Relocation Assistance

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 Moving Your Personal Property.
• 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 Assistance Program is available to provide education, counseling and relocation planning information and referrals to employees and their families, to furnish tools necessary to complete the move-in process in an efficient and cost-effective manner and to assist the family in understanding and managing the emotional impact of relocating.  Available in the local community are various rentals, Veterans Helping Veterans program, Goodwill, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity retail stores. Questions may be directed to the Family Program manager by calling 269-961-4051 or DSN 312-661-4051.

Installation-Specific Information

The Relocation Assistance Program at the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center is available to provide individualized information to help you make a smooth and efficient move to Battle Creek or the Greater Battle Creek area. The following information is available:

• Area information and community orientation packages (area maps, attraction guides)
• Temporary lodging information
• Home-finding information and referrals
• School information
• City-to-city cost-of-living comparisons using Military OneSource’s Relocation Essentials tool
• Military Home Front’s Plan My Move
• Destination/settling-in information
• Moving with children/elders/pets
• Stress management as it relates to relocation
• Spouse employment (job search tips)
• And much more