Military Relocation: Your Orders are in, Now What?

Since 1983, DeWitt Guam has had the honor of moving military servicemembers and their families to and from Guam. We’ve put together this guide to make your Guam PCS move as simple and stress-free as possible.

If Guam will be your new duty station, we’ve included some tips on island life—as well as information on Guam’s history and culture—to help you settle in quickly and enjoy your time on the island.

Military Relocations to Guam: OCONUS Moves

First, a quick note for you if this is your first military relocation. Moves to and from Guam are considered OCONUS moves (outside the continental United States). OCONUS moves are most often completed by an approved Transportation Service Provider (TSP), such as DeWitt Guam. Below, we’ll offer you our tips for working effectively with your TSP for an easy, efficient Guam relocation experience.

How Soon Should I Schedule My Guam PCS Move?

Given the time it can take to ship your household goods to Guam, we recommend scheduling your move with your TSP as soon as possible, once you receive your official orders.

Additionally, the earlier you schedule your move through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS), the more likely you are to get the dates you want. This is especially important if you’re moving during peak season (mid-May to the end of September), when many other military families relocate.

How Much Can I Take with Me on My Guam PCS Move?

For your Guam PCS move, you’ll be able to send your household items in two shipments:

• Unaccompanied baggage (UB) – A portion of your total shipment that’s sent ahead to your new duty station to get you through until your household goods shipment arrives.

• Household goods shipment (HHG) – The rest of your household belongings.

Both of these are subject to a moving allowance:

If you go over this number, the extra cost will be charged back to you after the move.

Note that there are a couple of things that don’t count against your moving allowance, including:

• Items that you need to do your job
• Items your spouse needs to do their job, by request (and must be under 500 pounds)

Once you know your moving allowance, you’ll want to start planning your move in terms of how much everything weighs:

• The U.S. Transportation Command has a weight estimator to give you an idea of how much you can move within your moving allowance.
• Your Transportation Service Provider (TSP) can also assist with a weight estimate during your pre-move survey.

What Should I Send in My Unaccompanied Baggage Shipment?

Your household goods shipment to Guam will take several weeks to arrive. Your unaccompanied baggage shipment will help fill the gaps in the meantime.

If you pack your unaccompanied baggage shipment thoughtfully, you’ll settle in quickly in your new duty station. Consider including:

• Personal clothing and hangers
• A basic set of kitchen items
• Linens like bed sheets and towels
• Bathroom essentials, including a shower curtain and bath mat
• A basic set of tools

Note that furniture and major appliances are not permitted in your unaccompanied baggage shipment.

Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Pack at All for My Guam Move?

To ensure an easy transition, there are two types of items you’ll want to leave out of both your HHG and unaccompanied baggage shipments.

Important Documents

Keep these items with you as you travel. You may need some of them during your move, and others are simply safest with you. This includes:

• Your orders
• Driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and passports for your family members
• Birth, naturalization, and marriage certificates
• Medical records for your family (or ensure you have access to electronic health records)
• Your moving paperwork, including your inventory list (more below!)
• Vehicle documents, if you’re shipping a privately owned vehicle (POV) or motorcycle
• Financial documents (stock certificates, bonds, deeds, tax records)
• Anything that’s deeply sentimental or irreplaceable, such as family heirloom jewelry or your grandparents’ wedding photo album

Prohibited/Hazardous Materials

If you’re headed to Guam, it’s important to recognize the items that can’t be shipped to the island. Your TSP will give you a detailed list. In general, you’ll want to leave the following out of your shipments:

• Hazardous materials, including aerosol cans, batteries, cleaning fluids, paints, etc.
• Food items, including canned food and spices
• Agricultural items, such as plants or produce

Next, let’s talk about what you can expect from your TSP—and what they’ll expect of you.

What’s the Role of My Transportation Service Provider (TSP) During My Guam PCS Move?

To help you know what to expect during your Guam PCS move, we’ve outlined the items you’ll be responsible for and the items your TSP will be responsible for. 

• Your TSP will perform a pre-move survey so they know what you plan to ship.

Most HHG moves happen in two phases:

• Packing Day, when the moving crew packs up absolutely everything in your house.

• Loading Day, when the crew loads your belongings into a truck or container for transport.

