Who to call, week by week, for your move to NAWS China Lake
Pick your report date and a few answers. You get the steps in order, the official guidance behind each one, and the local businesses and base offices to call.
Who and what is moving with you?
15 steps for your move to NAWS China Lake. Your answers never leave this page.
As soon as you have orders
Start now
- 1
Call your transportation office to schedule the military move
As soon as you receive your PCS orders
Military OneSource says contacting your local transportation office to schedule the shipment as soon as orders arrive improves your chances of getting the moving dates that work for you.
- 2
Call the base housing office
As soon as you know you are moving
Call this office as soon as you have orders to China Lake to ask about on base family housing, availability and off base...
Source: Navy Life Southwest (Fleet and Family Readiness), Family Housing page for NAWS China Lake
Who to call
- Navy Housing Service Center(760) 939-4450
- 3
Request child care and call centers near the base
As soon as you know your duty station and tentative arrival date
MilitaryChildCare.com says requesting care then gets you on the waitlist, and suggests requesting several programs and program types, such as a child development center and family child care.
- 4
Buying a home? Compare VA lenders
Once you have orders, before you shop for a home
VA says lenders offer different interest rates and fees, so shop around for the loan that best meets your needs.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Buying a home with a VA-backed loan
Before you arrive
The weeks before your report date
- 5
Reconfirm your child care request
45 days before the date you need care, if you asked more than 60 days ahead
MilitaryChildCare.com says a request made more than 60 days before you need care must be reconfirmed 45 days before your date care needed.
Source: MilitaryChildCare.com, FAQs
- 6
Talk to a real estate agent
After you are notified of the assignment; buy only once orders are in hand
Military OneSource suggests starting to look at places to live once you know your next assignment, and cautions against permanent decisions, such as buying a home, until you have orders.
Source: Military OneSource, Arranging a Personal Property Shipment
- 7
Renting? Check the lease for a military clause
Before you sign a rental contract
Military OneSource says to make sure the contract has a military clause that lets you break the lease if you are reassigned or deployed.
Source: Military OneSource, On- and Off-Base Housing and Living
- 8
Reserve base lodging
Before you travel
Call the Navy Gateway Inns and Suites front desk at China Lake to book or ask about a room. The inn says it is pet...
Source: Navy Gateway Inns & Suites (Navy Hotels), Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake page
Who to call
- Navy Gateway Inns and Suites lodging(760) 301-5164
- 9
Arrive before your household goods, or line up storage
A day or more before the delivery date
Military OneSource recommends arriving a day or more before your scheduled delivery so your things do not go into storage, since getting a stored shipment delivered again can take up to a few weeks.
- 10
Call the school liaison
Before you choose where to live
Call the school liaison for help with school options and boundaries, enrolling or transferring your child during a move,...
Source: Navy Life Southwest (Fleet and Family Readiness), School Liaison page for NAWS China Lake
Who to call
- School liaison(760) 939-7135
The week you arrive
Your report week
- 11
Stop at the visitor center for passes
When you first reach the gate
Call this office about your China Lake base badge and about vehicle decals, which you need to enter secured areas such...
Source: Military OneSource installation page, NAWS China Lake motor vehicles
Who to call
- Pass and ID office (Visitor Control Center)(760) 939-3160
- 12
Clean the new place before the movers deliver
Before the movers arrive at the new home
Military OneSource suggests pre-cleaning the new bathroom and kitchen, and leaving enough time so you are not cleaning around boxes.
- 13
Keep pets safe on moving days
On pack, pickup and delivery days
Military OneSource asks families to make sure pets are secured and out of the way whenever packers and movers are at the home.
- 14
Visit the family readiness center
Your first days on base
Call the Fleet and Family Support Center for help with relocation and sponsorship, financial counseling, family...
Source: Navy Life Southwest (Fleet and Family Readiness), FFSC page for NAWS China Lake
Who to call
- Fleet and Family Support Center (China Lake)(760) 939-4545
- 15
Update ID cards and DEERS
After you sign in at the new base
Call the CAC office in Building 1182 about a Common Access Card or military ID card. Ask what to bring and whether you...
Source: Military OneSource installation page, NAWS China Lake motor vehicles
Who to call
- ID card office (DEERS and RAPIDS), CAC office(760) 939-3315
About this plan
When should I start calling people before a PCS to NAWS China Lake?
As soon as you have orders. Call your transportation office to schedule the military move, Call the base housing office, Request child care and call centers near the base, Buying a home? Compare VA lenders. Each step on this page shows the official guidance it comes from.
Do my answers or my report date get sent anywhere?
No. The plan is built in your browser and your answers stay on your device. Nothing is sent to us or to any business until you choose to call or send a Get Quotes request.
Where do I find BAH and schools for NAWS China Lake?
MilitaryLineup covers who to call. BaseReady.app covers what to know, including housing allowance from the official rate files and school districts.