Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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PCS to Hawaii

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It was a surprise call from my husband’s commander, asking me if I would rather go to Hawaii than to Altus, Oklahoma.

Um, yeah.

The year was 2007.

I didn’t have a smartphone.

I had just begun blogging, more as a scrapbook for our homeschooling journey.

I didn’t know what MySpace or Facebook even was.

Sometimes, I long to go back to a simpler time, before Pinterest and Instagram. Just to live a life of uncurated online perfection.

PCS to Hawaii Guide

My husband is active duty Air Force, so I assume Navy and Marines and Army might be a little different.

We flew from San Antonio, Texas, to LA for a short layover, to Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a long travel time.

I had an infant, toddler, young child, and a cat. It was pretty stressful.

We arrived in July and the air smelled like plumeria and the ocean.

PCSing Overseas

PCS= Permanent Change of Station. Relocating from one duty station to another.

What to Do First

Look for social media groups.

Facebook is a great way to connect with families who already live in the area you’re moving.

There are local groups for online yard sales, pet tips, jobs, hobbies, homeschooling, parenting, travel, shopping, meetups, hiking, and more!

Have a PCS fund.

It’s always wise to have some savings for PCS time. Pet costs, travel, meals, illness, surprises, and refreshments for the movers can soon deplete funds. We usually use our tax return that year.

Organize paperwork.

Organize all medical, school, and personal paperwork in a binder.

We have a big zipper binder with lots of pockets for passports, birth certificates, social security cards, pet vet reports, kids school reports, PCS forms.

Close accounts and cancel services.

Contact companies like utilities, cable or satellite TV, and cellular phone service to cancel. Most accounts require at least 30 days’ notice with PCS orders.

Request Your DLA (Dislocation Allowance).

Discuss with finance if you will be responsible to pay back any moving costs. Usually, the government credit card is used for airfare and hotel – and that will be covered with filing a travel voucher, but make sure it’s paid before you spend your DLA on new curtains or something! Anything above and beyond your daily allowances (per diem allotment), you will be held responsible.

Update insurance.

Contact and update auto and home insurance to make sure you have enough coverage or the right plan for the area you’re moving to. Some countries require extra policies.

Update financial info.

Update banking information with a travel alert and update the new address when you get it. When PCSing overseas, you have to open a local account to pay local bills.

Packing Out

We have huge yard sales and purge, purge, purge every time we PCS.

To avoid confusion and make it easier: schedule unaccompanied baggage, household goods, and temporary storage packing and pick-ups on different days.

Keep valuables and important documents with you at all times.

Household Goods

We opted not to put anything into storage, but I would go back and do that if I had known more. Everything fit ok, but we really didn’t need some items and I would have stored them for safety had I known.

It took several weeks for our goods to arrive. Our temp and HHG actually arrived at the same time.

They have “Aloha Furniture” for temporary use until the goods arrive. It was super helpful and convenient for us to get settled into a routine with beds, a kitchen table, and a dish/cookware pack.

TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance)

Request a TLF (Temporary Lodging Facility) assignment as soon as you know the dates. Keep all travel receipts. Get on the base housing list ASAP.

Depending on availability of on-base lodging, there’s a chance you’ll be authorized for TLA, which can be extended up from 30 to 60 days.

We didn’t get into a TLF unit on base because it was all full during primetime PCS season.

They booked us up in the Hale Koa Hotel.

The Hale Koa is one of four Armed Forces Recreation Centers around the world run by the Army. AFRCs are resorts that were built for the military and are exclusively for use by military members, retirees, DoD civilians, and other authorized guests.

First time seeing the Pacific Ocean

Housing

Housing in Hawaii is smaller than most places. Property is premium. We lived on base. I don’t know how people can afford to live off base. Utilities were included and we only paid for cable TV/internet/phone. Apparently, utilities aren’t included anymore, as of 2013.

Our base house was pretty small for our growing family. We only qualified for a three bedroom because our girls were so young. Our toddler and infant shared a room.

Front of our Hickam AFB House
Back of our Hickam AFB House

BAH is very high. Sacrificing some living space or commute time in traffic, you might find something affordable off-base to your liking and pocket some BAH money with the VA loan while building some equity.

PCSing to Hawaii with Pets

The state of Hawaii is rabies-free. They like to keep it that way.

Pets may be quarantined up to 120 days.

Pets with uptodate vaccinations may be eligible for 30-day, 5-day, or direct release from the Honolulu International Airport, if requirements are met. See the Hawaii Animal Quarantine info page for more.

Even though we thought we followed the pet travel and moving checklist to a T for immediate release, we had to put our cat in the quarantine kennel for 30 days.

He was fine and we visited him and he seemed happy in his big outdoor private fenced in kennel.

Shipping a Personal Vehicle

Military members are authorized a shipment of 1 POV (Privately Owned Vehicle) at government expense.

We chose to sell our Sante Fe SUV before moving and purchase a Dodge minivan in Hawaii.

We didn’t know any better. I did worry about shipping a brand new vehicle and not having a car for six weeks. But, everything is more expensive in Hawaii because they’re islands.

Just like PCSing overseas anywhere, a POV must be cleaned and inspected before shipment. I recommend shipping the POV as early as you can so it’s ready for you as soon as possible after you arrive.

We only needed one car while we were in Hawaii. We lived on base where my husband worked and he walked or rode his bike everywhere. Occasionally, he needed the car for meetings or something, but it was usually fine for us.

Expenses and Shopping

The Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is given to government employees stationed overseas (including Alaska and Hawaii) to offset the higher cost if living in those areas. The amount received ranges from $500 to $1500 per month and is determined by a number of factors like rank, years of service, and number of dependents. COLA is not taxed by the federal government, but it may be taxed by the state of Hawaii. My husband’s state of residence is Illinois, so we were not taxed.

I transferred my driver’s license to Hawaii since I am a nonworking spouse and don’t really have a state of residence. As a resident, I got Kama’aina discounts at some places we visited. Many tourist attractions offer great rates for military and Kama’aina and free kids tickets.

Since Hawaii are islands, we realized pretty quickly that if I saw something at the BX, commissary, or in a local store, I better snatch it up immediately because it wouldn’t be there next time.

The commissary ran out of sugar and Cool Whip during the holidays. Canned pumpkin was seasonal and only available during November.

Shopping in local grocery stores was very expensive. Everything is cheaper at the BX and commissary. Gas on base is cheapest.

There’s a big resale business. Lots of yard sales, swap meets, online sales.

We didn’t think about the things we might miss in Hawaii. There weren’t as many commercials stores and restaurants as there are now. No Chick Fil A or Target. I learned not to care so much and I shopped less often than I used to.

Shopping online has extra shipping charges. We learned to live without many things I wouldn’t purchased unless it was available locally.

Laws

The Honolulu City Council just passed a bill that allows the City to fine you if you are texting while walking across a street ($15-$99 fine).

Talking on a cell phone while driving is also against the law in Hawaii.

Everyone (including back seat passengers) must wear seatbelts.

Motorcycle helmets are optional (until you go on base) but advisable for safety.  

