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.

Newcomers Orientation is scheduled for every two weeks on Thursdays. It is mandatory for active duty, reservists and Department of Defense civilians. Military members should arrive in uniform with a copy of their orders and medical records. Several mandatory in-processing briefings will be provided during this orientation. Spouses are encouraged to attend. Registration is required; please contact the M&FRC at 011-44-1480-843557 or DSN 314-268-3557.

The Local Safety Driving Conditions briefing, offered by the Wing Safety Office, is a requirement for all individuals seeking the U.K. driver’s license. This policy applies to all military, family members, civilian employees, contractors and National Interagency Fire Center members. Contact the Wing Safety Office for complete instructions at DSN 314-268-3837.

The U.K. Highway Code Book is helpful in learning signs and terms. For the driver's test, please contact the Wing Safety Office at DSN 314-268-3837.

Installation-Specific Information

For more newcomer tips and information, please visit the 423nd Force Support Squadron website. Once you receive your orders, you can be assigned a post office box. Leave a forwarding address with the post office at your old unit.

Items that you should hand carry:

• Copies of orders, military identification cards and passports
• Government travel card
• Home inventory list/video
• Credit cards
• Medical and dental records
• Leave and earning statements
• Birth certificate(s) or adoption papers
• Current driver’s license
• Social Security cards
• Marriage certificate
• Bills to be paid
• Shot records
• Divorce papers
• Wills/deeds/mortgages
• State/federal tax records
• Insurance policies
• School records
• List of stocks/bonds
• Powers of attorney
• Spouse's resume
• Pet documentation

Contact the Finance Office to figure out how much travel pay you will receive, including Dislocation and Temporary Allowances. Contact the Travel Management Office to get current information on overseas weight allowances, restricted items and packing and shipping schedules. They can also discuss the requirements to ship your personally-owned vehicle.

Now is also the time to submit a request for base housing through the Housing Office and reduce your waiting time by 30 days. If you require child care, most ages have a waiting list. As soon as you have hard copy of orders, contact the Child Development Center. If you are an active-duty Air Force member, the Air Force Aid Society will pay for 20 hours of child care, per child, at the gaining and losing installation (as long as there is space available). Contact your M&FRC for a certificate of eligibility and more information.

Your first stop after arriving in the U.K. should be RAF Alconbury M&FRC. They have computers with Wi-Fi access and internet access. You can study for your U.K. driver’s test, stay in touch with family, house hunt and pay bills until you have established a home.