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.

Army Community Service will assist you in numerous ways during your relocation process.

The Brussels Army Health Clinic, Dental Clinic and the Pharmacy are a 10-minute drive from the Garrison. The commissary and additional support facilities are located at Chievres Air Base which is approximately 50 miles from USAG Benelux Brussels.

ACS offers a newcomers orientation brief and host nation orientation/cultural adaptation brief.

Some of the information in the briefs include:

• Cultural Information – Information on some Belgium and its customs, and gives each attendee a couple of helpful basic phrases and vocabulary book in French and Dutch.
• Loan Closet – The ACS Loan Closet provides standard household items such as kitchen items and appliances to incoming and outgoing soldiers, civilians and their family members. For baby items, please contact ACS ahead of time to check availability. The loan closet has a limited number of GPS's to help newcomers navigate through Brussels and beyond during the first few weeks. Please note that the Loan Closet does not have linens, blankets, pillows or towels. It is advisable that you mail linens or bring them with. For the ACS Relocation Assistance Program manager call 00-32-22-80-9935
• Spouses – Ask your sponsor or ACS to connect your spouse with the spouse sponsors/newcomers group. The mission is to give inbound spouses the opportunity to become familiar with their new environment and will give them the chance to meet and connect with others before, during, and after their arrival to the Benelux. Due to the unique challenges specific to the Benelux, it is important for families and spouses to develop independent resiliency. The spouse-sponsors will be the backbone of the program because they will provide valuable resources for inbound spouses and their families. They will act as a role model, support system, and communication liaison. Spouse-sponsors can help reduce the stress and anxiety that often accompanies a PCS move.

Sponsorship training is offered monthly and upon request as needed. In addition, Spouse sponsorship training is offered monthly.