Less than two weeks ago, my husband, our son, and I landed at the Naples International Airport. After nearly 24 hours, three flights, two airports, and one lost suitcase later, we had finally made it to what we would call home for the next three years. The mixture of relief and anxiousness doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt at that particular moment. While we are far from being settled into our new duty station, I’d like to share some insights and easy tips and tricks for a PCS move abroad.

Understanding PCS Overseas

While military families regularly go through Permanent Change of Station (PCS), moving abroad to a completely new country is a completely different aspect of military life. If you’ve received your overseas orders but aren’t sure how to feel about it – don’t fret; you’re not alone! The PCS overseas process is slightly more complicated, requiring additional documentation and paperwork. But once you understand the process, you’ll feel equally well-equipped to tackle this next part of your military journey!

Pre-Move Preparation

Documentation and Paperwork

While daunting, the documentation and paperwork step of your pre-move preparation is the most crucial! Not only was our PCS move to Italy our first overseas one, but it was also our first as a family of three. I was definitely not prepared for the amount of paperwork required for both my 2-year-old son and me, especially since I am a foreign national and he is a U.S. citizen.

Needless to say, the hurdles significantly delayed approvals and signatures to the point where we were told multiple times we wouldn’t be able to travel together. I’m sure m

any other military families have heard this before! Here’s a list of some essential documents to prepare if you’re getting ready for an overseas PCS:

• No-fee government passport: Required for all military dependents to travel on overseas PCS orders. Exceptions apply — for example, as an EU citizen and a green card holder, I traveled with my original EU passport and a copy of my husband’s orders listing my name.
• Visa or Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) stamp: Often required once you obtain your no-fee government passport. For instance, our 2-year-old son needed a visa from the Italian embassy to stay in the country for the duration of my husband’s orders.
• Tourist passport: Recommended for leisure travel since the no-fee government passport is only used at the first point of entry into the country.

Note: As soon as you receive your overseas orders, head to your local military passport office. They will provide you with all the necessary information to begin the application process. Start early, as it can take more than three months to receive the required documents.

Pro Tip: Make multiple copies of your spouse’s PCS orders and keep one in Google Drive. You’ll need them for almost every application.

The biggest challenge we faced was completing our overseas screening. Despite being a standard process, delays with appointments and approval made it stressful. From long wait times for appointments to issues with getting the papers looked at by the appropriate department, it took nearly two months to get our overseas screening approved.

It was a major hassle as we were getting very close to our departure date, but they would not get our flight tickets booked since we had not received the final approval. From my personal experience, I would suggest starting with the process as early as possible and regularly following up on its status.

Household Goods Shipment

The second major category within the pre-move preparation is getting your entire life packed in boxes and suitcases. Since we were PCSing right around the Christmas holidays, this was the part I was least excited about. Constantly feeling the guilt of “robbing my child” of the magical winter spirit, I delayed that stage way too long. We only had our household goods packed and shipped less than a week before leaving. I regret this decision, now that we are finally in Italy, with no actual estimate of the delivery time for our household goods. Leaving that aside, I have a few tips and tricks to share with you regarding managing your household goods:

1. Start sorting and organizing early: I gave myself 15 to 30 minutes per day to go through a small area of our house (it could be a single cabinet or a drawer that day). It might sound crazy as I did in reality spent more than a month, but I never felt too overwhelmed. Each time I would create a donate, ship, and store pile. I was very generous with the donation pile, and I would try to drop off a bag or two once per week.
2. Use non-temporary storage! I didn’t even know this was an option until my husband brought it up, and I’m so glad he did! Moving overseas, we really only kept the essentials. We put most of our keepsakes and bigger items in non-temporary storage.
3. Consider unaccompanied shipment: While we didn’t take advantage of it, it is another excellent trick for a hassle-free PCS overseas. You can pack a small quantity – a box or two of the most essential items, such as pillows, blankets, bedsheets, and some kitchen items, which will be sent through an express shipment and should be delivered at the same time you arrive.
4. Create a “no-go zone”: Set aside items you’re taking with you, and clearly communicate this to the packers. Movers are extremely fast, and since they usually have numerous people packing in different rooms at the same time, it’s very difficult to track everything at once. It’s best if you can have a full room set aside for the items and suitcases that you’ll be taking with you, but if not possible, try creating a separate zone or at least notes to avoid getting essential items packed. No kidding, during our move from Florida to California three years ago, the movers packed our car keys! Luckily, we had a spare one put aside!

