Military Moves Near the Pentagon: Arlington, VA & Washington, DC Guide
Military moves are often on tight timelines, but PCS orders to the Pentagon area are logistically complex and expensive. Housing costs stretch BAH to its limits, and traffic demands extra planning.
At Georgetown Moving and Storage, we’ve been a GSA-approved military moving company for more than 20 years. As local and long-distance movers based in Arlington and Alexandria, we know how to manage the requirements and meet the timelines military moves require. Whether you’re moving to the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, or any installation in the region, here’s what you need to know.
Government-Arranged vs. Personally Procured Movers
Every PCS move comes with a choice. The military can arrange your move with a Transportation Service Provider (TSP) that will pack, transport, and deliver your items. This approach minimizes your financial risk because if damage occurs, claims go through the military system, but you surrender control over who handles your belongings and when they show up.
The alternative is a Personally Procured Move (PPM), still called a DITY move by many service members. With a PPM, you arrange the relocation yourself, and the government reimburses you based on weight and distance, typically matching what they would have paid a contractor. If your moving costs come in below that reimbursement, you keep the difference (minus some income tax).
While there are many good reasons to choose your DC movers yourself, the Pentagon area is hard to navigate. Parking and building access are just a couple of the factors that make military movers with local expertise a huge advantage for your move.
More Than Just the Pentagon
The Pentagon may be the region’s most recognizable assignment, serving as headquarters for every service branch and several DOD agencies. But you’ll find military families throughout the area.
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is minutes from the Pentagon, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. Further south in Fairfax County, Fort Belvoir has grown into one of Virginia’s largest employers, housing dozens of commands and agencies across a sprawling campus. Across the river on the DC side, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling supports multiple branches, and Marine Corps Base Quantico is located on the region’s southern edge.
Your assignment will shape your housing search, but wherever you land, we’ve moved families to and from that area. Our experience means we take care of the details (including your weight tickets) for a smooth move.
Finding the Right Neighborhood for Your Tour
Are you familiar with the DMV area? If you’re not, you may be surprised to discover the variety of housing and neighborhood options. It’s such a dense area that you can find different types of communities within a reasonable commute to your post.
Arlington, VA
Arlington is closest to the Pentagon. You can walk from some Crystal City and Pentagon City apartments, and the Metro access from Ballston and Columbia Pike keeps commutes short. However, you’ll pay a premium to be that close, and BAH rarely covers Arlington rents in full, especially if you need more than a one-bedroom.
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria gives you more (though still pricey) choices, and the Blue and Yellow Metro lines connect Old Town and the waterfront to both the Pentagon and DC. If you’re commuting to Fort Belvoir, neighborhoods like Kingstowne get you out of the city.
Springfield, Burke, and Fairfax
For families looking for great schools and a little more space, a 45-minute commute gives you access to Springfield, Burke, and Fairfax. Be prepared to deal with some traffic; you may want to subscribe to books on tape, but many families accept the trade-off for a larger home and a backyard.
Woodbridge, Dale City, and Lake Ridge
Further south, Woodbridge, Dale City, and Lake Ridge offer big lots and new construction. If you’re commuting to Quantico, they can be good options, though don’t underestimate the I-95. If you are commuting from these cities to Quantico, the Virginia Railway Express may be your new best friend.
Washington, DC
If you are a single person or a couple who wants to enjoy everything Washington, DC offers (and you don’t need a ton of space), you may find a home in Southwest Waterfront, Navy Yard, or Capitol Hill, with Metro access to both Anacostia-Bolling and the Pentagon.
Secure Storage for Deployments and Transitions
Military life creates gaps that require use of storage units. For example, you have two weeks to clear quarters, but your new housing won’t be ready for a month, or you’re deploying for 18 months, and everything you own needs to go somewhere secure.
We fold your storage process right into your move. We’ll pick everything up (and pack it as well), move it to our secure and climate-controlled facilities, and bring everything to you when your home is ready, or you’re back in the States (even if you land far away from DC). You skip the separate storage rental and the weekend trips across town.
Our Arlington and Alexandria facilities maintain stable conditions year-round, and every employee on our team has passed a comprehensive background check.
What to Look for in a Military-Friendly Mover
Most moving companies have never handled a PPM. They don’t know what certified weight tickets are, let alone why you need them for reimbursement. Our GSA approval separates us from other movers.
PCS orders change without warning. Dates shift. Housing falls through the week before you’re supposed to move. A mover who’s worked with military families before understands the realities you’re working with and can support you even when plans change.
In the DMV, you also want to make sure your military mover has regional expertise. From elevator reservations and unusually narrow staircases to rush-hour traffic and parking restrictions, experience in the area can be the difference between an expensive nightmare and a comfortable, easy move.
Focus on the Mission, Not the Move
Between coordinating orders, finding housing, uprooting your family, and starting a new assignment, a PCS move demands enough. Your move shouldn’t add to that weight.
For more than two decades, we’ve helped Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and DOD civilians relocate to and from the Pentagon area. We know which Arlington buildings require two weeks’ notice for elevator reservations, which Alexandria streets can’t fit a full-size truck, and how to keep your PPM reimbursement paperwork clean.
Your next assignment has your attention. The logistics of getting there can have ours. Call us at (703) 889-8899 or request a free estimate online.
