Military relocation is a popular term heard around San Antonio, as many families from all over the country move to San Antonio because of the many military bases found here, including Lackland Air Force Base, Brooks Air Force Base and Fort Sam Houston.
Although military relocation is similar to other types of moves, it does present a number of challenges over other types of relocation. Relocating yourself and your family due to a permanent change of station is a process that most military families must go through at one time or another, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful event, provided you take the time to plan ahead:
- Each military relocation should start with a visit to your Personal Property Office upon receiving your orders. Make an appointment and remember to ask questions. Remember to inquire about everything that will affect you and your family as a result of your military relocation, such as your new duty station and military regulations. The PPO will be able to provide you with information on basic entitlements and responsibilities.
- Contact your sponsor to help you in your transition to a new command and duty station. Your new sponsor will likely contact you, but if you haven’t heard anything in a reasonable amount of time you should contact your sponsor to get some basic information before your move. Sponsors come in incredibly handy for overseas moves, but they can be useful for every type of military relocation.
- Always remember your entitlement, or the maximum weight you can move at the military’s expense. Because you must pay for anything above and beyond what your entitlement is set at, consider selling or donating some of your household items that you don’t want or need any longer. Also, pay close attention to other items that may not be covered under your entitlement, as you will be financially responsible for moving them yourself.
- Remain educated throughout the process so that you take responsibility for your military relocation. In the end, you are responsible for planning and executing every detail of your move, so make sure every detail is tended to before your move.