Hawaii is very strict on firearms. You have a short grace period upon arrival, which is 3 days.  You’ll need to register your firearms with the Honolulu Police Department. Take the unloaded firearm to the Firearms Division of HPD for inspection along with proper identification and proof of ownership. You will be fingerprinted ($16.50 fee) and photographed. Also, register with base security if living on base.

Culture

You’ll hear Aloha a lot. It’s hello, welcome, love, a way of life.

Mahalo means thank you.

While driving, people say “thanks” with the shaka sign which is the same as the ASL sign for play. Make sure to return it!

Traffic is awful. There’s only like two or three highways. We quickly learned to deal with it and when to go places.

Leave your shoes outside or by the door when you visit someone’s home. You’ll probably soon be living in flip-flops (“slippahs”) anyway.

On Oahu, there’s the windward side (east), the leeward side (west), town (Honolulu), Central (Pearl City, Mililani, and surrounding areas), and the North Shore. Mauka (mow-kah) means on the mountain side of the road in the context of directions. Makai (mah-kigh) means on the ocean side of the road in the context of directions.

Learn to make friends with geckos. They come in your house and eat the bugs and they’re noisy at night. Don’t go near the feral chickens. They’re mean and carry bugs. Avoid the humongous centipedes. Many people and pets go to the ER with centipede stings.

It never gets cold, but December is rainy season.

Hawaiian Christmas

We were sad to leave Hawaii. We PCSed from Hawaii to Utah with another baby, two preschoolers, an older daughter, and two cats. It was a pretty stressful and long flight.

We loved living in Hawaii for three years and wish we could’ve stayed longer.

We have some great memories and the kids long to return now that they’re older.

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More PCS Tips:

Linking up: LouLou Girls, April Harris, Home Stories, Create with Joy, Mostly Blogging, Kippi at Home, Confessions, Anita Ojeda, Mary Geisen, InstaEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ridge Haven, Little Cottage, Soaring with Him, Worth Rubies, OMHGW, Penny’s Passion, Grandma’s Ideas, Apron Strings, Crystal Storms, Over the Moon, TFT, Debbie Kitterman, Try it Like it, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Lyli Dunbar, Fireman’s Wife, Create with Joy, OMHGF, Being a Wordsmith,Our Home,

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How To Make Your Move Less Stressful

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Anyone who has been through a move knows it can be a stressful experience. Whether it’s local or long distance, it involves hours of packing, labeling and organizing, and that doesn’t include the unpacking part.

The following steps can help you stay organized throughout the process and make it as efficient as possible.

1. Contact a Moving Company

Regardless of how many friends you think you have, you still need to contact a moving company. They are experts in packing fragile items, as well as making sure your furniture gets to its destination in one piece. Often, people make the mistake of thinking items aren’t fragile because they aren’t glass or expensive. However, many possessions have the potential to be damaged in a move, so it’s important to get a company you trust.  If checking local moving companies Hillsborough County FL, for example, look at online reviews. You should also check their rating with the Better Business Bureau.

2. Get Rid of Unnecessary Items

Obviously, a move will be easier if you have fewer boxes to bring to the new home. Take a long look at heavy items, such as furniture. Decide whether it will fit well into the new space, both in terms of size and décor. There has also never been a better time to sort through closets and books to decide what can be sold or donated. People often take advantage of their move to host a garage sale and raise money for new furnishings for the new home.

3. Label Everything

Before taping up any boxes, put specific labels on the outside. Make sure the labels include the items as well as the room destination in the new house. Don’t skimp on the amount and type of tape, as this can be the reason boxes open and items break along the way.

I also store small items in plastic bins to make things easier on everyone. I like organization and since we move every few years, it protects my items.

4. Storage

Another key point to consider is moving time. Will the new home be available right away, or do you need storage? If your belongings need to be stored for a period of time, it’s essential to find a moving company that handles storage as well. This way, you won’t have to deal with multiple moves or several different companies.

5. Unpacking

Label rooms with sticky notes on door frames to help movers place the correct furniture and boxes. It helps to have one responsible person helping to watch the unload and another to guide placement of items.

We often unpack kitchen items first. Setting up beds is super important.

Take note immediately of any damages to report and the procedure for reimbursement or replacement.

Moving can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be a bad experience.

A competent and professional moving company, particularly one that offers storage as well, will make it a much easier experience and be able to walk you through the entire process. Make sure to declutter and be organized with labels, and you’ll soon be happy in your new home.

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PCSing from Germany Back to the States

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We longed to stay in Germany longer, but the Air Force sent us home anyway.

PCSing to Germany was so exciting.

PCSing back to the States is stressful and seems to take a lot longer.

PCSing from Germany back to the States

An OCONUS (Outside Continental US) move is a little more complicated than a CONUS move.

What you need to do and know:

Paperwork

Organize your important papers and put them in a safe place to travel on your person as you PCS. Keep your PCS binder handy and organized with dividers, tabs, pockets. We have a nice huge one that zips closed.

The military member has lots of paperwork to complete. Be patient and helpful.

Get clear with all German accounts, businesses, taxes, banks. You don’t want an international incident. There are checklists for outprocessing for the military member to complete to help ensure this is taken care of well.

Exchange or deposit Euro (for easy transfer) at the KMCC BX community bank.

Get copies of everything.

Canceling Accounts

Most contracts – cellular, Internet, and TV accounts must be given 90 days notice! Make sure you take care of this in time for no penalty!

We went through the Comm Shop for cell service and he is super helpful.

Ramstein KMCC (BX mall) also has two shops that can assist.

You have to show up in person to cancel your utilities if you live off base.

Packing Out

Do all the same things you do for all pack outs.

Purging, colored tape, setting aside HHG (household goods) and unaccompanied baggage and professional goods from what you’re taking with you to TLF and on the plane ride.

We chose to pack out as early as possible. This way, we will have our goods ready and waiting to be delivered to our new house, whenever we find one.

It took two days for our packout. It was amazing. At least 3-4 of our 8-9 packers spoke perfect English and had a great sense of humor. It eased my mind. They loved the sub sandwiches, chips, and Gatorade we bought from the commissary for them for lunch.

What’s up with you, America? It typically took four days to pack out during our CONUS moves!

We requested temporary furniture from FMO for the month we’re still in our rental house. We each got a bed frame, mattress, and nightstand. We got a dining table with six chairs, sofa and two chairs for the living room.

We borrowed a dish pack from the Airman’s Attic with rather nice Wearever ceramic pots.

We borrowed some bedding items from a co-worker.

We kept some towels, pillows, and sleeping bags. I kept some kitchen items that I love and use every day. We’ll either throw out, donate, or mail the items to ourselves in the States when we go to TLF.

Pets

Take pets to vet to get all necessary vaccinations up to date and travel forms completed, usually within 30 days of travel.

Contact Patriot Express or commercial airline to ensure weather and temperatures will be predicted safe to travel.

We sent our pets ahead to my parents in Atlanta via Lufthansa in Frankfurt so it was easier on everyone the day we PCSed. We had a huge delay so I do recommend this if you have a friend or family member willing to pick up pets and pay the customs fee.

