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

[Tunes3]

Another question...

I'm about to PCS and I have two dogs. Is staying on any bases along the way an option or are all AF inns/TLF no-pets? Am I on my own finding hotels along the way where I can stay with the mutts?

Most AF Inns are pet free, but a few bases have pet TLFs, you will have to call them individually to find out. Your best bet is to check websites like petfriendlyhotels.com. You should get a daily per diem and lodging allowance that will cover the cost.

[john]

yeah, i will be towing one car. thanks. ill have to see what interpretation tmo will give me when i get there.

[Guest KM]

We've never found base lodging or TLFs that allow pets.

A lot of hotels charge a pet fee (around $50) for having a pet, but we have had excellent luck with La Quinta hotels. They have always welcomed our cat (not sure if they have a size limit) with no fees or questions.

[Guest 38 IP]

Another question...

I'm about to PCS and I have two dogs. Is staying on any bases along the way an option or are all AF inns/TLF no-pets? Am I on my own finding hotels along the way where I can stay with the mutts?

I used the pet TLF's at Luke and Columbus - only an extra $10 per night. You need to have your current vaccination records from the base you're leaving when you check into a TLF. Also, La Quinta worked great as a stopover between MS and AZ. They're a little more expensive than the TLF's but at least you don't have to go out of your way to stop at a base.

Good luck w/ the PCS - I'll be moving again in a few months too.

[Finance_Guy]

Effective 1 July the PCS MALT/mileage rate is changed from $.19 per mile to $.27 per mile for all uniformed members and civilian employees.

PCS_Mileage_Rate_Change_from_19_to_27_MAP79_08.doc

[MilitaryToFinance]

How long does it take for them to pack up your stuff usually? I EAD on 1 Sept and was told even with orders the movers can't come until you EAD because you aren't actually Air Force property yet. My RNLT is 4 Sept and I need to get from Ohio to Colorado Springs which will be ~1,200 miles of driving. Since I'll have to be there to watch them pack up my stuff I can't leave until after they do and I'm just trying to make sure thats enough time. I'm planning on doing a partial DITY so the movers shouldn't have all that much stuff to pack really.

[Herk Driver]

How long does it take for them to pack up your stuff usually? I EAD on 1 Sept and was told even with orders the movers can't come until you EAD because you aren't actually Air Force property yet. My RNLT is 4 Sept and I need to get from Ohio to Colorado Springs which will be ~1,200 miles of driving. Since I'll have to be there to watch them pack up my stuff I can't leave until after they do and I'm just trying to make sure thats enough time. I'm planning on doing a partial DITY so the movers shouldn't have all that much stuff to pack really.

Depends on how much stuff you have. I have had them pack ~13,000-14,000# of stuff once or twice. That takes 3 days. Not sure where they make the cut for 1 or 2 days though.

[Guest ukwxbelle]

How long does it take for them to pack up your stuff usually? I EAD on 1 Sept and was told even with orders the movers can't come until you EAD because you aren't actually Air Force property yet. My RNLT is 4 Sept and I need to get from Ohio to Colorado Springs which will be ~1,200 miles of driving. Since I'll have to be there to watch them pack up my stuff I can't leave until after they do and I'm just trying to make sure thats enough time. I'm planning on doing a partial DITY so the movers shouldn't have all that much stuff to pack really.

If you have >10,000 lbs, which I'm sure you do, then its roughly 1 day pack and 1 day pick up. If you have less than I think like 600 lbs they could potentially do it all in one day. The length in packing really comes if you're over 10,000lbs. But as a 2d Lt your weight limit is 10,000 lbs or 12,000 with dependants. This includes your partial DITY weight. TMO will generally tell you to estimate 1,000 per every full room in your house. We have 8 rooms in our house. I would have estimated 8,000, but my husband, always wanting to be safe put down 10,000 lbs when filling out the TMO paperwork. When the lady came the other day to estimate the needed boxes, she said we probably had about 6,000 lbs worth of stuff. So one day pack, one day pick up it is.

If you planned this 1 Sep pack, 2 Sep pick-up, a three day drive, it would put you there 5 Sep. This is after your RNLTD, but call your unit and tell them what's up. Worst case they charge you a day or two of leave for those days after your RNTLD. They maybe cool and say "we understand". The AF thinks that you can make it there by the 4th. They probably assume you have enough stuff that it could be packed and picked up in one day. The best thing to remember when dealing with AF moves- your situation may be stressful and seem unnecessary to you, but it's been done before and probably in lesser time! Like those that fret about out-processing a base. I've seen a guy out-processed from the AF in 6 hours, so it can be done!

