Information on PCS/moves/moving (DITY, TMO, DLA, storage)

[Guest 130Nav]

You will make more money if you and your wife drive separate cars. It kind of sucks but then they have to pay full per diem and mileage for both of you..it almost doubles what you get.

As for the partial DITY move portion, I really didn't feel like it was that great of a deal. We brought back a ton of weight and still only got a few hundred out of the deal. Not sure it was worth the trouble

[Guest rotorhead]

Here is some more advice...ALWAYS partial DITY...you're making the trip anyway, so you might as well get the govt to pay you for that full trunk of clothes...even if it is little weight. A hundred bucks is a hundred bucks.

Here's a tidbit the TMO/Finance guys will NEVER tell you. There are $/lb stairstep cutoffs, where they reduce the price per pound. For example (these numbers are made up for illustration only):

You move 0-499 lbs, get 1.00 per pound

You move 500-999 lbs, get .75 per pound

You move 1000-5000 lbs, get .50 per pound.

The point is, you may think that adding that extra tool box will automatically get you more money, but it could put you barely into the next higher weight/lower pay bracket...in other words, better to move 950 lbs than 1050 lbs.

TMO or Finance HAS to tell you such info if you ask (you have to ask). If they say they don't know what you're talking about, talk to someone else.

[Guest av8tor55]

For the Guard/Reserve(AD too?) folks:

Will my move after UPT at XL to Altus be a PCS or Enroute-TDY? And if it is a TDY, do they send all of your Household Goods back to your home state? If my wife will be accompanying me, will I get a house at Altus?

[Baseops.Net]

Whether it's a PCS or enroute TDY depends on how your unit back home wants to pay for it. They will cut your orders and they own you once you graduate. Best thing is to call back to your ANG/AFRES unit (orderly room) and find out.

Either way, your unit pays for the PCS - to include the packers packing up your belongings and shipping them BACK to your home station (home unit).

Hope that this helps.

[USAF Pilot]

For those of you who have PCS'd in the past any suggestions on how to make a smooth move? I'm looking for any stories about the Air Force moving your household goods and how to make sure that process goes alright. Also, anything I should be looking for from the admin people that they might drop from their cross check? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Toro]

Having just done a PCS, here's a couple suggestions-

- Stay on MPF about getting your orders. As soon as you get your RIP, MPF should start working on cutting your orders. There are a lot of things you need to do (SATO, billeting, movers) that cannot be arranged until you have orders. Myself and a couple guys were essentially ignored by MPF until we got our squadron commander involved. After two weeks of nothing from MPF, one call from him got us our orders in a couple hours.

- MPF should give you a checklist for outprocessing that covers all the base agencies you need to outprocess with. Get the checklist done ASAP so you're not running around in the last couple days trying to get letters from agencies like the Education or Transportation office.

- Along similar lines, contact all the appropriate utilities people about a month out to find out what you'll need to do to shut everything off and pay your final bills. For a temporary forwarding address, most bases have general delivery where you can receive mail. Others have PO Boxes that you can get as soon as you have orders.

- Get a sponsor where you're going. The squadrons I've been in had one person in charge of tracking the inbounds and assigning sponsors. Still, they sometimes don't get assigned, or sometimes the sponsors don't get in touch with you. If you're within a month of getting there and haven't heard anything, call the squadron and tell them you're inbound without a sponsor. And if you don't have a sponsor (or even if you do)...

- Contact the Family Support Center at the base you're going to. They can provide you with a SITES package that tells you all kinds of information about the base, local community and advice for the transition. The FSC at your current base can generally provide this is well, and you can usually get the SITES package on line.

- I've never had a problem with movers - a couple broken things every move, but after a little bit of paperwork the Air Force will reimburse you for its value or repair cost. You could have them remove everything from your drawers and pack it, but unless you want 6,900 individual items wrapped up, I suggest you self-pack all your small items in a container. Realize that if you pack it, they're not responsible if it breaks in the move. Videotape everything and inventory things like books, movies and CDs. They will inventory your stuff, but only to the extent of "200 CDs". Don't have them pack anything with high personal value, expensive jewelry, or important documents. If you have kids, get a babysitter for the day - they'll only get in the way.

