Have you received your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders?
Thousands of military personnel receive PCS orders each year. If you’re one of them, you know you have to get yourself and your family ready for the relocation process. Moving is part of military life and it can be a stressful experience.
You’ll have to deal with packing, housing inspections, house-hunting, and traveling with pets, just to name a few tasks. A PCS move to Corpus Christi TX requires a great deal of advanced planning and it is a challenge to get all the moving tasks completed in time while still taking care of other responsibilities.
While you simply can’t prepare for every possible scenario when facing a PCS move, having a guide can help you have a smooth transition onto your family’s next adventure.
Hi, my name is Elizabeth Straessle, your Corpus Christi Military Relocation specialist. My team at the All American Home Source Realty and I have created a PCS moving checklist to help you get prepared and stay organized.
Before we go into the details of your military move, let me share with you a few things about your next home --- Corpus Christi TX!
Get to know the Sparkling City by the Sea
Corpus Christi is a port town located on the Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a hub for both the petroleum and petrochemical industry, and also serves as a major shipping gateway on the Intracoastal Waterway.
The city is home to miles of sprawling beaches and you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the Gulf Coast's natural attractions. If you love the beach, you’d be delighted to know that the city has 11 sun-soaked beaches, two marinas, an average temperature of about 70 degrees, and approximately 255 days of sunshine every year.
It is also known for its popular tourist attractions, a variety of hotels, cultural venues, and shopping and dining options. It is also home to the Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi and Del Mar College. Cultural institutions include the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the Art Museum of South Texas, and a number of small theaters and galleries. In addition, Corpus Christi boasts a great economy and industry, low housing costs and an overall low cost of living.
Watch this video and take a look at what the city has to offer:
It’s common to see members of the United States military around because the U.S. Navy has two major air stations near the port. Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, which provides 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making it the single largest employer in the city. Many military families and retirees are drawn to the city’s affordable and laid-back lifestyle.
And now here’s a basic checklist to help you get a smooth start on your PCS move to Corpus Christi TX!
Start planning early
The moment you receive your orders, you should start planning for your military move at once. While this may seem like common knowledge, many military families fail to start planning within an adequate time frame.
Carefully planning your move can help reduce your stress and anticipate potential obstacles. Make a list of moving tasks, so nothing important is neglected. Having tangible lists will help tackle a move more efficiently and effectively. As soon as you know you’ll be moving, start doing as much as you can to prepare.
Create a PCS Binder
One simple way to stay on top of your move is to create a PCS binder. Having a PCS binder can make your relocation easier and less hectic.
You can look online for templates for your binder, or you can simply make your own. If you decide to make your own, you’ll need the following:
So what should you put inside your PCS binder?
>Important documents like birth certificates and passports
>Military Orders
>House and Car Titles
>Auto Information
>Medical Records
>School Records
>Veterinary Records
>Moving Documents
>Travel Documents
>Budget and Expense Tracker
Schedule an appointment for a counseling session at your base transportation office. During the counseling, you will talk about how much your allowance will be based on rank and dependent status. You will also go over which moving option would be best for your situation.
Decide what kind of move you're going to have
There are three options when it comes to executing a PCS move.
Government Move
This is a full-service option. Your local Travel Management Office (TMO) will take care of your entire move from start to finish. A commercial moving company will be hired to come to your home and take care of everything. That includes packing all your stuff, loading them onto their truck, transporting them to your new home, unloading, and unpacking.
PPM Move
A Personally Procured Move (PPM) or “DITY” (Do-It-Yourself) move means you take charge of the entire process. Although this option requires a little extra work, the government will pay you back 95% of what it would have cost had you done a standard PCS move. You may also be eligible for a partial advance, depending on your branch.
Partial Move
This is also referred to as a combination move or partial DITY. This option allows for a little more flexibility. You will ship a certain amount of your household goods via the government and the rest as a PPM. The weight allowance is split between the government move and PPM. To be reimbursed for the DITY side, make sure to keep all receipts and government paperwork and don’t go beyond the allotted budget.
Among the many details you have to work out during your move, your PCS weight allowance could have the most expensive consequences. You also have to remember that it’s your responsibility to have an accurate estimate of the weight of your household goods and stay within the allowance. Otherwise, you’ll have to shoulder the overage. Service members also have a right to ask their moving company or military transportation office for a re-weigh of their household goods, and they have a right to be present when that re-weigh is conducted.
You can find out more about your weight allowance here.
There’s a lot at stake in your move so it’s essential to learn your rights. In addition, when you're moving in service to the nation, you deserve to be treated fairly and professionally.
The Department of Defense Personal Property Program has published a customer bill of rights that spells out everything you should expect, such as negotiating pickup and delivery dates, and having moving debris and containers removed on the day of delivery at no cost.
