SUPPORTING THE TROOPS “Having self-storage at a discount
or any free service would be very helpful,” Anita Kaestner, whose hus- band serves in the Air Force, told MSM. The couple recently moved from Florida to Georgia and had to quickly sell their home and find a new one. Wondering what to do with their belongings in the interim only added to the stress of the move. “A lot of military families move fairly
often, and it gets very expensive,” says Kaestner. “Plus, housing isn’t always available where you’re headed, so your things are often in storage for months before you can rent or buy or get housing on base. There are families that live in hotels or RVs for weeks while trying to close on a house or get something on base because the mili- tary member has to be at work before housing is ready.”
Response To The News Many self-storage facilities have been offering military discounts for some time. This new policy may present additional opportunities. The policy is so new, however, that many, whether military or civilian, aren’t aware of it. “The new policy has not previously
been reported in the press,” Military. com wrote . “The order has not been widely distributed to the force.” “I hadn’t heard of this new policy,”
says Sara Munoz, who helps oversee five National Self Storage facilities in Texas, one of which is situated by Fort Bliss, home to the largest mili- tary training area in the United States and comprising more than 965,000 acres. Of course, Munoz knows the value
of military tenants. “We offer 10 per- cent discounts to the military, and will often waive administrative fees for them,” she says. Munoz acknowl- edges that their Horizon City facility, the closest to Fort Bliss, has a signifi- cant number of military tenants. However, there may be more than even she is aware of. “Veterans will often ask about mili- tary discounts, but not active-duty
SECOND QUARTER 2024
military. We look and listen for cues. For example, if someone has an out- of-state ID, or says they’re temporar- ily moving, then we may ask if they are military.” “We’ve had many active-duty mili-
tary store vehicles with us,” says Arlo Dill, vice president of opera- tions for National Self Storage. “I understand that some bases allow storage on site, but that’s often just a dirt lot with little security. So, we offer discounts to bring them to us.” Dill says that to support service
members, little things can go a long way. “One of our former indoor RV storage facilities offered to start military members’ vehicles once per week, so they would know their ride would be running when they returned.” Continues Dill, “Right now, we use a smart access app that allows them to check in on their unit. Knowing that they can see who, if anyone, has accessed it gives them peace of mind.” Marketing to the military isn’t
always a homerun, of course, and self-storage owners should always test the waters. “We currently use a local magazine given to incoming military and their family,” says Angela Wright with Simply Storage in Virginia Beach. “We utilize this across four of my Virginia locations. Our metrics show that this has not been a good spend for these loca- tions as we have only seen two rent- als from it.” If newspapers aren’t getting
results, Kaestner recommends reaching out to the military base Public Affairs office to look into advertising or sponsorship opportu- nities. “A lot of military members read base publications, but many don’t subscribe to local newspapers because they may not be in the area for long,” she says. “Sponsoring community events that the bases put on can also be a great opportunity to get your brand in front of the mili- tary members coordinating the event and the thousands of people from the community who attend.”
Military Considerations Self-storage facilities in a position to serve military members should keep in mind what is most valuable to them. A few items for consideration include: • Flexible Leasing Agreements - Providing month-to-month rental terms as service member assign- ments and deployments may change frequently.
• Online Bill Pay Service - This makes it easy for military service members to make payments regardless of their location.
• Vehicle Storage - The need to store a vehicle is a top priority for many service members.
• 24-Hour Access - Offering 24-hour gate access for those who need to access their storage units outside of normal business hours is a plus for military service members arriving at off-hours.
• Climate Control - Service members may need to store the majority of their belongings, which includes tempera- ture-sensitive items like electronics, furniture, clothing, books, and more.
• Security - Service members tend to be acutely aware of security measures. Video surveillance and electronic gate access, along with individual unit locks, will help put them at ease.
Pending Policy Changes With the recent change in policy receiv- ing widespread scorn, the Army may look to change things in the future. “We understand the burden [the recent change] could potentially place on sol- diers, and HQDA G-1 is drafting policy that would enable such storage,” Sgt. Pablo Saez, a service spokesperson, told
Military.com. When and if a new policy allowing
storage goes into effect remains unknown, providing self-storage opera- tors with a chance to “serve those who serve” by offering military discounts and other deals outlined here.
Brad Hadfield is a staff writer and news researcher for Modern Storage Media. He also manages the Modern Storage Media website.
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