Military Movers or PPM: Which Is Best for Your PCS?

Making a military move? If you’ve recently received your permanent change of station (PCS) orders, then you know it’s time to start preparing for a change of address. Although it can be exciting to receive notice that you’ll be moving to a new station, there are lots of choices to make and work to be done in the meantime. Whether you have months or weeks to prepare for your move, a little organization can help make everything less stressful. But want a way to really cut down on the stress during this already-hectic time? Consider using experienced military movers to get to your new station.

Military Moving Company  — FAQs

Q: What are military movers?
A: Military movers — or a military moving company — will pack up all the items of your household (with certain exceptions, see question below) and move them to your new station, where they then unload them.

Q: What will military movers not move?
A: Military movers will not move perishable food, ammunition, chemicals, batteries, live animals, vehicles, and hazardous materials like propane. The same rules apply to military movers as to other residential moving companies.

Q: How do I prepare for a military mover?
A: You can prepare for military movers by ensuring all your items are off the walls, having a “Do Not Pack” room to keep your essentials out of the way, and taking pictures of your items in case they are damaged or lost.

Q: Do military movers take apart furniture?
A: Military movers will take apart your furniture. They’ll also reassemble anything they took apart once it arrives at your new home.

Q: How much does a military move cost?
A: The government covers the cost of a military move, but some out-of-pocket costs may arise from personal choices. A Household Goods (HHG) move is handled by government-contracted military movers, but you’re reimbursed for the eligible expenses incurred during a Personally Procured Move (PPM). 

What Is a Military Move?

• Permanent change of station (PCS): This is a change of station to a new city, state, or country. This new reporting will require you to hire military movers to move your household.
• Permanent change of assignment (PCA): This change order requires you to report to a different area or unit within the same station. You do not need to enlist the help of a military moving company when you receive PCA orders because you won’t be relocating to a new home. 

Many people prefer a PPM because they can get reimbursed for what the government would pay a military HHG mover for their military moving services.

What Are the Different Types of Military Moving Services?

Once you receive notice of a PCS, you’ll want to immediately start thinking about how you prefer to move your items and your family. Here are three of the basic types of military moves the government supports.

Household Goods (HHG)

How does the military move your stuff? In an HHG move, government-contracted military movers are required to move service members’ household items to a new station. Military movers pack up your belongings for you and load them onto the truck for transport to your new assignment. You have weight limits that you’ll need to be aware of, but this type of move is a good option for those who want professionals to handle all the packing, loading, weighing, and other paperwork that comes with a military move.

Do-It-Yourself (DITY)/Personally Procured Move (PPM)

Another option is the PPM/DITY move, which gives you the freedom to pack all your items and transport them yourself to your new station. You will need to find your own truck or portable storage container and pack and load your items, then arrange for it to be weighed and driven to your new location. Folks tend to like this option, even though it can be a lot of work, because they will be reimbursed by the government for expenses related to moving (up to what a military moving company would charge). You have the opportunity to gain a profit on this type of move!

Partial DITY Move/Partial PPM With HHG Move

You can also combine the two types of moves, and this is known as a partial PPM/DITY move. You can have military movers pack up your large items like furniture and anything else that you won’t need right away, and then take other items in your car. You will split the weight limits between the two vehicles, and you may even make some money back, depending on your reimbursement amount.

How Do You Know Which Move Is Right for You?

Depending on your situation, one type of move may work out better than another. Check out moving resources from your current transportation office to get a better idea of what other members have experienced in the past. While all moves can be stressful, with a little organization and planning ahead of time, yours doesn’t have to feel unmanageable.

Some people like the ability to control how their items are packed and want to get a nice reimbursement after the move. So for them, a PPM/DITY move might be the wise choice, plus, they may get a moving company military discount for using certain services (like PODS military discount). This kind of move might also work better for those service members with smaller households and fewer dependents. 

On the other hand, if you want extra help moving your items and family — plus the reassurance that comes with knowing your items will be handled by professionals — then military movers might be the way to go. You’ll still need to ensure you're organized and on top of what’s being packed, but this is a more hands-off way to make a military move.

Pros of Using Military Movers

This type of move has its advantages, including:

• No out-of-pocket expenses (as long as you’re under your weight limit)
• Less time-consuming
• No huge physical effort required on your part
• No worrying about renting and driving a truck

Cons of Using Military Movers

You can see why lots of military service members choose to go this route, especially if they have younger children, are working full time, or their family needs to make the move while they’re away. However, there can be some downsides to making this type of move, such as:

• The potential for lost or damaged items
• The possibility that items may not be stored properly
• A longer wait to receive your household goods because they are in storage until you arrive at your new station
• A stressful claims process for damaged goods

Take pictures to document the condition of your items before they get packed by military movers.

What You Need To Know About Military Movers

Getting Ready for Military Movers

Now is the time for getting organized and ensuring you’re prepared to have your house packed up and shipped to your new station. Your transportation service provider will work with the moving company to get as close as possible to your ideal moving dates so you’ll be ready to report to the new station on day one. You’ll receive a 7-day spread date of when the moving company must pack and pick up your items. When your moving company confirms your pickup date, they will also confirm your pack-out date, or when they will come to pack up your items. These might not be on the same day, meaning it’s essential to confirm these dates ASAP (especially if you’re organizing an off-season PCS move).

Moving Day

On moving day, make sure you have plans for any young children or pets to be out of the way while the movers pack your items. It can be difficult to watch other people pack up your household goods, but trust the process. The military movers will go from room to room and pack, label, and inventory everything they put into the boxes. You can’t help them pack, because if anything is broken during this process, the movers are accountable.

This doesn’t mean you just have to stand there, though! Lots of military members recommend making your own inventory (ideally, ahead of time) and including pictures to document the condition of everything. The movers will make note of the condition of your items on their inventory, though, which you are allowed to review before signing off. If you do not agree with the condition they marked, make sure it’s documented in the notes. The military movers will also provide you with a signed copy of the inventory before they leave.

Depending on your household size, packing and loading can take a good amount of time. The key is patience and ensuring you’re documenting the condition of your items. Once your items are packed and loaded, and you’ve signed off on the inventory, your items will be weighed and then transported to your new station. You can either have them delivered straight to your new home or to storage, depending on your schedule and what you’ve arranged with the moving company.

On Delivery Day

Once you’ve arrived at your new address, you’ll need to ensure you have a date with your moving company to unload, unpack, and reassemble (if applicable) your items. This is where it’s very helpful to have your own inventory list, so you can check off items and document their condition when the movers start to unpack. Again, they’ll need to do all the unloading and unpacking, because items can still be damaged during move-in.

As they unload and unpack, go through and check off the numbered boxes on the inventory sheet, because if any items have been damaged, you’ll need to file a damage claim. While this can be another stressor, if the damage was the fault of the military movers, it will be taken care of.

After everything is unpacked, the movers will clean up the boxes and packing materials and take them back with them. And you will have just completed a successful HHG move with military movers!

Not only is there a PODS military discount, but you can also get reimbursed for what military movers would have cost.

PPM With PODS and Save More

Whether you decide to go with military moving services or a PPM with PODS, you’ll need to make sure you’re organized and ready for moving day. Going the PPM/DITY move route with PODS ensures you’ll be able to pack and load your items on your schedule, and you’ll be reimbursed for what it would have cost if you had used military movers instead. This means you may end up making a profit! 

PODS also has the flexibility to deliver your container to your driveway or store it in a secure PODS Storage Center until you’re ready to unload it. And the best part? All active, retired, and veteran members get an exclusive PODS military discount.

Call 866-556-9574 or visit PODS.com to get a military moving and storage quote.