What to Bring PCS Tips
7
Before Arrival:
Contact your TMO office when you have your orders; schedule your 3 shipme
nts:
Unaccom
panied, Household Goods, and Storage
o Schedule these on different days to avoid conf
usion:
Unaccompanied Baggage: This shipm
ent usually ta
kes 35-60 days to
arrive from date of shipment. This is shipped via air freight and intended to
arrive bef
ore your household goods so you will want to inc
lude things you
use or nee
d frequently. A list of suggested items is at the end of
the “What
to Bring P
CS Tips.”
Household goods: This shipment usually takes 60-70 days to arrive from
date of shipment. On base and off base housing are typically not furnished
so you will want to ship your own f
urniture.
Inventory: Review your inventory prior to signing when the movers pa
ck
up your HHG. Ensure high valued items are listed on the high interest page.
Storage: You should not ship your washer, dryer, m
icrowave,
oven or
refrigerator--these items are available in government quarters. If you need
these items for your off-base home, the Furnishings Management Offi
ce
(FMO) will loa
n these to you for the duration of your tour or as long as they
are needed. There is no cost for these loans; however, you mu
st have a
certif
ied lease by the Housing Office prior to approval
. Local storage
f
acilities are limited and very expensive.
Packing your Househ
old Goods:
o Germ
any is on a different voltage tha
n the US, be sure to look at your
applia
nces to see if they are dual volta
ge or not. Germany is 220V and US is
110V. If
they say 110-240V then just a small adapter plug is needed, but if
they are 110V only then a converter box (transformer) is need
ed. FMO will
issue two 1600W transf
ormers or you can buy them at the Ramste
in BX or on
Ram
steinyardsale.com
.
o If
there is something you use less often like once a week
or so, it is
recom
mended to bring it (example: rice cooker, waffle maker, griddle, m
ixer,
ble
nder). If it is something you use daily, then it is be
st to buy it over here
(exam
ple: coffee pot, toaster, hair dryer, alarm clock, etc.); using transforme
rs
can be cum
bersome
and can wear down your appliances.
o There are ple
nty of stores over here that sell appliances ranging from
low- to
high-
quality and prices. Many items can be bought at the Thrift Store on ba
se
or thr
ough Ramsteinyardsales.com at reduced or even free prices.
o Your lamps will work here with an adapter plug but you will need diffe
rent
light bulbs; you ca
n buy the adapter plug and the light bulbs at Rams
tein BX.
o If
you are considering buying any major electronics soon (TV, com
puter,
stere
o, etc) get them before you leave; make
sure that they are dual voltage or
What to Bring PCS Tips
8
you’ll have to use a converter box. The selection on base can be limited and it
can be challenging to get companies to mail electronics over here.
o American cordless phones and baby monitors use the same fr
equency as the
Germ
an emergency services, so you will need to purchase these items onc
e you
arrive.
Packing your Carry On Suitcase (Accom
panied bagga
ge):
o Docum
ents: US Passports, Birth Certificates, Social Security cards, Visa (if
applicable)
No Fee Passport
Tourist Passport
o Imm
unization records, school transcri
pts
o Em
ployment records, diploma, resume
, pay stubs
o Pet veterinary recor
ds, shots, any paperwork needed for pet air travel (see pe
t
section)
o Militar
y orders + copies, PCS binder
o
Valuable jewelry
o Recom
mend having your GPS and any medications in carry-on or checke
d
lugga
ge.
Mailing items to yourself:
o Have your sponsor set up an APO box fo
r you:
Mail or f
ax a copy of PCS orders or logistic
al support letter to your sponsor
so your sponsor ca
n set up a mailbox fo
r you. Once the sponsor sets up the
m
ailbox, you can use the address immediately. All packages will be he
ld at
the post of
fice until the member's arrival. The Post Office will hold ma
il
until 15 da
ys after your "Repor
t no Later than Date".
Notif
y companies of your new address prior to departing to avoid dela
ys in
receiving m
agazines, bills etc.
o If you choose to mail items to yourself, in order to get reim
bursed, you MUST
visit you
r origin TMO/CPC and obtain a DD Form 2278 befo
re mailing the
item
s. You may be reimbursed for the postage up to the governme
nt rate; use
sta
ndard mail, not priority mail in order to get reimbursed. The weight of items
mailed will count against your total weight entitlem
ent.
o Mailing re
strictions: You are not allowed to mail alcoholic beverages, coff
ee
and coffee products, cigarettes and other tobacco products, drugs, drug
parapher
nalia and prescription medication, supplements (containing pr
ohibited
ingredients), f
irearms and explosives, meat, poultry, and milk by-produc
ts,
por
nography, pirated trademark items, and lithium batterie
s. Do not use your
APO address to run a business. Customs off
icials conduct random
inspections
at the post of
fice for prohibited items. For more guidance and informa
tion on
m
ailing restrictions, contact your local post office before sending items
.
After Arrival: