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.

All members making a permanent change of station to the United Kingdom are required to travel in civilian attire.

The M&FRC offers cultural adaptation information during newcomers’ briefings, through , and classes, as necessary.

After you arrive

Your sponsor should arrange to meet you upon arrival at a pre-arranged location. Make sure you know the times and pickup location of your transportation, and have unit phone numbers and a secondary plan in case any problems arise. If you are staying in lodging on base, your room number (four digits) is your phone number. Lodging and M&FRC can provide base maps if you need them. 

Reporting procedures

Plan to report to your Commanders Support Staff on the first duty day after arrival to begin in-processing. Your sponsor and unit CSS will help ensure you get gained to the base. After-hours arrivals: Please report to the Lodging Office front desk and they will assist you.

Confirm with your sponsor and CSS the dates you are required to attend Team Mildenhall Newcomers' Orientations. If you need help to get signed up for this 2-day event, please contact the M&FRC in Building 460, DSN 238-3406, to get scheduled. These are held every Tuesday and Thursday, and can be attended in any order.

Ensure you have a valid driving license prior to arriving in the UK.Thursday briefings include driver's training. All military members and any spouses, DOD civilians, contractors and dependents who plan to drive in the U.K. must attend Thursday briefings within 14 days of arrival. In addition to having a a valid driver’s license, you are required to attend the drivers’ training class and pass the 50-question theory test in order to receive a United States Air Forces in Europe permit and gas card to legally drive in the U.K. <'Times New Roman';mso-font-kerning:0pt;mso-ligatures:none;mso-spacerun:yes;"> Prior to arrival, you can review the USAFE-UK Driving Safety video on the USAF Connect App, save Team Mildenhall as a favorite and review details through the PCS button.Also study the Highway Code online through the U.K. government website and complete the practice tests.

Tuesday briefings are held in-person, and Thursday briefings are offered virtually or in person. Do not bring children to briefings or classes due to limited space. Instead, enquire at the M&FRC about PCS child care. If available, Air Force military members are entitled to 20 hours of free child care per child during the first 60 days after your arrival. The Child Development Center or Family Child Care program could be available to assist with child care.

While you wait for your household goods shipment, the M&FRC may be able to loan a variety of items to you. A dish pack for your family may be available for 30 days.  Consider that bedding and towels are not available for loan. Keep this in mind when packing your unaccompanied baggage.

To assist with house hunting, you can also borrow a GPS (locally called a SatNav) for 10 days to help find your way around the area; and cell phones may be available for a 30-day loan as well.

Relocation checklist:

• 1. No-fee passports in hand?
• 2. Certificates of vaccination (required for the service member only)?
• 3. Phone numbers left with someone in the U.S. and carried with you?
• 4. Insurance on household effects secured?
• 5. All other insurance in order?
• 6. All local bills paid up or arrangements made to pay?
• 7. Post Office and regular correspondents notified of your change of address?
• 8. Travel claim readily available?
• 9. Travelers Checks purchased and/or British currency in hand (pounds)? (Keep receipts)
• 10. Travel tickets in order? (Keep your tickets, including any unused portions.)
• 11. Baggage properly tagged? (Remove tags and/or stickers that identify you as a member of the military when traveling.)
• 12. Arrangements completed for pets?
• 13. Reading material, magazines organized?
• 14. School records packed in accompanied baggage?
• 15. Family members’ medical and dental records packed in accompanied baggage or being hand carried?
• 16. Current state driver's license and instructions for renewal during your tour (if necessary)?
• 17. A statement from your insurance company regarding your accident-free driving record for up to seven years? (This will help you when arranging U.K. car insurance.)
• 18. Registration and other documents concerning automobile shipment?
• 19. Bank arrangements completed?
• 20. Identification cards current?
• 21. Several ID card and passport photos on hand for each member of your family?
• 22. International drivers’ licenses for all licensed drivers?
• 23. All unaccompanied baggage shipped?
• 24. Have you kept your sponsor informed and up to date? Do you have their contact information?
• 25. Have you drawn all necessary advances?

Start saving now. We estimate most families will need a minimum of $5,000 for expenses (initial rent deposit, auto insurance, utility deposits). Contact your sponsor or M&FRC for more information.

If you get married before you make a PCS move, you must inform your losing unit commander and follow the procedures exactly as you are given them. The military will not pay for travel and housing of your new spouse if you do not follow proper procedures.

Contact the M&FRC at your losing base to get started in your preparation for moving overseas, and read the information listed on our RAF Mildenhall PCS & Welcome site.

Send out change of address letters, creditors, magazines, banks, insurance companies, family, etc. Go through your address book, bills and financial papers from the past couple of months. Make out a list of company addresses, telephone and account numbers, etc. Put this in your "carry it with me" bag. Leave a forwarding address with the Post Office and your old unit.

Talk to the staff at your finance office. They can determine how much travel pay you will receive, including dislocation and temporary allowances. You can also check out the Defense Travel Management Office website.

Get your children's school records or arrange for them to be sent to their new school. Get family records (including dental) that may be held by military or civilian doctors.

Travel planning

Concurrent travel meaning your family travels with you is approved for RAF Mildenhall. The Scheduled Air Travel Office (official travel) will make flight arrangements for you and any family members authorized on your orders. Keep receipts for any lodging or transportation so you can file them with your travel voucher.

Money matters

Relocating is expensive. The M&FRC Personal Financial Management Program can help you look at your finances and plan for this move, with information on what to expect for local bills and payments, maintaining a budget, and personal financial management.. You will need to set up a way to pay bills locally in the U.K. There is a bank and a credit union on base, in addition to off-base options.

Spouse Employment

If you are married and your spouse wishes to find employment in the U.K. please contact the M&FRC for assistance.It can take six to eight months to get hired at a new job, and many jobs in the area are lower paid that what you may experience in the U.S.A.

The Career Focus Program can help spouses get a head start on preparing a resume for employment, and look at our Spouse Employment Opportunities Facebook page for current job vacancies. Also, be sure to start a special folder or bag for all of the important papers and records you will carry with you.

Check out the next dates for classes or arrange an individual appointment at the M&FRC in Building 460 or call DSN 314-238-3406 or commercial 011-44-1638-543406 for more details.