Can anyone offer any clarity as to how a PCS works? Hubby has orders (as in it shows up on his ERB with a report date but he has not received the "official" hard copy yet). This will be our first PCS experience and we are headed over to Hawaii, which makes it an overseas PCS; being that neither of us have gone through this before, we have absolutely no clue who to talk to, what sort of timeframe to start setting stuff up, etc. I would think that the hubby would get more guidance once he gets his official orders... but I've learned to never assume anything when it comes to the Army lol. Can anyone give us an idea of who to talk to or when to start lining things up (movers, talking to official travel, etc)? ANYTHING would be appreciated! 

His unit should schedule a Levy Briefing. That would be when he gets orders and all the information needed for your PCS. I have always gone to them with my husband, since I have sways been the one to deal with the packers/movers and all the medical and educational side of things for our kids.

Good luck! 

the unit does not schedule the levy briefings. they will email him with the times. he will not get his orders until 90 days out. they will not do any earlier than that unless he is going to school before the pcs 

We just got orders to Hawaii on the 5th of dec (in his ERB) he got on the phone the very next day and scheduled his own levy brief he got his hard copy orders on the 20th of dec. we have already set up household goods pick up and car shipping. We are also already on the housing list for Tripler in Hawaii,his report date is May 10th 2012,so tell your hubby to get on it ASAP the sooner you get things rolling the easier it will be Good luck and maybe we will see you out there!!! lol 

That's right! The Levy Briefing was scheduled and emailed, I remember that now. Sorry about that! 

he got on the phone the very next day and scheduled his own levy brief he got his hard copy orders on the 20th of dec
Roxanne - Do you remember who your hubby talked to in order to accomplish these tasks (setting up the levy brief and getting his hands on official orders)? My hubby seems confused on who to ask. Thanks for your help! 

Call the levy office located in bldg 212 ask for Mrs Nobles 239-3800 its on main post they will get you started and headed in the right direction. 

Thank you so much for your guidance, my husband and I both appreciate your help! 

Even if he gets his orders, make sure you (and your children if you have them) are on the orders. As Hawaii is an overseas tour, you will need your name on the orders as well. Housing there will not process your application for housing unless you are on the orders. I've been to Hawaii and Germany--both times they (Army) didn't have myself or my children on my ex-husbands orders (this was before our divorce obviously). It took some time to get them redone with our names on them, so the sooner he gets on that when he gets his hard copies of the orders, the better. Just a heads up..one of my gf's is going to Hawaii in July and they did the same--forgot to put her and the kids on her husband's orders. Housing told her there exactly what I did, they wouldn't process the application without their names. Plus, you need the orders to get the plane tickets, etc to go (the Army pays for all that). This is basically meaning you need to be command sponsorship to go (overseas tours require this for dependents to accompany the soldier). 

http://armywife101.com/2010/04/command-sponsorship-efmp-screenings-for-overseas.html

This will help explain the command sponsorship issue and you will also need to schedule a EFMP screening too. 

So just to clarify - will hubby get his hard copy of his orders AT the levy brief or will he have to get that directly from his unit? Thanks for the input everyone, you have given us lots of questions to ask at our briefing this week! 

levy usually sends his orders to his ako