Move.mil, DPS & Making Your Move Simple
You have heard it before and you will hear it a million times again, PCS season gets chaotic.
Moving is tough for everyone and moving across the country or to another country can make it more stressful. More so when you are moving with your whole family, all your belongings, pets, and have to ship your vehicles, look for a new place to live, join a new command, find a job and schools for your spouse and kids and well…everything else!
It is tough period! But thankfully the Military has aimed to make the process a bit easier in the form on self-help by creating https://dps.move.mil/cust/standard/user/home.xhtml
This self-help site allows you to create an account and start planning for your move once you receive hard orders. Create an account by signing in as needing to ship personal property then follow the steps. Once you have orders all the information in regards to your gaining command, location, whether dependents are allowed and what you are allowed to bring will be shown on the orders.
If you have any questions during the process or once you receive orders you can always contact your personnel property office https://www.move.mil/resources/locator-maps
Moves to or from Alaska and Hawaii along with international stations are considered OCONUS moves. These moves are more complicated and each location may have additional limitations on what you are allowed to transport.
Here is the guide to Oconus moves:
https://www.move.mil/moving-guide/oconus
Once you create your account, upload your orders to create your shipment move.
https://dps.move.mil/cust/standard/user/home.xhtml
Once your shipment has been created take the DD forms generated by DPS to your local Transportation Office. They will confirm all information and shipping details and they will give you the moving company information. DPS will need to know the following information so have it ready:
Your contact information:
- Estimated Weight
- Pick up & delivery locations
- Pick up & delivery dates
- Special items (boat, guns, RV, large electronics)
- PBP&E, also known as Professional-Gear (Pro-Gear)
If you are uncertain of your estimated weight, you can use the inbound weight from your last move also you don't need to know your exact delivery address to schedule your move. You can just specify your new base and update it later.
Your moving company will complete a Pre-Move Survey at your home or through the phone, depending on the type of shipment and estimated weight. They'll do a weight estimate and identify any special items entered in DPS, so that on moving day they have all the necessary packing materials. Call your moving company or local personal property office if you're within a week of moving day, and a Pre-Move Survey has not been completed.
Before your packing day it is highly suggested that you create your own inventory of your HHGs and take photos to document all high valued items, important heirloom pieces or anything that you might want to keep good track of.
Before packing it is always good to separate what items are traveling with you, which will be part of your unaccompanied baggage and which ones will be shipped as HHG.
Items you'll pack in your suitcases (clothes, toiletries, important documents). Items you'll ship in unaccompanied baggage (linens, pots and pans). Items you'll ship with Household Goods (books, small furniture).
Depending on your host country you might want to check if things like furniture will fit in your new home. For example; if you are heading to a place like Japan and living off base their rooms might not fit a California King size bed. For this you can always join a local Military group through social media to ask questions.
Remember that important documents should travel with you: Orders, Passports, ID Cards front and back, Marriage License/Certificate, Birth Certificates.
After all your items have been packed then comes moving day. The moving company will be creating an inventory of all your household items and will put stickers on all the boxes and larger items (couches, large appliances, etc.). On these inventory sheets, they will also be indicating whether or not there was any pre-existing damage to your household goods. If you disagree with their assessment make sure you annotate that on the inventory sheet. Please inform the driver of any issues that might come up. If he cannot help you, contact the local personnel property office asap!
Once you arrive to your destination you will be notified when your UB and HHG makes it to your next duty station location. You will receive the inventory paperwork from the delivery driver and you will check off items and note any damages or missing inventory.
This is an important step if you need to make claims later.
The movers will take any boxes and packing materials after unloading and unpacking but will not return to your home to pick up anything else on a later date.
If there is anything wrong you will need to sign in to the DPS site and follow the steps to either submit a Lost/Damage Report and/or Claims Submission.
Filling out the Loss or Damage AT Delivery Form lets the moving company know that some of your items were missing or damaged during the delivery process. This form must be done within 75 days.
If the items cannot be found or they cannot fix the damage, you must file a claim to be reimbursed! Remember… a Loss/Damage Report is NOT a claim!
If you did not submit a Loss/Damage Report, you will need to file your claim within 75 days from delivery.
If you submitted a Loss/Damage Report within the 75 day or within the 180 day window, you will have up to 9 months to file a claim for the full replacement value of the item you are claiming. If the claim is filed more than 9 months from the delivery date, you will only be eligible for depreciated value up to two years from delivery. Contact your Military Claims Office or MCO if you have questions.
The last part will be a survey through DPS. This is very important since it helps DPS contract the right shipping company to work for the DOD.
Here are a couple links to help you understand claims.
https://www.move.mil/sites/default/files/inline-files/Inconvenience%20Claims%20September%202020.pdf
It is always great to be one step ahead with information on what you need to do and knowing the resources that are there to help.
We hope this information helps you with your pcs.
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