Otherwise, pets travel Patriot Express from Ramstein to BWI (Baltimore-Washington International Airport), then to wherever you go next.

It’s stressful on many animals.

Shipping a Vehicle

We sold my husband’s German car early.

I recommend getting your POV (privately owned vehicle) professionally cleaned and detailed. They’re very picky about condition and cleanliness and will inspect your vehicle top to bottom, inside and out, with flashlights for about 2 hours, noting every single flaw.

Rentals are very expensive in the Ramstein area, so we kept our minivan until the last possible moment, until we moved into base TLF (temporary housing facility).

My husband then had to rely on coworkers to get around to do his outprocessing.

The kids and I walked around base.

House Deposit

The Housing Office provides a letter to give to the landlord to terminate the housing contract.

The landlord has six months to return your security deposit! That’s really tough and they really don’t want to return any money. We had to fight for every penny and didn’t get it all back for petty reasons.

TLF

You’re entitled to only 10 days in Temporary Lodging Facilities (TLF) OCONUS. It wasn’t too difficult without a vehicle. Everything is pretty walkable on base.

Travel

It was a long journey from Germany to Baltimore. It was a really long time before we could even board our Patriot Express. They were waiting on a deployed group to board the plane and there were other holdups. We didn’t arrive to BWI until what felt like 2 AM.

Getting through customs was another long wait, with the whole plane lining up and snaking through cordons to have orders, IDs, passports checked.

We had booked a hotel room, expecting to arrive mid-afternoon. We had time to shower and get some of the complimentary breakfast, then it was back to BWI for our connecting flight.

Reverse Culture Shock

It’s always stressful PCSing.

It’s really hard to move back to the States when you love Europe and long to stay to travel more, experience more culture, and eat wonderful food.

It’s really loud and bright in the USA.

I really miss good bakeries.

It took me a couple years to feel used to being an American in the USA again. Sometimes, it’s still hard and I get surprised or shocked by something I see or hear.

We try so hard not to appear or sound braggy about our travels. This is just our life. We made hard choices and some sacrifices. We were very fortunate and we used our time and resources wisely. It’s also difficult to explain how it is to travel in Europe so frugally and widely compared to how vast and expensive the USA is.

We really loved our 3 years in Germany and have so many wonderful memories.

Linking up: Welcome Heart, Blogghetti, Life on Oak Hill, Our Holiday Journey, Create with Joy, Inspo for Moms, Pinventures, Mrs. AOK, April Harris, LouLou Girls, Home Stories, Timeless Mama, Meghan Weyerbacher, Purposeful Faith, Mary Geisen, Our Three Peas, Gingersnap Crafts, My Life Abundant, Sarah Frazer, Welcome Heart, Soaring with Him, Kristin Taylor, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Becoming Press, Penny’s Passion, Over the Moon, TFT, Worth Beyond Rubies, Wise Woman, CKK, Apron Strings, Imparting Grace, Crystal Storms, Debbie Kitterman, Rachel Lee, Try it Like it, Creative K Kids, Chic on a Shoestring, Anna Nuttall, Answer is Choco, Simply Sweet Home, Della Devoted, Momfessionals, Fireman’s Wife, Create with Joy, Crystal Waddell, Susan Mead, Lyli Dunbar, Life with Lorelai, Counting My Blessings,

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My Kitchen Essentials

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It’s amazing to realize how little one needs when all the household goods are packed up and on a boat across the ocean to our new home.

Currently, we have one mixing bowl, one wonky pan, 2 pots, and place settings for 6. There is no peeler or colander. It’s like camping, but somehow worse.

I’m washing a lot of dishes.

Paper items are expensive but convenient at times like these.

I miss some items that I usually use every day, like my blender and stand mixer, but I can mostly work around that.

And we do this transition every few years.

We like to eat real food. Takeout and fast food is expensive and unhealthy.

But over the years, I realize how little I need for a functioning kitchen. I have some essentials that I pack or ship to myself so I have them as long as possible during our transitions.

My kitchen essentials:

  1. Silicone Whisk

    My favorites are the OXO, Rösle Flat, and Ball Whisk. I use these all the time – for making scrambled eggs, grits, porridge, pasta, sauces. I pack these in my suitcase when we travel!

  2. Silicone Spatula

    I like seamless ones like Silchef or di Oro. I love these for mixing cookies and sauteing foods. The heads don’t come off when the batter is thick!

  3. Measuring Cups

    We love these pourable dry measuring cups and these different size liquid cups. These measuring spoons fit into most spice jars.

  4. Silpat

    I can’t imagine baking cookies without a silicone mat anymore! These Silpats come in different sizes to fit any baking sheet! Nothing sticks.

  5. A Good Pan

    You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a good all-purpose pan. We’re moving away from the nonstick coating that peels and bubbles and is not healthy!
    Nonstick pans only last about 3 years. We use stainless for most of our cooking.
    We’ve found these nonstick to get the job done, and quite well, but we’re trying to move away from aluminum:
    Cuisinart GreenGourmet

    Green Pan

    Tramontina Professional Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan

    These pans are great for omelets and stirfries!

  6. Good Knives

    We’ve had a Henckel’s knife block set for almost 15 years and still love it! I’d buy it again.

  7. Thermometer

    No one wants undercooked or overcooked meat! Our longtime favorite meat thermometer is the Thermapen.

  8. Cheese Grater

    We love a a simple box grater for block cheeses. Also love a microplaner for small jobs, like Parmesan, citrus zesting, and frozen ginger root.

  9. Electric Kettle

    I love that these are called “water cookers” in German. This glass electric kettle is similar to the one we love. I don’t have to use the stovetop to boil water!

  10. Coffee Maker

    I still love my Bodum French Press. We haven’t gotten into the pour-over craze. We still have a drip coffee maker with thermal carafe for most mornings. I’d love to have a Moka Pot if we had a gas stove. You’ll never, ever see me with any coffee pods!


We have lots and lots of kitchen equipment. We love cooking and I love teaching my kids to cook our favorite foods. But, we really only need a few great tools to get the job done right!

View our favorite family recipes.

What are your favorite kitchen items?

Linking up: Our Mini Family, Blogghetti, Life of Faith, Barbie Swihart, Modest Mom, Our Holiday Journey, Curly Crafty Mom, A Fresh Start, Inspiration for Moms, Simple Life of a Fire Wife, Marilyns Treats, Lori Schumaker, Holley Gerth, Create with Joy, Blessed but Stressed, MaryAndering Creatively, Donna Reidland, Squishable Baby, Timeless Mama,  Live Randomly Simple, Sarah Frazer, Purposeful Faith, Home Stories A to Z, Teaching What is Good, LouLou Girls, April Harris, My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies, Mumma Scribbles, Trekking Thru, Classical Homemaking, Sincerely Paula, Jessis Design, Saving4Six, Ducks N a Row, Pennys Passion, Katherines Corner, Crystal Storms, Debbie Kitterman, Mommynificent, Married by His Grace, Soaring with Him, Breakthrough Homeschooling, Becoming Press, Mississippi Mom, Messy Marriage, Blessed Transgressions, Creative K Kids, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Brenda Bradford Dottinger, Organized 31, Missional Women, Imparting Grace, The Charm of Home, Nancy on the Homefront, Create with Joy, Coffee with Us3, The Answer is Chocolate, My Learning Table, Momfessionals, The Blended Blog, Susan Mead, Crystal Waddell, Lyli Dunbar, Life with Lorelai, Being a Wordsmith, Our Mini Family, Happy and Blessed Home,
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Homeschooling Where the Military Sends Us

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Homeschooling and the military life work well for us.