[Guest KM]

How long does it take for them to pack up your stuff usually? I EAD on 1 Sept and was told even with orders the movers can't come until you EAD because you aren't actually Air Force property yet. My RNLT is 4 Sept and I need to get from Ohio to Colorado Springs which will be ~1,200 miles of driving. Since I'll have to be there to watch them pack up my stuff I can't leave until after they do and I'm just trying to make sure thats enough time. I'm planning on doing a partial DITY so the movers shouldn't have all that much stuff to pack really.

Depends on how much stuff you have, but the moving company should be able to give you an idea when they come to do your pre-move appointment.

You can also sign a special power of attorney so a friend/relative/someone you trust can be there while they pack your things.

Edited July 2, 2008 by KM

[PirateAF]

I'm getting the TMO/Finance run around here -

Does anyone know the reg to cite in order to get the AF to pay at least part of the costs for shipping a car?

I'm doing a CONUS PCS and I already drove me and my wife in one car - she would not drive our second vehicle (besides it's kind of old).

It's costing around $1300 to ship it coast to coast (summertime prices) and I've heard different stories about the AF paying part of those costs.

Thanks!!

[stract]

I just moved. The movers can pack AND pick up 4000 lbs in the same day. I had approx 2500 lbs of stuff, they showed at 0900 and were done packing and picking up by 1430.

TMO says to guesstimate 1000 lbs per room, FYI. You can also designate someone else to watch the movers pack your shit, you just need to give them a Special Power of Attorney and notify TMO.

[Finance_Guy]

I'm getting the TMO/Finance run around here -

Does anyone know the reg to cite in order to get the AF to pay at least part of the costs for shipping a car?

I'm doing a CONUS PCS and I already drove me and my wife in one car - she would not drive our second vehicle (besides it's kind of old).

It's costing around $1300 to ship it coast to coast (summertime prices) and I've heard different stories about the AF paying part of those costs.

Thanks!!

Since you all drove in one car, then only one POV was needed to move all of you from point A to B. However, there is a provision in the JFTR where a cost comparison can be done to determine if there "Might" be any additional entitlement. Payment for a 2nd car is not automatic, but can be calculate as if your spouse did drive it as the example cost comparison in subpara D explains.

Check this Para:

U5417 POV TRANSPORTATION WITHIN CONUS INCIDENT TO A PCS WHEN POV TRANSPORTATION IS ADVANTAGEOUS AND COST-EFFECTIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT

A. General

1. An eligible member, who has dependents who are also relocating incident to the PCS, ordered on a PCS between CONUS PDSs may have POV transportation authorized for one POV from the old CONUS PDS to the new CONUS PDS when it is advantageous and cost-effective to the Government and provided that the:

a. Member and/or eligible dependent(s) own more than one POV to be relocated to the new PDS;

b. Member and dependents then travel at one time in one POC;

c. Cost of shipment and commercial transportation of the POV to be shipped does not exceed the cost of MALT plus per diem for driving two POCs to the new PDS. See example below in par. U5417-D.; and

*d. Member is financially responsible for all excess costs/additional expenses associated with POV transportation. NOTE: If the cost of transporting the POV exceeds the reimbursement limitation (see par. U5417-D) the member is financially responsible for the cost difference to enable the POV to be transported.

Show finance this and they should be able to calculate the total cost.

[Guest jaygolf]

In 2004 we pcs,d from Hawaii to Ohio and I had to find the jftr or the afi authorizing a dity move to show the people at the tmo office because they told me dity moves were not authorized from Hawaii.We are about to pcs back to Hawaii and to avoid the same confusion I wanted to bring a copy of the AFI or JFTR chapter and verse with me when we go to start the paperwork. I cant find it anywhere other than " Anyone entitled to move HHG at Government expense is entitled to a dity move" But that is just a line from various websites. I want the actual AFI or the particular line from the JFTR that authorizes any active duty member to make a personally procured move from anywhere to anywhere. With the JFTR chapter number or the AFI number, So there will be no confusion. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Toro]

Reference the JFTR, you need to search for “Personally Procured”, not “DITY”, which will provide you the following excerpts. Bold are my emphasis, italics are references from other spots in the JFTR.

U3110 REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONALLY-PROCURED COMMON CARRIER TRANSPORTATION.

A. General. Except for PCS transoceanic travel, when a specific transportation mode is directed, a member, who must procure transportation without benefit of using a CTO/TMC, may be reimbursed for personally procured transportation NTE the directed mode cost.

Translation – You are always authorized DITY if you PCS CONUS. Transoceanic = OCONUS = Hawaii = need to dive more into the JFTR to get the answer you're looking for.

