Summer is here and for many associated with the military, it means PCS season, or Permanent Change of Station. Fort Bragg is offering multiple resources for military families to assist them with their moves.

“A PCS is part of the military life and takes place when orders are received for a longer-term assignment usually lasting two to four years, depending on the situation,” said Elvia Kelly, Fort Bragg Garrison Public Affairs Office. “PCS season is common during the summer but can take place at any time.”

The Army has implemented a 24/7 hotline that provides answers for PCS-related questions that families or individuals can use and reach by calling 833-645-6683.

“When orders are received, soldiers can begin planning their move by creating an account in the Defense Personal Property System followed by visiting the transportation office to schedule their move,” she said.
Service members and families that receive orders for a PCS, can find more information in a variety of ways:-Visit the DOD Customer Moving Portal at https://move.mil/
-Visit the Military OneSource website https://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving-housing/
-Defense Personal Property System at https://dps.move.mil/cust/standard/user/home.xhtml
-Downloading informative Army-approved apps on their smart phone such as Army PCS Move, Digital Garrison and PCS My POV App are available for free download in Google Play and Apple Store
-Contact Fort Bragg’s local customer call center at 910-396-5212 or 910-396-2163.

“If a soldier's shipment of household goods is not delivered on time or they have experienced other issues, they can file a claim through the Defense Personal Property System or by contacting their transportation service provider,” Kelly said.

“Soldiers have 180-days to file a claim after delivery.”

Fort Bragg is trying to spread the message and awareness on available resources for PCS moves to help military families move smoothly to their next duty station. Current challenges the military community maybe facing with moving have been linked to the COVID-19 resource shortages and the current housing market conditions.

“We have been planning and addressing the PCS summer surge season holistically. This includes assessing options when issuing PCS orders, managing movement of household goods, facilitating housing at receiving installations, and assisting families with childcare,” Kelly mentioned.

Some of the PCS improvements soldiers and their families can expect to experience, according to the Army, are:
-Receiving their orders 120 days before report dates to enable better scheduling
-An increased claim notification deadline of 180 days after delivery of household goods
-Personally procured moves, formally known as DITY moves, reimbursement increased to 100% of what it would have cost the government to use an industry provider

“Soldier and Families are our priority and our greatest strength,” said Kelly. “Our goal is to inform and share the resources available to them during the PCS move in an effort to streamline the process and help set them up for success.”

Pictured above: Many military troops and families are moving into and out of the local area this summer as PCS season hits its peak. (Photo courtesy Fort Bragg Garrison PAO)