OUR PCS TO GERMANY! // Moving to Germany with the military ~ Part 1

[@hpringer5862]

Did the movers listen to your tape markings of what was staying and going? I'm seeing a lot of people say regardless of if they labeled things as not to pack , they still packed them up.

[@blackriflehomestead]

Our packers were pretty conscientious and I was also very obvious as to what they were NOT supposed to pack. Also important to oversee the details and make sure you have eyes on things, in case there is any confusion.

[@jimewelsh]

Great video. Thank you so much for getting the information out there about such a difficult move.

[@blackriflehomestead]

Thank you James! It was difficult for sure. Although as with many experiences in the military life, it was character-shaping and I'm grateful for that. :)

[@florecitaroqera6374]

Thanks for all the info! I love how you talk with your dog, reminds me of Kristoff and Sven😂

[@blackriflehomestead]

Aw you're welcome! haha yes our dog is definitely part of the family so we include her in conversations :)

[@BronzeGoddess87]

Hi Malori! I am currently stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington and we are PCS'ing to Germany!! This is my first PCS, my husbands second! His first duty station was Germany, but he was a single soldier and it was 11 years ago! So this is pretty much new to both of us! I also have a German Shepherd we will be bringing along with our children! I sent you a message on FB! :)

[@xoxoabbz2339]

Also so how many bags in total did you bring on the flight ..im asking because me and my family just got our first duty station in germany and im trying to figure out what am i going bring on the flight since it takes weeks to get your things

[@blackriflehomestead]

Xoxo Abbz I checked 3 large suitcases and 1 box with Patriot Express. Technically you are allowed 2 bags 70 lbs each and 2 extra bags 50 lbs each for an extra fee. But my bags were much heavier and I had to pay extra all around. The good news is that the Army reimburses for excess/heavy luggage! If you have your APO set up before getting here (have your husband contact his sponsor about that) then you can also mail yourself stuff. I’ve found that priority mail takes only 1-2 weeks!

[@ashleypersijn9528]

We are stationed over in Baumholder, i had the same situation where my husband was there before i was! I wish i had helpful people like you did! I had to do everything by myself, if definitely wasn’t fun! 😂

[@blackriflehomestead]

Hi Ashley! That is so hard, doing it all by yourself. But you also should give yourself a pat on the back for doing it!! It's easy for outsiders to look at all the cool stuff about moving overseas but there are some really tough parts.

[@eastpoms93]

Hi! Is the patriot express only out of a certain airport? Also, did you have to quarantine her once you got to Germany? Do you happen to know if they take the dogs potty and everything before/after the flight? When do they take the pets, once you are boarding? So sorry for so many questions, just really stressing about sending our fur baby so far overseas because I want to make sure he’s taken care of!

[@blackriflehomestead]

Hi Kelsie! Thanks for your questions - no worries about them being too much! :) Yes Patriot Express generally flies out of BWI outside Baltimore, MD and flies into Ramstein AFB, Germany. I'm not sure if there are other locations in the states. No quarantine is necessary for Germany! You just have to make sure to get her USDA health certificate from the military veterinarian no more than 10 days before arriving in Germany. You also have to make sure her rabies vaccine is up to date and that she has an internationally compliant microchip that was inserted before the rabies vaccine was given. The vet on post can help you with determining all of that. :) I don't believe they take the dogs potty before the flight, but there is a dog potty area at BWI, at the level below where the Patriot Express check-in counter is. So I took Zoey there before the flight. They take the pets about 1 hour before humans board, which would probably be 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the flight actually leaves. I totally understand, it is stressful thinking about doing all this and the poor fur-baby not understanding! But Patriot Express takes really good care of the pets. They even deliver you a piece of paper to your seat saying that your pet is safely in cargo. That helped a lot with peace of mind. :)

[@puscifer03dude52]

What kind of dogs can you take to Germany ? I can’t take these orders without my family dog

[@blackriflehomestead]

There is a ban on some breeds: "The rules vary from state to state in Germany, but most consider Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers too dangerous. Their import is banned." www.howtogermany.com/pages/pets.html

[@teairachelly3744]

How did you get your fur baby to Germany from braggs ? I’ve heard a lot of options but do you have any tips ? We will be PCs from jblm to Grafenwöhr

[@blackriflehomestead]

Hi Teaira! I drove from Bragg to BWI, and then flew on the Patriot Express from BWI to Ramstein with Zoey in cargo. I had no complaints, it was a great experience! I do have a video on here as well about how to bring a dog to Germany. :)

[@xoxoabbz2339]

Hey so how long did it take to get your unaccompanied things?

[@blackriflehomestead]

Xoxo Abbz it took FOREVER!! Lol not really but we actually got our HHG before our unaccompanied shipment! The downside with unaccompanied is that it comes over here Space-A, so our stuff sat at an Air Force base for awhile. Got it 2 months after being packed up.

[@strawbunnies]

We’re moving overseas and my husband said the Air Force will move ALL of our stuff for free... will they only ship household goods?

[@blackriflehomestead]

They will ship all your household goods and 1 privately owned vehicle at no cost. You can also mail yourself stuff and can get reimbursed.

[@rachelcarl4631]

How much did it cost to take Zoe (your dog) with you? and how did she travel there?

[@blackriflehomestead]

Hi Rachel! It cost us about $275 to bring Zoey here on Patriot Express. They calculate it based on their weight + weight of the crate. Zoey was about 75 pounds at the time we came to Germany. They put the dogs in a climate-controlled cargo area of the plane and I'm very pleased with how they handled her. Plus, it's SO much more affordable to fly in Patriot Express with an animal than putting them on a commercial flight!! Make sure to book your flight with PE right away, since they only have 10 spots available per flight for pets. Are you PCSing to Germany soon? If so, I just released my Overseas PCS Binder pages on Etsy, if you need help with organizing a PCS binder! :) bit.ly/pcsbinder Let me know if you have any other questions about PCS-related stuff!

[@dacrazyone88]

Has zoey always been crate trained? That is the most scary thing for us.

[@dacrazyone88]

Also how long was the flight for your puppers? Did y’all use sedatives?

[@blackriflehomestead]

Hi! :) No, she was not crate trained when we adopted her at 3 years old, so I had to train her to get comfortable with the crate. I was nervous at first about it too, but I just took it slowly and associated good things (treats, happy but calm voice) with the crate. I'd start out with getting her in the crate with the door open, and then with the door closed and me there, and then with the door closed and me not in the room/apartment. She was nervous at times when we got to the airport, but she was quiet too. It is recommended to not use ANY type of sedative in an animal going on an airplane. (Of course, check with your vet.) They can cause their blood pressure and heart rate to drop and if anything bad happens, you can't take any action against the airline. I did use Adaptil spray inside her crate though....it's a synthetic pheromone that helps dogs calm down naturally, and not a sedative. I also put a sweater in the crate that I had previously worn, so she had my smell. She came through just fine! :) The Patriot Express flight from Baltimore to Ramstein was about 7-8 hours I think. Not bad at all! I highly recommend Patriot Express thru the military. They treat the dogs very well, and they even give you a paper once you are seated on the airplane saying that your pet is safely secured in cargo. Gave me peace of mind!

[@BronzeGoddess87]

PS.... out GSD's look almost exactly alike!!

[@blackriflehomestead]

Aren't they the best??

[@dennyshoopman4397]

I truly wish I never left Germany.

[@blackriflehomestead]

Living in Germany was quite an adventure!