PCS with Military.com
35 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsMilitary service members and families know moving with the U.S. military is anything but simple. Through engaging and entertaining interviews, host Amy Bushatz, executive editor of Military.com, brings you all the tips, tricks, benefits and information you need to make your military move as smooth as possible.
PCS With Military.com is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.
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Episodes
Dealing with SOFA Rules and Taking Your Career Overseas (Beth Conlin, OCONUS career advocate)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBYou’re excited for an overseas military PCS move with your service member until … that is, until you realize that taking your career with you is likely to be very complicated. Even if you’re a remote employee already, the rules around working while living at an OCONUS duty station are murky at best. And even if you can figure them out, you still have to convince your employer to let you do it. Those rules are created by what’s known as a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the host nati...
Why You Should Move Yourself and Tips for Making a Military PPM Happen (Mallory Pevoto, “DITY Mama” and PPM expert)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBThink doing your PCS move yourself without the help of the on-base transportation office is too much work? Military spouse Mallory Pevoto, aka the “DITY Mama,” says think again. A Personally Procured Move (PPM), also known as a DITY move, might sound like too much to handle, but by organizing packers and movers yourself without the help of Uncle Sam, you can have more control over what happens with your household goods and maybe even make some money in the process, she says. In this episod...
Why Your Military PCS Might be Funnier Than You Think It Is (Ashley Gutermuth, comedian and Air Force spouse)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBTwo military spouses walk into a bar … No, that’s not the kind of joke we’re looking for. Military moves can be wildly stressful, but if you can find the humor in them and learn to laugh through what you’re dealing with? It makes everything just a little bit easier. Comedian and Air Force spouse Ashley Gutermuth knows that is true. Through her many military moves, she has learned to flip circumstances around to find the humor, and the standup comedy she does as a result is downright hila...
What You Need to Know About Military Home Buying in a Wild Market (Michelle Crumley, Caliber Home Loans mortgage expert)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBNo matter how many times you’ve relocated or how long you think you’re going to be at your new duty station, every military PCS comes with this major question: Where are you going to live? Whether you rent or buy a home depends on a host of factors specific to your situation. But you also need to take into consideration the current housing market. So what do you need to know, going into this military move season? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, VA home loan and mortgage indust...
The Most Important PCS Changes for 2023 and What to Do About Them (Megan Harless, military PCS expert)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBReady for your 2023 military PCS? Each year, the Defense Department updates the rules and regulations around military moves. Knowing and using those changes is an important part of making a successful PCS. But learning what they are and understanding how they impact you? That’s where things get harder. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, military move expert Megan Harless gives us a quick view of the most important changes for 2023 and what you need to do about them. Listen now. Co...
The DoD's PCS Help for Career-Minded Military Spouses (Eddy Mentzer, DoD spouse career programs lead)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBIn a world where dual-income households are the norm, leaving a civilian career behind every few years thanks to a military PCS move creates a host of challenges. Even if you can easily find a role in your profession, how are you supposed to grow a career when you keep hopping jobs? A series of programs offered by the Defense Department seeks to help with that problem. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, director Eddy Mentzer walks us through what those programs are, where to find th...
Relocating Your Cultural and Personal Passions During a PCS (Tawny Cale, activist and small business owner)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBYou’ve unpacked the boxes and registered your kids for school. Your military PCS is all wrapped up, and now you’re friend single and ready to mingle. If only plugging yourself in to your new duty station was that simple. No matter your cultural background or interests, finding that perfect new community wherever you are can feel hard. So how do you successfully relocate those passion points while dodging the temptation to reinvent yourself after every move? In this episode of PCS with M...
Military Homeschooling Help No Matter Where You're Stationed (Natalie Mack, military homeschool expert)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBIf you have kids, relocating with the military can also mean moving schools and sorting through a maze of academic requirements and rules. That’s just one of the reasons many military families choose homeschooling instead. But it still brings plenty of challenges. Rules for homeschooling vary by state, and getting plugged into a new, supportive community can be a challenge, no matter how often you do it. Toss learning to navigate homeschooling thanks to an overseas PCS, and the process can...
