Next Base Guide

Process

PCS step by step

Updated

This is general information, not official guidance. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense, any U.S. military service, or any base office. Rules change. Use the official page linked in each section.

A permanent change of station, or PCS, is a move to a new assignment. Military OneSource’s article PCS: The Basics About Permanent Change of Station is the source for the points below. The Moving and PCS hub is the wider set of pages.

What the orders are

Unlike temporary duty, PCS orders are a longer-term assignment. The article says they generally last two to four years. They tell you where you are going.

  • CONUS means the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. It excludes Alaska and Hawaii.
  • OCONUS means anywhere outside those 48 states and the District of Columbia, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Steps the official pages describe

  1. You may hear about a move before orders arrive. You cannot schedule the move until official orders are in hand. The orders carry the authorizations and entitlements.
  2. Use Plan My Move to build a checklist from a few questions.
  3. Use the Moving Your Personal Property page for household goods. The Defense Personal Property Program is the moving and storage program. Log in to the Defense Personal Property System to schedule the move, track a shipment, or file a claim. OneSource says you can use a Common Access Card or a user ID and password.
  4. Read the entitlements material linked from that personal-property page for what you are allowed to move. This guide does not print a weight allowance.
  5. Use the Relocation Assistance Program at the installation you are leaving and the one you are joining. OneSource says those offices offer predeparture briefings, newcomer orientations, and one-on-one support.
  6. Look up the gaining installation on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS for programs and services.

OneSource says consultants are available 24 hours a day and prints the number 800-342-9647, with separate OCONUS dialing options on that page.

More in this set

Suggest a correction Never include personal info like your SSN or DoD ID.

Questions

When can you schedule a PCS move?

Military OneSource says you cannot schedule the move until official orders are in hand, even if you heard about the assignment earlier.

What do CONUS and OCONUS mean on that page?

CONUS is the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. OCONUS is everywhere else, including Alaska and Hawaii.