U5116 PCS TO, FROM, OR BETWEEN OCONUS POINTS

C. Transoceanic Travel

1. General. When transoceanic travel is involved between PDSs, the usual means of accomplishing travel is to use Government or Government-procured air transportation for personal and dependent transoceanic travel. Reimbursement is authorized for:

a. Personal travel under par. U5116-A; (member traveling on a PCS authorization/order that neither directs a transportation mode nor specifies that the member is to travel with other members with no/limited reimbursement, to, from or between OCONUS points)

b. Dependents' travel under par. U5207 (3. A dependent is not required to use Government air transportation.); and

c. POV delivery to the loading port/VPC for shipment under par. U5413.

2. POC Travel

a. General. When transoceanic travel ordinarily would be involved but POC is authorized by the AO as to the Government’s advantageous and is used by the member for the entire distance between duty stations, reimbursement is on a ‘MALT-Plus’ basis (Mileage and Per Diem) for the member (and dependents if applicable) for the official distance involved. Reimbursement is authorized even though it exceeds that authorized in par. U5116-C1.

Translation: They don’t normally allow DITY OCONUS, but if your orders do not direct a transportation mode or if you can get them to state that DITY is allowed, you’re good. If you read further into section 5116, there’s more info on entitlements on reimbursements.

So it sounds like you're both right - TMO is correct in that DITY to Hawaii is not normally authorized, but you are correct in that it can be done. My neighbors just did that exact same thing.

[Finance_Guy]

The mileage I'm calculating from is 1,181 miles from my house in Cincinnati, where I'll be PCSing from, to Peterson AFB in C. Springs. So by my understanding that would be 4 days right? Because 3 days at 350 miles/day I would still have another 131 miles left after that so that would give me a fourth travel day if I understood what I quoted earlier. My dates are EAD 1 Sept (which also happens to be Labor Day this year so I'm not sure movers will even show up to pack stuff that day) and RNLT to Peterson AFB on 4 Sept.

Four days looks right and travel days would be 1-4 Sept. Even though 4 Sep is your RNLTD it can still be a travel day. I want to say as long as you report by 2400 on 4 Sept you are within the rules. Doesn't mean you have to be there first thing in the morning on 4 Sep.

JFTR U3005 TRAVEL TIME

*2. PCS. Generally, 1 day of travel time is allowed for each 350 miles of official distance ordered of ordered

travel. If the excess distance is 51 or more miles after dividing the total number of miles by 350, one additional

day of travel time is allowed. When the total official distance is 400 or fewer miles, 1 day of travel time is

allowed

As for the movers, can't they pack you out before the EAD? I would suspect so since you are expected to begin travel to your first PDS on 1 Sep.

In 2004 we pcs,d from Hawaii to Ohio and I had to find the jftr or the afi authorizing a dity move to show the people at the tmo office because they told me dity moves were not authorized from Hawaii.We are about to pcs back to Hawaii and to avoid the same confusion I wanted to bring a copy of the AFI or JFTR chapter and verse with me when we go to start the paperwork. I cant find it anywhere other than " Anyone entitled to move HHG at Government expense is entitled to a dity move" But that is just a line from various websites. I want the actual AFI or the particular line from the JFTR that authorizes any active duty member to make a personally procured move from anywhere to anywhere. With the JFTR chapter number or the AFI number, So there will be no confusion. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also check the AF Supplement to the JFTR under the AF Publications website. The entire supplement was dedicated to movement of POVs and HHG.

Edited July 10, 2008 by Finance_Guy

[Guest MizzouCE]

I have read this thread, searched and read everything but have not found an answer.

Me and my wife are doing our first PCS to Pope. It is a 14 hr drive roughly and she doesn't want to drive so i am renting a tow dolly from u-haul and towing her car. We are doing a partial dity and i was wondering if i can pack her car with shit and get paid for weight in it (i know i will not get paid for weight of car)? Also do we get mileage for her car or will i get milage for my car plus the extra passenger?

I know the best thing would be to drive probably, but she is really not going to do the drive following me by herself.

Thanks!

[The Kayla]

Odd question:

Does anyone know if you can claim quarantine expenses for pets?

[Butters]

Odd question:

Does anyone know if you can claim quarantine expenses for pets?

For active duty personnel, the DOD now provides $550 for quarantine fees per family which you can claim as an expense on your travel voucher when you inprocess finance.

Got that off the US Forces Korea welcome site. Since it say DOD, I would assume it is worldwide.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Nole_96

[Herk Driver]

I have read this thread, searched and read everything but have not found an answer.

Me and my wife are doing our first PCS to Pope. It is a 14 hr drive roughly and she doesn't want to drive so i am renting a tow dolly from u-haul and towing her car. We are doing a partial dity and i was wondering if i can pack her car with shit and get paid for weight in it (i know i will not get paid for weight of car)? Also do we get mileage for her car or will i get milage for my car plus the extra passenger?

