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Commissary Sidewalk Sale Happening in September

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The DeCA Commissary is a staple on military installations. The grocery store is the go-to for stocking up on all the post-move essentials – it has the same brands no matter where you live around the world providing consistency in what to expect. It’s nice to have a little break in the cost too.

In addition to the goal of lower-cost items on offer in the Commissary every day, the Commissary Sidewalk sales are a great place to find deals on favorite items.  OCONUS stores may offer different promotional offers. CONUS commissaries will have items for sale throughout the store including snacks, beverages, and cleaning items.

What are the planned promotions for CONUS Commissaries?

August 30th – September 12th

  • Commissary store brands of diapers
  • Up to 46% off select cereal
  • Up to 37% off select coffee
  • Up to 27% off select lunch Meats
  • Over 50% off select Kids Lunchbox Drinks
  • UP to 26% off home care cleaning items (think post PCS clean)
  • Over 50% off dairy snacks for breakfast

September 1 – September 6th

  • Labor Day Sales on Soda

September 2 – September 6th

  • The bakery will have a sweet item on sale

September 13th – September 26th

  • Up to 28% home care cleaning items including paper towels and laundry items
  • Over 30% off dairy snacks for adventures on the go
  • Up to 29% off select cereal and breakfast bars
  • Up to 31% select tea
  • Up to 28% select juice boxes
  • Up to 25% select sports drinks
  • Over 35% off select light bulbs

September 22 – September 28

  • The bakery will offer a sale on select fall cheeses

September 27th – October 10th

  • Up to 28% select home care cleaning items
  • Over 50% off select dairy snacks for school lunches and adventures on the go
  • Up to 42% off select cereal and granola bars
  • Up to 26% off select lunchmeat

On average, the commissary saves patrons 25% annually, and these sidewalk sales offer savings sometimes over 50% off the usual price, depending on the category.  Local commissaries will post their sales ad in the stores and on their websites.

Will you head to the Commissary for their Sidewalk sale?

A to Z: The Basics of Understanding the Military Acronyms

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Being part of the military comes with a whole new language. The military acronyms. This language is meant to provide a means for quick and efficient communication among the military community.  If you have ever felt like you needed some sort of insider knowledge to decode what is said, here is an abbreviated GOAT for you – Glossary of Acronym of Terms. But just for fun, this isn’t just the real acronyms – but also what you will frequently hear them referred to. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, but will surely make you laugh or chortle, and explain the LES.

AAFES – Army and Air Force Exchange Service – aka the bougie exchange, especially when in OCONUS locations where families are present

ADFM – Active Duty Family Member. This is what DEERS refers to family members as. Family members are numbered as well by a FMP (Family Member Prefix). Spouses are generally 30. Second spouse 40, etc. Children are numbered based on seniority – 01 for first child, 02 for second, etc.

AMC – Air Mobility Command. This is who operates military flights CONUS and OCONUS, and for families for moves overseas.

BAH – Basic Housing Allowance. This monetary allowance is allotted by rank for the military member – it is divided by with and without dependents by rank and zip code.

BAS – Basic Allowance for Subsistence. This monetary allowance is to cover the service member’s meals. It is not meant to cover family member’s meals.

BCGs – Birth Control Glasses. This loving acronym refers to the lovely large black-framed glasses with abnormally thick corrective lenses that anyone who must wear glasses gets while in training.

BZ – Bravo Zulu. This phrase is used to celebrate an accomplishment or say “great job!” to a fellow service member or work counterpart.

CDC – Child Development Center – this CDC is not to be confused with the other organization of the same acronym which is on the news often. The CDC is the base daycare for children from 6 weeks to preschool.

COLA – Cost of Living Allowance. This is a stipend provided to service members who live in areas with high cost of living. COLA is typically offered to service members who live overseas to help cover the additional costs of living in these higher cost areas. There are areas that provide CONUS COLA. Areas within CONUS that provide COLA as of this writing can be found here.

