By: David Kucic, RA
CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO
First Sergeant, USA (Ret)
Tropic Lightning Real Estate, Oahu, Hawaii
"Serving My Hawaii Military Family in Paradise"

Congratulations on your assignment to Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Pearl Harbor, Hickam AFB, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe, Camp H.M. Smith or Tripler Army Medical Center to name a few.

I am sure that the excitement level is up not just because it is time to PCS but because you are coming on an all expense paid trip to HAWAII for you and all of your command sponsored family members. Do you realize that people save for years or possibly for their entire lives to fly out here for one or two weeks and you are lucky enough to live here for 2, 3,4 or more years?  Life is good!

One of the first thingst that my family and I thought about before we PCS'd was "Where are we going to live?"  Your options are the same in Hawaii as anywhere else which is living in government quarters, renting a home or buying a home. 

As a 22 year active duty retired, Disabled American Veteran and Hawaii Military Relocation Specialist, I know a thing or two about PCS moves having completed at least 12 of them in my military career. 

There is one very important things that I want to share with you in regards to transportation, household goods shipments and non temporary storage.

When you move here, you will be allocated a certain amount of wieght based on your pay grade and amount of family members in regards to household goods.  Paragraph U5310-B of the Joint Federal Travel Regulation covers the weight limits for shipments.  For your convenience, I inserted that table below.  You might not want to bring everything that you are entitled to because HOMES IN HAWAII ARE GENERALLY SMALLER THAN MAINLAND HOMES.  IF YOU BRING YOUR ENTIRE AUTHROIZED WEIGHT LIMIT WITH YOU AND IT WONT FIT INTO YOUR HOUSE, YOU WILL EITHER HAVE TO PAY FOR STORAGE IN HAWAII, SELL IT OR GIVE IT AWAY.

If you leave your excess property in the mainland as Non Temporary Storage or NTS, you will not have to pay for the storage.  I suggest you check with your Transportation Office at your current installation to verify their particular policies about this before you make your final decision.

Good luck with your PCS move to Hawaii.  For more information about your move or professional real estate representation, call (808) 218-9338 or visit Team Kucic at www.Relocate808.com.