That's just a few things, I'm sure other people have plenty more for you.

[JS]

I would say the best (only) way you can make a "smooth" PCS with the USAF is to not involve TMO or any of the other shoe clerks in the AF with your move. When I PCS'ed to CBM for UPT, I jammed everything I own into my car and didn't have to deal with the hours and days of endless agony that my friends and neighbors had to endure while trying to get their furniture etc. from TMO. I know this is not possible for people with a family, but I would recommend that new 2Lt's try to keep things to a minimum when moving to their first base or two.

[Guest AV8NSP]

The advantage of doing it yourself (DITY), is that you know the packer and mover (you), so you are pretty sure they'll take care of your stuff. You also have the opportunity to see how much money you can save, because regardless of how much YOU pay, the govt will pay you 90% (that was the figure when I did it last year) of what it would cost them to have a professional mover move you. So, if it costs you $700 to rent a truck and buy supplies, and it would cost them say $1500 to pay someone to do it, guess where the difference goes? That's right--in YOUR pocket! However, there are some advantages to having someone else do it, too. The only time I didn't do a DITY during my 6 years of AD was my final move after separating. It turned out to really not be so bad. Little paperwork hassle, but nice to not have to do all the packing. Buy your packers and movers (they'll be different crews on different days) lunch, and you'll be surprised how much more they'll care about your stuff. Beyond that, I would highly encourage doing a partial-DITY, which is what I did when I came back on AD for UPT. You'll get the contract movers to pack up and move most of your stuff, but you set a room aside to put your important things in (and things you can't live without for a couple weeks, like clothes and uniforms, and your computer), and tell the movers not to go in there. When they are done moving your stuff, you can load that room in your truck or trailer, and get paid for a DITY on that part. Little more paperwork, but definitely worth it.

[Guest JArcher00]

I am due to finish Corpus in Dec, start Little Rock the first week of Jan. I will be taking my wife and pets to Little Rock. Some questions below are different senerios that I would like some input on. Thanks.

If I PCS from Corpus to Maryland after I finish and then go TDY to Little Rock and have my HHGs shipped to Maryland and put into storage and get a furnished place in LR, how long does to government pay for storage? 30,60,90 or more days?

If I decide to move my stuff from Corpus to Little Rock for the TDY and then use the government to move the stuff "PCS" from Little Rock to Maryland instead of Corpus to Maryland when I am done, lets say in 6 months is that usually an issue?

Any Guard/Reserve members who dealt with situations like this please help.

[GW]

RedDog-

I ran into almost the same exact situation.

The government will pay for storage no questions asked for 90 days (exactly when that 90 day clock starts I don't know). But you can get extensions, having TDY orders to LRF should qualify. I just faxed my orders to the JPPSO (Joint Personel Property Something or Other Office, you get the point) in my region and the guy gave me an extension no problem.

The PCS to LRF is a bit more complicated, and I'll relate it to you if you'd like, just ask. Needless to say, it took a little doing to make it work in my favor. The short story is that I graduated from CRP, went straight to LRF and then back home after I finish CIQ and got the goverment to pay for two PCS moves.

GW

[Guest Metalhead]

GW -- Did you still get travel pay? Not a bad job of scamming if you did.

RedDog -- It won't matter since you're married, you'll get your BAH anyway, but for those of you who are single -- try not to go TDY reroute if possible. PCS to your unit. Get your BAH going. Go TDY to the schoolhouse. Make lots-o-money. Active Duty will have a much harder time making this happen.

As far as your stuff, do you really want ALL those things with you in Littlerock? I doubt it. That's a full blown move you have to deal with on your own. Do a partial dity, get paid for the stuff you move and will live with while you are there. Just take some of it, enough to be comfortable. Send the rest of your HHG's home to your unit. They will stay in non-temporary storage (where that name comes from I have no idea) for the whole time until you get home, find a place and order them up. The moving company will take care of the whole storage thing for you. I think the 90 day thing is right. After 90 you put in a piece of paper to extend it to 180 and so on.

Since you've got wif & pets, you can go rent an apartment off base at LRF and get paid probably more that your rent.

