You are right, I have not developed friends like yours since I entered the Air Force in 1971, served over 30-years. I had 17-changes of assignment and served in 9-different countries on 6-different continents (never made it to the Antarctic…)…
The military is not very obliging to move items that are not clearly common household items…
I have had friends have to leave drill presses, band saws, table saws, and yes; even compressors behind because the military will not move your “commercial” equipment and supplies. I was a computer programmer and I had a limit of one computer per family member plus one…
If the military deems your items ineligible for shipment in your household shipment. The items are shipped separately, still with your shipment, but under a private bill of lading and you are responsible for all costs…
My Harley cold be shipped with my household goods, but in the same shipping container as the refrigerator, washer, dryer, sofa, beds, etc… No special packing, other than moving blankets…
When I moved stateside, I moved it myself. But when going overseas, it stayed behind in the states with relatives…
So while you and your friends were collecting your lot of tools, my friends and I were keep the world safe so you could live in peace and safety…
Here is old posting of mine of just what it’s like to drive around our “Neighborhoods…”