PCS to Fort Eisenhower: The Complete CSRA Moving Checklist

Written by

Relocate Augusta Team

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Orders to Fort Eisenhower? Whether it’s your first PCS or your sixth, a move to the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) goes smoother when you work backward from your report date. Here’s a phased checklist — from orders in hand to your first weeks in town — built specifically for service members and families heading to Fort Eisenhower.

Before you decide, verify these 3 things:

  1. Your BAH for the Fort Eisenhower ZIP and rank — official DoD BAH calculator.
  2. On-post housing availability/waitlist — Fort Eisenhower Housing Services Office.
  3. School enrollment & transfer rules — Fort Eisenhower School Liaison Officer.

Fort Eisenhower-specific things to handle early

A few decisions here are local and time-sensitive — start them as soon as you have orders:

  • Contact Housing Services and get on the on-post waitlist early (even if you lean off-post).
  • Contact the School Liaison Officer if you have school-age children — they smooth transfers and enrollment.
  • Pick your target area: Richmond County (incl. on-post), Columbia County (Grovetown/Evans/Martinez/Harlem), or North Augusta/Aiken, SC.
  • Spouse employment/licensing: check whether your spouse needs Georgia or South Carolina licensing or job-search support (the state line matters here).
  • Temporary lodging / storage: decide if you’ll need a furnished rental, extended-stay lodging, or short-term storage for a gap before housing is ready.

As soon as you get orders (60–90+ days out)

  • Read your orders; note report date and instructions.
  • Start your move in DPS/MilMove; choose government move vs. PPM/DITY (self-move for reimbursement).
  • Decide on-post vs. off-post early — it drives everything else. (See our on-post vs. off-post housing guide.)
  • Look up your BAH for the Fort Eisenhower ZIP and rank.
  • If buying: contact VA loan lenders to get pre-approved.
  • Connect with a military relocation realtor who knows the area and school zoning.

30–60 days out

  • Pick your school priority/area. (See the Columbia County vs. Richmond County schools guide.)
  • Narrow your neighborhood — Grovetown, Evans, Martinez, Harlem, Augusta, or North Augusta/Aiken.
  • Line up a home — tour rentals/purchases virtually, or confirm your on-post offer.
  • Book movers (or finalize PPM and reserve a truck); reserve storage if needed.
  • Gather school records — transcripts, report cards, IEP/504 plans, immunizations (hand-carry these).
  • Plan for pets: check breed restrictions and deposits, arrange a vet-records transfer, and line up boarding if there’s a gap; confirm fencing/pet rules at your new home.
  • Medical continuity: update your TRICARE region, search for accepting providers, refill prescriptions, and check specialist wait times for any ongoing care.
  • Schedule final medical/dental out-processing and request record copies.

2 weeks out

  • Confirm move and travel dates (lodging en route, pets, flights/drive).
  • Set up utilities at the new home for your arrival date.
  • Arrange temporary lodging if your home isn’t ready.
  • Update your address with banks, insurance, and USPS.
  • Plan vehicle logistics — shipping or drive route.
  • Pull a documents folder — orders, IDs, medical/school/pet records, lease/closing docs.

Moving week

  • Inventory and photograph valuables (essential for claims, especially a PPM).
  • Keep an essentials bag — meds, chargers, documents, a few days of clothes.
  • Final walkthrough of the old home; clear quarters if on-post.
  • Confirm delivery window at the destination.

First 2 weeks at Fort Eisenhower

  • In-process at the installation and your unit.
  • Register vehicles and handle Georgia or South Carolina tags, license, and inspection as required.
  • Enroll the kids using your hand-carried records.
  • Confirm TRICARE and find local providers.
  • Set up insurance (renters/homeowners).
  • Find your essentials — pediatrician, dentist, vet, childcare, and the everyday services that make a place feel like home.

Local pros that make a PCS easier

You don’t have to figure out the CSRA alone:

Relocate Augusta is a free, independent resource for families relocating to Fort Eisenhower. Always confirm current procedures, dates, and requirements with your unit, the Housing Services Office, and official channels — details change.

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