The military recently made changes to the way military families will move their household goods from one duty location to another. These changes will be fully implemented by May 2025. Even though the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season hasn’t yet begun, planning for it has. Military families are already experiencing challenges with this new system and are fearing they will struggle to be able to move to their next assignment. 

According to Megan Harless from PCS Like a Pro, “The biggest change is the move from the traditional program that families have known to a single-source manager. Families will notice that they will be rerouted to a new program, MilMove, and that one company, HomeSafe Alliance, who acts in that TSP (Transportation Service Provider) manner, will be the same for everyone. That means anyone doing a government contracted move will all have HomeSafe Alliance for their move coordination, management, and claims.”

Harless wants to ensure military families are aware of these changes and how they may affect your next military move. She says: “Because of this new program, families will also notice that their Personally Procured Move (PPM) rates will be lowered as well. We are seeing families reporting rates that are 40-50% lower than what families would expect, which in some cases is not covering all of their expenses.”

What to Do If You Are Making a PCS Move This Summer

If you received orders and are scheduled to move this summer, Harless recommends planning extra time into your move. One issue military families are facing is having their confirmed pack days met with no shows, which leads to loading being delayed. PCS Like a Pro is also seeing shipments miss their Required Delivery Date (RDD) by several weeks. In past move cycles, these types of issues didn’t begin to crop up until mid-June, but now families are already seeing challenges in January. 

In addition, with the lowered PPM rates, families are finding themselves having to pay for some moving costs out of pocket. If you are planning on receiving a PPM, keep all of your receipts, since you may be able to deduct anything the military doesn’t cover from your taxes. 

How You Can Help Keep PCS Moves Easy

If you want to see some changes made to the new process, a petition has been started on change.org to inform Congress about how the changes to PCS contracts and the decrease in associated rates for PPM are affecting military families. It’s easy to sign and share the petition from the platform to help ensure Congress can see how many families are worried about and affected by this issue. You can reach out to your congressional representatives and let them know the issues and how it is impacting the military community. 

If you have an experience with HomeSafe Alliance or with the lowered PPM rates, continue to share how your experience has been. It is only because people began to share their experiences that the military community became aware of these updates and the advocacy for change began. 

One of the most important things you can do for your financial security during times of change is to ensure your family is protected from any unforeseen circumstances. Maintain your peace of mind in case of the unexpected with an AAFMAA life insurance policy for your military family. Get a quote and apply today.