I know the best thing would be to drive probably, but she is really not going to do the drive following me by herself.

Thanks!

IIRC, you only get mileage for the car you are driving plus the extra pax. The weight of the stuff you put in it should be allowable (not the car or the dolly but the stuff in it). Don't know for sure about that though. They've changed some of those rules since the last time I moved.

[Butters]

I have read this thread, searched and read everything but have not found an answer.

Me and my wife are doing our first PCS to Pope. It is a 14 hr drive roughly and she doesn't want to drive so i am renting a tow dolly from u-haul and towing her car. We are doing a partial dity and i was wondering if i can pack her car with shit and get paid for weight in it (i know i will not get paid for weight of car)? Also do we get mileage for her car or will i get milage for my car plus the extra passenger?

I know the best thing would be to drive probably, but she is really not going to do the drive following me by herself.

Thanks!

Friend of mine just did this. They just changed the rules (again), I know you get the weight of the stuff in the car and I belive you get milage for both of you. I would ask at least 7 people at finance and TMO and take the average of their answers.

[ViperStud]

I just moved and TMO at my new base is telling me that they won't reimburse me for the weight of the trailer I just bought because it's a tandem axle. Anyone else run into this? Is it true (ie something changed very recently) or should I go back and try to get my money. If true I want to wring the neck of the TMO moron at my last base who told me what kind of trailer to get to make sure I would get reimbursed. Pisses me off when people don't know their job and it's all too common in some career fields.

Anyway it's worth about two grand to me so anyone in the know please let me know if you have any knowledge of the subject.

[Finance_Guy]

Odd question:

Does anyone know if you can claim quarantine expenses for pets?

JFTR Para U5800 says you can.

Reimbursement for actual mandatory quarantine fees for household pets is authorized not to exceed $550 per PCS move.

B. Pet Quarantine Information. The following website may contain useful pet quarantine information:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/pet-info.html or https://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/exp-pets.html.

Restrictions:

1. Other animals (horses, fish, birds, various rodents, etc.) are excluded as pets covered by this authority

because of their size, exotic nature, or restriction on shipping, host country restrictions, and/or special handling

difficulties.

[Finance_Guy]

I just moved and TMO at my new base is telling me that they won't reimburse me for the weight of the trailer I just bought because it's a tandem axle. Anyone else run into this?

A quick check in the AF Supplement to the JFTR (can find in AF Pubs on the Portal), shows a trailer weight can be used. I couldn find any restrictions on a tandem axle type.

It appears if the trailer would/could be shipped by a commercial company, then it would qualify based on what I read. I've asked another person I know in that area to get their input, but you could run this by TMO and see what they say. Some TMO folks don't even know about this AF Supp.

1 APRIL 2002

AIR FORCE SUPPLEMENT/ JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS VOLUME 1/ JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS VOLUME 2

A14.6. VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. There are no restrictions as to the type of POV or equipment used to perform personally procured transportation of HHG. Government owned vehicles are not authorized under this program.

A14.6.1. A member who uses a personally owned utility trailer for an authorized personally procured move may include the weight of the utility trailer in the total weight. The utility trailer weight applies one time only if trailer is used as the means of conveyance.

A14.6.1.1. Such a trailer includes any authorized trailer (other than a camper trailer travel trailer, or horse trailer) that a commercial carrier could legally accept and transport as HHG.

A14.6.1.2. The member or member’s dependent must own the trailer prior to the effective date of the PCS or TDY order.

A14.6.2. Reimbursement and/or a monetary allowance is authorized for HHG moved in personally owned car-top carrier that would be accepted for shipment by a carrier. However, the weight of a rented or borrowed car-top carrier for GCC cost computations is not authorized.

A14.6.2.1. The weight of a camper or POV with a previously installed camper shell, built-in HHG and any other previously installed equipment is to be included in the tare weight of a personally procured HHG move.

A14.6.2.2. Tare weight is defined as the weight of the POV and/or rental equipment as the weight of the vehicle with all pads, furniture dollies, hand trucks, ramps, and other equipment required to transport HHG.

A14.6.2.3. Packing, crating materials, drivers or passengers cannot be in vehicles at the time of tare weighing. Drivers and passengers cannot be in the vehicle at the time of fully-loaded weighing.

[BADFNZ]

For PCS moves, are expenses involved with changing your address (drivers license, FAA, post office, etc) reimbursable?

[trailmix]

Anyone ever DITY move and then have TMO tell you that they wont reimburse you for all your expenses based on weight? Because I only moved 2500lbs of stuff the reimbursment (even at 100%) wont cover the equipment rental... so I am out of pocket $500. Any way to get around this BS?