PCSing OCONUS series: Unaccompanied Baggage

Written By Kristen Thoennes, Marketing Coordinator
 
 

PCSing overseas is a beast! There are so many more moving parts to the planning and prep. Right after you receive your orders, the household goods (HHG) shipment, non-temp storage and unaccompanied baggage (UAB) can be the first big hurdles to overcome. 

UAB was a new one for me when we received orders to PCS to Germany. We had a few stateside PCSes under our belt and I felt like I pro, but figuring out what to put in my UAB was a new challenge. Would I get it right??

Unaccompanied Baggage is a smaller selection of your household goods that is typically transported via airfreight to your new OCONUS location. Because it goes by plane, it should arrive before the rest of your HHG. However, baggage weight limits must be strictly adhered to. 

UAB pickup should be scheduled separately from your HHG packing and pickup, but the packing and pickup will follow a very similar process. When we PCSed from South Carolina to Germany, our UAB packers boxed everything up and loaded it onto a truck to be transported to Germany in maybe a few hours. Scheduling it on a different day than your HHG and non-temp storage ensures that everything will go to the right location. 

What should I include in my UAB? 

That’s the big question! Here are some things I included in mine.

*We were pretty certain we would be living on base in Germany, so that helped narrow down what to put in UAB. Your list may be slightly different if you will be living off-base while stationed overseas. 

Bedroom and Bathroom Items

  • Sheets

  • Comforter

  • Throw blanket

  • Clothes (especially if you’ll experience a change in seasons while you wait for your HHG)

  • Shoes

  • Toilet paper

  • Facial tissue

  • Laundry hamper

  • Hangers

  • Towels

  • Shower curtain and hooks

  • Bathmat

  • Small trash can

One note regarding bedding: Loaner furniture is typically provided by the installation once you move into your new place. It’s not very comfortable, at least in our experience, but better than camp chairs and an air mattress. When we had loaner furniture, our bed was not a typical US bed size, so sheets fit a little funky. Expect a US double-sized (ish) bed and twin beds for children when planning what bedding to put in your UAB.

Kitchen Items

  • Silverware

  • Plates

  • Bowls

  • Cups

  • Mugs

  • Paper towels

  • Coffee filters

  • Measuring cups (1 set)

  • Measuring spoons (1 set)

  • Dish towels

  • Dish cloths

  • Wooden spoon

  • Spatula

  • Whisk

  • Knives

  • Tupperware

  • A couple of pots/pans

  • Cookie sheet*

*For cookie sheets and pans, don’t bring your big ones. European ovens, for example, can be small and may not accommodate our US-sized kitchen items.

Most overseas duty installations have lending closets for basic kitchen supplies like cookware, dishes, and utensils. You can usually find more details on available loan items from the installation’s family support program website (ACS, M&FRC, Fleet & Family).

Pet Items

  • Food

  • Treats

  • Food and water bowls

  • Pet bed

  • Toys

  • Cat litter box

  • Bag of litter

  • Litter scooper

  • Small dustpan

  • Poop bags

Misc. Items

  • Basic sewing supplies

  • Reusable shopping bags

  • Game(s)

  • Books

  • Some military and professional items (not uniforms or paperwork)

  • Cleaning supplies


I do not have children, so I am not an expert on what to put in your UAB if you do. But some suggested items might include:

  • Baby items (pack & play, walker, etc.)

  • Books and toys

  • TV (up to 42” allowed in UAB) and DVD player

The one thing I did not put in my UAB that I really wished I had was a small bedside lamp. I read in bed before going to sleep and don’t like overhead lights. Having a small lamp in our UAB would have added an extra level of comfort while we waited for the rest of our household goods to arrive. 

I encourage you not to stress too much about your UAB. If you follow this guide and still forget something, that’s completely normal! There are a few affordable ways to pick up items while you wait:

  • Join spouse or community groups on Facebook and ask to borrow items.

  • Visit the base thrift shop to find low priced items. You can always donate them back once you no longer need them

  • Air Force specific: check to see if your base has an Airman’s Attic. Some days are rank specific, which is something to look for, but they typically offer all ranks days once a month.

  • Check at off-base shops. In Europe, we have stores like Action that offer low-priced items.

Looking for more PCS support? A great first step is to connect with a MSAN Mentor in the Mentorship-HUB.

You can also check some of our partners like Military OneSource and PCS Like a Pro.

Kristen Thoennes, Marketing Coordinator
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