PCS Survival Guide - Episode 1: PCS Orders, Paperwork & Everything You Need to Know First
About this episode
The episode covers essential steps to take upon receiving PCS orders, including paperwork and special considerations.
In this episode of Militarily Speaking, we begin our four-part PCS Survival Guide. In this first episode, we cover what to do if you’ve just received received PCS orders — or you know they're coming. Tom and Jodi are joined by senior VA loan expert Mel Aguto (a combined 20+ years of military spouse experience and more PCS moves than they care to count!) walk through everything you need to tackle first: understanding your orders, navigating CONUS vs. OCONUS differences, the paperwork that trips families up most, and special considerations for EFMP, IEPs, and pets. Militarily Speaking dives into the heart of military life through the voices of those who’ve lived it. Hosted by Tom McLean and Jodi Vickery – seasoned professionals with a passion for serving the military community – the show blends financial insight, real-world experience, and honest conversation. Jodi, a proud military spouse, and Tom bring different perspectives that make every episode both relatable and practical. Each episode, we sit down with veterans, spouses, and leaders who share stories that matter – from the challenges of deployment and transition to insights on careers, family, and finances. It’s about the…
People in this episode
Hosts: Tom McLean, Jodi Vickery
Guest: Mel Aguto
Topics covered
- PCS orders
- military life
- paperwork
- EFMP
- IEPs
- pets
- CONUS vs. OCONUS
Keywords
- PCS Survival Guide
- military spouse
- VA loan
- military moves
- paperwork
- EFMP
- IEPs
- pets
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Armed Forces Bank, VA
More episodes of Militarily Speaking
- The Organization Quietly Solving One of America's Biggest Veteran Housing Problems – Purple Heart Homes
- PCS Survival Guide - Episode 4: Landing on the Other Side — The First 30-60 Days, Spouse Careers, Community and What Experienced Military Families Wish They Had Done Earlier
- PCS Survival Guide - Episode 3: The Move Itself — What the Military Pays, What Comes Out of Your Pocket, and the Mistakes That Cost Families Most
- PCS Survival Guide - Episode 2: Planning the Move – DITY, PPM & the Decisions That Actually Cost You
- How to Get Money Back from Your PCS Move – with Jason from VeteranPCS
- Military Families: Are You Missing These Financial Resources?
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