By Michael Schindler

Classified ads have never really been “classy.” Growing up I remember that people’s worn out or well-used goods were given real estate at the “back of” the newspaper.

Jump a few years and the classified section graduated to Craiglist. Not classy – not flashy; but extremely effective. And the goods actually seemed to be “good.” It wasn’t the second or third hand store – it became the world’s largest garage sale featuring some good stuff at good prices.

What if one could create the same concept but catered to the military family? Welcome Sargeslist.

SargesList is powered by R&B Communications, the technology team that develops and maintains the Automated Housing Referral Network (AHRN.com). Two of the team members are former military (Army and Air Force). Having worked with military for 10 years in helping them find housing in and around their next duty station, their team found that service members needed a way to connect when PCSing to buy and sell needed items as well as find local information. This became especially apparent in OCONUS PCSes where there are appliance, furniture and car constraints.

So in talking with various military personnel, they found that there are classifieds that are local and sometimes behind military firewalls. Each installation appears to be doing something isolated and perhaps isn’t even widely known or easy to access by the general military population.

The solution?  Sargeslist. SargesList is a free worldwide classifieds site for all Active Duty Military Branches, Reservists, Guard, Coasties, Retirees, DoD Civilians and military communities to interact.

What makes SargesList unique is that when a user registers with a DOT MIL email address, their listings and communications are marked with Sarge’s Stamp of Approval. This lets users know that they are dealing with another colleague in the military network.
SargesList™ includes everything in one place: users can buy and sell household items, vehicles and real estate, as well as browse listings for jobs, pets and local services.  SargesList is ideal for military members looking to buy and sell items during PCS, particularly for overseas moves.  To check out the new website, go to: www.SargesList.com.

Michael Schindler, Navy veteran, and president of Edmonds-based Operation Military Family, is a guest writer for several national publications, author of the book “Operation Military Family” and “The Military Wire” blog. He is also a popular keynote and workshop speaker who reaches thousands of service members and their families every year through workshops and seminars that include  “How to Battle-Ready Your Relationship” or “What Your Mother-in-Law Didn’t Tell You.”  He received the 2010 Outstanding Patriotic Service Award from the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.