CONUS – Continental United States

DEERS – Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. This is the system that registers all service members, and their family members. When a service member becomes married, they must go to DEERS with the family member to put them in the system. When a family member is born, the family member must be registered in DEERS within 90 days. DEERS registration is what is pulled for TRICARE coverage.

DFAC – Dining Facility…because we need four letters for a two-word building.

DFAS– Defense Finance and Accounting Service – this is a big one, this is the acronym service members see in their bank accounts.

DITY – Do It Yourself, usually referred to as a DITY move. However, this acronym has fallen out of vernacular and is now a PPM – Personally Procured Move. Either DITY and PPM are interchangeable.

DOD – Department of Defense

ETS: Expiration of Term of Service. Also known as EAS – or Expiration of Active Obligated Service. This is the end of the enlistment period, or for officer the ETS is the period before career designation (service dependent).

FOB – Forward operating base. These bases are located in deployment locations, and are usually large enough to have hot water showers!

FUBAR – F***** beyond all recognition. AKA not a job well done.

HEDIS– Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set – the HEDIS metrics are something that you may hear of if you are seen at medical on installation, or be asked a specific question at visits due to measures that are being monitored.

LES – Leave and Earning Statement – the pay stub that military members receive. It looks like a crazy chart, and there are actual classes to help discern its meaning.

MRE – Meals Ready to Eat. These meals punch a day’s worth of calories into one little brown pouch will prevent the service member from needing to use the facilities in the field to #2. But those pan coated chocolate discs look awful familiar!

MTF – Military Treatment Facility – the military hospital or main clinic that provides medical services to active duty or military families on board installation.

OCONUS – Outside the Continental United States/ outside the contiguous United States – aka overseas locations where service members are stationed. Alaska counts as OCONUS, as is Hawaii, since it is not within the “lower 48” states.

OHA – Overseas Housing Allowance. This is self-explanatory – the housing allowance provided to service members living in overseas locations. In lieu of BAH, military members receive OHA when living OCONUS. Getting the hang of these acronyms?

OPSEC – Operational Security. If you have heard the phrase “Loose Lips Sink Ships” then you are families with OPSEC. The idea is to not share dates of moving troops overseas, or military secrets on social media or with people outside the immediate need to know.

Package Store – It is also referred to as the Shoppette or a Class 6. Not an acronym, but this phrase refers to the store on base that sells alcohol.

PCM – Primary Care Manager. TRICARE Prime is a HMO like insurance – meaning all referrals must go through a PCM. If you have TRICARE Prime, get to know your PCM well, and how to get in touch with them.

PEBD– Pay Entry Base Date – this is seen on the LES. This date is the most recent entry on duty without a break in service.

POA – Power of Attorney – this document is essential for family members of the active duty service member when they are deployed. There are General and Special Power of Attorney’s – ask your service’s administrative section or legal services to learn more about these and when to have them.

POV – Privately Owned Vehicle as opposed to a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV) or a contracted vehicle.

SA – Situational Awareness

Scuttlebutt – while not an acronym, this term means conversation around the water cooler or occasionally is used to refer to the water cooler itself.

SOCOM – Special Operations Command

TDY – Temporary Duty Travel, aka Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) – this is the term that military members often say when they travel on business, because after all, it is on duty.

TSP – Thrift Savings Plan – the retirement plan offered to service members. Make sure you understand what the breakdowns for this means.

The X – a term for the military Exchange. Often a Navy Exchange or Marine Corps Exchange because of the large “X” in their signs.

If you want to know even more acronyms associated with your or your families branch of service, inquire at the family services office to see if there are classes on offer to help discern the military terms. Learning what these abbreviations mean can help with insight and a sense of belonging with the understanding. Want to have it all at your fingertips now, refer to the DOD Dictionary of Military Associated Terms for up to date acronyms.

What to Replace with Each Move

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PCS season is full of changes and to-do lists. One list you may not realize you need to have is the list of things to toss before you move and what to buy once you arrive at your new duty station. Reduce, reusing and recycling is nice to do with each move, especially to save the budget as moving is not cheap, but not everything can be moved. If you are moving yourselves – save yourself the time and space in your moving boxes by not packing these things. If you are having the government pay for and coordinate the move, save yourself the hassle of some these gross and weird things from being packed in a box with your dry pantry goods – trust me, it has happened.

