Military moves at Nevada Army National Guard, Carson City

The Nevada Office of the Military, which includes the Nevada National Guard, has its headquarters in Carson City, the state capital. Soldiers, airmen and the families around them move to and from the Carson City area for assignments, schooling, new jobs and the end of a tour. This page covers what that move looks like from the Sparks side, and where the Defense Department's own booking process begins and ends.

The short drive from Sparks to Carson City

The Guard headquarters sits about 32 miles from our Glendale Avenue yard, a drive of about 37 minutes, with roughly 30 of those miles on I-580. That is close enough that a crew can load in Sparks or Reno and unload in Carson City within one working day, and close enough that stored goods can come out of our warehouse and reach a Carson City home without an overnight stop.

Carson City is also higher than Sparks. The headquarters area is at about 4,661 feet, so check the forecast before a winter loading day. Snow on the roads between the two cities is less common than on the Sierra passes, but a storm still changes a schedule, and your written estimate is the place to ask how weather is handled.

How an orders-based move is booked

Military household goods moves are booked through the Defense Personal Property System, which you reach from Military OneSource. You choose between a government-arranged household goods shipment and a Personally Procured Move, called a PPM and once known as a DITY move. A PPM needs a valid set of orders, according to the Navy's PPM handout, so get your orders in hand before you plan dates.

Which option your orders allow is decided by your command and your transportation office or Personal Property Office, not by a mover. Start there. Guard members whose status or orders differ from active duty should ask that office what applies to them before they call anyone else.

Where O'Brien's fits

O'Brien's is DOD approved to move and store military household goods. If you are running a PPM, or you want packing, a loading crew or storage that your orders do not provide, you can hire us directly and the free in-home estimate comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep. Estimates are itemized and in writing, and we make an itemized inventory and condition report before packing.

For a government-arranged shipment, the booking runs through DPS and your transportation office, and your written paperwork from them tells you what the government is paying for. We are happy to talk through the practical side, such as how a Sparks warehouse works for goods waiting on a report date. See our military moving overview and the DPS explainer.

Moving into or out of the Carson City area

Families tied to the headquarters live in Carson City itself and in nearby Minden, Gardnerville and Dayton. Each has its own streets, parking and access to deal with on moving day. Read our pages on movers in Carson City, movers in Minden and movers in Dayton for the local picture, or the wider Carson City and Carson Valley page.

Nevada rules for service members who move here

The Nevada DMV says an active-duty service member, spouse or dependent is not required to transfer a driver license. Non-resident service members stationed in Nevada, and their spouses, may qualify for a Governmental Services Tax exemption on vehicle registration. Check the DMV page listed below for the current wording before you register a vehicle, because it is the official source and it can change.

Storage between homes or during a deployment

Orders often leave a gap between one home and the next, or part of a household has to wait while the rest goes ahead. Ask your transportation office first about storage your orders authorize. For storage you arrange yourself, our Sparks warehouse keeps household goods in wooden vaults, 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft, with vault storage from $40 per month, and goods are shipped out with about 2 to 3 weeks notice. Our storage for military households page explains how that works.

Before you call

With those answers ready, the first call is short. The office answers Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, at 775-359-6683. The military PCS helper can also help you organize dates and questions before you call.

• Your report date and the date you must leave your current home
• Whether your move is government-arranged or a PPM, and a copy of your orders if it is a PPM
• The size of your household and any heavy or high-value pieces such as a piano
• Whether you need storage, and for how long