# Relocation Plan and Checklist

Builds a personalized relocation checklist and timeline for your move after separation, covering housing, records, vehicles, schools, and key admin tasks. Use it once you know your target city and separation date so you can start working the list well before your last day in uniform.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping [YOUR NAME], a service member separating from [BRANCH OF SERVICE] on or around [SEPARATION DATE], plan a relocation from [CURRENT DUTY STATION CITY AND STATE] to [DESTINATION CITY AND STATE]. Household size: [HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS, e.g., self only, spouse and two children, etc.]. Any special factors: [SPECIAL FACTORS, e.g., pets, a home to sell, a vehicle to ship, a spouse job search, children in school, a disability rating in progress].

## Task
Build a relocation plan with three parts:
1. A phased checklist organized by time window: 90 days out, 60 days out, 30 days out, and move week. List 5 to 8 specific tasks per phase. Each task should be one plain action sentence.
2. A records and documents section: list the specific records to request, update, or transfer before and immediately after the move. Group them by category: military records, medical and dental, financial accounts, vehicle registration, voter registration, and children's school records where applicable.
3. A 30-day-after-arrival checklist: 5 to 8 tasks to complete in the first month in [DESTINATION CITY AND STATE], such as updating a driver's license, registering vehicles, finding a new primary care provider, and updating your mailing address with key agencies.

## Standards
- Tailor every section to [HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS] and [SPECIAL FACTORS]. A single service member moving alone has a different list than a family of four selling a home.
- Do not invent benefit amounts, moving entitlements (Dislocation Allowance, Personally Procured Move rates), or state-specific requirements. Note where the service member should verify current figures with their gaining unit, transportation office, or state agency.
- Do not state that the service member qualifies for any specific benefit or moving entitlement. Direct them to confirm eligibility and current rates with their branch's transportation or finance office.
- Do not invent school enrollment deadlines, vehicle registration fees, or state-specific processes. Name the type of step and note that details vary by state.
- This is a planning organizer, not legal or financial advice.
- If [DESTINATION CITY AND STATE] or [SEPARATION DATE] is missing or unclear, ask before drafting.

## Variables

- YOUR NAME
- BRANCH OF SERVICE
- SEPARATION DATE
- CURRENT DUTY STATION CITY AND STATE
- DESTINATION CITY AND STATE
- HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
- SPECIAL FACTORS

## Input checklist

- [ ] Confirm your separation date and whether it could change before building timelines around it.
- [ ] List every household member who is relocating, including pets, so the checklist covers school enrollment, pet transport, and dependent-related tasks.
- [ ] Note any open processes that will follow you: a VA disability claim in progress, a home under contract, a spouse job search.
- [ ] Remove your Social Security number and any sensitive personal data before pasting any record or document into an AI tool. Never paste classified or operationally sensitive information.
- [ ] Verify your moving entitlements (Dislocation Allowance, weight allowance, Personally Procured Move rates) directly with your branch transportation office before making financial decisions based on them.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Read every task and confirm it applies to your actual household size and situation. Strike any task the AI added that does not fit.
- [ ] Check that no benefit amount, moving allowance rate, or dollar figure appears that you have not verified with an official source.
- [ ] Confirm the records section lists records relevant to your specific situation. A service member with no dependents does not need a school records transfer item.
- [ ] Check that state-specific steps (vehicle registration, driver's license, voter registration) are noted as needing verification rather than stated as fact.
- [ ] Confirm the 30-day-after-arrival list matches your destination state. Requirements vary significantly between states.
- [ ] Review the timeline phases. If your separation date is less than 90 days out, compress the phases accordingly and reprioritize.
- [ ] Confirm no task promises a specific outcome, approval, or entitlement.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Service member: Marcus Hale, Army, separating 2026-09-15. Moving from Fort Campbell, KY to Austin, TX. Household: spouse and one child (age 7). Special factors: spouse job search, child starting 2nd grade, no home to sell (currently in on-post housing).

**90 Days Out:**
- Schedule a final counseling appointment with your installation's Transition Assistance Program (TAP) office.
- Request a PPM (Personally Procured Move) or government-arranged move through your unit's transportation office. Confirm current weight allowance for your pay grade.
- Begin researching Austin-area school districts and note enrollment deadlines for the fall semester.
- Open a civilian bank account or confirm your current bank has branches or ATMs near your destination.
- Research VA healthcare facilities and Vet Centers near Austin; begin the process of establishing care if you have a service-connected condition.
- Notify your unit S1 of your intended separation address for mail and final records.
- Begin collecting performance evaluations, training records, and any documents stored in your unit files.

**60 Days Out:**
- Request your medical and dental records from the MTF (Military Treatment Facility). Confirm the process with your installation's patient administration office.
- Research Austin-area elementary schools. Contact the district to confirm enrollment requirements for an incoming second grader.
- Begin your spouse's job search research: identify target employers and update LinkedIn.
- Confirm your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) will list your correct home of record. Review with your S1.
- Notify your auto insurance provider of the upcoming state change and ask about any Texas-specific requirements.
- Schedule pre-separation medical and dental appointments to complete any outstanding treatment before your TRICARE coverage changes.

**30 Days Out:**
- Confirm your move date and housing situation. If you do not have a lease or purchase in Austin, arrange temporary lodging.
- File a change of address with USPS and update your address with financial accounts, subscriptions, and the VA if you have an active claim.
- Arrange childcare for move week.
- Transfer your child's school records to the new district or request a records packet to hand-carry.
- Confirm your final pay, separation pay (if applicable), and the timing of your last active duty paycheck with finance.
- Review your TRICARE transition options. Coverage ends or changes at separation. Contact the TRICARE regional contractor for your destination ZIP code.

**Move Week:**
- Do a final walk-through of government quarters and return all keys and equipment per your clearing requirements.
- Keep copies of your DD-214 and separation documents in your carry-on, not in a moving truck.
- Photograph the interior of the moving truck before and after loading.
- Drive or fly to Austin. Begin the 30-day arrival list below.

**Records and Documents:**
- Military records: DD-214 (obtain at least 5 certified copies), OMPF (Official Military Personnel File) excerpt, awards and decorations, training certificates.
- Medical and dental: MTF records, vaccination history, any ongoing prescription records.
- Financial: update address on bank accounts, TSP (Thrift Savings Plan), any SGLI (Servicemembers Group Life Insurance) conversion if applicable.
- Vehicle: Texas requires registration within 30 days of establishing residency. Fees and requirements vary; check the Texas DMV website.
- Voter registration: update to your new Texas address before the registration deadline for the next election.
- Child's school: carry enrollment packet including immunization records and proof of address.

**30 Days After Arrival:**
- Obtain a Texas driver's license. Texas requires new residents to apply within 90 days; confirm current rules with the Texas DPS.
- Register vehicles in Texas within 30 days of establishing residency.
- Register your child for the new school.
- Update your address with the VA, Social Security Administration, and any federal agencies relevant to open claims or benefits.
- Establish a primary care provider outside the military system. Check your new health insurance options carefully.
- Find your nearest VA Regional Office or Vet Center if you have an active claim or want to establish VA care.
- Update your voter registration to your new Texas address.

## Customization notes

Run this prompt again if your separation date, destination, or household situation changes. For service members with a home to sell or buy, add that to the special factors field and expect a separate thread of real estate tasks to appear. For those separating with a VA disability rating in process, note that in the special factors field so the checklist includes steps to notify the VA of the address change and track claim status. If your separation timeline is short (under 60 days), note that in the special factors field so the AI compresses the phases.

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From The Military Transition & SkillBridge Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/transition