DITY & PPM Moves

DITY Moves (Do-It-Yourself aka Personally Procured Moves), allow you to circumvent coordinating a move with your local Transportation Office and give you the freedom to select a mover of your choice. With a DITY move, the government will reimburse you for 95% of what it would have cost for them to move you, or the Government Constructed Cost (GCC). If a government move isn’t available, you will be reimbursed for 100% of the GCC for your move. If your move comes in under budget, DITY moves can be a way to actually make money on your move.

1. Register With Move.mil

Create an account on www.move.mil. This is a government resource created specifically to ease the burden of military moves. Here you can complete required counseling and manage your move. The Move.mil website is frequently down and a bit cumbersome to navigate, which is why we compiled some of the most helpful tips here.

2. Counseling

Complete counseling either by self-counseling through the DPS portal at move.mil, or schedule an appointment with your local TO to go through counseling in-person. Note, self-counseling is not usually available for first or last moves, or moves completed by next-of-kin. Rules vary by military branch. Counseling will inform you of the allowances provided under your move, nearby weighing stations, and information on appropriate record-keeping.

3. DD Forms 1299 & 1797

Print your DD Form 1299 and DD Form 1797 and submit them to your local counseling office.. DD Form 1299 is the application for shipment and/or storage of personal property. Form DD Form 1797 is a Personal Property Counseling Checklist that helps to ensure the member is adequately informed on the details of their PPM.

4. Estimate Weight

Perform a preliminary weight estimate. A rough rule of thumb is 1000 pounds per room in your home plus additional weight for large appliances.Here are some average weights of large appliances:

  • Old-school refrigerator (freezer on top): 175 pounds
  • Side by side fridge: 250 pounds
  • Washing Machine: 200 pounds
  • Dryer: 100 pounds
  • Ovens: 125 pounds
  • BBQs: 180 pounds

 

5. Estimate Move Cost

Obtain an estimated cost from your moving company in order to receive an advance monetary allowance. Click here to obtain a free quote.

6. DD Form 2278

Obtain DD Form 2278. This is a simple two-page form that is filled out and certified by the Personal Property Shipping Office (PPSO) and indicates information like the date of your move orders, mileage to the next station of duty, entitlements, weight allowances, etc.

  • Make sure to include a detailed inventory of all Professional Books, Papers, & Equipment (PBP&E) that you or your spouse will be moving. There are separate weight allowances for these items, and they are deducted from your overall weight allowance.
  • If applicable, you may receive a Letter of Non-Availability from the PPSO indicating that a government procured move is not available. In this case, you are required to perform a personally procured move.

 

8. Determine The Weight

Determine the weight of your HHG by obtaining weight tickets from Government or commercial weighing stations. Alternatively, your movers can provide this information.  Note, this is mandatory to ensure that your move is reimbursed regardless of whether you are moving items yourself or hiring a professional mover.

Your weight tickets must include:

  • Official stamp
  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • Signature
  • Title of individual certifying weight
  • Weight and date: the ticket should include both gross and tare weights. Gross weight is the weight of the vehicle fully loaded, and the tare weight is the weight of the empty vehicle. The difference in these weights will help you calculate the net weight of your HHG.
  • Member’s name and last 5 digits of SSN
  • Identification of vehicle

 

8. Storage

Obtain a DD Form 1857 from the PPSO if you are in need of temporary storage and provide supporting documentation to substantiate your need for storage (i.e. if your home isn’t yet ready for move-in). When moving, up to 90-days of temporary storage in a commercial facility is authorized and reimbursable at cost. Additional time may be authorized by contacting your PPSO. Funds for temporary storage may not be advanced.

9. Take Inventory

Prior to your move, make sure to inventory your belongings and consider obtaining appraisals of expensive and valuable items to ensure you receive full replacement value if they are lost or damaged during your move. For long distance moves, it’s also a good idea to either take a video of your furnished home or pictures of the contents in each room to help with tracking your goods and their condition.

10. Track Receipts

During your move, make sure you keep track of receipts for all your other moving related expenses such as meals and lodging en route to your destination. You will submit a DD Form 1351-2 along with your receipts (for items exceeding $75) detailing your expenses in order to receive reimbursement.

11. Track Updates

Check the status of your move using your move.mil account.

12. Check For Damage

Perform a thorough inspection of your belongings upon arrival. In case of any lost or damaged goods, you may file a claim on move.mil to obtain the full replacement value of your goods. i.e. if your TV gets dropped during the move, you will be reimbursed what it costs you to buy the same TV.

If you discover damage:

  • First file a loss/damage report. This notifies the TSP of your intent to file a claim.
  • File a claim: fill out as much information as possible in this section and include photos and other documentation if you have it. Your claim will be submitted to the TSP.
  • The TSP may either accept or deny your claim. If denied, you may escalate the matter to the Military Claims Office.

 

13. Take Move.mil Survey

Upon completion of your move, make sure to fill out the customer satisfaction survey at move.mil. Based on member reviews, the government may award or rescind business to certain transportation service providers.