Change is never easy for some children. The idea of moving to a new location can be scary. Aside from that, your children will have to leave behind their friends, relatives, school, and home that they've grown to love.
At present, there are 2,000,000 military-connected children in America. 1,381,584 of the military-connected children are ages 4-18 years old.
> Over 80 percent of these children – 1,105,267 students – attend Pre-K through 12 public schools.
> 517,734 children in preschool (ages 0-5)
> 516,324 children in primary school (ages 6-14)
> 186,883 children in high school or older (ages 15-22)
>Every school district in the country has military-connected students.
Expect that there will always be some sadness when you tell your children that you are moving. As a parent, you have to help them focus on the excitement of traveling to a new place, living in a new home, and making new friends.
Tell your children about the move as soon as possible so that they will have enough time to spend with their friends. It is also important to get them involved in the process, so make sure to assign them age-appropriate tasks.
Create a budget and stick to it
Every move requires spending money. Even if the military is going to reimburse most of the costs of your move, it’s still important to have a specific PCS budget. Costs like hotel accommodations, meals out, and other incidentals can quickly add up, causing unneeded financial stress during your move. That’s why it’s best to set a realistic financial expectation.
Research your new duty station
One of the best things you can do before planning your move is to do a research about your soon-to-be home and community. In fact, as soon as your family receive new orders, you should start gathering information regarding things that will directly impact your overall quality of life, such as commute times, neighborhood amenities, schools, and proximity to hospitals and grocery stores.
Take inventory
A key aspect of a successful move is knowing exactly what's going with you. That’s why it’s important to do a thorough inventory of your belongings before they are packed and make notes of which items are packed in each box. The good news is technology has made this part easier than ever. You can use your computer and build a basic spreadsheet or use smartphone applications like Sortly or download a free home inventory software at Ready.gov.
In addition, taking photos using your smartphone or camera will help you record the condition of your goods prior to your move. This ensures that if anything is lost or damaged, the military will have the documentation necessary to reimburse you.
Make pet arrangements
Having a pet can add another layer of complexity to your PCS move, but with proper preparation, you can ease some of the stress of relocating for both you and your pet. Make sure to check state, base, and, if flying, airline regulations for pet-specific policies.
Bring your pets to the vet for a pre-move check-up to make sure they are healthy and refill any prescriptions they might have. You should also search for military-friendly vets in Corpus Christi TX to ensure your pets are well cared for.
Do a PCS purge
Get rid of excess stuff! Why opt for the extra trouble and expense to move rarely used items? As you prepare for your move, go from room to room and look for no-go items. If you haven’t used it in three years, chances are you no longer need it. Look at your move as a great opportunity to declutter and simplify your life!
Start by sorting through one room a day. Do at least two or three rounds of going through your house and getting rid of all the clutter you’ve accumulated. Keep in mind that every new location means a new house that will likely be a different size. As such, it is best to keep your belongings to a minimum. This way, you won’t have to deal with a ton of stuff that won’t fit in your new home. You can also make a few dollars by holding a yard sale, then donate the rest.
Check out the video below for a number of items you need to get rid of before the big move:
Prepare a first day box
As you prepare for the actual move, you also have to consider what you and your family are going to need on day one in your new house. Regardless of how organized you are, you need to anticipate a little chaos on the first day or two.You have to set aside bare essentials. Your first day box will typically contain a change of clothes, cleaning supplies, even some important electronics. Make sure that the most vital and important items to help you ease into your new home are in there. Doing so will allow you to start fresh in your new home without having to unpack random boxes to find items that you need.
Research utilities
One task that you should not forget is setting up the utilities in your new home. Do some research in the neighborhood you are moving to. If possible, consider visiting ahead of time. Studying the community will help you look into setting up heat, electricity, and internet/cable if need be.
Stay positive and relaxed
A PCS move may be challenging but stressing about it will only make it worse. You have to stay focused on the positive things that this move will bring to your family. Encourage everyone to look at the bigger picture and don’t sweat the small stuff.
PCSing is hard work and it won't always go perfectly, no matter how hard you try. So take a deep breath, make lists, and go forth with minimal worries. It will be all get done!
Let me assist you in finding the perfect home near your military base!
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing your next home. There’s the price, the location, the size, and many more. It can be hard to keep track of everything. That’s why you need the help of a real estate agent who knows what’s currently on the market and has intimate knowledge of the communities and neighborhoods you’re looking at. A military relocation specialist like me can help you find nearby homes that are military-friendly.
Call me, Elizabeth Straessle, at 361-878-8000. Our team at the All American Home Source Realty understands what military buyers are looking for, as well as the ins and outs of military moves. Let us help you experience a smooth PCS move to Corpus Christi TX!
In case you cannot view this video here, please click the link below to view Your Corpus Christi Military PCS Moving checklist on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U63IMCzPqCs&feature=youtu.be