BEFORE YOU MOVE:
Relocation Planning:
Visit your Family Support Center at your current installation to receive individual relocation planning in preparation for move. Relocation programs and services are available to help prepare individuals for moves. Smooth Move workshops cover relocation counseling, sponsorship, financial entitlements, household goods shipments, unaccompanied baggage, self moves, inventory of goods, weight allowances, pets, insurance, necessary records, family housing and TRICARE portability.
Sponsorship:
The most important person to you during your move is your SPONSOR. If you have not received one, contact your Commander's Support Staff or Military Personnel Flight Customer Service at your losing base and ask that they request one for you. Your sponsor will be instrumental in making your arrangements, answering your questions and meeting you personally.
Special Needs:
If a dependent has special medical/education needs, they must be enrolled in he Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination Process. Also check immunizations for each family member. Compile a home file for each family member and set up family records file.
Household Goods Shipment:
Contact the Traffic Management Flight (TMF) to set up shipment of your household goods. TMF will cover dependent travel overseas; shipment and storage of household goods/firearms; unaccompanied baggage; Privately Owned Vehicles; pet shipment; mobile homes; and self-moves and set up your shipment dates.
Lodging Reservations:
Reservations for Temporary Lodging Facilities (TLF's) can be made by telephone as soon as you receive your orders. Single people arriving during non-duty hours may be assigned space in visiting airmen or officers' quarters. Families may stay in apartment-style temporary lodging facilities while seeking permanent homes. For further information, contact Maxwell's lodging office at DSN 493-2055 or Gunter's lodging office at DSN 596-4000. Lodging does not take pets.
Military members PCS-in to Maxwell are authorized 30 days in the TLF. Military members PCS-out are authorized 7 days. Remember: Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) is a PARTIAL reimbursement for temporary living expenses incurred during a PCS move. It covers temporary living expenses at new duty location. The maximum number of days payable is 10. You may be reimbursed up to 10 days while staying in temporary lodging.
Advance Housing Applications:
If you have dependents and want to apply for base housing, you may complete a housing application at your current installation to be forwarded to Maxwell-Gunter. You will be placed on the housing list on the first day of the month prior to your month of report date.
Enlisted dormitory room assignments on base can be made in advance by your sponsor, who can provide a room key on your arrival, saving you a move later.
Child Care for PCS:
If you have children needing day care, you are authorized free childcare at your current installation as you depart through the Air Force Aid/Relocation Child Care for PCS program. Free childcare is provided for up to 20 hours per child within 60 days of your departure date within the home of a licensed day care provider on base. Contact your Relocation Assistance Program at the Family Support Center to receive a certificate for free childcare.
Financial Entitlements:
Go to your current finance office so your financial records can be updated for your PCS move. They will brief you on your authorized PCS financial entitlements to include BAS, BAH, Direct Deposit, Advance Pay, Per Diem, Mileage, Dislocation Allowance, and Temporary Lodging Expense. It is important to keep all receipts for filing your travel voucher upon arrival. NOTE: You must receive concurrent travel approval from the gaining commander when taking family members to the new duty station.
If you want to visit family or take a vacation, you can request leave in connection with your move. In addition, you can also request permissive TDY for house- hunting. This will give you up to 8 calendar days that are not chargeable as leave to look for housing at the new duty station. The pre-move house hunting trip is at your own expense. This must be approved by your Commander.
Power of Attorney:
Contact the legal office to obtain Power of Attorney, if necessary. Check your homeowners insurance to determine scope of transit coverage.
DEERS Enrollment:
If newly married and/or have first child ensure family members are enrolled in DEERS. NOTE: If you get married before you PCS, you MUST inform your commander and follow the procedures exactly as you are given them. The military WILL NOT PAY for travel and housing of your spouse if you do not follow proper procedures
Inventory:
Prepare a general inventory by room, closet, attic, garage, etc., of all household and personnel possessions for your own use and so that you will be able to make an accurate estimate of their value for insurance purposes. Obtain a written appraisal for valuable items such as antiques, jewelry, paintings, etc.
Remember:
Notify utilities and home services of disconnect dates; have vehicles serviced; make travel arrangements; obtain copies of civilian medical records dental records and school records.
