Prioritizing Education: One Family’s Choice to Stay Put

The orders are official, and you’re starting your moving to-do list. For parents, finding the best school to fit their child’s needs is often at the very top of that list.

Family spoke with Army spouse Natasha Hazlett about this very topic. Natasha and her spouse, Sergeant First Class Alex Hazlett, have two children: Aidan (18), a senior, and Addison (13), a seventh grader.

While SFC Hazlett is currently stationed at Fort Irwin, California, the family remained at Fort Riley, Kansas—and school was one of the main reasons behind that decision. Military life often requires flexibility, but for the Hazlett family, staying put was a carefully considered choice rooted in stability, education, and long-term planning.

A Veteran of Moving

How many times have you PCS’d? I’ve PCS’d seven times over the course of our military life. With each move, I’ve learned something new, but one thing has stayed the same: the importance of where our children will be receiving their education.

The Importance of Research

Why is it important for you to research schools before a move? I always scope out schools before we move to make sure they can accommodate my son’s IEP and also offer the sports and electives my kids are interested in. School isn’t just about academics; it’s about support, opportunity, and making sure my kids can thrive where we land.

What benefits do you see from doing this ahead of time? For me, it’s a huge stress reliever. PCS moves are already overwhelming, and knowing my kids will be taken care of educationally makes a big difference. It allows me to focus on the rest of the move instead of worrying about whether my children will get the support they need once we arrive.

Natasha’s Strategy

How do you go about researching schools? I start by looking at school ratings and spending time on the school and district websites. I also talk to locals who already have kids attending those schools. That firsthand feedback is invaluable and often gives you a much clearer picture than a website alone.

What resources do you rely on most?

• Facebook Groups: Military spouse communities are incredibly helpful and honest.
• Realtor.com: I use this to look at neighborhoods and school zones so I can see how everything connects before we make a decision.

Choosing Stability Over Moving

Your family chose to stay at Fort Riley while your spouse moved. Can you share more about that decision? Aidan is a senior this year, and he’s done his entire high school career here at Fort Riley. Alex, my husband, didn’t have the option to stay, so he had to move to Fort Irwin, but we felt it was important for Aidan to finish strong with consistency.

On top of that, I work on post, and due to a current hiring freeze, I can’t transfer right now. Alex is eligible to retire in about three years, and I didn’t want to give up my job when we may need that stability during retirement. Between kids and dogs—which are both expensive—keeping steady employment made sense for our family.

While living geographically separated isn’t ideal, it’s a reminder that military families often have to make creative, sometimes difficult decisions to do what’s best for everyone involved. For the Hazlett family, prioritizing education, stability, and long-term planning has helped them navigate yet another season of military life with intention.