NEW: PCS Playbook

Peak season is basically here, with thousands of families packing up and moving on to the next chapter. It’s easy to forget that for many of those families, this is their first time doing this. And even for families who’ve been through a PCS before, each move is different.

MFA has been working to compile Moving Made Easier, a simple PCS playbook built from the ground up with military families in mind. The tips and guidance inside come from experienced moving professionals — things we’ve picked up over the years and from decades on the ground, things we’ve seen go right and wrong, and things we wished more families knew walking in.

We wanted to meet families where they are, whether they’re trying to figure out the difference between a full-service DP3 move and a Personally Procured Move, what they should and shouldn’t pack, or what to keep in mind when moving with kids or pets. We wanted to cover the main points in plain language, without overwhelming anyone.

We plan to share this guide with military family organizations as peak season gets underway. We’re encouraging you to share it with the families as you see fit (in your pre-move communications, at the pre-move survey, or on your company’s social pages).

Throughout peak season, we’ll also be sharing individual tips from the guide on social media to keep the conversation going.

And if you’d like to share this with a local official, a military family organization, or a community partner in your area, reach out to MFA Executive Director Katie McMichael. We’d love ideas on how to help get it in front of more people who need it.

The professionals in this industry take real pride in serving military families. This is one more way we’re trying to show it.

Federal Budget Proposal

The Department of War’s proposed FY2027 budget includes a significant structural shift for the military moving program, requesting funding for 1,056 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to continue to establish a new Personal Property Activity within the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The proposal signals DoD’s intent to centralize and strengthen oversight of the Defense Personal Property Program (DP3) following years of challenges and scrutiny surrounding military household goods moves.

This is just the budget request, and the annual National Defense Authorization Act legislation that funds and authorizes DOW spending each year has not yet been released. MFA will continue to monitor and update.

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