New · August 2026
Boris is now on Android.
Same app, same widget, same nothing-collected. Free on both stores, no account either way.
For American Families PCSing to Germany 1776–2026 · Celebrated far from home
Your guide for every step of your PCS to Ramstein, Kaiserslautern & Landstuhl.
Boris gives every family the same guidance — whether your sponsor is incredible or completely MIA. Trust the process. Start here.
No account. No email. No tracking.
The situation
PCS-ing to Germany is a lot.
New country, different banking rules, a SOFA status you’ve never had to explain, schools to research, a lease to sign in a language you don’t speak yet — and that’s before you unpack a single box.
Your sponsor may be fantastic. Or they may be deployed, overwhelmed, or simply not sure of the answers either. You deserve good information regardless.
Boris™ is the friend who’s done this move three times. It keeps you organized, tells you what happens next, and is honest when it doesn’t know.
KMC LOCAL · INDEPENDENT DEVELOPER
Built by a neighbor.
I’m Cristian — advertising in South America, then industrial visualization here in Europe, four years in the KMC, and a Jack Russell named Boris who’s greeted every family through our door. Three years of those kitchen-table conversations became this app.
Who Boris is for
Four kinds of families. Four different answers.
Boris™ gives you status-specific guidance because the same task can have a completely different answer depending on who you are. We don’t collapse everyone into "active duty defaults."
These portraits are AI-generated. The people in them aren’t real, and we’d rather tell you that than borrow someone’s face.
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Active Duty
Service members and their families on PCS orders.
- TRICARE moves, JAG legal help, on-base resources in arrival order
- Tasks adapted to your status — SCRA, GTC, DLA, all of it
- Spouse and kids on your orders? Boris adapts the timeline
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GS Civilian
DoD federal employees on PCS orders to Germany.
- LQA and TQSA timing without the rumors
- Healthcare through FEHB — not TRICARE — plus FERS retirement and a USAREUR license
- When CPAC and unit S1 give different answers — Boris cites the reg
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Contractor
DoD contractors and their families with SOFA status.
- SOFA certification, base access, contractor housing options
- No LQA, no DLA, legal help through company HR — Boris flags which doors are closed
- USAREUR license, VAT form, Anmeldung exemption — same SOFA tier
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NAF Civilian
MWR, FSS, AAFES, lodging — often trailing spouses.
- NAF Health Plan — not TRICARE — and what it actually covers
- NAF HR is its own system: not CPAC, not unit S1
- Trailing-spouse local hires almost never qualify for LQA or TLA
See Boris in action
Everything in one place.
Your Daily Companion
Everything you need today — tasks, currency, tips, and your progress at a glance. Boris keeps it simple.
Home Screen Widget New
Countdown and next tasks right on your Home Screen — tap to check one off without opening Boris.
Personalized Setup
Boris learns who you are in 30 seconds. Kids, pets, spouse arriving later — your checklist adapts instantly.
Smart Checklist
Phased tasks with real-time office hours. Boris knows when offices open and what documents you need.
Document Tracking
Know exactly what to bring before you leave. Track which documents are ready, which aren't.
Verified Warnings
Heads-up alerts with cited regulations. The IDP trap, the UTAP pre-signing mistake — caught before you make them.
TQSA / TLA Log New
On TQSA and TLA you're reimbursed what you actually spent, so every meal and receipt counts. Boris keeps the running record and exports it as a table you can open in Excel for your Finance office.
Verified Directory
English-friendly businesses with hours, addresses, and the notes that aren't on their websites.
Discover Guides
From quiet hours to recycling rules — real life in Germany, explained for American families.
Settled Mode
Boris stays useful long after the boxes are unpacked. Seasonal tips, events, and the transition home.
See Boris in action
Everything in one place.
Your Daily Companion
Everything you need today — tasks, currency, tips, and your progress at a glance. Boris keeps it simple.
Home Screen Widget New
Countdown and next tasks right on your Home Screen — tap to check one off without opening Boris.
Personalized Setup
Boris learns who you are in 30 seconds. Kids, pets, spouse arriving later — your checklist adapts instantly.
Smart Checklist
Phased tasks with real-time office hours. Boris knows when offices open and what documents you need.
Document Tracking
Know exactly what to bring before you leave. Track which documents are ready, which aren't.
Verified Warnings
Heads-up alerts with cited regulations. The IDP trap, the UTAP pre-signing mistake — caught before you make them.
TQSA / TLA Log New
On TQSA and TLA you're reimbursed what you actually spent, so every meal and receipt counts. Boris keeps the running record and exports it as a table you can open in Excel for your Finance office.
Verified Directory
English-friendly businesses with hours, addresses, and the notes that aren't on their websites.
Discover Guides
From quiet hours to recycling rules — real life in Germany, explained for American families.
Settled Mode
Boris stays useful long after the boxes are unpacked. Seasonal tips, events, and the transition home.
Like what you see?
How we operate
Trust is the product. Full stop.
The rule is simple: Boris doesn’t need your data to do its job. Everything below is non-negotiable.
No account. No email.
The hand in this photo is AI-generated. The screen is a real screenshot of the app.
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Privacy by Default
Boris™ doesn’t collect your name, email, unit, or location. There’s nothing to breach because there’s nothing stored.
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No Ads, No Tracking
No marketing pixels. No pop-ups. The app collects nothing about you at all; this website counts visits with a cookieless tool that cannot identify anyone. Local partners appear in the directory — clearly labeled — but Boris™ never sells your data or your attention.