Keeping Your PCS Money and Paperwork Ducks In a Row (Kate Horrell, Military.com financial columnist)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBMaking a military PCS move carries a hefty financial burden for military families. That means smart money management and knowing and using all of your PCS entitlements is necessary for getting you from Point A to Point B without draining your bank account. And even as you balance that cash flow, you also need to keep another life management factor in mind: All of that paperwork that makes the military life go ’round. From passports to shot records, knowing where your documents are won’t ju...
Insider Tips for Your First Military PCS Pack-Out (Isabel Schmitt, LOGSA Mil Moves)
May 01, 2023 09:01 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBReady to take on the challenge of your first military move? In the complex world of military permanent change-of-station (PCS) moves, it’s hard to know what you’re getting yourself into until you’ve done it. From packing to dealing with the move itself, a maze of rules, guidance and advice is waiting for you. So how do you know what to do? And is there a way to simply learn the best practices without first making mistakes? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Army veteran, spouse and ...
Coming Soon: PCS With Military.com Season 3
March 22, 2023 03:28 - 1 minute - 1.37 MBAre you ready for your next military move? Make sure you have all the information, tips and tricks you need to help make your next PCS a success. Military.com’s executive editor and Army spouse Amy Bushatz brings you another season of PCS With Military.com, packed with everything you need to get your next PCS season started. Whether it’s your first PCS or your 10th, PCS With Military.com will help you navigate the how-tos of military moves, from military money insights to insight on the la...
10: Using Your VA Loan in a Crazy Housing Market (with JP Pena)
May 02, 2022 12:09 - 40 minutes - 37 MBWhether you’re PCSing across the country or just down the road, you still need to find a place to live. But base housing is often not the right fit or even readily available, and finding a home off base can be really expensive, especially in a tight housing market. Military members and veterans have access to a special home loan benefit through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA home loan. Yet using it can feel too complicated, while how it works is often surrounded in rumor and misin...
09: How to Navigate a Career Over Military Moves (with Brian Alvarado)
May 02, 2022 12:08 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBAfter two decades, a variety of military spouse-focused nonprofits and government programs are still working to find solutions to a long-term problem: military spouse unemployment. With the spouse unemployment rate sitting at about 24%, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Foundation, the turn to remote work during COVID and consistent employer education campaigns from military organizations are starting to help. But military spouses continue to face issues around findi...
08: How to Make a Financially Confident PCS (with Kia McCallister-Young)
May 02, 2022 12:07 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBMilitary members spend an average of $5,000 out of pocket without being reimbursed for each Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, according to data from the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN). And that’s just one of the reasons having a financial plan going into your PCS is a good idea. But even if you didn’t plan ahead for your military move, you can still have a financially confident PCS, says Kia McCallister-Young, an Air Force veteran and former military spouse who now leads the n...
07: Mastering Your Military PCS with the Enneagram System (with Kellie Artis)
May 02, 2022 12:06 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBYou attended the transportation briefings, read the military’s moving instructions website, talked to friends, gleaned advice from Facebook groups, prepared for the movers and said goodbye to your favorite coffee shop. But did you ever stop to think about how understanding your personal psychology can help you create a successful military Permanent Change of Station (PCS)? The Enneagram system helps individuals not just understand how they tend to approach and think about the world, but also ...
06: Lower Your PCS Stress With Some PCS Organization Hacks (with CC Gallagher)
May 02, 2022 12:05 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBMilitary Permanent Change of Station (PCS) stress can feel like one thing after another piling on until you’re just so exhausted, you crack. One way to lower stress ahead of time is to get organized around your move. That can include leaning into organizational tools or even an Excel spreadsheet. For CC Gallagher, an Army spouse and military spouse resource expert, that means leveraging a label system for your pack-out. When she couldn’t find one that fit her needs, she created it herself and...
05: Need-to-Know Changes for the 2022 PCS Season (with Brig. Gen. Joel Safranek and Kristen Johnson Barnat)
May 02, 2022 12:04 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBRules and regulations around military moves are set by two sources: laws passed by Congress, and policies created and directed by the Pentagon. How those are implemented is up to U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and the military and civilian officials there who oversee the military move system. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Brig. Gen. Joel Safranek, who oversees the personal property system, and Kristen Johnson Barnat, a TRANSCOM spokesperson, give us the inside view on rul...