We all love lists, so…

5 reasons why we love homeschooling and military life.

1. We don’t have to be on any particular PCS rotation.

A majority of PCSes take place during summer to coincide with school transfers. We don’t have to worry about that. It makes our lives easier that we don’t have to stress about school. We can take a break or “school” on the road. Occasionally, we just have a longer time to travel to our next destination.

2. That whole “You Get to See the World” thing.

I met my husband in Georgia, where I grew up. We spent a couple years in San Antonio, Texas. While we didn’t have much time there to see the sites (and I was pregnant the whole time), we did get to visit some amazing landmarks like the Alamo and Riverwalk and some beautiful country. We ate well of all sorts of amazing Mexican foods. It was divine. Then we got to live in Hawaii for three tough years. I know, but somebody has to do it! We got to see a volcano and gorgeous mountains and beaches. We went snorkeling and birdwatching. We had flora galore to inspect while we lived there. It was predominantly a different culture, and we loved it! We loved all the food, oh my. Malasadas, manapuas, poke, shave ice, and amazing rice served everywhere – even at Burger King! In Utah…we weren’t into the whole winter sports thing, but we enjoyed camping. Germany opened up so many travel opportunities and we were so thankful to see much of Europe.

3. You get a whole new perspective on missions.

Georgia is in the Bible Belt. After I married, we didn’t stay there long. Then we moved to Texas, still the Bible Belt…not that there weren’t missions opportunities, but we didn’t hear The Call. We were busy surviving. While in Hawaii, we were in the minority in both race and religion. Many Buddhists, LDS, and other non-believers live there. We attended a very missions-conscious Independent Baptist church. Then in Utah, I felt that we were there primarily to be a light in a sea of darkness. I met so many lost souls, both Mormon and not, who are just so turned off to anything resembling church. Germany has a very Christian culture, but few participate in church or have faith. We recently moved to Ohio and found an amazing church home. It breaks my heart to see hurting people. But an amazing thing occurs in the hearts of my children. I see them become aware of others who need Jesus.

4. You become family when there is none near.

Some of my husband’s military co-workers and their families have become our greatest advocates and friends. Others have come alongside us in our times of need when we weren’t able to fly home or have family visit us. In Hawaii, it’s a long way to fly to the mainland, so we often shared holiday meals with other families rather than spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter alone. We traveled over US holidays in Europe. And when you meet someone and realize they’re either currently active duty or retired, there is an immediate connection and camaraderie and mutual respect. And this attitude helps my children to see that we’re all one big family in Christ and that we rely on each other and help each other.

5. My kids learn respect.

I grew up as an Army brat. My dad was a Chief Warrant Officer. My grandfather was a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy. I married an Air Force officer. I never knew any other kind of life. My kids don’t know any other way of life.

They don’t know what it’s like not to have full medical coverage. If we have any tiny little ailment, we can get a same-day appointment at the clinic and get it checked out and receive a prescription at no additional cost. We can get referrals to specialists. We have ER care for urgent situations. It’s a blessing, for sure. {And I know some military wives who find something to complain about this concept…smh}

We shop tax-free at the BX and commissaries (which came in mighty handy in Hawaii where prices are exorbitant!). We get discounts at many stores as thanks for my husband’s service to our country. And my kids learn how good they have it when many struggle so much for these basics that we often take for granted.

But occasionally, Daddy has to go TDY for a long time or deploy for many months to someplace we’ve only heard of on TV and seen online. It gets lonely and we fear for his safety. We pray and Skype and get upset when he misses birthdays and milestones.

But we understand why the separation is necessary. We’re oh, so proud that he is serving to protect our freedoms that most of the world doesn’t enjoy. We tear up during the national anthem and when we see eagles and Clydesdales in commercials. We get a thrill when the boom of F-16s tears apart the sky over our heads. It’s the sound of freedom. So many take our liberties for granted or abuse the idea of freedom. We’re not nationalistic and we understand a lot about the wider world and where the USA fits into the scheme of politics. We rush to express our gratitude and shake hands with wrinkled old veterans in their faded uniforms, handing out little paper poppies on Armistice Day. We met a WWII veteran in Normandy and were thrilled to listen to his story. The sound of Taps being played for any reason chokes us up while at the same time warming our hearts that a soldier/airmen/sailor/Marine/coastman has done his ultimate duty.

My kids learn about respect and duty more than most. They are entitled to nothing. Everything that our family receives is a privilege that we don’t necessarily deserve, but that is paid for by the military service of their father and my husband, also our grandfathers and my father. While we don’t necessarily agree with many of our country’s politics, world policy, military presence in many countries, or any war, we cannot vocalize that in protest.

We pray that no military member ever pays the ultimate price for those privileges. But we understand that necessity and very real possibility and we have extreme respect for all military service members – past, present, and future.

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5 Stages of Grief: PCS Edition

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PCS season is stressful.

I feel like our military family goes through the Five Stages of Grief every few years as we pack up and move to a new location.

The Five Stages of Grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Denial

As soon as PCS season begins to loom, I go into denial. I don’t want to purge, clean, organize, pack out, and travel to a new location.

We’ve tried to extend a year at several locations…and DENIED.

I go about my business as usual.

I pretend it won’t be happening until I can’t pretend anymore.

Anger

After getting denied our extension…and realizing others had been granted theirs…

I got angry.

I got angry at the military, at the assignments officer (who even teased us with a phone call and messed up our orders), at God, at my husband for dragging us all over for 20+ years.

I’m angry at myself for being angry.

I’m angry that we didn’t get to stay another year, even though my daughter is a senior. I’m angry we didn’t get orders to anywhere I want to go.

I’m angry about silly things too.

I regret the places we didn’t get to go. I regret so many things.

Bargaining

It’s not like we have any real bargaining chips.

We have to go where we’re told.

Even if we’re excited about the new location…

I go back and forth with possible packout dates, car shipment, what to do with the cats. All the checklist items like transferring mail, packing suitcases and backpacks, clearing the pantry. So much to do!

How much can I fit in a suitcase? Usually we’re living out of suitcases for 3+ months and it’s hard to determine how little we need, what we can live without.

If we’re not thrilled with where we’re going…

I go back and forth in my mind, wondering what we could have done differently.

Did we put the wrong locations on the list?

Are we paying for some forgotten sin?

Is there a reason we’re being sent there?

Can my husband deploy or volunteer?

And I start to think of the next station. Surely, it will be better? We only have to be at this station maybe 2-4 years. We’ll transfer as soon as we can.

