Back To Index

If you have learned you will be moving overseas as a military professional, you may have a lot of things racing through your head. How long will you be gone? Where will your family live? What will you do with all you own? If you are engaged in an Outside the Continental U.S. (OCONUS) PCS, you need to be ready to make the move in as smooth as possible. Even if you have moved before with the military, moving out of the country is far more complex and takes careful planning to ensure it is done well. Know first that every OCONUS location will be a bit different, and you will not be left alone to deal with this process on your own. However, there are some steps you can take to ensure the process goes well. Here are some tips to help you prepare for this process.

Ensure the Paperwork Is in Place

One of the most important things you can do is to ensure you have read and double-checked all the paperwork involved in the situation. Be sure all family members are on the official orders, the spellings are right for their names, and you understand all the details listed. This will be critical to obtaining the no-free government passports that are nearly always required.

Get Your License Updated Before You Leave

Before you have to move overseas, be sure your driver’s license is up to date and not expiring any time soon. It’s much harder to renew later, and if it expires, everything becomes more complicated. You will also need to carry all licenses required of you at all times, including your USAREUR license if you are in Europe.

Talk to Your Overseas Sponsor Early and Often

There may not be a more important resource to you during this process than your overseas sponsor. They will have all of the information you need about what to expect and how to plan for your move. The overseas sponsor will know all that is necessary about the process as well as the area. That means they can help you navigate the process prior to your arrival as well as once you get into town. If you have questions, this is the person to talk to about them, and don’t feel bad asking them, either. You may want to ask about:

• Schools for your children
• Activities for the kids
• Daycare services
• Employment services for your spouse
• Housing options and considerations
• What’s hard to find
• What you should bring with you This person has hands-on experience that can help you to make better decisions about the entire move. The more information you have heading into the process, the easier it gets.

Downsizing Is the Big Job

Absolutely don’t wait to start downsizing, as it tends to take much longer than most people realize, and waiting can be a big mistake as a result. Typically, the OCONUS housing you receive will be smaller or more compact overall than you may expect. Downsizing in any way possible now will help you avoid trying to figure out what to do about it later. You don’t need (and really should not) bring oversized furniture, numerous chairs, or extra items that may not be useful. It’s a good idea to purge anything you do not need that you are not going to miss later. Consider selling it, for example, to have some extra cash in your pocket. You can also downsize by using a storage unit to help you with keeping what you may need later. If you believe you will be back in the States in a short period, that can be a valuable decision to make. However, make that decision early on and start working on finding the right solution for you.

Start Packing Early

Packing crates takes time, and what you need to remember is that all of your belongings will be created and then sealed shut. No one will be able to open that container without the proper signature in place. That helps you to protect your belongings. Keep in mind that you’ll want to invest time in learning how to package items that are fragile. You also want to have an inventory list of everything you are bringing with you as a way to protect yourself from problems later.

Pack for the Route

This is a much longer trip than a cross-country road trip. If you are bringing pets or kids with you, be sure you are planning for that process well in advance. For pets, for example, you’ll need to have all of the appropriate health certificates necessary to move to the overseas area. If you are leaving within a short window of time, you may not have a lot of time to get everything organized. Then, prepare your children and all of those traveling with you. Be sure you have what you need in your carry-ons. Prepare for your belongings to be delayed, too. You’ll want to make sure anything you know you need will be available to you. If you’re unsure if you will need something, ask your overseas sponsor for some guidance. Making the move across the country is hard, but it becomes much more challenging when you are moving across the world. Though complex, there’s lots of help available to you. The more planning you do now, though, the better.

We're Your Storage Solution!

Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or give our storage experts a call at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.