Let’s go to the rooms with the biggest offenders. What things do you need to toss the last day in your previous duty station, and just replace when you move into your new home?

Bathroom

The bathroom is a key room to set up when you arrive at your new post. It is a room where an overflowing toilet can do some real damage – so having all the necessary items just makes sense. But you also don’t want a dirty and wet toilet brush that was just used to the clean the toilet, in with your towels or kitchen spices. Here is the down and dirty on what to replace in the bathroom:

  • Toilet bowl brush – as said above – it just makes sense. And you will want to have it for one final cleaning in your old home before moving into your new one.
  • Plunger – Murphy is no friend of PCSing – he calls when you are ready to move out of your home. Prevent an overflowing toilet by keeping your plunger to the last minute, and getting a new one at your new home. No need to bring those across state lines.
  • Shower curtain liners – if you are moving into a home where a shower curtain is needed, those thin, clear plastic liners that you spent a few dollars on a Target (pronounced: Tar-jay )do not need to come with you in your moving boxes. Keep them on your shower until the last minute so you can take showers for as long as you are in the home. It’s worth the few dollars to replace them on your next Target run in your new home.
  • Bath mats – This is an iffy one – if you are using your shower until the last day, and your boxes leave before then, you don’t want to be without a bathmat and you also don’t want to pack a wet one. If you have a bathmat you love, consider packing it while it is dry and using an old towel for your bath mat.
  • Trashcan – Unless your trashcan was fully protected by a plastic bag, all that trash from the bathroom…yuck.

Kitchen

  • Trashcan– Do you want to bring the coffee grounds and banana peel that didn’t quite make it into the trash bag fully? Nope. And just pulling the trashcan off limits should prevent packers from packing the bag of trash into a box, right?
  • Mop– Again with packing the wet things! If you are using your mop to clean your old home then you don’t want it packed, but you also don’t want it packed wet. Just save yourself the trouble and get the commissary special mop – it’s under $10 and saves you the headache of finding a potentially moldy mop on the other end.
  • Sponges– Oy! With the poodles already! Okay..you get the point though – wet things – bad to pack. Just toss the $1 sponge and get a new one – don’t try to dry it out to pack. And whatever you do, don’t pack a moist sponge and then pack into a plastic baggie unless you want to see a really colorful and crazy science experiment on the other end.
  • Broom– One tool you will want to clean the house one last time before you move out, and if packed in a dark box for a few months may attract all sorts of critters. Best to just pass that broom onto an incoming neighbor and get yourself a new one at the next duty station.

PCSing for everyone is a little bit different. Overall, military families want to make moving as smooth as possible. That often means reusing something from a former home in a newer home into a new way. While that is commendable – some items just shouldn’t make the move. Some to toss, some to pass onto an incoming neighbor – and just purchase or get on the free groups at the next duty station.

What things do you purge and purchase again when you PCS?

5 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Meals for End of Summer

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Whether you are moving this summer and looking for quick preparation meals that aren’t from a box, or just want a break from the cooking of the last year – here are 5 quick and easy meals for the summer that require a small amount of effort and are light, refreshing and on the healthy side.