Depression

Reality sets in.

I get depressed.

I start to slowly organize, purge, donate, sell items we won’t need.

I snap at my husband who always waits until the last minute to do anything.

I get anxious about our cats.

I get anxious about money.

There are so many unknowns.

I halfheartedly look at housing at the new location. I research places to visit for day trips. I join Facebook groups.

I start to distance myself from the current location.

I realize I have to say goodbye to my houseplants. I’m sad because the new people won’t love my houseplants or herb garden the way I do, the way they deserve to be loved!

Once the household goods are packed and shipped, the house always feels cold and dark and silent. Ominous. I have trouble sleeping in an empty house. There’s little for me to do to keep busy. No beds to make, no projects to complete.

This is usually the stage when I get physically ill. The stress that has built up becomes too overwhelming.

I spent one packout completely bedridden, except for rushing to the bathroom to vomit or have diarrhea. The girls were trapped in the bedroom with me since we didn’t have anyone to help. This was the one location my husband wanted so much, to be near his family members. Such a disappointment that was! It was also the worst packout we’ve ever had, with “cousins” and “friends” arriving the last day to rush the pack job and stealing some valuables I hadn’t stored properly. Because I was sick!

We’ve also had some rental horror stories.

We’ve never lived in a nice house. Most houses have been so embarrassing that we never want to invite anyone over for any reason. We’ve kinda resigned ourselves to having absentee landlords, lazy landlords, wornout and poorly kept rental houses, renting sight unseen…until we retire. We are always sure well get our deposit back from the landlord…we do our best to keep everything as nice as possible.

In the house in Utah, we’d made some expensive upgrades to lighting in the kitchen and removed wallpaper from the kitchen and living room and painted it a nice neutral color, but he kept making petty excuses. He wanted the lawn mowed and edged to perfection. In the dark! Our goods had already shipped and we hadn’t had a working lawnmower for over a month since he refused to pay to fix it. He even wanted my kids’ welcome chalk drawings power-washed off the sidewalk! We enlisted the help of neighbors to talk to him and we finally got it back later that evening.

In Germany, we had this weird fiberglass wallpaper in the kitchen. Nothing would clean off some grease spots and they had told us it was ok and could be painted, but then they tried to keep our entire deposit of two months’ rent. The housing office had to go back and forth with the landlady several times to work it out.

We are always devastated to realize how cruel some people can be. Deposits are our financial lifeline to move into a house in our new location.

Acceptance

The packers came. I’ve done all I could do. Luckily, we’ve been blessed with amazing teams (except that one time!) who make jokes, have fun personalities, and appreciate the snacks, drinks, and meals we provide.

I accept our fate as I stroll through my empty, cold, echoey house, awaiting the move date.

The last few days are always hard, stressful, anxiety-ridden. So many loose ends need to be tied up in such a short period of time.

I feel poignant about the memories we share about this location. The places we’ve been, the meals we’ve eaten, the people we’ve met.

I start to look forward to a new beginning.

You might also like: Dealing with Disappointment.

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Preparing Kids for a PCS

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Moving is stressful for anyone, but especially so for children.

PCS is a huge change, whether it’s the first or the fifth.

PCS=Permanent Change of Station, even though it seems temporary – usually only 2-4 years!

According to the DOD, the average military child moves 6 to 9 times between kindergarten and high school graduation.

Military families relocate 10 times more often than civilian families – on average, every 2 to 4 years.

That’s a roller-coaster!

Moving is more stressful than divorce.

Think about that.

How can we make the moving transition easier on our kids?

Preparing Kids for a PCS

Prepare

As soon as you know a PCS is coming up, start preparing the kids for the transition.

Talk about it, explain that you’ll have to pack up everything you own and move to a new home.

Even though it could take a few more months to receive actual orders, it’s important to start the conversation so that kids can prepare their hearts and minds for the changes.

Discuss purging items and having a yard sale. I have a PCS checklist you can download!

Educate

Start reading about moving. Show your child what to expect.

Learn about your new location as soon as you know where you’re going. Research the area, school opportunities, activities, church, day trip ideas.

It’s exciting to move to a new town and explore all it has to offer!

There’s an app from Sesame Street: The Big Moving Adventure, available from iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. I have a book list at the end of the post for you!

Listen

Pay attention to your kids’ needs. Listen to their complaints and concerns.

Moving is never easy and it might be very difficult for kids to leave their friends, school, activities.

Babies and toddlers have a hard time understanding. Teens might rebel.

Try to handle disappoint well. If you’re upset about where you’re going, the kids will internalize that and have bad feelings about their new locale – and you’re stuck with it for a few years!

Every location has benefits. We’ve PCSed to some places not on our list and we made the best of it.

We also knew people who hated living in Hawaii and Germany, so there’s that.

Prayer does wonders!

Celebrate

Have a farewell party to say goodbyes.

Give your child a job to do during packing out and moving in so they feel like a valuable part of the process.

Do something silly and fun like having a pizza picnic on the empty floor after packing out, or sleeping on an air mattress the last night. You can repeat this on the other end!

Let your child pack a few treasures for comfort during travel.

Try to stay at cool hotels if possible during travel to your new location.

Start out at the new location with new traditions.

Let your child choose something for his or her new room, within reason and budget – new bedding, a paint color for an accent wall, a collectible, a new rug or picture.

Keep in Touch

With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to keep in touch with friends from around the world.

Make it easy with your children and their friends with social media or free email accounts. There’s Skype and Facetime too.

I know some families who even plan vacations back to visit friends or somewhere in between to meet every year.

Get Help

It’s an added stress to have little ones underfoot during packing out and moving. Enlist a trusted teen or adult friend to help keep little kids occupied in the backyard, with a video in a corner, or even taking them out to get ice cream or to the park. This gives them a break from the tediousness of packing and protects them from getting in the way. Then you get to focus on the task at hand.

Put aside big changes during a move. Don’t potty-train or wean babies during this stressful time. Schedules go out the window.

Get Kids Settled ASAP

Get kids’ rooms back in order as soon as possible to make the transition easier on them. Familiar blankets and toys will help them feel comfortable in a new home.

Then work on the kitchen and common spaces – with the necessary items you need immediately.

Find fun new places to explore and meet new friends! Let your child lead you in her time. We have a couple very social, outgoing kids and two who are more reserved and quiet.

Look at moving as an adventure! Happiness is contagious and the kids will catch that mood if you show it.

Here’s a great PCS printable pack for little ones and some planning printables!

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Preparing for a PCS

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We’ve PCSed four times now as a family and are planning for our fifth PCS next summer – back to the States.

We’ve done a partial DITY, two OCONUS moves, and driven across the country. Bonus points for overnight flights with babies and toddlers!

PCS is always stressful, no matter how organized you are.

There are always surprises. There are always snags in the system. There’s always something forgotten or lost.

How to plan for PCS:

Organize

Clean the house.

Organize everything in its place to make the next step easier. Involve everyone in the family. Make it a game.