Items to Hand-carry:
At LEAST 10 copies of your orders
Birth Certificates (or certified copy)
Marriage Certificate
Copy of advance travel pay or allowances paperwork
All moving paperwork including: inventory, TMO information, Self-Procured Move paperwork, and all receipts associated with moving
Employment records or resume of civilian family members
Medical/dental records from your previous duty station - entire family
Immunization records for all children and all active-duty members
School records/transcripts for children and adults
Pet medical and immunization records
General Delivery Address for Maxwell and Gunter Annex:
General Delivery Address
| Location |
Forwarding Address |
| Maxwell |
550 East Maxwell Blvd #3000, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112 |
| Gunter Annex |
100 South Turner Blvd #3000, Gunter Annex, AL 36114 |
TRAVEL PLANNING:
Make temporary lodging reservations early. Keep all receipts for food, gas, lodging, pet expenses while in transit. Contact the TMF and Finance to determine entitlements based on exact situation. The Joint Travel Regulation is the governing source on travel and relocation entitlements.
REPORTING PROCEDURES:
Students:
Inprocessing for Air University Students is handled by respective schools.
Permanent Party:
Inprocessing for permanent party personnel reporting to both Maxwell and Gunter is conducted by the unit commander's support staff. Please bring all hand carried documents given to you during your outprocessing briefing from you losing base (i.e. medical records, personnel records, and finance records). Your commander's support staff will schedule you for central inprocessing to accomplish Personnel Records screening, completion of travel vouchers and military pay matters. This Right Start inprocessing is held every other Tuesday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Maxwell Enlisted Club.
Checking In:
All incoming military members arriving during duty hours should report to their respective units or schools. If you arrive after hours, check in with lodging until your Commander's Support Staff is open the next duty day.
(Maxwell - 450 LeMay Plaza and Gunter - 100 South Turner Blvd). Directions to these locations can be obtained from security police on duty at the gates.
Airman Dining Facilities:
There are two airmen's dining facilities at Maxwell-Gunter that offer low-cost, nutritious cafeteria-style dining for all enlisted people. Officer Training School students and Civil Air Patrol cadets are also allowed to use the dining facilities. At Maxwell, personnel can dine at the Riverfront Inn located at 5 South Mitchell Street. At Gunter, Aviation Inn, located at 640 Williamson Street. Breakfast is served from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m., Lunch from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and Dinner from 4:00-6:30 everyday.
AFTER YOU ARRIVE:
Your sponsor should arrange to meet you upon arrival. If not, contact your sponsor upon arrival.
Traffic Management Flight Inbound Personal Property:
Notify the inbound section of TMF upon your arrival at 953-4774 immediately. Upon the arrival of your shipment, the TMF has two hours to arrange delivery or to place shipments in storage. Prompt notification is necessary to avoid unnecessary storage and extra handling. A delay in notifying the TMF can result in weeks of undue hardship for you and your family waiting for household goods.
Temporary Household Goods Items:
Newly arriving members and families should be aware that the Family Support Center's Family Service's Lending Closet is especially designed to make transition into the community easier. The Family Services Lending closet provides essential items primarily for the relocating family while they are awaiting arrival of their household goods. Items include: pots, pans, dishes, silverware, irons, coffee pots, ironing boards, futons, vacuum cleaners, porta-cribs, high chairs, and infant car seats. Most of these items may be checked out for a period of 30 days. Please bring a copy of your PCS orders and ID card to 55 South Mitchell Street at Maxwell or 100 South Turner Blvd. at Gunter. Hours of operation are from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mon-Fri.
Housing:
Check in with the Maxwell Housing Office for information on temporary and permanent housing.
Child Care for PCS:
Maxwell offers the Child Care for PCS program, which will pay for 20 hours of day care per child within 60 days of arrival to Maxwell or Gunter Annex. Please check in with the Family Support Center's Relocation Program in building 677 to receive your certificate for childcare. Please provide 1 copy of your orders. Report to Your Commander's Support Staff.
Mail:
If you forwarded your mail to the general delivery address recipients must check the post office at either Maxwell or Gunter.
Claims:
Contact the legal office to file a claim if you have damage to your household goods shipment. No appointment is necessary to turn-in the DD Form 1840R. You may present the DD Form 1840R to the Claims Office at any time from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You have 70 days within the delivery or your household goods shipment to file a claim. DO NOT LET THE 70 DAY PERIOD SLIP AWAY. Claims Office (334) 953-5133.
Contact the Family Support Center at Maxwell for all your incoming relocation needs or if you have questions or concerns. (334) 953-9694.
SEPARATION PROCEDURES:
If you are transitioning form the military, each installation has a Transition Assistance Program to equip separating and retiring military and civilian personnel and their families with skills and knowledge for reentry into the private sector. Emphasis is placed on transition preparation rather than job placement.