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Episode 9: PCS Expenses
“But the military moves you for free, right?”
It’s complicated. Unexpected expenses arise frequently and sometimes with a vengeance. Everything from replacing curtains that don’t work in the new home to replacing the furniture that the movers broke during the move, up to extensive deposits on rentals, or unexpectedly needing to carry two mortgages are all things that can occur. And most families end up spending up to $5,000 out of pocket for each PCS move.
- We’re talking with Kate Horrell, an Accredited Financial Counselor® and personal financial educator who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits.
- We’ll unpack the VA home loan with our friends at NewDay USA, and dispel some myths around this excellent loan product.
- And we’re going to explore the actual impact of these expenses on military families with Shannon Razsadin of Military Family Advisory Network.
We want to help you prepare for these types of events and more – so tune to this episode of The Unpack for advice from our experts
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Replay Library
Access all of our past live streams here, shoutouts, and browse show notes and resources for each below.
Episode 9: PCS Expenses
“But the military moves you for free, right?”
It’s complicated. Unexpected expenses arise frequently and sometimes with a vengeance. Everything from replacing curtains that don’t work in the new home to replacing the furniture that the movers broke during the move, up to extensive deposits on rentals, or unexpectedly needing to carry two mortgages are all things that can occur. And most families end up spending up to $5,000 out of pocket for each PCS move.
- We’re talking with Kate Horrell, an Accredited Financial Counselor® and personal financial educator who helps the military community make the most of their pay and benefits.
- We’ll unpack the VA home loan with our friends at NewDay USA, and dispel some myths around this excellent loan product.
- And we’re going to explore the actual impact of these expenses on military families with Shannon Razsadin of Military Family Advisory Network.
We want to help you prepare for these types of events and more – so tune to this episode of The Unpack for advice from our experts!
Episode 8: Road Trippin’
Ready to make the most of your time in transit to your next duty station? Well, buckle up as we chat with folks who know how to put the YAY in Vacay (we know it’s not there – that’s the point!)
Join us for a chat with seasoned PCSers, a travel agent, and our MILLIE Scouts about how to road trip like a boss. We’re also zooming in on Fort Hood, Texas, for our Duty Station Deep Dive, so tune in LIVE!
Episode 7: OCONUS Adventures
Today we’re unpacking an OCONUS (or overseas) PCS. What are your first steps? What’s different about an overseas PCS than a stateside move? We’ll chat about how to pack out, and what to prepare yourself for in transit with our Scouts and several folks who’ve been-there-done-that too!
We’ll be covering:
- Did you know that Hawaii is considered OCONUS? Coast Guard spouse, Beth Petty is going to be helping us with our Duty Station Deep Dive on the installations fortunate enough to call Hawaii home.
- Speaking of Hawaii, a former star of the hit HGTV show, Hawaii Life, AND one of our amazing AgentHeroes will be joining us to lend her two cents on life in the Aloha State. Alison Wisnom will also be walking us through the process of buying a home sight unseen – as we often do in this crazy military lifestyle.
- And we’ll hear directly from a milspouse who is currently in the midst of an OCONUS PCS about what the process is like in real-time.
Episode 5: PCSing with School-Aged Kids
It’s all fun and games until you have kids to consider!
Of all the factors to weigh when preparing for a PCS, concern for your kids’ well-being and education is usually at the top of the list. Evaluating schools, helping young ones adjust and re-acclimate, and even the trip itself can seem overwhelming. But we’re here to help.
Let’s Unpack PCSing with school-aged kids – on the next episode of MILLIE’s The Unpack.
#theunpack #theMILLIEway #letsPCStogether #militarypcs
To grab your copy of the School Scope Toolkit (for FREE) – click HERE.
Episode 5: PCS Self-Care
Self-care during a military PCS is important for military spouses, but it’s usually the thing that falls to the very bottom of our ever-growing to-do list. In this episode, we’ll discuss keeping your mental, physical, and emotional well-being front and center during your move.
