PCS Season Kickoff

It’s that time of year again. The month of March is finally here and everyone is un-thawing from
the cold winter months. Cabin fever is at an all-time high. Many are starting to venture out from
their homes after months of hibernation to enjoy the outdoors for the first time. Thoughts of
biking, camping, fishing, swimming or just relaxing on the back deck fill everyone’s mind.

Even with the excitement that the beginning of spring offers, many are preparing for an event
that comes around every March. You might think that event is a basketball tournament that
consumes almost every TV in the nation for three weeks, but not for this blog. For many military
families, the month of March is the kickoff to the PCS Season.

PCS Season is that magical time of year where military families await orders for their new duty
station. The time to prepare to leave old friends behind and anticipate the new adventure ahead.
The excitement of new beginnings mix with the uncertainty of ‘how in the world will am I ever
going to get a handle on everything that needs to be done’. Don’t worry, you are not alone.
Every March the PCS season arrives and thrusts a bit of chaos into the lives of military families.

The good news is with a little bit of planning and a few tips, you can take the stress off this PCS
move and make it as seamless as possible.

Our friends at Armed Forces Insurance are dedicated to helping your family in all situations,
including helping your family through the PCS process. Below are some great tips for you and
your family to help you prepare for the PCS season.

I recently had a chance to chat with Orienna Fitzpatrick who is a Senior Sales Agent with Armed
Forces Insurance. More importantly, she is also a military spouse who recently went through her
6th PCS move this past season. In our conversation, she provided some helpful tips that she has
learned from her PCS experience that can help families during their next PCS move.

1. Make sure you have saved enough money to cover hotels, food, and incidentals. There
are always expenses associated with moving and the Military does not always give you
a pre-PCS paycheck. It is always good to be prepared and have enough on hand until
you are reimbursed by the military after your move.

2. Take photos or videos of everything you own before the movers start boxing things up.
Record the model numbers or serial numbers of all electronics. If any items get lost or
stolen, you will have that information readily available

3. Purge, Purge, Purge! Pre-move purging is the best time to get rid of extra stuff that you
don’t need or want. Get rid of the items in that box that has not been opened since the
last PCS move. Selling or donating items is a great way to quickly get rid of stuff and make some extra cash. You would be surprised at how much you can make by listing items on sales sites.

Having to navigate a PCS move can have its challenges, and each move is different. But doing
some pre move planning can help reduce the stress that often comes with a PCS move.

Those are just a few tips from Orienna and the team at Armed Forces Insurance on how to
prepare for the PCS Season. For a more tips on how to prepare for a PCS move, head over to
Armed Forces Insurance – Resources and Tools page to learn how to take the stress out of
your next move.

As a military family, you need insurance that matches your needs and protects what you value
most. You deserve an insurance company that is committed to serving you. MilHousing Network
is proud to partner with Armed Forces Insurance to bring military families reliable homeowner’s
insurance options when buying a home. Contact them today at 800-313-1936 or visit
www.afi.org/milhousing to learn how they can support your unique military lifestyle.