Fort Bliss  Military and Family Support Center

Your Military and Family Support Center provides relocation assistance to help make PCS moves as smooth as possible. Resources include:

• PCS planning: Most relocation assistance programs offer consultations to help you with the moving process. If this your first military move, your first time moving overseas or you have challenging or complex circumstances contact your installation Relocation Assistance Program as soon as possible for support.
• Plan My Move: An online Defense Department relocation tool that provides you with customizable checklists and links to helpful resources for the tasks ahead.
• Military OneSource: A website and call center that offer 24/7 support for moving information and resources. Learn more about PCS basics and download this fact sheet 7 Steps to Make Your Household Goods Move a Smart Move. For comprehensive moving resources and information, including Defense Personal Property log in details, visit PCS & Military Moves.
• Workshops and briefings: Workshops vary by location. You may find classes on housing options, moving with children, moving with pets and more.
• Predeparture briefings: These sessions provide essential information about your move and may be required for some populations.
• Special needs: If you have a child or family member enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, contact your installation EFMP-Family Support office to assist you.
• Settling-in services: Look for welcome programs or local area tours that may offered. Overseas services may include introductory language classes and cultural awareness activities.
• Foreign-born spouse support: Assistance includes information and referral to resources such as immigration and naturalization.
• Emergency assistance: Sometime emergencies occur while moving. The Military and Family Support Center has the resources to provide emergency financial assistance, as well as information and referrals.
• Authorized housing flexibility options: Eligible service members with PCS orders may be entitled to flexibilities such as extended stays in government housing and early housing eligibility. Contact your military personnel office for more information.
• Spouse licensure reimbursement: Your service branch may reimburse spouses up to $1,000 for relicensure and certification costs resulting from relocations or PCS moves. See this Military OneSource article Transferring Your Professional License for more information and specific service branch policies.

The Relocation Readiness Program staff will do their best to help make your move to El Paso go smoothly. We offer The Fort Bliss Newcomers Orientations for Soldiers and spouses every Thursday at the Old Ironsides Museum located at 1735 Marshall Road beginning at 0900. Join us and meet the Fort Bliss Command. We also have the Newcomers' Scoop which is a two-day orientation and sightseeing tour which covers Fort Bliss and the El Paso Community. Our Lending Closet has a large assortment of basic household goods (Family kits, pots, pans, microwaves, card tables and chair sets, play pens, high chairs, etc.) that you can borrow for a period of 30-days until your household goods arrive. Extensions can be granted on a case-by-case basis.  We offer Conversational Spanish (beginner and intermediate) as well as Conversational English classes. We partner with the Department of Homeland Security and take appointments for the Immigration Services Officer. The Immigration Services Officer will contact their scheduled appointments by phone every Tuesday from 0800-1430. On a quarterly basis we have Fiesta and Friends, a multi-cultural event. We also provide mandatory Sponsorship Training. Our Hearts Apart Program provides resources to assist Soldiers and their Families during a geographical separation or during deployments, which last more than 60-days. For more information call the Relocation Assistance Program at 915-569-4ACS (4227).

Installation Specific Information

Incoming personnel are encouraged to stop at the Army Community Service (ACS), Building 2494 Ricker Road immediately upon arrival at Fort Bliss. This will ensure the Service Member and family receive the most up-to-date information on the Fort Bliss-El Paso area before they begin searching for a home. Whether you are single or married, ACS has a Relocation Services that can help you. Other people that can help as well include sponsors, travel and transportation specialists, packers and movers, and a variety of other support personnel. By following these simple steps your relocation process should provide a rewarding experience.

Your orders are your move's most important document. Until you have them, you do not know what services you will be authorized to receive, or what your entitlements will be. Orders allow members to be eligible for a variety of financial allowances, relocation assistance, and options for moving and storing belongings. Some changes of duty stations or assignments may not authorize a move, so wait until you receive your orders before making any important commitments.

ACS is the best point of contact for relocation assistance. The ACS staff can provide up-to-date information about your receiving installation and community before you move. They can also offer valuable help in preparing for your move. We have many classes that can assist you throughout your integration to your new home. ACS offers a 2-day Spouses Orientation which is offered every other month and will provide a wealth of information for all who attend.

Whether you are single or have a family, the Sponsorship Program can make you move easier. After you receive orders, complete the Sponsor Notification Form. Be sure to list contact phone numbers if you are going to visit people in route. Your new Commanding Officer will try to assign a sponsor whose grade and personal situation is similar to yours. Your sponsor will then be able to relate to your needs and provide a personal view of life at the new location. Contact your sponsor as soon as possible and keep the new unit informed of any special needs or circumstances.

Separation procedures for the military are handled by Transition/Retirement Services. As soon as you receive your paperwork you need to contact one of the offices listed below. Service members separating from the military are authorized transition assistance from a variety of agencies, to include Army Community Services, Soldier for Life (formally known as Army Career and Alumni Program), as well as assistance in on-Post job hunting. The Information and Referral (I&R) office have the primary objective of linking the individual in need with the appropriate agency or service that will eliminate or alleviate that need. You will find I & R services in Building 2494, Army Community Service.