  1. Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon: This sweet-and-salty treat is perfect finger food for eating outside on the patio, on the couch, or on a moving box table if you are PCSing this season. It requires no cooking which is perfect for those hot, humid climates or where gas/electricity is pricey during the evening hours. You can mix it up and do ham or spiced turkey instead of prosciutto.
  2. Yogurt Parfaits: Make it breakfast for dinner! Line the yogurt of your choice, berries of your choosing, and granola of your choosing up in a line on the counter and let everyone go to town in building and making their own parfait. You can use whatever fruit you have on hand and is local to you, so no special grocery trips just for this! Favorites of banana, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry are traditional choices, but mix it up with kiwi or dragon fruit if you have them! Add local honey to the lineup to assist with combating local allergens and add a little sweetness to dinner (remember: raw honey is not recommended for children under the age of one year old.)
  3. Salads galore: An easy, no-cook, and healthy option for summer is a salad. This doesn’t have to be the same salad every week. The beauty of salads is you can really use whatever you wish – any leftovers or local produce can add flavor to your salad while staying within budget and offering a healthier option. Consider using quinoa, kale, spinach, or couscous as a base for the salad instead of romaine lettuce. Chop up or shred whatever meat you have on hand- chicken, steak, fish to the salad. On shopping day, consider picking up a rotisserie chicken and shredding that for the salad – bonus that you don’t have to cook the chicken and you have the beginnings of a beautiful salad.  Want to keep it all veggies – add marinated zucchini, squash, or cucumber for additional flavor and zest without having to cook anything! Don’t forget about adding fruit to salads – mandarin oranges, nectarines, apples, and kiwi add zest, are delicious and just might be a new favorite! Make it a Greek salad by adding in feta with tomatoes, onions, and olives. Make it California-style with avocado and salmon with a base of couscous. Noodle salads are a great way to use noodles as the base to get kids interested in eating salads. Vietnamese noodles don’t require much besides pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit in the water for about 3 minutes. Add lime juice, bean sprouts, shredded veg, and green onions for a quick salad. If your kids are picky eaters and you don’t want to prepare two meals – try adding in things they will eat to the salad to pique their interest – croutons are always a win.
  4.  Thai Peanut Wrap:  Mix shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, shelled edamame, chopped scallions, cilantro, and peanuts together and top with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, melted peanut butter, salt, and honey. Mix together and place in a wrap of your choosing – maybe even a lettuce leaf for a lettuce wrap. For those with peanut allergies, you can change up the stuffing to broccoli slaw with chicken and whatever dressing you like. Or maybe layer shrimp with spinach and feta and tomato. The wrap is delicious finger food and can be made easily together as long as you have the ingredients. One of our favorite wraps is “leftover wraps” where anything is added to the wrap – we have done couscous with curry in a wrap and rotisserie chicken with leftover veggies for lunch and dinner. Always a win because leftovers are eaten and enjoyed.
  5. Veggie Noodle pasta: The ultimate no-cook dinner is using premade zucchini or squash noodles for the base of pasta. You can rinse them with saltwater, or sprinkle with salt for 8-10 minutes and then rinse with water to soften them.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and parmesan for a simple but delicious pasta.

When it is hot and humid outside, the last thing we want is to heat the house while cooking. While grilling may be the ultimate summer cooking method, there are no-cook delicious meals for the making, and many are dairy-free!  Happy eating!

Do you have any favorite no-cook meals that you prepare for the summer?

Customers can evaluate their benefit through annual Commissary Customer Service Survey starting Aug. 23

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Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        61-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              August 17, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘How are we doing?’

Customers can evaluate their benefit through

 annual Commissary Customer Service Survey starting Aug. 23

By DeCA Corporate Communications

Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug 23. To read the story on the DeCA website,click here. To see it on DVIDS, click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug. 23.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) survey will be available for 10 consecutive shopping days ending on or before Sept. 8, depending on the commissary’s operating schedule. Customers will be able to take the survey at the commissary entrance area before they shop.

“This CCSS allows us to benchmark commissary performance during a fixed period of time,” said James Taylor, chief of DeCA’s store operations division. “We’re committed to delivering a premier customer experience in every store, and this survey platform continues to be a powerful tool to help us do that.”

            Customers will be asked at random to participate in the survey which evaluates areas such as customer service, pricing, savings, product availability and selection, cleanliness, store layout, and produce, meat, grocery deli and bakery quality.

            After agreeing to participate, customers will be presented with three options:

  • Scan a QR code and take the survey on their own mobile device
  • Have the store employee ask the questions and enter responses in the store’s iPad
  • Or personally complete the survey on the store’s iPad

Commissary associates will use disinfectant wipes to sanitize the iPad between uses, and provide gloves to each customer electing to use the store device. The precautions are part of the safety measures used during the 2020 CCSS cycle to help prevent COVID-19 exposure.

