Well, being a military brat and having spent 24+ years in the military myself, I have moved more than my fair share of times - cross country several times and twice overseas. And several times within the same area. Your dad is right, "stuff gets broken and that's the way it is." Stuff gets lost too. That's what moving insurance is for which you can get for DIY moves, or if a moving company is packing and moving you, they should have.
It is usually best to pack your electronics in the original boxes they came in - if you still have them. Just don't seal/tape them up if a moving company is moving you. If you tape them up, they are considered "self-packed" and their insurance is not responsible. You might consider removing the hard drives and taking them with you in case they (and any personal data on them) get lost (or damaged). As for your pottery - best I can suggest is take pictures and again, if you want to wrap them in bubble wrap, that's up to you, but let the packers seal the boxes.
