Frequent moves are part of military life, but that doesn’t make moving easier.
During a move, important family documents can end up misplaced in boxes, buried in email threads, or forgotten on a thumb drive.
And when you need information right away — for a lease dispute, a school transfer, or a medical appointment — that’s when the stress can really hit.
This article answers common questions about keeping your paperwork secure and accessible through every military move, showing how a digital family assistant like Trustworthy can make the process faster, safer, and far less overwhelming.
Understanding the PCS Paperwork Problem
Q: Why does military paperwork feel endless during every move?
A: Each PCS move (permanent change of station) triggers dozens of administrative requirements. Housing, travel, medical, and school records are among those that need to be updated or transferred to new locations.
Service members juggle their orders, travel vouchers, reimbursements, and forms for dependents, while spouses typically handle school enrollments, medical updates, and new-community paperwork.
Even though much of this information is available digitally, it’s spread across multiple systems (like the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Tricare, and the Department of Veterans Affairs) and dozens of digital documents in your email inbox.
A single misplaced form can hold up reimbursement, delay your household goods shipment, or even affect your pay.
Q: Why might families lose track of PCS paperwork?
A: Military families move every two to three years, and each move introduces new complexity:
Multiple points of contact. You’re working with your command, housing office, transportation office, and often two landlords.
Time pressure. Military moves rarely happen on a relaxed schedule, and important information piles up fast.
Scattered systems. Some records are emailed, some are printed, and others are stored on government websites.
Shared devices. When you’re on the road or in temporary lodging, it’s easy for files to go missing.
The result? Confusion, duplication, and a lot of unnecessary stress. Digitizing before you pack helps ensure your family’s important information doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Preparing for Your Next Move
Q: What documents should I digitize before a PCS move?
A: Start with anything you might need on short notice or that would be hard to replace.
Personal and family:
Birth and marriage certificates.
Social Security cards.
Passports.
Family care plans and custody agreements.
Powers of attorney and wills.
Orders and travel:
PCS orders and amendments.
Travel vouchers and expense receipts.
Shipment documents and damage claims.
Move-out inspection photos.
Housing and finance:
Leases, deposit receipts, and housing allowance forms.
Mortgage or rental documents for your new home.
Vehicle registrations and insurance.
Leave and earnings statements and Thrift Savings Plan records.
Medical and school:
Tricare medical referral letters.
Immunization and medical summaries.
School transcripts and IEP (individualized education programs) or 504 disability forms for children.
Having these digitized ensures that when a housing office, transportation coordinator, or doctor asks for a record, you can produce it immediately — even midmove.
Q: How do I get started with digitizing everything?
A: Begin by setting aside one dedicated day before your move to round up and scan essential paperwork.
Collect everything in one place. Empty file cabinets, email attachments, and cloud folders.
Scan or photograph clearly. Use a mobile app or flatbed scanner; ensure pages are legible and aligned. If you use Trustworthy, you can upload your documents directly to your account via its mobile scanner or its integration with Ricoh ScanSnap scanners.
Save files as PDFs. PDFs preserve formatting and can be viewed anywhere.
Label and tag. Use consistent names like Lease_FortBelvoir_2025 or Orders_HawaiiMove_2025.
Once everything is digitized, upload it to an encrypted storage system so it’s secure.
Organizing for Speed and Security
Q: How can I make sure everything stays secure during the move?
A: Military moves often involve multiple Wi-Fi networks, shared computers, and temporary lodging — all of which increase your data-security risk.
Follow these best practices:
Use encrypted storage rather than USB drives or email attachments.
Turn on multi-factor authentication for every account that holds sensitive files.
Avoid using public computers for benefit updates or financial transactions.
Trustworthy uses 256-bit encryption and tokenization, meaning even if your device is lost or stolen, your data remains unreadable to anyone else. Additionally, multi-factor authentication is a requirement for anyone using Trustworthy.
Handling the Move Itself
Q: How do I manage paperwork while traveling between duty stations?
A: Keep physical copies of only what’s absolutely necessary. Everything else can remain safely in your digital vault.
Q: What if I need to share documents with someone, like a landlord or relocation office?
A: Never email sensitive documents directly. Instead, use a secure sharing tool.
Trustworthy’s SecureLinks™ feature allows you to send time-limited access to specific files. You control who can view them and for how long.
Once a move or transaction is complete, the link can be disabled, ensuring your personal data doesn’t live indefinitely in someone’s inbox.
After the Move
Q: What’s the best way to stay organized once we’re settled in a new duty station?
A: Treat arrival as an opportunity for a quick reset:
Update your address in all benefits and financial systems.
Upload new lease or mortgage paperwork immediately.
Save digital copies of new medical providers, school contacts, and insurance policies.
Archive old PCS folders (for reimbursement or tax purposes) but keep them stored in your digital vault.
Setting aside just 30 minutes during your first week at the new station ensures you start off organized instead of scrambling later.
Q: How does digital organization help with future moves?
A: Once your digital system is in place, each subsequent PCS becomes easier. Your family’s important information will remain secure, private, and easily accessible.
Over time, you’ll build a comprehensive digital archive of your service life, ready for everything from housing applications to post-service benefit claims.
Leveraging Technology to Simplify PCS Moves
Q: How does Trustworthy make this process easier for military families?
A: Trustworthy is designed for families managing complex, high-stakes information. For military households, that means fewer lost documents and more confidence during every relocation.
With Trustworthy, you can:
Upload and tag PCS orders, leases, and receipts for fast access later.
Get automatic reminders for expiring leases, insurance policies, or ID cards.
Share documents securely with landlords, relocation officers, or family members via SecureLinks™ or Trustworthy's collaboration features.
Access everything instantly from any device, even while traveling.
Trustworthy is certified under internationally recognized standards that confirm your data is managed with the highest level of security, privacy, and accountability:
SOC 2 Type II / SOC 3: Independent audits that verify how companies protect sensitive data and ensure systems are secure, available, and confidential.
GDPR and CCPA: Data-privacy laws in Europe and California, respectively, that give individuals control over their personal information and require strict safeguards for how it’s stored and shared.
The Long-Term Advantage
Q: How can this kind of organization help later in my career or after leaving service?
A: PCS records, housing paperwork, and medical documentation often become important during transitions — from filing tax returns to applying for VA loans or disability benefits. Having them digitally stored and clearly labeled eliminates the panic of tracking down years-old paperwork.
It also supports your family’s continuity. When spouses can access what they need without searching through boxes or old drives, the entire household runs more smoothly — whether you’re active duty or transitioning to civilian life.
The Bottom Line
Military life doesn’t slow down — but your documents can keep pace. By digitizing your records, organizing them logically, and storing them securely, you stay in control no matter where orders send you next.
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