Our Scouts will chat about the decisions you’ll be making and will help bring some clarity there to free up your headspace. Olympic athlete and military spouse, Chantae McMillan, is joining us to share her tips on taking care of our bodies during a PCS. And, therapist EJ Smith will be hopping on to talk us through navigating stress during a PCS and making sure our relationships (intimate and otherwise) stay healthy as well. Yes, we’re going there, so you do not want to miss this chat!
Be sure to tune in live to join the conversation!
#theunpack #theMILLIEway #letsPCStogether #selfcare
Episode 4: The Set-Up
Setting up your Move: You’ve made your moving plan… Now, what do you do? Buckle up because the fun is just beginning. Choosing HOW you want to PCS is just the first step. Once you’ve decided that, you’ll need to get it all arranged and scheduled with the powers that be.
Join us as we unpack the process of setting up your move.
Special Guests Include:
- Jana Arevalo, our MacDill AFB MILLIE Scout will be giving us a closer look at a PCS to Tampa, Florida.
- Marilyn Richesin, one of our AgentHero real estate pros, will be giving us some insight on what military buyers (or renters) need to be looking for in a home and tips on how to make smart choices.
- Amy Bushatz, executive editor of Military.com will be dropping by with some PCS Season Updates – hot off the presses.
Episode 3: To DIY, or not to DIY?
Before committing to a do-it-yourself move, affectionately known as a DITY (“ditty”) move, there are a few things you should consider. It’s a viable and appealing choice for many, but one you shouldn’t enter into without a rock-solid plan of attack. Packing… Loading… Driving… All by yourself…
Tune in to hear where to start, what to do, and how to be successful with your DITY move. Special guests this week include:
- DITY Mama, Mallory, joins us to share her experience handling 13 FULL DITY moves in 12 years!
- Terri Lichlyter, Army spouse of 19 years and MILLIE Scout stationed at Fort Leavenworth, KS.
- Stephen Kildow is a 26-year Army veteran and MILLIE AgentHero with 10 PCS moves under his belt. He is now a Realtor with his wife Sandra in the Fort Campbell area.
Episode 2: Household What??
You’ve decided to let the military move you. But, what does that mean? And What exactly are Household Goods? This week, we’ll be chatting about your earthly belongings, A.K.A. your household goods (HHG). What they are, how to organize and pack them, your options to get them from Point A to Point B, and what to do when there are hiccups.
- Christin James, a professional organizer, will be joining us to help tidy us up.
- Our very first AgentHero ever, Heidi Robbins, will be walking us through what to expect with housing in the DC area.
- Dawn Smith is one of our Northern Virginia MILLIE Scouts and she’ll be joining the conversation to answer questions, share experiences, and drop some wisdom on episode TWO of The Unpack.
EP1: What is a Permanent Change of Station Move?
Orders are in! You’re PCSing. But what does that even mean?
Before we dive headfirst into all the acronyms, color-coded stickers, and real estate market analysis for your next duty assignment, we need to make sure we’ve got the basics covered. Join us for the first episode of The Unpack: Season 2 as we break down the very first things you should be thinking about and wrap your head around as you approach your first — or fifteenth — military PCS.
In this episode, we unpack:
- What even is a PCS? How it started and how it’s going
- Research tips for your shortlist of possible duty station assignments
- The who, what, and how of outsourcing some of those on-the-ground tasks that might pop up (hint: we’re going to meet our MILLIE Scouts)
- Hear from a MILLIE community member, Jen Herbeck, about her first steps during a PCS and what to know about a PCS to Fort Rucker, Alabama
- Assembling your team – How to vet the professionals you’ll be enlisting the help of during a PCS
Each week we’ll be exploring a new topic and introducing you to members of the military community who are all eager to help alleviate the stress of a PCS with us! Be sure to subscribe or follow our channel wherever you’re watching so you don’t miss an episode (they’ll all be jammed packed with tips, tricks, and hacks to help calm the chaos).Weekly Shoutouts:
- Milspouse Small Biz Shoutout: Karen Metz with Kids’ Cake Boxes
- Scout Shoutout: Terri L. at Fort Leavenworth
- What are AgentHeroes?
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