04: What a Moving Industry Insider Wants You to Know for Your PCS (with Katie McMichael)
May 02, 2022 12:03 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBIt’s easy to feel nervous about the entire military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process when every step seems packed with risk that your belongings will be lost, broken or stolen. But have you ever stopped to hear from the people who have an insider view on the moving industry? In this episode of PCS with Military.com, moving industry representative Katie McMichael offers a window into how the industry operates, the best way for military families to work with the people hired to pack an...
03 Moving With Pets: What You Need to Know for Your PCS (with Kari Mendoza)
May 02, 2022 12:02 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBWhen it comes to paying for Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, pets are left out in the cold. That’s because while the military pays to move your household goods and your human family, they don’t provide any funding or help moving animals. If you want to relocate a dog, cat or anything else, it’s up to you to pay for it and figure out a way to make it happen. That gets complicated and expensive for any overseas move. Not only do you need to get your pet on a plane, but you have to under...
02: The Inside Scoop on Working with Your Movers from 2 PCS Pack-Out Experts (with Wendy Way and Isabel Garcia Schmitt)
May 02, 2022 12:01 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBThey come in, wrap your stuff, stick it in boxes and help get it in the truck while you helplessly watch, hoping that your household goods make it to the other end in one piece – or make it to the other end at all. Working with the individuals or “agents” packing your home can be one of the most stressful parts of any military Permanent Change of Station (PCS). Fortunately, Isabel Garcia Schmitt and Wendy Way want to help. Army veterans and military spouses, Isabel and Wendy started LOGSA Mi...
01: Hacking the 2022 PCS Moving Season Through Insider Tips (with Megan Harless)
May 02, 2022 12:00 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBIt’s been a rocky few years for military PCS moves as COVID restrictions and labor and truck-driver shortages continue to bring their unique challenges. So how can military members and their families best prepare for the 2022 moving season, and what should they learn from seasons past? In this episode, Megan Harless, an Army veteran and spouse, Permanent Change of Station (PCS) advocate and expert in military moves, shares her best advice and insider tips for getting through whatever move ...
Coming Soon: PCS with Military.com Season 2
March 18, 2022 21:42 - 1 minute - 1.21 MBDo you have all the information, tips, tricks and help you need to make your next PCS a success? Join Military.com executive editor and Army spouse Amy Bushatz for Season 2 of PCS with Military.com as we navigate the how-tos of military moves, from home organization help and military money insights to the insider scoop from military move officials on the latest changes you need to know. While you hit the road to your next duty station, we'll answer your questions about PCS hacks and regula...
11: PCS With Kids: How to Move Schools (with Meg Flanagan)
May 01, 2021 11:22 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBPermanent Change of Station (PCS) moves with kids come with their own layers of challenges, not the least of which is switching schools. For military parents who do not homeschool, each move is met with the task of finding a new school, shifting school records and meeting the teachers and staff. Many parents also face the additional challenge of dealing with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or gifted and special education programs. And for the parents with high schoolers nearing gradua...
10: No Sectionals or Crazy Curtain Sizes: How to Design Your Home for Any Move (With Maria Reed)
May 01, 2021 11:20 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBEvery military family has a stash of curtains purchased for odd window sizes in a previous home. But today’s guest, interior design expert and Army spouse Maria Reed, has built an expertise out of saving families undergoing their latest military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move from bad curtains and misfit furniture. In this episode, Maria shares her best advice for creating a living space that can move with you, no matter the size of your home or shape of your space. See full sho...
09: Advice for House Hunting and VA Home Loans (with Derrick Abbott and Deonte Cole)
May 01, 2021 11:18 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBIf only a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move was as simple as letting the movers pack your stuff and then unpacking it on the other end. Instead, you’ve still got a pretty big decision left on your plate: where to live. Deonte Cole, a Marine Corps veteran and real-estate agent, and Derrick Abbott, a loan officer who has spent his career helping families access and use their VA home loans, work together in the Tampa, Florida, area. In this episode of PCS with Military.com, Derr...
