Meeting moving challenges full force Published June 5, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Becky J. LaRaia Staff writer POPE AFB -- Everyplace. Most reassignments don’t go off without one or two bumps, but many Airmen feel like their bumps are actually mountains — some as unmanageable as Mount Everest. These “bumps” can mostly be avoided, though, with some planning, organizing and a little bit of luck. Master Sgt. Stephen Pederson of the 43rd Maintenance Operations Squadron ran into this when he was supposed to be moving to a remote assignment in the Philippines in 1991. He was in Germany getting his wife settled, so that he could join her there on her follow on assignment when he was notified that the volcano had exploded and that he wasn’t to move. Sergeant Pederson immediately went to personnel and asked for his approved follow-on to be moved forward so that he could stay in Germany. Fifteen days after the orders were approved, he received a message that he was to return to Keesler AFB, Miss., but because his orders to Germany had already been approved, he was allowed to stay. Later on he found out that if he had not been diverted to Germany, his family would have had to pay several out-of-pocket expenses for shipping his car. “My aggressive actions not only saved us a lot of money because of bad briefings, but allowed me to get my follow-on to Germany approved,” he said. Sergeant Pederson has some sound advice for anyone whose permanent change of station is disrupted outside of the member’s control. “Don’t just sit back and let things happen,” he said. “Take action yourself.” He also said its vital to pay attention during all of the briefings. “Make sure you get all the facts straight on your move,” he said. Even if those who have been reassigned several times need to listen because “Things are constantly changing,” he said. Even without a natural disaster, moving isn’t necessarily easy, and Capt. Carrie Wentzel of the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron found that out on her last move from Ellsworth AFB, S.D. She found herself and a girlfriend moving 16,000 pounds of household goods halfway across the country last July in a moving truck with an attached car carrier. “Every gas station was a teambuilding exercise to figure out the best way to pull up to the gas pump without getting stuck,” she said. Everything came to a head at a Fairfield Inn on the way. “We pulled into the parking lot thinking that the driveway ran around the back of the hotel and exited on the other side,” she said, but that was not quite the case. “It was dead end, and a narrow drive with a full parking lot on either side. Twenty minutes and a 14-point turn later, we were free and heading toward an empty parking lot across the busy street.” The captain and her friend arrived at Pope to attack the challenge of unloading the truck, which seemed almost undoable with some items weighing over 230 pounds a piece. With the help of friends, a few exhausting hours later the feat was complete. Despite the hassle, the only thing Captain Wentzel said she would differently next time was to make sure here husband was there to help. “Believe it or not, I thought it was worth moving our valuables. It was so nice that nothing we moved was broken or missing,” she said. According to the captain, Airmen who plan to make a career of the military should invest in some of their own moving supplies. Her family owns their own dolly, truck ramps and a couple of moving blankets. Airmen also have to be prepared for almost anything. Staff Sgt. Scott Stover, 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, got a taste of this when his orders were changed to a completely different base three days before his scheduled move and 11 days after his household goods had been picked up. It ended up taking him 60 extra days to get his household goods delivered to his new assignment. Sergeant Stover said that he learned how important it is to follow up on your orders with the personnel flight. “Ensure your commander’s support staff does their part to get you information as it becomes available,” he said. “Ensure you contact all the appropriate agencies well enough in advance to ensure that if mistakes are made, they can be corrected in a timely manner.” So, as PCS season rears its ugly head, just remember to plan, prepare, organize and be ready for absolutely anything.