The guide the sponsor packet forgot.
You just got orders to Hawaii. Congratulations — and take a breath. This site is the practical, no-fluff version of everything military families actually need for an Oahu PCS: which side of the island fits your base, what to do about the dog, the car, the schools — and what your BAH can really do here.
Start Here
The three decisions that shape your tour
The 90-day PCS timeline
The long poles — pets, the car, household goods — in the order they need to start. Pets first. Seriously.
The IslandPick the right neighborhood
On Oahu, the commute is everything. Leeward, windward, central, town — matched to your base before you land.
Housing & MoneyOn-base, rent, or buy?
All three can be right. A fair framework for the biggest money decision of your tour.
The Bases
Guides for where you're headed
Schofield Barracks & Wheeler
Wahiawā, Mililani, and the H-2 reality.
Navy & Air ForceJoint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam
ʻAiea to Ewa Beach, and living near the flight line.
Marine Corps · WindwardMCBH Kaneohe Bay
Kailua, Kaneohe, and the greener, wetter, worth-it side.
Army · Town SideFort Shafter & Tripler
Town assignments, hospital shifts, and Moanalua math.
The Logistics
The stuff that keeps people up at night
Hawaii's pet quarantine, demystified
The 5-Day-Or-Less program, the FAVN test, and why the clock starts months before you fly.
VehiclesShipping your car
Your POV entitlement, the boat timeline, and the island-car question.
ArrivalYour first 30 days
TLA, finding a rental without getting scammed, and getting the kids in school.
FamilySchools for military kids
Geographic exceptions, school liaisons, and how schools drive neighborhood choice.
Housing & Money
Make BAH work for you
BAH reality check
What Hawaii BAH does and doesn't cover — and the one question worth asking about it.
The DecisionRent, buy, or on-base?
Wait lists, deposits, VA loans ($0 down with full entitlement, if you qualify), and the 3-year-tour math, laid out fairly.
Free Tool ↗Your BAH buying power
Run your own numbers with the Military Buying Power calculator on RealityCents.
Zero Down in Paradise
The Hawaii VA loan playbook for military homebuyers — written by the veteran behind this site. If buying is even a maybe for your tour, read this before you land.
Get the bookQuick answers
What does PCSing to Hawaii cover?
The practical side of an Oahu PCS for military families: which side of the island fits your base, what to do about the dog, the car, and the schools, and what your BAH can really do here. No paywalls.
What should I start first after getting orders to Hawaii?
Pets. The 90-day PCS timeline lists the long poles (pets, the car, household goods) in the order they need to start, and the pet paperwork comes first.
Who writes this site?
Jay Miller, a U.S. Army veteran with 25 years in mortgage lending and the author behind RealityCents.com.
Written and maintained by Jay Miller — U.S. Army veteran, 25 years in mortgage lending, and the author behind RealityCents.com. No paywalls, no listicles, no recycled press releases — just what works on this island.