“Care will be given to continuing social distancing measures,” Taylor said. “We are working with our associates at each location to ensure the proper safety protocols are in place.”  

Last year, more than 20,000 shoppers rated the commissaries an overall 4.46. The score is based on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1, “Poor,” to 5, “Excellent.” Customers gave commissaries high marks for helpful and courteous employees, store cleanliness and layout, and convenient hours.

In addition to the annual CCSS, DeCA also employs ForeSee, a robust survey platform that gives commissaries a real-time snapshot of patron feedback throughout the year, accessible at the link provided on the bottom of every purchase receipt. 

“These surveys give our customers opportunities to determine how effective we are in delivering their commissary benefit,” said Brian Myrick, management and program analyst. “We use the data from their responses to help improve their shopping experience. In effect you can say they’re helping themselves by participating.” 

-DeCA-

Honor Flights Return

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August is the month when the long-awaited Honor Flights are returning! The Honor Flight Network has been on hold for the last 16-months and will resume flights on August 16th transporting veterans to the Washington DC area.

Honor Flights are flights provided to veterans located around the United States to fly to Washington D.C. to tour the war memorials. The program was placed on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The 125 chapters of the Honor Flight Network held a virtual meeting in June to review the current guidelines and updates and made the call to restart flights in August.

As part of the new protocols, all veterans, their guardians, and volunteers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before the flight departs in addition to completing a symptom survey to ensure they had not experienced any COVID-19 symptoms prior to travel. These guidelines are in place as many of the veterans traveling are often terminally ill and nursing home residents and wanted to ensure their health and safety as part of the program.

Honor Flight Network has resumed accepting applications for the Lone Eagle Honor Flight program and TLC (Their Last Chance) flights.  The Lone Eagle Honor Flight program is for veterans who live outside a 120-mile radius from an existing regional Honor Flight Hub, and allows for veterans and their guardians to be flown via a Lone Eagle Honor Flight. There are regional hubs in 44 states, with no regional hubs in Arkansas, Montana, Idaho, Mississippi, and Hawaii. The TLC flights are reserved for a veteran whose terminal condition that per their personal physician has given them 12 months or less to live. The veteran does not pay for anything, except perhaps souvenirs if they desire, as all costs are covered by the generosity of donations.

Applications are being accepted now with top priority given to World War II and terminally ill veterans. If a veteran was scheduled for a flight in 2020, those flights are being rescheduled and the veteran or their guardian would be contacted directly.

The Honor Flight Network provides an amazing service and we are so glad they are able to safely return to operation.

Update on the Military Minimum Wage Debate

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The House Appropriations Committee is looking into minimum wage salaries for all service members. As part of the proposed FY 2022 Defense Budget Bill, Representative Mike Garcia introduced language that would ensure all service members have a base pay of about $15 an hour. This would be for a 40-hour day estimation. We know as military family members that the work week is often much more than 40 hours, and much longer when they are deployed on a ship or overseas.

Base pay for military members is just that, base pay. The base pay does not consider Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) or Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) which is provided as a means to offset the service members’ meals and housing respectively. When these figures are included, plus special and incentive pays like flying duty, parachuting duty, or diving duty, the total pay for service members is higher. However, according to Representative Garcia, past studies from the Government Accountability Office indicate that over 20,000 military families qualify for food stamp assistance. Given this large number of families needing assistance, Representative Garcia stated “If the government is paying for these service members to be on food stamps, we may as well be paying them through the base pay or sustenance allowance on the front end.”

The debate among the committee included concern that the verbiage of the increased hourly rate of $15 would have to include contractor employees as well as active duty military. The House Armed Services Committee members have pledged to hold discussions on the pay matter in the future. There is no current timeline for discussions.

This discussion will be monitored and updated. Sign up for updates from the House Armed Services Committee here.

