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.

Welcome to Okinawa! The Army Community Service Relocation Readiness Program office is located in Building 251, Torii Station, provides assistance to relocating service members and their Family, Department of the Army Civilians, their Family Members and retirees. Assistance such as Pre-Departure Planning, gaining installation information packets, Sponsorship Assistance and Training, Newcomers Brief and Loan Closet. All newcomers are required to attend the monthly Newcomer's Briefing. Spouses are encouraged to attend the briefing as well. Prior to arriving to Okinawa, feel free to contact the office with questions and concerns.

Sponsorship -- The Relocation Assistance Program provides Okinawa Specific Sponsorship training for the Total Army Sponsorship Program. To ensure optimum transition, the program requires that all personnel, regardless of rank, marital status, assignment to an accompanied or unaccompanied tour, be assigned a Sponsor. Sponsorship program information is to be provided to the transferring service member by their command along with the notice of permanent change of station (PCS) transfer. If you are interested in becoming a Sponsor, please see your command and sign up for our class!

Newcomers' Orientation -- All new arrivals, to include Soldiers and Civilians, are required to attend the Newcomers' Brief. The Newcomer's Briefing educates newcomers about the social and cultural aspects of Okinawa and also provides pertinent information regarding important topics such as medical care, dental care etc.

Loan Closet -- To provide basic home utensils, such as pots, pans, dishes, flatware, and tumblers to incoming, accompanied or unaccompanied, Soldiers and Civilians until their household goods shipment arrives. These items are checked out for a 30 day period and may be extended an additional 30 days if required.

The Relocation Assistance Center provides assistance to all Soldiers and Family members who are relocating from one duty station to another. You may contact the Relocation Assistance Center which is located on Kadena Airforce Base Okinawa from the States by calling 011-81-98-970-5555 then dial the DSN number or 315-634-3366.