Your Onslow County Summer Survival Guide for Military Families

Summer in Onslow County means sunshine, cookouts, and trips to the coast. For many of our military families, it also means something else entirely: moving season. If you are reading this with a stack of boxes in the corner and a PCS (permanent change of station) date circled on the calendar, take a deep breath. You are not alone, and you do not have to figure it all out by yourself.

Onslow County is proud to be home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River, and welcoming Marine Corps families is part of who we are. Whether you are arriving here for the first time or saying goodbye to a place that became home, this guide walks you through the practical steps of a summer move with children, and points you to the local people and programs ready to help. At One Place, supporting military families is one of our greatest privileges, so consider this your friendly starting point.

First things first: If you take only one action from this guide, make it this. Connect with your Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River School Liaison and request a sponsor through your new unit. These two free resources do more to smooth a move than almost anything else, and the earlier you reach out, the better.

Arriving in Onslow County: Your First Steps

If Camp Lejeune is your family’s new home, the first few weeks can feel like a blur. Tackling these essentials early will help you settle in faster and with less stress.

Start at the Welcome Aboard resources. MCCS Lejeune-New River Information, Referral & Relocation (IR&R) offers newcomer checklists, area guides, and personalized referrals to help you get familiar with your surroundings. They also run a Lending Locker, where you can borrow temporary household items while you wait for your belongings to arrive, a small thing that makes a big difference in those first weeks.

Request a sponsor. A sponsor is someone similar in rank and family status who helps your family adjust to the new community and find local resources. If you have not been assigned one, you can request a sponsor through your new unit. It is like having a built-in friend who already knows the lay of the land.

Get your childcare requests in early. Summer is the busiest time for on-base childcare, so do not wait. All military families must register and submit a Request for Care through MilitaryChildCare.com before processing through the local enrollment office. MCCS offers care for ages six weeks through five years, plus School Age Care and spring, summer, and winter camps for children in kindergarten through age 12.

Know your childcare options off base, too. If on-base care has a waitlist, or if living off base makes community care more convenient, you have options. Programs like Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) can help offset the cost of quality civilian childcare. We break this down in our guide, Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN): What You Need to Know. One Place provides enhanced childcare referrals to all military families, so reach out and we will help you find the right fit.

Sorting Out Schools Before Fall

A summer move means a small window to get your children enrolled before the new school year. One thing that surprises many newcomers is that where you live determines which school system serves your child.

• Families living in base housing on Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River are typically served by Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, which include several elementary schools, a middle school, and Lejeune High School.
• Families living off base throughout the Jacksonville area are served by Onslow County Schools, a PK–12 district with a wide range of options.

Lean on the School Liaison Program. The School Liaisons on Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River assist with all K-12 education questions for public, private, DoDEA, and homeschooled students, including help with changing and finding schools, PCS transitions, deployments, and even tutoring and scholarship resources. Onslow County Schools partners closely with the program because, as they put it, kids serve too. To find a liaison, Military OneSource offers a School Liaison Program directory.

For a deeper dive on helping kids through the school switch, we wrote a whole guide on it: A Military Family’s Guide to Navigating School Changes and Transitions.

Helping Your Children Through the Move

The logistics of a PCS are demanding, but for children, the hardest part is often emotional: leaving friends, a familiar room, a favorite park. Military kids are remarkably resilient, and a little intentional support goes a long way.

• Talk about it early and often. Give children time to ask questions and share worries. Naming feelings, even the hard ones, helps kids feel in control of a situation that can feel out of their hands.
• Celebrate your goodbyes. Before you leave, visit your favorite places and capture the moments your child loves. A simple photo book of your old home can become a treasured bridge to the new one.
• Build excitement for what is next. Explore your new area together online, find a park to visit first, or pick out one fun local spot to try in your first week here. (Our 2026 summer camp guide is a great place to start.)
• Lean on confidential support if you need it. Military OneSource offers Child and Youth Behavioral Military and Family Life counselors, a free, confidential service that supports military children with challenges like low self-esteem, behavioral changes, and adjustment at home.

If a move overlaps with a deployment, the emotional load can be even heavier. You do not have to carry it alone. One Place can help you locate mental health resources and deployment support, and our Military Families resource page gathers trusted services in one place, from Military OneSource to Blue Star Families to the Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) program.

Settling In and Finding Your People

A house becomes a home when you start to feel connected to the community around it. Onslow County has a welcoming spirit, and summer is a wonderful time to put down roots.

• Get outside. Onslow County offers beautiful parks, paddle trails, and free beach access. Exploring together is one of the fastest ways for the whole family to fall in love with the area.
• Find a free or low-cost family outing. Spots like Sturgeon City and the Zing Zumm Children’s Museum offer hands-on fun, and many local venues host free play days throughout the summer.
• Connect with other military families. Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) builds resilience and connection for service members, spouses, children, and extended family. It is a great way to meet people who understand military life.
• Stay safe on the road and at home. As coalition members of Safe Kids Onslow, One Place can help with car seat checks and installation, which is especially handy after a long move. Just text “Safe Kids” to 910-333-0608.

Saying Goodbye to Onslow? A Note for Outgoing Families

If this summer is taking your family somewhere new, we are grateful for the time you spent here. Many of the same resources that welcome families also help them leave well. Your School Liaison can assist with transferring records and easing the transition to your next duty station, and a Youth Sponsorship Program at your new installation can pair your child with a peer before you even arrive. Take time to celebrate your favorite Onslow County memories together before you go, and know that wherever the Marine Corps sends you next, the friendships and resilience you built here travel with you.

We’re Here to Help

A PCS is a lot, especially in the thick of summer with kids in tow. But you are part of a community that knows military life and is ready to help you thrive in it. Whether you need a childcare referral, help finding the right school, a car seat check, or simply someone to point you in the right direction, One Place is here. Reach out to us at 910-938-0336, and follow us on social media for more local family resources all summer long.

Looking for military family resources in one spot? Browse our Military Family Resource Roundup and our resources for parents and early educators.

Want to help military families thrive here? Your gift helps One Place connect Onslow County families to childcare, early learning, and support when they need it most. Donate today.