Click2Go at Commissary is Free (Again)

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The pandemic year brought lots of changes – chief among them how many people shop. The pick-up service has become a favorite of tired parents, those wanting to maintain social distance, and those who just want to shop from their comfort of their home and pick it up later. The commissary has answered the call for pick-up services with “Click2Go” order and curbside pick-up service. And now it is free!

A free service for busy service members and their families to pick up groceries while saving money – sounds like a win to me. Lisa, a USMC Spouse in North Carolina who has been shopping at the commissary for over a decade, shopped using Click2Go out of convenience this month and now prefers to shop this way. “I have honestly never seen produce and meat this fresh and beautiful. All the meat I ordered was packaged and time stamped 1-2 hours before I picked up my order. I’m really impressed!”

The Click2go service was first launched in 2013 as a pilot program at three bases. When the program was rolled out to more stores in 2019 there was a $4.95 service fee added. This fee is similar to other popular grocery services. While the initial plan for the implementation of the Click2go program was to stay regional, it is now being launched across the United States (and some overseas locations!)  by the end of August 2021!

Check out the schedule for currently serving and coming soon locations here. Waiting for your local commissary to get the program? Follow DECA on Facebook for updates on the launch.

How to order?

  • First register for an account at shop.commissaries.com – you will need your DOD ID number for this
  • Click on Commissary Click2Go shopping link to log into your current account
  • Navigate the website for the groceries you want to purchase – you can shop using the savings flyers, or just navigate to what you are looking to purchase
  • “Check out” and pay online via debit or credit card

What do I need to know?

  • Orders must be submitted 6 hours in advance of the pick-up time
  • You can cancel your order within 4.5 hours of pickup time
  • There is NO minimum order amount
  • Substitutions are allowed, but if they do occur the final price will be adjusted for the price of the substitution
  • Curbside commissary workers will not accept tips
  • You can use digital coupons

Flu season aside, curbside is just helpful if you have a napping child, are sick yourself and just need the basics, or just plain want a break from shopping or getting out of the car.

The East coast has had Click2Go services for several months now, and the program is moving west and around the world in August! Will you be checking out this service?

Check out these freebies and discounts for Back to School

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We can all agree that the 2020-2021 school year was just plain strange and different. While 2021-2022 may be different as well, we can all prepare for school in its many forms. Military families can prepare for school within budget thanks to some freebies available specifically for school.

Operation Homefront partners with Dollar Tree to collect school supplies for military children. There are various back-to-school events throughout the country providing free school supplies to military children. Registration is open for events happening now through September for any DEERS enrolled military dependent from Kindergarten through 12th grade. There are eligibility requirements of being an E1-E6 active duty family member or Post 9/11 wounded, ill, or injured service member of any rank either currently or no longer serving the military. Check the requirements for events in your area.

Assistance Leagues have chapters across the United States and often hold programs like Operation School Bell providing free school supplies and clothing to their community. Some Assistance Leagues specifically hold these programs on base. Check with your local unit or local base social media page to watch for an announcement of such a program. They usually occur the month before school begins.

If there is a USO branch near you, check to see if there is a school supply giveaway.

Check your base social media page for giveaways that may be hosted by local churches for free school supplies or backpack giveaways. These giveaways are often not limited by where the child goes to school and may even be extended to military families who homeschool.

Free for all: The Ibotta app has offered some free supplies this school year through their application. Go onto their website to create an account and log in to select the free items. The items offered on the app until they reach threshold (which is not shared): one Five Star Notebook, Nature’s Own Bread, Skippy Peanut Butter, Smucker’s Squeeze Fruit Spread, Ticonderoga #2 Pencils, Crayola Crayons, and Pink Pearl Paper Mater Eraser.

Tax-Free days are offered in many states in August for purchases of clothing, school supplies, and computers, and vary by state. Saving on taxes can add up when you are making big school purchases.

