This is a complicated topic, so I tried to split it into sensible sections.   MONEY Will the Marine Corps pay to move us? As long as you were married before the date of his orders to a new duty station were cut, TMO will move your belongings.  Or you can do what's called a DITY (Do it yourself move) and you will be reimbursed at a pre-determined level. Look HERE to learn about DLA (Dislocation Allowance).  DLA helps defray some of the costs of moving when you have PCS orders.  I wish I had known about this when it applied to us!! Look HERE for the "It's your move" site! There are sections for everything from pets to DITY. Take your time and poke around in there! Keep in mind it hasn't been updated since 2003, but there's still a lot of good info. How does the housing allowance work? When you're in the military, you can live on base or off base. If you live off base, you receive BAH -- basic allowance for housing. You have a regular lease with a regular landlord, and pay rent plus utilities like a civilian family would. When you have orders, look up the BAH rates, and compare that with the cost of living at your new duty station.  Discuss whether living on or off base will be a smarter financial move. However...If you live in "base housing", which can be located on or off base, you do not pay rent or utilities.  Okay, technically you "forfeit" your BAH.  You receive it, then it is taken back -- it's listed on his LES (pay stub) but since you never see it or have to write a check, it doesn't seem like 'real money'.    Unless you can "make money" on BAH by renting a place where ALL the housing costs total an amount lower than your BAH, you should generally live on base.  Don't forget to factor in the utilities to get a realistic view of the total costs of living off base.  Going just by the rent will be very misleading about the overall picture. Base housing includes your heat, electricity, water/sewer, and garbage service.  Some places (very few) have lawn service contracts, but most you'll need a lawnmower.  You pay for your own Cable, Internet, and Telephone services. Note: If you live off base, make sure your lease has a clause stating that if your Marine gets orders to move, you can break your lease without penalty. ( Note:  Look HERE to find your BAH rates.   BAH is based on the duty station zip code, not where you actually live.  Unless your Marine is overseas on PCS orders (not deployment) and you stayed in the U.S.  Then it would be based on your actual zip code.) TMO So, what is TMO?   TMO is the Traffic Management Office.  Or, your friendly military movers.  They may outsource your actual hauling to a company such as Sunflower, but they are responsible for your belongings getting from point A to point B. Your Marine will have to meet up with them and give them an estimate of how much stuff you have. They ask questions like "How many dressers?", "How many couches?", "Approx. how many boxes of clothing?" He doesn’t have to be exact on the number, just an estimate is fine. They will have him fill out a form where he writes it all in, mainly so the movers know how many boxes to bring!   When the movers get there they pack everything for you. If you already have it boxed up, some moving companies will mark them "self-packed", but some will unpack the boxes. They do this for inventory reasons and also to ensure that everything is packed properly. They will write up an inventory list and you will get a copy of it. Your husband needs to make sure that he lists you as his Agent on the TMO form.  Don't worry TMO will cover this with him when he goes in to set up the move!  Just to be safe, make sure you have your Power of Attorney! More then likely you will be at your destination for a month or more before your belongings arrive.  So it is highly recommended that you do NOT allow them to pack anything you will need right away...take that stuff with you and keep it in a separate area then the movers will be packing....the bathroom or spare room works well. We always make sure to keep towels, cooking utensils, sheets, blankets, etc packed separately and take it ourselves. We also take the tv/vcr and anything that is breakable with us. Oh..and our wedding album as well!   What really amazes me is that chances are once they come and pack everything for you they will drive it straight to storage until a truck can be arranged to move it to your destination...that is the reason for the delay in everything arriving. Heck, we moved 3 hours away on our last move and it still took our furniture a month to arrive!! You'll want to photograph and/or videotape your more valuable possessions so you have proof if you need to file a claim for them, should they be damaged or lost in transit. Special thanks to Kristan for this section. If you were not married before his orders were cut, you will need to find out if he ever got a "home of record" move when he went to his first duty station.  