Straighten the lesser-used areas like the garage, shed, basement, attic, wherever you only visit a couple times a year, so you don’t miss something and have to scramble last minute. I like to put almost everything in plastic storage bins. Most movers check the bins and then just tape them shut for extra protection.

Discuss with your landlord or real estate agent any repairs or updates to the house as soon as possible so there aren’t any last minute surprises.

Inventory

Inventory everything you own.

Make lists. Take pictures or video. Color-code the lists. Inventory DVDs. Inventory books in a spreadsheet with ISBNs. Make note of all jewelry, valuables, and collectibles. Record serial numbers of electronics.

Gather personal records and keep in a binder – birth certificates, SS cards, medical and/or shot records, school forms, insurance policies, warranties, pet documents.

Items lended or borrowed need to be returned and retrieved. Make sure to return all library books!

Make a note of all items that need to be repaired or sold or donated. Then separate it and make sure it gets done.

Consume

Only purchase as much as you need so you can consume items before the move.

We don’t have the storage space to buy in bulk anymore, but we buy even smaller amounts of items so we’re not left with too much and have to throw it out, mail it, or figure out how to pack it.

The goal is to have an empty pantry, fridge, freezer, and bathroom cabinet before the move!

Many movers won’t pack up any liquids, gels, or food items – even if they’re unopened and brand new, especially in summer months when items can melt, explode, or go rancid during the transition.

Reduce

Sell or donate items you no longer need. We had a huge yard sale one year.

We have some almost-new 220 appliances to sell.

We have some German items that most likely won’t work out in an American house.

Anything broken beyond repair should be thrown out.

I’ve listed some organizing and packing suggestions in my other PCS post.

Timeline:

1 year

Most of us know to expect a PCS in a certain season. We know our tours in a location are only so many years.

As soon as possible, begin saving for non-reimbursable moving expenses. Expenses always seem to just pop up on both sides of the move.

Pets are your responsibility and have been our largest expense with vet records, shots, agriculture forms, and plane tickets.

9-6 months

Request or update tourist passports if needed.

Plan vehicle shipments if needed.

Order new credit or bank cards if expiration dates are soon.

Update ID cards if expiration dates are soon.

Discuss the move with children so they can prepare themselves for the transition. Research the new location.

3 months

Discuss that you’re moving with your landlord, and plan for any repairs or updates to ensure you receive your security deposit.

Fill out change of address forms with IRS and USPS.

Check and update auto maintenance. Ensure you have up-to-date car insurance information.

Make vet appointments for pets to ensure microchipping and shots are up to date.

Most OCONUS contracts must be terminated at least 30 days out.

Research education options, procedures, and dates for enrollment for children.

Determine which items are professional, unaccompanied, household goods, and non-temp storage.

Make reservations with TLF or hotels.

1-2 months

The military member should receive hard orders by now.

Request dislocation allowance from finance.

Most CONUS contracts must be terminated at least 30 days out.

Military families can terminate contracts with no penalty with a copy of PCS orders. Cable/satellite TV, Internet, cell phones, utilities need to be cancelled or transferred. Request security deposits!

Cancel or transfer memberships and subscriptions.  Request a letter of transfer from local church and clubs, like Scouts or other national organizations.

Alert or transfer banking information to new location. Let them know you are traveling.

Renew medical prescriptions.

Clean drapes and rugs.

Store needed computer files on CD, disk, thumb drive, or portable hard drive.

Confirm transportation details with movers. Schedule pickup and delivery dates with movers and arrange for storage if needed.

Contact housing at new location for on-base options or begin house hunting online.

2-3 weeks

Separate items and/or label: professional, unaccompanied, household goods, or non-temp storage.

Last few days

Set aside cleaning supplies for after movers clear out.

Remove wall items like pictures, curtain rods, racks.

Have plastic zip bags of all sizes to put smaller items into to make life easier on the other side – silverware, utensils, junk drawer items, craft supplies, bathroom drawer items.

Remove items from attic or crawl space. Yes, it’s a big ole mess.

Disconnect electronics.

Place original boxes beside items.

Label items not to be packed or moved. Put them all together if possible.

Drain garden hoses and all oil/gas from lawn machines.

Get rid of all flammables and return or give away propane tanks.

Pack suitcases and items to carry with you and put aside.

Moving day

Make sure kitchen is clean. Take out the trash!

Remove all laundry from washer and dryer!

Strip beds.

Have pets restrained, with friends or neighbors, or in kennels.

Have snacks and drinks for the movers. We usually have pastries and snacks available with sports drinks and water, and ask what they want for lunch each day.

Have a place clearly labeled for trash items so it’s not packed.

Have colored stickers to label moving boxes. Write labels on boxes for each room.

Communicate! Be available for questions. Don’t hover, but be aware of packers and movers. My husband usually has the big checklist and I’m observing.

Vacuum and clean the house once it’s empty or hire a PCS cleaning.

After the move

Register cars in new location. Update insurance and licenses.

Register children for new schools or file for homeschool exemption.

Find a new home! You typically have 30 days in TLF to find a new residence.

Update all your information with your new address.

You can often request temporary furniture items until HHG arrives.

Register for utilities and TV and/or Internet services.

Schedule delivery of goods with transportation office.

Plan for where furniture and boxes should go. Label doorjambs or lintels with colored stickers to match box stickers. Place sticky notes at each room to match box labels.

Movers should reassemble items and can unpack boxes and remove packing materials. In some places, movers can return to remove packing materials within 30 days.

Find a new place of worship.

Meet new friends!

Some moving expenses can be filed on tax returns!

Get the printable PCS Timeline Checklist!

Resources:

Do you have any PCS tips or stories?

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Real Food Cooking During PCS

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When we PCS, everything gets packed up.

Sometimes, weeks, or even more than a month in advance of our actual move.

Our options are to stay in our current housing situation with air mattresses or borrowed furnishings or move into temporary housing which is like an extended-stay hotel.

It’s never convenient, and we don’t want to eat out or buy junk food.

Real Food Cooking During PCS

So, how do we still cook real food during PCS season?

We get creative.

We simplify.

We make it fun.

Usually, we clear out the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry as much as we can the weeks before a PCS. Then, we pack up the remains of the pantry, fridge, and freezer to eat in our TLF before our final out.

Another handy tip is to bake breads, muffins, cakes, and cookies ahead of time to have on hand before all that cookware is packed. Store the items in the freezer or even a freezer at church or a friend’s until TLF is ready.

We try not to cut too many corners, but obviously, our cookware is packed up and on a boat and we’re ready to travel, so making smoothies or homemade bread aren’t usually an option. The facilities in temporary lodging aren’t ideal – with few amenities for cooking well.

Sometimes, we can borrow essential kitchen items from friends or the Airmen’s Closet until our household goods show up.

Thankfully, most TLF apartments have decent coffee makers, toasters, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a colander, utensils, and pots and pans.

We usually miss good tongs, clean baking pans with silpats, good knives, and some other items we deem “necessities.” I miss my sourdough and kombucha and options for healthy cooking fats.

I pack my favorite cooking utensil, one or two good knives, tongs, and several spices (like garlic, salt, pepper, Italian herbs) inside a plastic zip bag in my checked luggage. We’ve even packed up melamine plates and bowls before to make life easier.

