) move, (I am NOT btw) then the military will send one of their contracted companies your way for […]

6 Road trip travel hacks for kids

Active Duty, Family, Military Life,

We’ve all said it: “We’ll drive. It won’t be that bad.” We picture the adventure, the memories, the nostalgia of car trips when we were younger. But if we’re really being honest with ourselves, think back to those car trips. Someone was crying. Someone was puking. Someone was whining. That person very well may have […]

Possible Space A Program Changes for “Gray Area” Military Retirees

Benefits & Pay, Military Life, News, Region & Country, Resources, United States, Veterans,

While retired military Space A travel is a privilege, there are some retirees that do not have this privilege. There are different categories of retirees, some are eligible for Space A and some are not. But there are efforts to change the eligibility requirements. For a retiree to be eligible for Space A travel they […]