Rock Island Arsenal  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 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 Rock Island Arsenal Army Community Service’s Relocation Readiness Program office is located on the first floor of Building 110 in the Southeast wing, and offers services for newly arriving and departing soldiers and their families.

The Relocation Readiness Program and its Lending Locker are designed to make transitioning into our community an easier, more pleasant experience. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The Lending Locker provides essential non-furniture household items, including cots, small appliances, car seats, highchairs, pack ’n’ plays, flatware and cooking utensils, dishes, televisions, pots and pans, folding chairs and tables and vacuums. There are no linens available. Lending Locker items are offered to soldiers, family members, retirees and Department of the Army civilians living within a 30-mile radius of Rock Island Arsenal.

Welcome briefings for newcomers are given to newly arriving soldiers, civilians and family members. Upon arrival, the ACS Relocation Readiness Program office offers a newcomers’ welcome packet with Quad Cities area maps, event guides, Quad Cities information guides, and fliers on our Families First Programs, Discovery Time Playgroup and the Military Fatherhood Program.

Trained youth sponsors are available to correspond with your child before arrival at RIA. This program is open to all school-aged youth. The Rock Island Arsenal does not have a Transition Assistance Office or an Alumni Program. The Family Member Employment Readiness Center can assist with resumes, job searches and interview preparation.

The RIA has an Information and Referral Program for active-duty military, Department of Defense civilian employees, retired military and family members. Through an extensive database, this program can provide information on both installation and community agencies and refer clients to proper resources for assistance. The Information and Referral Program is located in on the first floor of Building 110, in the Southeast wing.

Relocation Assistance Program

ACS’s Relocation Readiness Program Manager can assist you with an introduction to the area and the installation, and answer any questions you may have. Newcomers Orientation tours are available on a regular basis. The Relocation Readiness Program also operates the Lending Closet, located in Building 110. Welcome packets are available upon request. 

For further information, contact the Relocation Program manager at 309-782-0816 or DSN 312-793-0816.