If he did not, he may be able to request it, provided you are from the same area.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but it can't hurt to try. If you are moving away from him voluntarily (ie moving home while he is deployed), you will not rate a TMO move.  If he is retiring, you are not (to my knowledge) eligible for a TMO move until his retirement package has been submitted.   Look HERE for a great website maintained by Camp Pendleton's Traffic Management Office.   Some of it is Pendleton-specific, but most applies to everyone.  Don't forget to download the "It's Your Move" booklet!! MISCELLANEOUS IMPORTANT STUFF We've got orders to move -- What do I need to know, have, or do? Make sure you have a current Power of Attorney.  See the Lifestyle FAQ page if you need more information about that.  Your Marine can get it done at the JAG office and bring it home to you.   You can accept the TMO shipment yourself with a POA.  Otherwise your husband needs to be home.  You also may need it to set up utilities in your Marine's name, etc. We're moving out of state -- Do I need to change my driver's license? You have to work by the rules of the state you are moving TO. Some states allow spouses of military to keep their old license, some don't. Guidelines can be found HERE.  The military member is exempt from changing their license. If your car is titled ONLY in the military member's name, you don't have to change the registration. But if the car is owned jointly, it must be changed to the state you reside in. Don't forget to call your insurance company -- you can have your car registered in your home state but it has to be insured in the state you actually reside in. Should my Marine change his license?   Only if you want to change his state of residency. You may want to research the tax benefits of changing your Marine's state residency. Many states do not tax military income. It can make a difference of several hundred dollars a year.  Also, some have Veteran's Educational benefits.   Do some research with each State's Department of Veterans Affairs. How can I check out schools for my kids? NOTE:  For information on DOD schools - including some in the continental US - check HERE for a listing. For civilian schools, check out a cool site HERE. Speaking of kids, what about seat belt laws by state? Look HERE. How can I learn about bases we might be sent to? Look HERE for great information. What is base housing like? Housing can range from run-down and ghetto to newly remodeled and gorgeous. It depends very much on where you are stationed. Asking at an online support forum is probably your best bet for current conditions. Can we have pets in housing? If you have pets, limit yourself to two.  That is the normal limit for pets, although some of the newer or remodeled housing does not allow pets at all.  Also when you go overseas, quarantine can be lengthy and expensive.  So the fewer pets, the easier life will be. What all does base housing include, and what does it cost? Base housing is 2 or more bedrooms, usually in single family homes or townhouse-type arrangements.  It has a stove and refrigerator.  Some have a dishwasher, air conditioning, and/or laundry hookups.  You will need to buy your own washer and dryer, though, they are not included.  You'll also probably need a lawnmower, and of course, your own furniture. It doesn't cost anything, they just keep your BAH.  (If you lived out in town, you would receive BAH to use towards your housing expenses.  You do not receive a bill for electricity, water/sewer, or trash service.  It's included.  You will, however, need to set up your own telephone, cable TV, and internet if those are services you need. GOING OVERSEAS Hey, what about orders for overseas? Most Marines do overseas tours about every 4-7 years. The overseas tours come in two varieties, and you may not have a choice about the matter. ~ Unaccompanied. These tours are currently two years in duration. The Marine cannot bring his family.  While he is stationed overseas, he'll receive BAH for wherever you live in his pay, in order to maintain your household.  Many ladies move back in with mom and dad and save the money for a nest egg when he gets back.          ~Accompanied. These tours are 3 years long, and the family can come along! The children will attend Department of Defense schools on base.  (See link above to get info on DOD schools.)   Be aware that family pets may have to be quarantined, and all family members must receive medical screening before going overseas. You mentioned a long, expensive quarantine for pets going overseas?   Yup, you betcha.    Look HERE.  On the left you can click on the requirements depending on which country you are going to, Japan, Germany, Guam, or the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales).  They also have some great travel tips for your pets.