During Packing Day, your TSP’s moving crew will:

• Bring everything they need to pack your items for safe transit, including boxes, tape, and packing material.
• Create an inventory list of everything you’re shipping.
• Pack everything. The TSP will be responsible for safe transit of all of your belongings, so their professional crews will pack all of your belongings.
• Disassemble any furniture, as needed. (Note: You need to disassemble any outdoor furniture that’s going with you.)

Your TSP will then arrange to move your household goods to your new duty station.

During Loading Day, your moving crew will:

• Put down material to protect your floors from potential damage.
• Load everything into a truck or container.
• Finalize the inventory sheet. You’ll be asked to sign it before the crew leaves. Review it carefully. If something doesn’t seem right, discuss it with the crew before signing.

At your new duty station, your moving crew will:

• Put down material to protect your floors from potential damage.
• Unload your entire shipment.
• Do a one-time placement of furniture and rugs. (Pre-plan where you you’re your furniture to go to save you from having to reposition it yourself!)
• Unpack, depending on your preferences:
• In a full unpack, the crew empties all of your boxes.
• In a partial unpack, the crew empties boxes only in certain areas. (For example, some people prefer to unpack their bedroom themselves.)
• You can also choose do to all the unpacking yourself.
• Reassemble any furniture they took apart on move-out day.
• Verify on the inventory sheet that you’ve received everything, and note any damage.

Now that you have a sense of your TSP’s responsibilities, let’s talk about yours.

What Do I Need to Do to Prep for My Guam PCS Move?

Your TSP will handle the majority of the heavy lifting and logistics for your Guam PCS move. However, there are three areas where a little prep work on your part can go a long way.

1. Keep Your Contact Information Current and Updated

Throughout your move, it’s important to keep your contact information current in DPS—including phone numbers and email addresses—so your TSP can get in touch with you when needed.

2. Document Your Belongings

The large majority of military HHG moves get executed without an issue. However, if you do encounter a challenge, documentation will make your situation easier to fix. We suggest doing two things:

3. Organize Your Belongings

During a household goods move, your moving crew will pack practically anything you ask them to, including a trash can full of trash. They’ll also pack everything just as they find it. Organizing your belongings now means receiving them in a more organized fashion at your new duty station.

We suggest:

Is There Anything I Need to Do on Packing and Loading Day?

On both Packing and Loading Day, your moving crew will handle all the packing and lifting. However, your crew will still need you to do three things:

Can I Bring My Pet to Guam on a PCS Move?

We know a number of servicemembers who have adopted animals they want to move with them. Moving pets to and from Guam can get expensive, but you may be able to use the PCS Pet Transportation Allowance to help defray the cost.

As a rabies-free destination, Guam has strict import requirements for pets coming to the island. If you’re not moving from an area that’s been declared rabies-free, you’ll need to follow a specific procedure to avoid quarantine for your pet. We’ll walk you through it in our complete guide to moving cats and dogs to Guam.

What Is It Like to Live on Guam? A Guide for Military Families

If your orders bring you to Guam, our team would love to welcome you to the island! Below, you’ll find a number of resources to introduce you to life on Guam, give you an insider’s perspective on island life, and help you enjoy your time on Guam to the fullest.

As a Military Family, Should We Rent or Buy on Guam?

There are many factors that can influence whether you should buy or rent after your military relocation to Guam. You’ll want to take into account factors such as: how long you think you might be stationed on Guam, your budget, and how much you might want to customize your home to your preferences.

To help you get a lay of the land for the neighborhoods and options you’ll find on Guam, check out the following resources:

What Is It Like to Live on Guam?

To help you settle into life on Guam, the DeWitt Guam team has put together a number of articles to help you get to know the island, discover its unique culture, and enjoy your time on Guam.

Living on Guam

Discover Guam’s Unique Culture & Fascinating History

What Activities Are There on Guam? How Can I Spend My Time Off?

Your Guam PCS Move, Simple and Stress-Free

With a fuller understanding what to expect during your PCS move, you’ll be well positioned for a simple, stress-free relocation to or from Guam.

The DeWitt Guam team would be pleased to assist you and any family members relocating with you on your Guam PCS move. Reach out to our team of dedicated military relocation experts if we can assist you in any way.