PCS- moving twice?

SunnySky06

We're getting ready to PCS again, finally! Anyway, we want to live on post but the wait list is 6 months, the easiest solution I've come up with is to just get an apartment with a 6 month lease. I know if post housing isn't available when you PCS then you can get paperwork for them to pack you up again when/if you move on post when it does become available. But I think I remember reading somewhere that the military will only you move you once a year(fiscal?) Does anyone know if this pertains to PCSing to another post twice in one year or if it would also count in our situation?

Honeydewchestnut

I don't know about your situation, but H and I will be PCSing again in March - we just PCS'd 3 weeks ago.  He has to get approval of someone really high up in order for them to move us.

SheilaE

This is what I was told when I moved us from off base to on base housing, and this was from the housing office.  Since they didn't have a house available when we arrived they pay for the move on base.  So yes, they should move you at not cost to you unless they have changed things in 6 years.

ETA- Also moving on base isn't considered a PCS, just a move.  Another thing to remember is that the 6 month wait list is just that it is an estimated list.  I have known people that were on a 6 month wait list, and got a house a month later, or it was actually 7 or 8 months. For us it was exactly 6 months.  So keep that in mind.  You may want to see if you can just get a month to month lease.

From my understanding on PCS's is that a PCS is considered if you will be in an area for 6 months or longer.  There are many schools that are 6 months.  So if the SM was put in the school in Jan, it finished in June, s/he will PCS again to their where their orders say. The gov should cover it, but what happens is that the SM isn't allowed to get DLA and some of the other benefits of moving if they used it for the Jan PSC, because the moves fell under the same fiscal year, which starts in Oct.

SunnySky06

Thanks! I know it's not considered a PCS to move on post from off post, I just wasn't sure how it would work with the military moving us again, is it housing that pays for the move from off to on? She told me 3-6 months for housing but 6 month lease is the shortest I've been able to find and I know if we're still in our lease when a house becomes available on post they'll just keep us on the list until our lease is up. We're not even sure yet what we're going to do, that's just the best option I've thought of. Apparently I just like stressing myself out with these things, but at least I don't have to worry about this detail anymore.

eskamo

We just did this. We arrived here and there were no open houses, so we got put on the wait list. 2 months later they offered us a house, which we accepted. We had also been told that the Army would move us onto post since they didn't have quarters when we arrived. However, that was wrong. According to our housing office, they are no longer moving people from off to on post -- it's apart of the budget cutbacks.

Hopefully you will have a different experience than we did.

hindsight's_a_biotch

Personally, I'd confirm with the housing office on the post you are moving to. If they say no, find out how long household goods can hold onto your stuff. If they can't hold it long, I'd do a partial DITY move and have HHG deliver the rest to a storage unit nearby the new post.

If what you need is more than you're comfortable taking yourself, them before HHG packs up your stuff, separate the stuff you'll need at the new location and make sure those boxes are clearly marked. That way when you put everything in storage, you'll be able to quickly identify what you want taken to the apartment rental.

Then I'd go ahead and rent. When housing comes available, you should just need a uhaul for the weekend and pizza and beer to bribe your new friends to help you.

Just make sure you rent a place for less than your BAH and be strict about saving the rest to cover your expenses. You'll also want to put aside anything to make on the partial DITY.

I know it sounds like a pain in the ass but if you're careful about your budget, I'd think you could come out ahead.

SunnySky06

Thanks ladies. I went ahead and called housing, the housing office where we're moving is still doing the moves from off post but I'll check again when we move in case it changes.

We always do partial DITY moves but I still plan on keeping the things we don't use a lot packed and in boxes just so it's easier when we move the second time. It's impossible to find something for more than about $100 under BAH where we're moving that's still nice and in a decent neighborhood even the apartments are only $100 under. I'm very frustrated and just ready to get there and find something.  

Sibil

The way I view it is we get a PCS move.  If we want to move somewhere else during the time we're there, it's on us. I've never dealt with a waitlist as I have no desire to live on base, but whatever you're told, I'd get it in writing.  I have admittedly minimal knowledge of DITY moves since we're on our 3rd overseas tour in a row where DITY is not applicable.

mrs.jordan2be

I was told that if a house on base wasn't available for us the gov't would pay for any storage we needed. From what I know they only pay for your initial move, but hopefully in your case they can approve moving you twice!