[GW]

RedDog-

Sorry this is so late, I wish I could say I've been busy, but I'm a lazy lazy man.

Anyway here's what I did.

First of all it kind of depends what your orders say. The important thing to have is a valid 04 (or 05 by now?) fund site for your HHG on the orders that get you from CRP to LRF. My original set didn't even have a fund site, so I called my guard unit and had my Base Training Manager amend my orders to include a valid fund site for HHG. (I don't know how Baltimore does it but the Base Education and Training Office in Rhode Island was my contact for orders, either way call your contact first) Once you do this, 80% of your headaches are taken care of. The other 20% will come from the folks at Personal Property in Corpus or TMO in Little Rock. The Mensa members at CRP will try to tell you that because CIQ at LRF is scheduled for less than 6 months, it is considered TDY and thus your not entitled to a government move. Ignore them, show them your fund site, and if that doesn't work show them your Guard Waiver and they should set up the movers. They will probably try to cover their asses by counseling that because your going to a 5 month school that you could be held responsible for the cost of the move later on. Money talks and Bull Shit walks, your fund site should be all that you need, I never had anybody come to me looking for so much as a nickel.

Once you get to LRF it's business as usual, welcome back to the AF and try to remember WTF a 1-1 is, and that phone number for the 202 Wx mins. (Side note: I drove up the gulf coast on I-10 thru Texarkana to Little Rock and what looks like a more direct route on the map ended up taking me just as long as driving threw big D would have. So take your pick, Dallas or Texarkana it all comes out in the wash)

Getting out of Arkansas however can present a few different problems, but again a valid fund site on your orders sending you back to MD solves almost everything. It took a good hour of head scratching by the desk jockeys in TMO to figure out how to move me back north to the land of Clam Cakes, Quahogs, and October Baseball. At first they tried to tell me that they could only move me back to my Guard Base, which is funny for more reasons then I'll list here. So after I explained for the 5th time that I was in the Guard and going home, they were more than willing to ship to the Home of Record listed on my orders. So make sure your HOR on your orders is where you want to move to, because that's the only way they could do it for me.

One more thing I forgot to add, if you end up hauling stuff in your POV up to Arkansas they actually have a scale on base at LRF, it costs $5 per weigh in, they should have the info at TMO.

OK I think that's pretty much everything, as a former IP of mine from VMI once said, "Knowledge is Power". Let me know if you have any more questions.

Metalhead-

I sure did.

GW

[ 05. October 2004, 23:56: Message edited by: GuardWaiver ]

[Guest JArcher00]

Has anyone had additional household goods shippments once a PCS is complete? I have stuff in storage at my HOR that my wife wants moved to us. Any help would be appriciated.

[Guest deweygcc]

Yeah you are alotted a certain amount of weight. If you are new to the USAF, and didnt move your full amount the first time theres a good chance you have some left.

I just asked TMO this ? the other day. I just need to bring in my orders from all my pcs's and im golden.

[Mitch Weaver]

Yes, you can always have HHG moved from:

-home of record

-previous assignments

-spouse's home of record

Don't let TMO tell you otherwise. If you need proof, download the JFTR. I think it's on the dtic.mil website.

[Guest Guppyguy]

I'm getting ready to PCS back to my unit and am running into a brick wall with my finance office. They say that reservists NEVER get DLA. After searching this site and talking to other reservists it seems that alot of reservists do get DLA when PCSing back to their unit after UPT.

Anybody have the current reg or substantiated evidence which could bolster my cause? I'll kick back 10% of whatever I get ;)

Thanks-

Guppyguy

[Bergman]

I fought that battle for over 6 months. Reservists/ANG folks should get DLA going TO UPT but not coming home. That was the answer I was given, with the reason being that you are going back home to "leave active duty" which, by the JTFR, is a disqualifier for DLA. Complete and utter crap, IMHO. If I moved my family 1000+ miles from UPT to home, I should have gotten it.

I know several people that received DLA going to and from UPT, but that was apparently an oversight on the part of finance (say it isn't so!).

I, too, would be interested in any definitive links/regs proving that this is BS.

