3 Things I Will Do This PCS Season

PCS season is upon us, and as I write this, I have just completed my first real PCS with the Army. During my last move, I just packed what I could and flew to my duty station. Before that, the duty station was within driving distance, so I packed up myself and I drove. This time, however, I had the Army move me because driving from Alaska to Tennessee did not sound enjoyable to me.

I sent my household goods off with the movers and spent about a month sleeping on an air mattress. The movers finally dropped my household goods off at my new home, and the first thing I did was put my bed together.

(Someone please tell me I’m not the only one who wants nothing more than their own bed in a new place. )

Now I’m all moved into my new location, and like so many in the military, your family and friends ask, “What’s next?” or “How long will you be there?” or “What are your plans while you’re there?”

To all the questions, my answer is usually “I don’t know” or “It depends on…” You can fill in the blank. However, here is what I do know.

Here are a few of my plans:

1. I will get out and explore my new location.

Let’s be honest, I love staying home, and nowadays it’s almost easier to do so than ever before. I would stay home most of the time if I could. Although I know that if I do stay home I will miss out on all the activities and events the area has to offer, and staying home does get boring after a while. For now, I use Google Maps to find my way around and explore, even if it’s just to go find a good local coffee shop because coffee is always a necessity. Plus, driving around helps me become familiar with the area, so I don’t have to find my way around all the time. I hope whoever reads this does the same at their new duty station.

2. I will make friends and get involved in the community.

Personally I struggle with branching out. I like my comfort zone and don’t want to burst my personal bubble. I told myself that I don’t get to stay in my comfort zone here and that I will burst my personal bubble. I found the Facebook page for this duty station and have reached out and connected with others in the group. Speaking for myself, this has been a great experience, and I’ve met some pretty amazing people this way. I haven’t figured out the getting involved in the community part yet, but I’m sure that I will eventually. If anyone has suggestions of how to get involved in the community, I’d love to hear them.

3. I will make the most of my time here.

And, I won’t compare this duty station to my last, which was Alaska (and honestly, I left my heart there). However, if I sit around playing the comparison game, it will be the thief of joy, and I will not truly enjoy my time to the fullest here. I will find things to love about this current location and focus on here becoming home for however long the Army keeps me here.

PCSing is part of military life, whether you love it, hate it, or you’re somewhere in between, it’s inevitable that you will PCS at some point if you stay in the military long enough. PCS season may be crazy, hectic, and downright stressful, but you’ve got this. From one military person to another, I’m sending you the best of luck in your upcoming PCS.