If you’re on Twitter and you’re U.S. military family, there are some fantastic resources at your fingertips. Because U-Pack is involved in so many PCS moves, we try to stay on top of the leading military resources. Check out our list of the 15 Military Tweeters You Should Be Following—I think you’ll find some of the best. @ABFUPackMoving follows all of them, and we think you should too!
@Militarymommy01 I’m not sure where she finds all of these great deals, but there’s no doubt the folks following her love them!
@MilAve_Leanne If you’re passionate about supporting the military, you’ll enjoy these tw... Read More
Since Flashback Friday was so successful in 2011, we’re bringing it with us into 2012! Today’s post: Military Moving. If you’ve ever had questions about doing a Personally Procured Move, keep reading—we’ve got answers! Happy Friday!
If you have Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders and have determined that a PPM Move (formally DITY Move) is your best money-saving solution, there are a few things you'll need to know:
First, we recommend taking full advantage of the Relocation Readiness Program at the base you're relocating to. You'll find this a huge help in acclimating you and your family to your new home. Through the Relocation Readiness Program, you'll find ways to make ... Read More
It's Flashback Friday— each week, U-Pack will revisit a blog topic that's been helpful and fun for our readers. Be sure to check the comments section of each post for even more valuable moving advice!
This week, we're revisiting one of the most useful U-Pack blog posts— the one about military weight tickets. If you're making a DITY move, you'll want to know all of the details and steps required for ensuring proper reimbursement. Have more questions that aren't answered here? Let us know!
In order to be reimbursed for your DITY Move (Do-It-Yourself), you'll need to have the following documents:
It's no secret that military life can sometimes mean lots of moving around, jumping from base to base. If you're not up on the latest lingo, there are lots of terms to describe the many transitions military service members endure (think back to U-Pack's popular DITY move blog post). This round, we're going to discuss one of the more interesting phrases regarding military moves: PCSing.
What exactly does ’PCSing' mean? PCS is short for ’permanent change of station'. Therefore, if you're ’PCSing', you're making a move to a new military station. That means an active member of the military is relocating from one base/station to another (and it's often a long-distance move... Read More
"Permanent change of station" is a term that applies to members of the military being relocated due to their job. Making a permanent change of station can apply to anything from moving within the same state, to being relocated to a base around the world.
Moving to a new geographical area U-Pack can help you move virtually anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska; plus Canada, Mexico or Puerto Rico. If you're making a permanent change of station to a new geographical area within the U.S., check out the general guidelines provided by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Keep in mind these steps can be different, depending on what your specific move looks like.
We all know what DITY means— Do IT Yourself. Sometimes it's a fun craft project…other times it's a creative way to save (or even earn) some money while moving.
Can you actually save money during an Army DITY move? Since this is a moving blog, you've probably guessed that we'll be talking about the latter of the 2 examples given. When moving under any branch of the military, you're typically given 2 options:
Let the military coordinate and pay for your entire move.
Do parts of the move yourself, turn your costs in for reimbursement by the military, and pocket what's left over.
How to make an Army DITY move Army families will probably find that it's now officially called "The Personally Procured Move Program," but we'll stil... Read More
When it comes to military moving, U-Pack knows the drill. In this post, guest blogger Dana Deason explains the ins and outs of making a DITY move.
3 Ways to Make a PCS DITY Move Successful
If you're doing a PCS move and have decided that your best option is to choose a do-it-yourself moving company and be reimbursed by the government, I think you'll find these tips very helpful:
1. Get Started Early Don't wait until you officially receive your orders to start looking for a mover. Waiting until the last minute may make it difficult to find availability— especially when you consider that often there are many other families doing PCS moves around the same time. It's also important to note that availability many be limited during the peak season (traditionally May to September).&n... Read More
There may have been a time when moving to Fort Wainwright, Alaska was cheapest when it was done in a rental truck. Times have changed. With the advent of ’you pack, we drive' services like ABF U-Pack, you can still get prices similar to truck rental, but you don't have to drive. That's a big deal when you're talking about the trek up the Alcan Highway to Fort Wainwright in a rental truck. There's a reason Fort Wainwright is home of the "Arctic Warriors" – obviously it can get COLD and icy in the winter months…may not be the ideal conditions for driving a truck full of all your earthly possessions.
Bonus: Where moving to Fort Wainwright takes most moving companies 20-30 days, U-Pack averages 11 business days.
Military moving is a little more involved than "normal" household moving – especially when there's reimbursement involved (weight tickets etc.). When you add moving to Alaska to the mix, it gets even more complex.
In the next few weeks, we'll talk about the specifics of moving to all of the military installations in Alaska…but today, let's start with moving to Elmendorf Air Force Base.
My moving to Elmendorf AFB recommendation Of course, if you're searching for moving companies, I recommend using U-Pack for your move – even if you intend on driving. I'm going to guess that driving up the Alcan Highway will be much more enjoyable in your own vehicle than in a ric... Read More
Military Move with U-Pack When you're doing a military move, it can sometimes be a "hurry up and wait" affair. You may know that you're moving from Camp Pendleton in two weeks, but not know where. You might also know that you'll be moving to Fort Campbell, but have no idea when. This can create quite a problem with most moving companies. It's easy to get movers in Fort Hood, Texas but if you find your destination is Fort Greely, Alaska they may not be so readily available – then you're out of luck.
That's part of what makes ABF U-Pack such a great military moving solution. Since ABF has 290 service centers located across the United States, we can handle your move to virtually anywhere you need to go – including Fort Greely, Alaska (it's just an added bonus tha... Read More
Are you moving to Fort Hood and don't know where to start? Let me make a suggestion – start with getting a moving quote from ABF U-Pack and compare the savings to other Fort Hood moving companies.
More than likely you're already familiar with DITY moving (do-it-yourself). But, just in case, I'll give you a quick run-down:
DITY Moving to Fort Hood Basically, if you're moving to Fort Hood and are approved for a DITY move (also called a personally procured move), the military will reimburse you, up to an authorized weight limit, for moving your household goods on your own. If you're able to find an economical way to do it yourself, and it ends up costing less than your mil... Read More
If you are among the soldiers or families moving to Fort Carson this year, you'll be glad to know there are affordable moving solutions available.
Moving to Fort Carson – Put Money Back in Your Pocket. Here's how it works: The military offers monetary incentives to eligible service members who do a ’do it yourself' (DITY) move. The amount you're allowed for your DITY move to Fort Carson is based on your authorized weight limit, which depends on rank and number of dependents (you can get this information from your local TMO office).
If your move ends up costing less than your authorized weight limit allows, you get to keep what's left over! Sound good? Keep reading...
Moving to Fort Carson – The Way to Save. If you've gotten a ... Read More
Weight Tickets – Military Relocation If you've been to upack.com, you probably already know that your U-Pack price is based on the amount of space you use in the trailer rather than the weight. We understand that when you're doing a military relocation, you're required to get certified documentation of the weight – in the form of empty and full certified weight tickets. We can get them for you. When you call to make a reservation, just tell us you're doing a military relocation that requires certified weight tickets and we'll make sure you get them.
If you're in the military or you're a military spouse, you're no stranger to moving. In fact, you may be able to write your own moving guide by the time your military career is over.
If you're new to the military, take notes, the following information might come in handy.
The United States military gives the option of a DITY (do-it-yourself) move – a program that allows eligible military members to move their household goods at the governments' expense. No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you – it comes out of the government's pocket, not yours. A DITY move allows ... Read More
