Fort Sill creates week dedicated to PCS

FORT SILL, Okla. (KSWO) - This summer, around 800 soldiers will be leaving Fort Sill to head to their next assignment.

With moving comes challenges.

Today kicked off day two of PCS week, a week dedicated to educating soldiers on their resources for the challenges they’ll face in the moving process.

And with the pandemic, a lot has changed.

“What we’re finding out with COVID is that we’re having a shortage of movers, loaders, packers, and even some of the creating material because of the wood prices,” Rhett Taylor, Fort Sill Garrison Commander said. “What’s really causing a kind of a challenge in getting the movers and soldiers moving in a timely manner in accordance with their orders.”

Col. Rhett Taylor says these setbacks are causing up to 4-6 weeks in delays for movers.

To help soldiers with these issues Fort Sill has created PCS week.

It’s meant to make soldiers more aware of their resources when it comes to moving.

“But we have resources for that, and that’s what I really want to talk about for our PCS week is where my public information officer is putting out information out daily on our Garrison Facebook page on resources for soldiers and families moving to and from here,” Col. Taylor said.

Col. Taylor reminds soldiers heading to their next duty station that they have some extra time to make the move.

Under the changes, they can report 20 days after their original report date.

He encouraged them to have government travel cards so they won’t have to use personal funds.

And to also download the Army PCS move app, which will direct them through the entire process.

And one last piece of advice...

“The more time you plan in advance, the less stressful it’s going to be,” Col. Taylor said.

Even after PCS week is over, Fort Sill plans to continue helping soldiers and families have a smooth move.

One soldier said he is about to move for the tenth time in his 23 years in the army.

His biggest tip for any soldier going through the PCS process when moving is to have valuables set to the side and let the packers know when they get there.

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