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.

Soldier and Family Assistance will send a welcome email to the address that you provide to S-1. Feel free to contact the Soldier and Family Assistance Office at 207-438-8514 or 800-790-0963, then press 1, then press 1 again.

Your sponsor will be able to answer many of your questions. You may also use Military OneSource and Plan My Move for managing and planning your move. These two Department of Defense-sponsored web-based relocation tools offer information on more than 340 installations worldwide. You can estimate expenses, find the forms necessary for housing and household goods, keep a calendar of events and take other necessary actions to ensure a successful move.

Loan Closet -- Basic household items are available to borrow from each company while waiting for your personal property pre-departure or upon arrival. The typical items in stock include pots and pans, dishes, silverware and basic kitchen needs. Towels and bed linens are not available, so these should be packed in your hold baggage.

Newcomers’ Orientation -- Orientation for new arrivals is generally held on the second Tuesday of each month at Battalion Headquarters. Personnel are notified in advance of the date, time and location, and spouses are welcome.

Relocation Assistance Offices on Installations in our area, including information for temporary housing:

• Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts: 781-225-2765
• Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island: 401-841-2283 (Fleet and Family Support Center),
  401-841-2232 (Housing)
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, New Hampshire: 207-438-1835
• Rhode Island Armed Forces and military page