Military PCS Moves Through South Dakota: How Self-Storage Helps

Whether you’re stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, passing through South Dakota on a PCS move, or a military family with roots in southeast SD, self-storage can be the logistical lifeline that makes a chaotic transition manageable. Here’s how military families are using storage in the Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman area.

Why Military Families Need Storage

PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves are uniquely stressful. Unlike civilian moves where you control the timeline, military moves happen on the government’s schedule. That creates gaps:

• Between duty stations — your household goods are in transit but you’ve already cleared quarters
• OCONUS moves — heading overseas and can’t take everything
• TDY assignments — temporary duty means temporary housing with limited space
• Deployment — your spouse may downsize to save money while you’re deployed
• Separation or transition — leaving the military and figuring out your next move
• Returning to South Dakota — coming home to family in southeast SD while house-hunting

In every case, there’s stuff that needs a secure temporary home.

The South Dakota Military Connection

South Dakota has a strong military tradition. Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City is the biggest installation, but military families have roots across the state. Southeast SD — Bon Homme, Hutchinson, and Yankton counties — is home to veterans, Guard members, and families with active-duty members stationed elsewhere.

Common scenarios we see:

• Families storing belongings while a member is deployed overseas — spouse moves in with family in Freeman or Tyndall to save on housing
• Transitioning service members storing household goods while settling in southeast SD after discharge
• Guard and Reserve members storing military gear and equipment between drill weekends and annual training
• Retirees moving back to South Dakota after decades of service

What the Military Covers (and What It Doesn’t)

Government-Funded Moves

Your PCS move comes with a weight allowance for household goods, and the military will ship or store items through their system (usually via the Defense Personal Property System — DPS). This includes:

• Non-Temporary Storage (NTS): The military stores your household goods at government expense when there’s a legitimate need (between assignments, OCONUS moves, etc.). This is managed through your installation’s transportation office.
• Temporary storage: Usually 90 days of storage at origin or destination, covered by the government.

The Gaps

Government storage works — but it has limitations:

• You don’t choose the facility. Your belongings go where the military’s contractor puts them.
• Access is limited or nonexistent during NTS. You can’t visit the warehouse and grab your winter coat.
• Timelines are rigid. If your NTS expires but you still don’t have permanent housing, you’re scrambling.
• DITY/PPM moves (where you move yourself) don’t include storage — that’s on you.
• Weight limits mean you might need to store overflow items that exceed your allowance.

This is where a local self-storage unit fills the gap.

How to Use Self-Storage During a PCS

Before You Move

If you’re leaving South Dakota: - Store items you don’t want shipped — family heirlooms, seasonal equipment, a vehicle, or items that exceed your weight allowance - Stage your DITY move — load items into a storage unit as you pack, then rent a truck and load everything at once - Keep a “PCS kit” in storage — items you’ll need immediately at your next duty station that you don’t want buried in a moving truck

During the Move

• Gap storage — if your household goods are in transit but you’ve already moved out of your current home, a local unit holds essentials (bedding, kitchen basics, uniforms, important documents)
• Vehicle storage — PCS moves often mean shipping one car and leaving another behind. A vehicle storage solution keeps it safe until you can arrange transport or sell it.

After You Arrive

If you’re moving to southeast South Dakota: - Store overflow while you figure out your permanent housing situation - Keep deployment bags, field gear, and military equipment organized and accessible in a storage unit instead of cluttering your home - Transition items — if you’re separating from the military, a storage unit gives you time to sort your life without pressure

Storage for Deployment

When a service member deploys, families often adjust:

• Spouses move in with family to save BAH or because they prefer support nearby. If family is in Tyndall, Springfield, or Freeman, storing household goods from your duty station apartment keeps costs down.
• Single service members may give up their lease during deployment. Everything goes to storage — furniture, electronics, personal items, vehicles.
• Power of attorney — make sure your spouse or a trusted family member has legal authority to access your storage unit if you’re overseas.

Deployment Storage Tips

• Create a detailed inventory — photos and a written list of everything in the unit. Store a copy digitally (email it to yourself) and give a copy to your emergency contact.
• Insurance is important — military personal property claims (DD Form 1840/1840R) cover government-shipped items, but self-storage is on you. Get renter’s insurance or a storage insurance policy.
• Prepay if possible — set up autopay or prepay for your deployment period so you don’t lose the unit due to a missed payment while overseas.
• Climate control for electronics and sensitive items — climate-controlled units prevent damage during a South Dakota winter deployment.

Guard and Reserve Storage

South Dakota’s National Guard and Reserve units have members across the state. Between drill weekends, annual training, and potential activation:

• Store military gear separately from household items — TA-50, rucksacks, uniforms, and field equipment in a dedicated space
• Quick access matters — a drive-up unit lets you grab your gear and go when you get the call
• Weapon storage — follow proper firearm storage practices for personal weapons. Military-issued weapons stay at the armory.

Transitioning Out of the Military

Leaving the service and moving to southeast South Dakota? The transition period is one of the most common reasons military families use self-storage:

• House hunting takes time — you might rent a small apartment or stay with family while looking for a home. Storage holds your full household until you’re ready.
• Career transition — starting a new job, maybe starting a business. Your household goods can wait in storage while you get settled.
• Sorting out your stuff — after years of PCS moves, you’ve accumulated things from multiple duty stations. A storage unit gives you time to decide what stays and what goes.

Practical Details for Military Families

Unit Size Guide

• 5x10: Deployment storage for a single service member — personal items, some furniture, electronics
• 10x10: Family storage during deployment or transition — bedroom set, living room items, boxes
• 10x15 to 10x20: Full household from a duty station apartment, plus vehicles or large equipment
• Vehicle spaces: For cars, trucks, or RVs left behind during a PCS

Cost

Storage in southeast South Dakota is significantly cheaper than storage near most military installations. If you’re comparing prices to storage in Colorado Springs, San Antonio, or the DC area, you’ll find Lock N’ Leave It Storage rates refreshingly affordable.

Month-to-Month Flexibility

Military life is unpredictable. Orders change. Timelines shift. Month-to-month storage means you’re never locked into a contract that doesn’t fit your situation anymore.

Thank You for Your Service — Seriously

Military families sacrifice a lot, and logistical headaches shouldn’t be one of them. Southeast South Dakota takes care of its own, and that includes making sure service members have affordable, secure options when they need them.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman welcomes military families — active duty, Guard, Reserve, veterans, and their families. Contact us to discuss your situation. Whether you’re storing for a deployment, a PCS, or a transition to civilian life, we’ll find the right solution at the right price. Thank you for what you do.