[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a not so ironic turn of events the product manager office charged with overseeing the systems dedicated to providing location capabilities to the Army, was the first Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors organization to relocate from Fort Monmouth, NJ to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.
Product Manager Global Positioning System began the process of transitioning from its home on the Jersey Shore, as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act, when its Deputy Product Manager Chris Manning officially arrived on station in June.
The GPS shop is leading the way for PEO IEW&S, which will complete moving all of its offices from Fort Monmouth by Fall 2011. One of the reasons PM GPS was selected to move early in the transition process was because it put together and utilized a solid transition plan.
Manning moved into GPS’ new home in July, where, the offices will remain until construction of its permanent facility is complete. Manning spent nine years as a signals officer, with Fort Monmouth as his last assignment, before transitioning into a government position. He has been at the base since 2003 but volunteered to make the move first, in order to ensure the transition for the unit went smoothly.
About a year ago, Manning along with representatives from CERDEC went down to APG to check out the facilities they were going to move in to. “We came through and looked at the building and the way it was configured and realized it wasn’t going to work for our organization,” said Manning. “So, we went through a number of iterations of what renovations were needed to fit the maximum number of people in here, while maintaining the ability to work the way we need to work with a conference room, VTC capability, Lab space, etc.”
After working with the ARL, PM GPS is being housed in a completely refurbished building.
As the first representative from GPS to make the move, Manning and his wife didn’t have the opportunity to discuss with other co-workers, that made the move, the relocation process. Therefore, they spent a good deal of time preparing for the move by researching numerous areas they could move to. “I did a lot of research on the web as far as real estate was concerned,” said Manning. “For about a year before we received orders we were driving down here every other weekend. We just came down to drive through the neighborhoods which gave us a good feel for the different areas.”
In determining, which areas would suit his family the best Manning and his wife created a priority list of factors to consider in choosing the location of their new home. They took into account the quality of school systems, proximity to hospitals in the area (Manning’s wife works in health care), commute to APG, price range of houses, amenities and many other items. Following all the preparation, Manning and his family purchased a home in Cecil County, MD approximately 3 miles north of Chesapeake City.
Manning made it a point to participate in the relocation fairs held at Fort Monmouth and found them to be helpful especially in terms of finding employment in Maryland. At one of the meetings, Manning made contact with representatives from Union Hospital, which eventually led to a job for his wife.
“The most useful thing I found was going to the AMC BRAC website with all the examples of the documentation you need to submit for reimbursements for all of your entitlements,” said Manning. “It is one thing to tell someone to fill out a voucher, but it is another thing to say here is an example of one filled out which makes it much simpler.”
One of the lessons learned from his relocation to Maryland, which Manning would advise others against was trying to move his household items directly from his New Jersey residence to his new home in Maryland. “The hardest thing for me was that I had houses in two locations at the same time, which I did deliberately because I wanted my household goods moved and delivered directly so that they wouldn’t go into to storage,” said Manning.
“So I had to have possession of both properties and it just made it really hard to make that drive back to clear out my property in New Jersey, turn back around and get it cleaned and inspected which I couldn’t do until after the movers had cleared out and in the meantime the movers are arriving in Maryland,” noted Manning. “In retrospect it might have been easier if I would have had them pick up my household goods, cleared out of my place in New Jersey and then showed up in Maryland instead of all the back and forth, which made for a very stressful month.”
Mike Vincelli, an integration engineer who is matrixed to PM GPS from CERDEC, also made the move to APG and found that gaining advice from others who moved before him including Manning was very helpful in making the transition.
Vincelli, a life-long New Jersey resident who was born and raised in Long Branch, began working at Fort Monmouth in 2003. In preparing for the move from the only place he has worked at since graduating college Vincelli preferred to visit the BRAC Knowledge Center website and BRAC WIKI’s instead of attending relocation fairs. “I’m a find it out for myself kind of guy,” he stated.
A major challenge Vincelli faced was selling his condominium in New Jersey. In an effort to assist with selling his home, he participated in the Defense National Relocation Plan (DNRP), which purchased his house from him. A piece of advice Vincelli would share with others considering using the DNRP is, “if you find them a buyer that saves them the whole process of them having to find somebody. I didn’t know how important that was because not only do you usually get a higher price because they forecast out that period they are making your mortgage payments, so if it is a down market like it currently is they are going to forecast downward, you’ll get an appraisal value for your house as it is now but they will offer you what it will be in four months.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]