Ways to Settle In to Your New Home and Community

After months of planning and preparing for your PCS, you’ve finally arrived at your new destination. Now it’s time to settle in to your new home and community. Military OneSource offers a number of resources and services to help you engage with your new military community so you can get settled and into the swing of things more quickly — from recreation and education to employment and more.

Before you PCS, you should be assigned a sponsor at your new duty station. They are typically assigned through your unit and are similar in rank or family make up.

Sponsors normally contact you well before you arrive, making your transition easier. Once you arrive, they can be a friendly face with knowledge and experience who can make those critical first introductions, guide you to important resources and give you an insider’s perspective of your new duty station and community.

If you have children, the youth sponsorship program can help them get settled both at school and in the community.

•  School liaison: School liaisons can assist with youth sponsorship referrals and provide information about resources available at your new location.
• Youth programs office: Contact your installation’s youth programs office to arrange sponsorship referrals or learn about opportunities for children to get involved.

Youth sponsorship programs help children participate in familiar activities and meet other military-connected children, easing their transition into the new environment. Keep in mind that children can experience a range of emotions during a move. They may feel anxious about starting a new school or making friends. As a parent, listen to their concerns, provide reassurance and support them as they adjust to their new community.

The Relocation Assistance Program on your installation can help you embrace your new community. These programs, offered through your installation’s local Military and Family Support Center, provide consultations on topics ranging from housing and child care to spouse employment and stress management.

Some of the services available through the Relocation Assistance Program include:

• Newcomers’ orientations and welcome packets: Learn about your new installation and community resources.
• Loan closets: Borrow essential household items such as dishes, cooking utensils and coffee makers if your household goods haven’t arrived yet. Use MilitaryINSTALLATIONS to find out if your new installation offers a loan closet.
• Referrals to financial assistance programs: Get connected to the installation’s Personal Financial Management Program or other organizations that offer emergency financial help.
• Free internet cafe: Access printers, faxes and photocopiers for relocation tasks.
• Child care and school support: Receive guidance on child care registration, local schools and other family needs.

Child Care Resources

If you need child care for preschool-age children, Relocation Assistance Programs can connect you to military child care programs, including:

• MilitaryChildCare.com: Search for and request child care at your new installation.
• Expanded hourly care: Access a national database of caregivers through Military OneSource.
• Fee assistance: Learn about subsidies available through Child Care Aware® of America.

You don’t need official orders to request child care, so be sure to start that process as soon as you know where you’ll be going.

Utility Setup and Discounts

In addition to informing you about activities and programs at your installation, the Relocation Assistance Program staff can guide you in setting up utility services such as phone, TV, internet and trash removal. If you live on installation, basic utilities are typically provided. If you live off the installation, you are responsible for arranging these services. Some companies offer military family discounts, so always ask when setting up a new service.

Relocation services vary by location, so contact your local Military and Family Support Center for more info on what’s available.

GET CONNECTED

School liaisons are located at every installation and serve as the main contact for military families, local school systems and installation command for school-related matters from pre-K through 12th grade. They provide a wide variety of services to support students and families during and after a PCS, helping make transitions smoother.

Services offered by school liaisons

School liaisons can:

• Provide information on school districts and boundaries.
• Assist with the transfer of credits and class registration.
• Help locate after-school and extracurricular programs.
• Set up tutoring and youth sponsorship referrals.
• Help explore nontraditional schooling options, including homeschooling and online programs.
• Assist with college, career and military readiness.

If your child has special education needs, school liaisons can connect you with:

• The Exceptional Family Member Program
• Your new school district’s special education department
• Resources to help navigate your new school district’s special education program

School liaison services are free and open to all Defense Department ID card holders.

The Armed Services YMCA offers programs designed to help military families build networks of support, with a particular focus on assisting junior enlisted service members and their families. These programs provide meaningful opportunities to connect with others in the military community while learning tools to navigate the unique challenges of military life.

Some key Armed Services YMCA programs include:

• Operation Camp: These camps, hosted at military-supported YMCA branches and affiliate locations, are designed for families, youth and teens. They provide opportunities to bond with other military families and create lasting connections while offering tools to help manage the unique challenges of military life.
• Operation Little Learners: This program teaches strategies to help with early childhood development in a community of support where parents and children can learn from each other.

In addition to these YMCA programs, don’t hesitate to get out and explore your new community. Use your sponsor as a resource to discover activities that align with your family’s interests. Whether through installation events, youth programs or local parks, engaging with your surroundings is a great way to settle in and make connections.

Connect with fellow military families as you hit the links, go bowling or play basketball with your children at the recreation center. MWR programs offer a variety of options — something for everyone to enjoy — both on and off on the installation.

Find out more about MWR and your local installation

• Contact your local MWR office for information about local programs and events.
• Visit your new duty station webpage on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS for information about MWR programs, as well as other programs, services and community amenities.
• Learn more about how to explore your base and beyond with MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.

For military spouses seeking employment at their new duty station, joining a networking group can be a valuable opportunity to connect with other spouses while advancing your career. Spouse networking groups foster professional relationships and offer support, helping you navigate career transitions and explore local job markets.

Resources for Military Spouse Employment

• Spouse Education and Career Opportunities: This program offers career development resources, education guidance and employment opportunities tailored to military spouses worldwide. SECO services include:
  • Career coaching to help you identify and achieve your professional goals.
  • Access to the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, which connects spouses with employers committed to hiring military spouses.
  • A free upgrade to LinkedIn Premium to assist with job searches and networking.
• Installation spouse employment readiness specialists: Access hands-on assistance at your installation’s spouse education, training and career services. Specialists can help with:
  • Resume writing and interview preparation.
  • Exploring portable career options that align with the mobile military lifestyle.

Additional Career Opportunities

• Licensure reimbursement: If you need to transfer your professional license due to a PCS move, you may be eligible for up to $1,000 in reimbursement for relicensure or certification fees. Contact your service branch for more information.
• Child development programs: If you enjoy working with children, explore opportunities at installation child development programs.

Spouse networking groups are an excellent way to combine career advancement with building connections in your new community.

The Military Family Readiness System empowers service members and families with the support and information they need to thrive in their military lives and widen their support networks.

Each service branch has a unit family readiness program but the names and resources available may differ. Special focus is given to helping spouses and families prepare for short- and long-term deployments, increasing communication between families and unit leadership and boosting unit morale and a sense of community.

These groups host family-friendly unit activities, where spouses can meet, find support and learn from each other.

Make your new destination home by connecting with your local military community so you can make connections and get to your new normal faster.