08: How to Handle Military PCS Problems at Your Next Duty Station Without Actually Being There (with Kellie Artis)
May 01, 2021 11:16 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBOne of the challenges with any military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is that you likely won’t ever see your new home until you actually arrive with your stuff already packed away. The Pentagon doesn’t pay for house-hunting trips or new duty station fact-finding missions. In this episode, Army spouse Kellie Artis shares her best tips and tricks for understanding your future home and dealing with all of the things you need to know about it without actually being there. Artis is the...
07: How to Keep Your Wallet Happy Over Your Military Move (with Clay Stackhouse)
May 01, 2021 11:14 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBMilitary Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves are going to happen whether you’re ready or not. Moving is simply a part of military life. You can make things a little bit easier on yourself by preparing not just your home and family ahead of time, but also your wallet. Clay Stackhouse is a regional outreach manager for Navy Federal Credit Union, which sponsored season one of PCS with Military.com. In this sponsored episode, he shares some financial tips and tricks every military member s...
06: PCSing With Your Military Spouse Small Business (with Lakesha Cole)
May 01, 2021 11:12 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBMilitary spouses know the challenges of a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move don’t end with the packing and unpacking. Relocating a career or a small business adds an entirely new layer of complexity. Fortunately, highly successful military spouses like Marine Corps spouse Lakesha Cole are willing to pass on what they’ve learned to make life a little bit easier for the next person. In this episode, Lakesha skips the how-tos on paperwork and goes straight to the things business...
05: How to Use Military Discounts with Your PCS (with Joanna Guldin-Noll)
May 01, 2021 11:10 - 36 minutes - 33 MBTheoretically, the U.S. military covers the cost of each Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move. But any service member or military family member will tell you that’s not entirely true. Fortunately, military discounts offered by businesses nationwide can make the financial pinch a little easier. In this episode, Military.com social media manager and military lifestyle blogger Joanna Guldin-Noll shares her best tips and tricks for finding and using military discounts during and around your ...
04: Purge or Pack? Organizing Your Home Around a PCS (with Christa Curtis)
May 01, 2021 11:08 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBPreparing for and unpacking from a military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is an exercise in patience and wherewithal and a test of organizational skills. Many military members and families also use it as an opportunity to see, sort and organize everything they own. After all, who doesn’t love a good PCS purge? But the process also can be incredibly overwhelming. In this episode, Navy spouse and home organizational expert and consultant Christa Curtis, owner of Permanent Change of Stori...
03: What You Need to Know About Paying for Your PCS (with Ryan Guina)
May 01, 2021 11:06 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBMoving can be really expensive. The Defense Department is supposed to foot the bill for your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, but reimbursement isn’t immediate and there are plenty of financial gotchas to consider as you get ready for and recover from a move. In this episode, Military.com financial columnist Ryan Guina lays out some of the money issues service members and military families should keep in mind as they relocate -- and what the Defense Department does to help. See f...
02: DoD Moving Officials Answer Your Biggest PCS Questions (with Matt Butler)
May 01, 2021 11:02 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MBWhile much of navigating your military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is up to you, some things are just a matter of rules and regulations. But navigating that information can be confusing and riddled with rumor and misinformation based on one individual’s experience. On this episode of the PCS with Military.com podcast, Matt Butler, a Defense Department civilian employee at Transcom whose 22-year Air Force career focused on helping service members move their personal belongings, g...
01: Understanding PCS Rules and Building the Best PCS Binder Ever (Megan Harless)
May 01, 2021 11:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBSurviving your military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move isn’t magic or rocket science. By taking time to plan and keep your paperwork and move organized, you can get to the other side of your current or next PCS experience with at least your sanity safe and sound. In this episode, Megan Harless, an Army veteran and spouse, and unintentional advocate and expert in military moves, shares her best advice for smoothly navigating your military move from start to finish, including buildin...
Coming Soon: PCS with Military.com
March 10, 2021 21:16 - 53 seconds - 817 KBIf moving was simple, this would be easy. But it's not, and Military.com is here to help. On PCS with Military.com you'll hear the best tips and tricks from military life and relocation experts. Learn more about military moves on Military.com/PCS
Coming Soon: PCS With Military.com
March 10, 2021 21:16 - 53 seconds - 817 KBIf moving was simple, this would be easy. But it's not, and Military.com is here to help. On PCS With Military.com you'll hear the best tips and tricks from military life and relocation experts. Learn more about military moves on Military.com/PCS