I don’t even play. I need these things handy with a hungry family.

While staying at TLF or hotels, we often purchase simple and easy to prepare foods at local grocery stores that can be grilled at a nearby park grill hut or a disposable hibachi grill. It’s not much different than what we do when we’re camping. We even eat outside if the weather’s agreeable.

When we have kitchen facilities, we make simple side dishes like rice, pasta, couscous, quinoa, potatoes, steamed veggies, or boil frozen beans. If ovens are available, casseroles are easy for any meal. We just buy disposable aluminum pans. We don’t ordinarily use aluminum for cooking, but it’s ok for occasional use. We simplify and cut corners where it’s not a big deal.

We don’t eat much differently in TLF than at home during summer: grilled meats, veggies either steamed or sauteed, a grain side like cous cous, potatoes, quinoa, rice.

We try to use up everything so there’s no waste.

We’ve even baked chocolate chip cookie bars and quick breads in TLF in disposable aluminum pans.

Picnics are easy and frugal for road trips or easy for lunches at any point during the PCS.

We packed up sandwiches, chips, and juice for our road trip from Utah to Georgia and stopped at rest stops to eat and play.

Picnic Pit Stop

My Top 12 Easy Dinners for PCS or Travel:

  1. Pizza. We love to make our own pizza.
  2. Hamburgers. These are always a favorite!
  3. Casseroles. Turkey Divan and Tuna Casserole are favorites.
  4. Grilled or Roasted Meat and easy sides. We love couscous or quinoa with a marinated meat and a veggie.
  5. Tacos. See our homemade taco seasoning.
  6. Stews. Beef stew and chili are easy stovetop or slow cooker meals.
  7. Roasts. I like to roast a beef chuck or pork loin or whole chicken and have leftovers the next day! I often throw some root veggies alongside.
  8. Slow cooker meals. We love Asian pork ribs and salsa chicken.
  9. Breakfast for dinner. My husband usually is in charge of this.
  10. Sandwiches. This is fun for picnics.
  11. Salads. We like to use leftovers for creative salads. See our fave salads.
  12. Soups. Here are a few of our favorite soups!

We have to make sure we use up leftovers creatively.

It’s stressful not having our kitchenware and having to eat on the run with little planning.

We stay flexible and look forward to learning our way around a new kitchen and organizing it the way we like it.

Do you have any PCS tips?

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PCS to Germany

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PCSing to Germany? Congratulations! Overwhelmed?

You can’t really do much until you get official orders, which can take a looooong time after that initial excitement of knowing where you’re heading.

We actually had orders to New Jersey, but then they changed us to Germany. We were beyond thrilled!

Europe was something I had long dreamed about and I really thought it might never happen.

Guide to PCSing to Germany from getting orders to settling into your new house.

What to Do First

Look for social media groups.

Facebook is a great way to connect with families who already live in the area you’re moving.

There are local groups for online yard sales, pet tips, jobs, hobbies, homeschooling, parenting, travel, shopping, meetups, hiking, and more!

Have a PCS fund.

It’s always wise to have some savings for PCS time. Pet costs, travel, meals, illness, surprises, and refreshments for the movers can soon deplete funds. We usually use our tax return that year.

Organize paperwork.

Organize all medical, school, and personal paperwork in a binder.

We have a big zipper binder with lots of pockets for passports, birth certificates, social security cards, pet vet reports, kids school reports, PCS forms.

Close accounts and cancel services.

Contact companies like utilities, cable or satellite TV, and cellular phone service to cancel. Most accounts require at least 30 days’ notice with PCS orders.

Request DLA.

Discuss with finance if you will be responsible to pay back any moving costs. Usually, the government credit card is used for airfare and hotel – and that will be covered with filing a travel voucher, but make sure it’s paid before you spend your DLA on new curtains or something! Anything above and beyond your daily allowances (per diem allotment), you will be held responsible.

Update insurance.

Contact and update auto and home insurance to make sure you have enough coverage or the right plan for the area you’re moving to. Some countries require extra policies.

Update financial info.

Update banking information with a travel alert and update the new address when you get it. When PCSing overseas, you have to open a local account to pay local bills.

Packing Out

We have huge yard sales and purge, purge, purge every time we PCS.

To avoid confusion and make it easier: schedule unaccompanied baggage, household goods, and temporary storage packing and pick-ups on different days.

Typically, the moving company will contact you for a schedule.

First, someone comes with a clipboard and goes room to room, calculating what will need to be packed on each shipment.

Then, packers come to wrap and box your items on the scheduled days. It’s good to already have pictures off the walls, storage items placed in a room or off to one side, unaccompanied baggage placed together. Get organized and be helpful. I even go through drawers and use those humongous zipper plastic bags to keep my bathroom and kitchen items together.

Be available for questions.

We always provide water and sports drinks and lunch for every day of packing and moving.

Traveling with a baby or toddler?

We’ve PCSed with very little ones twice and it is stressful.

We’ve shipped many baby items in unaccompanied baggage so it arrives early. We pack in our suitcases things that we need while traveling or staying in TLF. We can check must-need items like car seats, pack and play, strollers and they don’t count against luggage. Most TLF locations have pack and plays in apartments though.

It’s important to make sure to pack enough diapers and wipes for trips. We did cloth diapering at home, but disposables during travel.

I always breastfed so there weren’t any issues traveling with infants, and most airport security checks allowed us special accommodations and unopened baby food containers and bottled water is allowed when traveling with infants or toddlers.

What to put in storage:

The electricity overseas is a different voltage and it can put a lot of wear and tear on our American-voltage items. We sold everything except our new flat-screen TV. And we put that in storage. Anything with a timer, we put in storage because they won’t work properly – clock radios, coffee pot, slow cooker, rice cooker. We put our deep freezer in storage. We chose to put our china cabinet and fancy dishes in storage because we were worried about weight allowances and space. I chose to store some books and items we didn’t think we’d need on this tour.

Unaccompanied baggage:

Unaccompanied baggage is shipped airfreight to Germany. It should arrive in a couple weeks, so if you find a house and get keys, you’re all set if transportation can bring the goods.

This is typically the shipment of goods you’re going to want as soon as you can move into your new house. We’ve had the luck of the draw a few times that our HHG and unaccompanied baggage arrive at the same time, but they’re packed out differently and the weight allowance is there.

Recommended Items to Pack in Unaccompanied Baggage:

  • Cleaning supplies
  • Linens, blankets, and towels (sleeping bags and air mattresses are great!)
  • Kitchen items (I always pack some special plates and cups along with some much-used cooking items)
  • Books and toys for children
  • Next season’s clothes (German seasons and weather can change unexpectedly)
  • Pro Gear – Military items and professional items (not uniforms or paperwork that’s needed right away!)
  • Tools – screwdrivers, allen keys, hammer, picture hanging kits
  • TV & VCR/DVD Player
  • Lamps
  • Alarm or wall clock (battery-operated)
  • Baby furniture – crib, playpen, walker, etc. (highchairs and car seats are available from ACS for 30 day loan.)
  • Bikes and safety gear
  • School supplies, to include backpacks
  • Laundry basket
  • Camping chairs
  • Desktop computer (we take our laptop with us)

HHG:

This is all the main furniture and anything you’re packing that wasn’t in unaccompanied baggage. This is typically shipped on a boat and takes about 6 weeks to arrive.