Clothing companies offer a military discount in their stores all year long – Kohls (on Military Monday), Old Navy (in stores only), L.L. Bean (online and in-store), and North Face (online with SheerID and in-store). Get your kicks with these shoe companies offering discounts – Asics, Reebok, and Zappos. Check out more yearlong discount list here.

If a computer is on your list for school supplies this year, Dell and Apple offer discounts. Don’t forget the military exchange as a place to purchase a computer tax-free!

Back to school time is a time of gathering more supplies and information for the upcoming school year. With many military families who have moved dealing with the cost of moving or the indecision of what school to go to, the cost of school supplies can be lowered with these giveaways and discounts. May this school year be enjoyable for all!

New Duty Station To-Do List: What to do after the move

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There are many to-do lists involved in a PCS. While usually last on the list, preparing for what you need to do when you have executed the move is important. There are many things to do, that don’t even involve the shipment of your household goods or unpacking. Since you have enough going on this PCS season with potentially having to pack your own household goods due to driver and labor force shortages, here is a list of things to do once you get to your duty station.

  1. Set up utilities. If you are renting off installation, you will need to set up utilities. This includes water/sewer, trash/recycling, gas, electricity, and internet/television. Make sure everything is set up in your name. If you are an active-duty military member, consider setting utilities up in the family member’s name who will be home and not deploying. Many companies will not speak to those who are the primary responsible party, which is difficult to do if the military member is deployed.
  2. Change of address – this is a multi-faceted to-do item. Change of address with the post office, change of address with credit cards, banks, financial companies, driver’s license, and shopping addresses. Many states will allow you to change your address online for the driver’s license even when you no longer reside in the states as long that is your home of record due to your active duty military and military spouse status. If you have subscriptions from Amazon, you need to change your shipping address so that you receive the item and not the person residing in your old home.
  3. Mail forwarding. The United States Post Office will forward mail for up to one year, make sure to forward mail in addition to the change of address.
  4. Update your voter registration. If your registration is not linked to your license, make sure your address is changed for voter registration so that you receive your absentee ballot appropriately.
  5. Transfer to the appropriate Tricare region. This can be done online but may require a phone call if the system is having technical issues. In some regions, family members are required to go to civilian providers even on Tricare Prime so make sure to look up providers so you can do research to assign providers. If you have moved overseas, there is a Tricare representative that can help you transfer locations. If you have moved CONUS, everything is done via telephone or website now.
  6. Check your military ID to make sure it is not expiring soon. If it is, set up a DEERS appointment with Pass and ID to renew it. Expired cards do not have to be updated until October 31, 2021, per the current updates.
  7. Register the kids for school. Unless you were able to before you had an address, not it’s time to get your kids set up for school. Gather the important documents of birth certificates, proof of residency, immunization records, and emergency contact forms to prepare for the registration. Check out this if you need help on what to do for emergency contacts.
  8. Find a new vet. If you have a pet, make sure you set up the veterinary record transfer or hand carry those records to the new vet.
  9. Register your pet. With each move, check for the area or installation rules for registering your pet. Some locations may require microchipping as well.
  10. Meet the neighbors. It is easy to feel disconnected after a move, especially right now. Consider writing a note to introduce yourself to the neighbors to feel out their level of comfort for face-to-face hellos. Knowing who your neighbors are can create a feeling of community, which helps with moving forward.
  11. Find dentists and eye doctors for everyone. It isn’t an easy one, but finding new dentists or orthodontists for everyone and optometrists for eye exams are important. Ask in local groups for recommendations and Google like crazy for recommendations.
  12. Work on a budget. While not a traditional to-do list item, moving is expensive. Getting into the groove of a new budget is helpful in setting up financially healthy habits.
  13. Recycle boxes and packing paper. Traditional recycling or offering up the packing materials on OfferUp, Craigslist, or local Facebook groups helps get the boxes out of your house while helping another family move or recycle.
  14. Share with friends you have moved. Once you have moved, it might be time to let everyone know that you have moved. Announce with fun postcards or just the general “we’ve moved!” on social media.

So mark this off your to-do list – you don’t need to make a to list for after the move, it is all here for you!