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Honest When We Don’t Know
Regulations change. When Boris™ isn’t sure, it says so — and points you to the office that actually knows.
What makes Boris™ different
Built for this community. Nobody else's.
- Real-time office hours on every task — Boris™ won't send you somewhere that's closed
- Document checklists — know exactly what to bring before you leave the house
- Heads-up warnings with cited regulations — not Facebook rumors
- Family-aware — kids, pets, spouse arriving later, Boris™ adapts your timeline
- Status-specific — active duty, GS civilian, and contractor families get different answers
- Three life phases — PCS-In, Settled, PCS-Out. Only what matters right now
- Works offline — checklists, reminders, and emergency info without a connection
From the App Store
What families are saying
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Very helpful and clean looking!
I’m sure you’ll get your own set of checklists but this was a really solid app to have during my initial time. Even after having checked off most boxes I’ll still keep it as the restaurant/business recs are SOLID!
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Civilian
This Boris app is GREAT! The ease of the app with the daily reminders and daily task list removed a lot of the stress around onboarding as a first-time civilian DOD employee for me. The directory to local places in Germany—from groceries and home goods to ice cream places, pet services, and more—was a great resource! Thanks, Team Boris!
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Most Helpful App for PCSing!!
This app has been a game changer in our move here to Germany! Not only does it give you a comprehensive guide to all the PCSing processes it is user friendly and gives you easy to follow check lists! It also has been a great resource to for finding places to eat, stay and visit around the KMC area. It’s not easy being in another country trying to set up a new home base, but Boris was with us every step of the way and made it feel manageable!!
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Incredible Resource
This app is such an incredible resource for people PCSing in and out of Germany. I also love the ‘Settled’ version, which provides valuable information and guidance for people living in the area. Looking for something fun to do? Looking for a new restaurant to try? Looking for information on how to recycle? This app has that and so much more! Enjoy!
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Settle in
This is a great app for anyone PCSing into the KMC as it helps organize all the tasks you need to do. Once here, it provides lots of helpful info for day to day living.
Working out what to use for your PCS to the KMC? Read the direct answer, with sources.
New here? See what Boris actually does — and what it deliberately doesn't.
Free & verified, no login
Common PCS questions, answered.
Real questions KMC families ask before they even open the app — checked against official sources and dated, so you know they're current.
- Do US military families need to register (Anmeldung) in Germany?
- TLA vs TQSA: what's the difference for a PCS to Germany?
- What do military families get in Germany? Active duty vs GS civilian vs contractor vs NAF
- OHA vs LQA: what's the difference for a PCS to Germany?
- Can I drive in Germany on my US license or an IDP?
- Do US military families need to Abmelden (deregister) when leaving Germany?
- How do I stop paying German tax on my utilities at Ramstein or in the KMC?
Questions
Things people ask before they trust a new app.
Is Boris™ really free?
Yes. No in-app purchases, no premium tier, no subscription. Boris™ is free to download and use entirely.
How does Boris™ stay free?
Local businesses that serve the KMC community — restaurants, realtors, service providers — can apply to be verified and recommended in the Boris™ directory. They fund Boris™; families never pay. We only accept businesses we’d genuinely recommend. If it’s not good enough for our own families, it’s not in Boris™.
Do I need to create an account?
No account, no email address, no profile. You download it and use it. Your personal data stays on your device.
Does Boris™ track my location?
Only if you explicitly allow it to show nearby resources on the map — and only in that moment. Boris™ never tracks you in the background.
Is this an official DoD or Army app?
No. Boris™ is an independent project. Cristian, who runs a TLA in the KMC and moved here from South America, built it. It’s not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any military branch.
What about OPSEC?
Boris™ asks for nothing about you: no name, no rank, no unit, no arrival or departure dates, no account. Nothing stored can identify you, so there is nothing to leak. Everything in the app comes from public sources, and Boris™ is not an official source of military information, so it never publishes operational or non-public details. If you see something in the app that shouldn’t be there, email hello@borispcs.com and we’ll look at it right away.
What if information in the app is wrong or outdated?
We update Boris™ regularly and flag anything we’re uncertain about. If you spot something wrong, there’s a feedback button in the app and you can reach us at hello@borispcs.com.
Does Boris™ work for GS civilians and contractors, not just military?
Yes. The checklists and directory adapt based on your status. OHA is different from LQA, and SOFA rights differ between military and contractor. Boris™ handles those differences.
What if my sponsor is already great?
Then you’re lucky — Boris™ will still be useful. Having a good sponsor and having good information aren’t mutually exclusive.
Does Boris™ work offline?
Core features — checklists, reminders, emergency numbers — work fully offline after the first download. The directory and map need a connection for fresh data.
Why not just use KMC Facebook groups?
Facebook groups are great for asking neighbors what they think. But the answers change depending on who’s online, they’re impossible to search, and nobody checks if the advice is still accurate. Boris™ gives you verified, sourced, current information — not someone’s two-year-old memory of how it worked when they arrived.
Can I use Boris™ before I leave the US?
Yes — and you should. Boris™ helps you prepare before you fly. Financial planning, document checklists, and knowing what to expect on day one are all available before you land in Germany.
Is Boris™ available on Android?
Yes. Boris™ is on Google Play — search "Boris - PCS Guide" or use the Google Play button on this page. It is the same full app as the iPhone version, including the home-screen widget: free, no account, no tracking.
Already using Boris™?
Keep Boris alive for the next family.
Boris is free, independent, and built by one family in Landstuhl. A written review on the App Store or Google Play is what tells the next family stepping off the plane that this thing is worth trusting.