Organization tips:

Take photos or video each room and the condition of furniture before packing.

Secure pets. They’re gonna be stressed and want to escape from packers and movers. Put up a sign so the door remains shut or put them in a kennel for their safety.

Put things in ziploc bags. This ensures nothing falls out of drawers or containers or gets wet or dirty. One military wife I know even places her underwear in bags! Genius.

Color code boxes with tape or stickers and then in your new location, put the same colored tape on the door frames to match the boxes. This is especially helpful when the movers don’t speak much or any English.

What to pack in suitcases:

We put the things we’re carrying with us in a bathroom or laundry room or even in the car so it doesn’t accidentally get packed!

We packed the clothes we’d need – for layering in spring and summer. I packed some homeschool materials. I bring my laptop and iPads. I pack my favorite cooking utensil. We didn’t know what to expect and we almost always bring more than we’ll need, but better than wanting something we don’t have, right? We also pack vitamins and items that we use daily. It’s easier than doing carry-on luggage only because we seal up full-size toiletry items and pad them well so there’s no mess.

Vehicles

Driver’s License

Active duty and dependents with a valid American DL must pass the USAREUR drivers license test. Here’s the USAREUR practice test. Teens age 17+ with a US DL can also take the USAREUR test. Apparently, they also offer it online ahead of time now.

You also need an international DL if you plan to drive over the border to any other countries. The process for an international DL is super easy. You can go to any AAA in the States and get a DL valid for 3 years. Once you arrive, you take a passport photo (MOM’s on Ramstein is an easy location to get this), your USAREUR DL and a form they provide, and go to the office downtown to get the license.

Transporting

One vehicle is alloted for shipment overseas. We chose to ship our minivan. If you desire to ship a second vehicle, it typically costs $1500-2000. You have to contact a private shipping company for the best rates and policy. Get more info about shipping a POV.

We had to get the van detailed and inspected. We drove it to the nearest shipping location and it was eventually placed on a boat. We were able to pick it up right on base here in Germany.

When return-shipping a vehicle to the States, the inspection process can be very stressful. I suggest just paying for a PCS detail for a better chance of first-time approval.

Registering

We had to get an inspection and then tag registration. Registration is $30/year. Inspections are for two years, so if you get a 3-year tour, you have to get re-inspected. The inspectors can be really picky about the condition of vehicles. We recently failed our inspection and had to pay €25 to get our undercarriage steam-cleaned to make sure there was no oil leakage, then we passed and got the registration for another 2 years just in case we get extended.

Pets

Here’s a pretty good summary about pets in Germany. It’s always easier to go to a military vet because they know the paperwork requirements best.

It’s expensive to PCS with pets OCONUS (and sometimes even CONUS). But they’re our family members.

Overall, it cost us about $1500 to prepare and ship our 2 cats. It’s a moving expense and a tax write-off!

Certain breeds of dogs are not allowed entry into Germany.

Necessary for international travel or PCS with pets:

  • Microchip
  • Vaccinations
  • USDA Health Certificate
  • Arrangements or tickets for cargo or in-cabin travel

We were able to ship our cats unaccompanied from Utah to my parents in Atlanta, and then from Atlanta to Baltimore with us on our flight, then on the Patriot Express rotator with us from BWI to Ramstein. Pet food is not allowed to be shipped into Germany, so they threw that out during our inspection. Luckily, they have fine quality pet food at local shops.

Many factors can make flying with pets difficult: extreme temperatures, available space, time of year, etc. I know some who pay to have pets fly unaccompanied to the main airport in Frankfurt. There are services that take care of all of a pet’s needs before, during, and after flights.

TLA

Acquire an APO mail address ASAP. Get your sponsor to do this, if possible. You can ship items to this address before you arrive.

Finding a House:

Typically, families get 30 days in temporary lodging so they can get adjusted, vehicles and HHG can arrive, and permanent housing can be procured.

You must attend a housing briefing and can only rent approved houses off-base. The wait for on-base housing can be many months. The housing office can get a little pushy if you take a while to find a house.

Go to the finance office and ask for the housing deposit loan. Most German houses require 2-3 month’s rent upfront. You can request that loan and pay it back at the end of your tour.

When you find your house, you take paperwork for the landlord to fill out and you return that to the housing office for approval.

Things to consider when renting off-base:

Utilities. Most houses are heated by oil. This is usually paid yearly and can be a big expense. Water and electricity is estimated and during the annual reconciliation, it can be a big surprise to pay a lot of Euro or get a refund (beer money!). Adjust as needed, based on your family’s needs and usage.

Distance to work. Research the route the servicemember will take to work to make sure that’s doable and ok. We opted for a village farther away from everything for quiet and safety, but my husband has a 30-40 minute commute to work, depending on traffic and construction.

Priorities. We chose our house for the big kitchen with two ovens, one of which is huge and fits our American pans. We gave up a big yard, but there’s a lovely park and playground that I can see from our window. We have one Dorfladen-Bäckerei and no restaurants in our tiny village. Make a list of what you want and don’t want and refer to that when you’re house-hunting. Don’t settle because you’re pressured to find a house.

Other

Electricity

Our lamps work fine with German light bulbs and little adaptors. We use only one transformer in the kitchen for our toaster and mixer. We bought several small German appliances to make our lives easier.

Cell, Internet, TV

It took us six months to get Internet and cellular phones. Things just work differently here. We don’t have a TV, but I know the service requires receivers and whatnot. Our landlady helped us get on the list for excellent Internet and home phone service.

You can view Netflix and Amazon streaming in Germany .de or you can purchase a VPN to view the American (and British or elsewhere) services. We like Express VPN because they are on top of the changes that Netflix keeps trying to enforce to keep us from watching our shows!

The CommShop in Ramstein is the best place to work out contracts for cellular phones and many other services.

Shopping

Carry Euro with you. Lots of places don’t take cards, only Euro cash. Get a card with a PIN and chip for travel.

Thrift stores and yard sales often have lots of items for sale throughout the year. There are many local Facebook groups for resale.

Bookoo is a great resource for buying and selling.

Check The Find-It Guide for American-friendly shopping and services like auto repair and beauty salons.

Almost everything is closed on Sundays. There are periodic Sunday shopping days.

Travel

Most likely, your family members will receive free SOFA passports during out-processing.

You must, must, must purchase tourist passports if you ever want to travel on vacation outside Germany. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. Don’t risk it.

There are spouse welcome workshops that I highly recommend making time to attend. They will explain lots of information like putting salt in the dishwasher, to air out your house daily, how to shop frugally on the economy, all the little quirks you need to know while living in a foreign country. Check out which potatoes to buy (they’re different here!).

Do you have any tips for PCSing to Germany?

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