[Guest rumblefish_2]

I think the reg says you should get DLA on all moves except your first and last moves. Should be the same in the Guard. The reg is actually a joint reg called the Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR). Here's how the reg reads:

Special Categories DLA Not Authorized. DLA is not authorized in connection with a PCS:

1. From home or from PLEAD to first PDS unless the dependents actually move from the member’s residence to the PDS or designated place in connection with the PCS (if the dependents do not relocate to the new PDS, or the member has no dependents, DLA is not authorized from home or PLEAD to the first PDS);

2. From last PDS to home or to the PLEAD;

3. From last PDS in one period of service to first PDS in another period of service when there was no ordered PCS between those stations;

4. When the member does not relocate the household (e.g., the member continues to commute from the same residence) NOTE: Household relocation is not limited to transporting HHG. A member may relocate the household and neither transport HHG nor move dependents (e.g., A member with dependents who leaves the dependents in place and moves to the new PDS taking some personal belongings has in fact relocated the household. This member may be eligible for a DLA at the without-dependent rate if Government quarters are not available at the new PDS. This item does not apply to a member on a PCS from home or from PLEAD to first PDS (see par. U5630-C1 with which this item does not conflict).); or

5. For a member with dependents, in connection with PCS travel performed under the conditions outlined in pars. U5203-b1a, U5203-b1b, U5203-b1c, U5203-b1d, U5203-b2a, U5203-b2b, U5203-b2c; U5203-b2d, U5203-b2e, U5203-b2f; and U5203-b3b.

I've received DLA on both moves I've done since joining the Guard.

[ 23. April 2005, 22:27: Message edited by: rumblefish_2 ]

[Bergman]

From last PDS to home or to the PLEAD

That is the line the finance folks quoted me, with the explanation that XL was my "last PDS" and I was going "home" when I returned to my unit.

The problem with this entire section of the regulation is that it was written for ACTIVE DUTY people and the ANG/AFRES are forced to interpret it. Reasoning: When an AD person is commissioned then goes to their first base, they don't get DLA. Similarly, after 10 years on AD I did not receive DLA when I separated (I went "home") or if I had stayed AD for 20 I would not have gotten DLA on my move from AD to my place of retirement.

Not giving DLA on a return trip from UPT may meet the letter of the law - i.e. I was going "home" to leave AD - but it doesn't meet the intent, which is to defray the cost of a PCS move. I tried, in vain, to fight that battle. My appeal was last seen at the federal per diem committee in the spring of 2004. Haven't heard shit about it, so I guess that means it was disapproved!

[Carpetbagger]

https://secureapp2.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/faqdla.html Try this link. This is the FAQ for DLA. If you are a reservist, and moving dependents (even on your first PCS, in the fine print), with orders longer than 20 weeks, and authorized PCS entitlements (very key phrase that should appear on your orders), you should get DLA. I got DLA 3 times in 18 months. Once to UPT, once to Corpus, and once back to my reserve unit. My PLEAD (place entered active duty) and HOR were not co-located with my squadron, however, and that may have had something to do with it. As Bergman said, the key is in the intent. It is to reduce the costs of moving your family around with a PCS. If you are entitled, sometimes you have to fight for it, because no one is looking out for you, but you.

[Guest Siscojoe]

Could anyone direct me where to find info. regarding PCSing and Travel Entitlements. I know e-publishing has the actual PCS documents, what about PCS leave, per diem (for lodging/food), etc?

[WHAP]

https://www.dod.mil/dfas/money/milpay/, somewhere in this website is probably what you are looking for.

[Guest Siscojoe]

For any of you actice duty guys that have experienced a PCS, how long are: EAD, RNETD, and RNLTD dates during PCSing? Also, what is the general guidlines concerning TDY-enroute to PCS and how is leave affected during a PCS move? Thanks for any unput!

[LJ Driver]

During a PCS, finance takes your entire travel time, subtracts your "allowable" travel days (what they think it should take) and then charges you leave for the rest.

[Guest mongo130h1]

Help!!!! The MPF is refusing to put excess bags on my orders to OCONUS. Dont I have to handcarry my helment/PUBS? Anyone know where this is written? Thanks.