7 Tips For Moving a Military Family

27 December by Jacksons Admin

First and foremost, thank you and your loved ones for your service. The sacrifices you make being enlisted in the military go far beyond the call of duty on the potential battlefield. At Jackson’s Relocation Services, we know that you sacrifice time with your family as well- and to us, family is everything. To help make your next move easier, we put together our best tips for moving while enlisted.

Know What Transportation Allowances You’re Eligible For

As soon as you’re given your marching orders- otherwise known as PCS Orders- it’s time to find out what exactly you’re entitled to so that you come out of pocket as little as you possibly can. Here’s a good resource for understanding the basics of what you can expect: moving entitlements.

Don’t Move Boxes From a Previous Move

As you begin packing- likely not for the first time in your military career- be mindful of the items you have already moved from location to location. If any boxes are still sitting in your garage or basement from the last move, chances are you don’t need anything in it. Go through the boxes to make sure there aren’t important papers in it, but otherwise go ahead and trash or donate the items inside.

Find Positive Reasons For the Move

Moving often for the military can be difficult- especially for your kids becoming accustomed to the term and lifestyle of “army brats.” To help make the move easier for everyone, you should sit down as a family and list 3-5 reasons THIS move is a positive one.

Research New Community

One of the positives you decide on may be exploring new parks, playgrounds and other family-friendly things to do around town. Take the time to research your new area online before moving so you can plan adventures around town as soon as you’re settled.

Gather and Organize Documents

Constant moving makes keeping important documents secure and organized harder and harder. Before your move sit down and make a list of everything you’ll need to “start over” in your new town and then work to make sure you have everything in one place. Common documents you’ll need are:

Driver’s Licenses
Birth Certificates
Passports
Vaccination Records
Medical Insurance Information
Car Insurance Information

Don’t Forget Your Car

If you’re moving domestically and will be keeping your car- or even if you’re moving overseas and transporting- don’t forget to get your car maintenance up-to-date and weatherized for wherever you’re headed.

Keep a List of Expenses and Receipts Finally for the expenses you incur throughout this moving process be sure to keep a detailed list of every expense and the receipts if possible. While we mentioned above that the government would cover most of the expenses, you still want to have everything documented in the event that reimbursements for other expenditures is possible. Additionally, this will be great to have come tax season when you can likely write off a majority of your moving costs.