Arrival at your New Duty Station

Overseas Sponsor

When moving abroad, each military member is assigned an overseas sponsor. This person becomes your primary contact during the preparation stage and can help you navigate your new duty station. Our sponsor has been absolutely tremendous in helping us out, from figuring out some of the paperwork before getting here to welcoming us to Italy. Since they’ve already been through the same process and should have lived at the new location for a while, they would be able to answer all your inquiries. Trust me, no question is a “stupid question”, even though we, as military spouses, often think that. Reach out and ask for help, as they would be the best and most equipped person to give you direction at first.

Figuring Out Housing

“Where are we going to live?” is often the first question that pops up in the mind of every military spouse when they hear, “We are moving abroad.” There is no easy answer to this question as it vastly depends on the type of orders you have received and your new duty station.

Finding your local housing office and setting up an appointment with them is one of the first steps upon arrival overseas. I was extremely excited about the opportunity to live out in town here in Naples until I found out that we were required to live on base for the first year. Since we have never lived on base before, this will be a new experience for us as a family.

Originally thrilled about experiencing the real Italian lifestyle, after almost two weeks here I am finding myself not minding the base due to its convenience. Since the base is extremely small, I love being able to walk everywhere. You can stumble upon a playground at every corner, and the proximity to resources such as USO is unbeatable. We’re still living in the Navy Lodge onside while waiting for the apartment to be ready — somewhat of an inconvenience with a small child, but we’re making it work!

If you’re in a similar situation, take a deep breath, embrace the change, and remember it will all fall into place sooner or later!

Navigating Local Culture

Dealing with the culture shock when PCSing overseas can be a lot at first. Even though I’m a foreign national originally from Europe, I find myself regularly bewildered by the “Italian way” of doing things. Getting used to the local culture can take months, so give yourself time and grace. At the same time, though, remember to take a step outside of your comfort zone because this is exactly what moving abroad is all about. It’s different and new, but it’s also exciting and thrilling. Here are a few tips for adapting:

• Attend a local orientation course.
• Visit your local USO or Military Family Support Center for resources.
• If you’re traveling with children, find the local library and see if they offer story time or other available workshops.
• Look up the gym and any group classes they might offer — another great way to meet other military spouses.
• Talk to your spouse about any feelings and emotions you might be experiencing, be honest and open since you are going through this together.
• Get out and explore the local community — regardless if it’s the grocery shop, a small park, or even a tourist area.
• Use Duolingo or the Mango Languages application (available through DOD MWR Library) to learn some phrases in the local language.

These are just a few examples, but one great thing about the military community is how many available resources there are. Some of these might not be available, but there might be other ones at your new duty station.

Personal Experience

This is only my first PCS overseas. Not to mention that we have only been in Italy for less than two weeks at the time of writing this. All of this is to say, that I have just barely scraped the surface of OCONUS (outside the contiguous United States) PCSing. I did want to mention my personal experience and a few lessons I learned along the way, especially when it comes to getting ready and preparing to leave:

• Start everything as early as possible. Many of the processes took much longer than expected, so getting ahead of time is a great tip for a hassle-free PCS overseas.
• Use the Military One Source Checklist. It will help you stay organized.
• Start learning the new language before even moving. I have previously studied Italian, so I have a very basic understanding of it. However, I immediately jumped on Duolingo to refresh my memory on the basics, and kept with the lessons. I’m still very far away from having a full conversation in Italian, but I can ask some general questions, which is always helpful.
• Don’t be afraid to be the conversation starter. Being in a new environment with new people can be overwhelming and intimidating, especially if you are a little shy like me. If you see another mom with a child in the park, though, do not be afraid to initiate the conversation. She might be new too and would also love to meet other people.
• If you’re traveling with your children, be there for your little ones. I significantly underestimated how aware my 2-year-old will be with what is going on and the fact that he will also have his own emotions and feelings about it all. Give them love, reassurance, and comfort; you probably seem like their only safe place right now.
• Stay positive and try not to overthink it. You might feel homesick and nostalgic. Life is all about new experiences and adventures, though, and this is just another one of them. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the world, learn about a new culture, learn a new language, and see different places. Go out there and explore! You won’t regret it!

Armed Services YMCA Resources

The Armed Services YMCA is one of the best military resources out there and you have probably utilized their programs multiple times. You might be worried about the lack of ASYMCA offices overseas, however, there are still various ways you can connect and stay in touch with the military community. The ASYMCA Blog, for example, is a great starting point to find guidance and advice from other military spouses. Keep in mind that even when abroad and away from home, you can reach out to ASYMCA and ask for support.

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