Military PCS Relocation Freight: HHG, POV, Personal Property

PCS basics: what your orders authorize

PCS orders authorize a household goods move and (often) one POV move at government expense, with the specifics tied to your rank, dependent status, and the type of PCS (CONUS-to-CONUS, OCONUS, separation/retirement). The orders package — usually a printed packet, sometimes a smartcard with a QR code — tells the moving counselor (the personal property office, often called the “TMO” informally) what to authorize.

Two timelines matter. The Report-No-Later-Than (RNLT) date is when you have to be at your new duty station. The HHG pickup needs to happen far enough ahead that your goods can arrive in your new location around the same time. In the current PCS season pickup windows are tight — book your move counseling appointment as early as 90 days before RNLT.

The three move types

1. Government move (HHG via DPS/GHC)

The default. Your personal property office or move counselor sets you up in the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) or the newer Global Household Goods Contract (GHC) platform. A government-contracted moving company packs, loads, transports, and delivers your goods. You don’t pay them — the government does. You don’t get reimbursed beyond the move itself; this is a service in kind.

2. Personally Procured Move (PPM, formerly DITY)

You handle everything — rent the truck, hire the labor, drive the load, or contract a private mover (like ATI) end to end. The government reimburses 100 percent of what they would have paid the government carrier (the “GBL rate”) based on your actual moved weight. If your real cost is less than the GBL rate, you keep the difference. PPM is popular when you have a lighter load and want to pocket the spread, or when government inventory dates don’t match your schedule.

3. Partial PPM / Overflow

A hybrid: the government move handles the bulk and you separately ship items that didn’t fit (the overflow), are time-sensitive, or that you don’t trust to a third party. You get reimbursed under the PPM formula for the overflow weight.

POV (vehicle) transport in PCS

CONUS-to-CONUS PCS generally doesn’t include POV at government expense — you drive, and you get a per-mile travel allowance. OCONUS PCS does authorize POV shipment at government expense (one vehicle typically). For shorter-distance CONUS moves with a working car, the math usually favors driving. For long-haul moves (Norfolk to San Diego, Fort Bragg to JBLM) or households with multiple cars or non-driving spouses, paying out of pocket for POV transport is common.

ATI handles POV transport on open or enclosed carriers, with documentation that satisfies finance for any reimbursement you’re entitled to. See our auto transport guide for the full carrier-type comparison, costs, and prep checklist.

Weight allowances by rank (reference)

Reference only — verify current allowances with your personal property office or at the Defense Travel Management Office, travel.dod.mil, before scheduling a move.

Documentation you’ll need for reimbursement

If you’re executing any form of PPM, the reimbursement file you build during the move determines your payout. Plan to collect every document at the time of the move — trying to backfill later is brutal.

1. Empty vehicle weight ticket. Take the moving vehicle (or POV with empty trailer) over a certified scale before you load, save the printed weight ticket.
2. Loaded vehicle weight ticket. Same scale, same vehicle, after loading. The difference is your moved weight.
3. Bill of lading. If using a commercial carrier (like ATI), the BOL documents shipment.
4. Paid invoice. Showing what you actually paid, with itemized line items.
5. Receipts for packing supplies, labor, truck rental, tolls. Anything you’re asking for reimbursement on.
6. DD Form 2278 (PPM application/checklist). Submitted to your personal property office.
7. DD Form 1351-2 (Travel Voucher). Filed with finance at the destination installation after the move.

PCS scenarios where ATI fits

• Full PPM long-haul. Long-distance PCS (Fort Cavazos to JBLM, for example), you arrange the move yourself with ATI as the carrier, file for reimbursement at the GBL rate.
• HHG overflow. Government move can’t accommodate your bigger-than-allowance load, or has a delivery date that doesn’t work for you. Ship overflow privately.
• POV transport CONUS-to-CONUS. You’re flying or driving one car; ship the second car or motorcycle separately.
• OCONUS pre-positioning. Stateside-end coordination for an OCONUS move, including dock delivery to the export agent.
• Late-orders moves. Orders dropped late, government inventory full. Private freight as the fallback.
• Separation / retirement. Final move from last duty station to home of selection.

Things to check with your move counselor

• Your authorized weight allowance.
• Authorized POV mileage versus shipment reimbursement (if applicable).
• Dislocation allowance (DLA) and per diem for travel days.
• Temporary lodging expense (TLE) at both ends.
• PPM advance pay (you can request up to 60 percent of estimated incentive in advance).
• Whether your separation/retirement move (if applicable) is at full or reduced allowance.

Why ATI for PCS

ATI is a commercial freight brokerage, not a military-contracted mover. We don’t pretend otherwise. What we offer service members executing a PCS or PPM is binding rates, 24/7 dispatch, documentation that finance will accept, FMCSA-licensed carriers with verified insurance, and a single phone number for questions when the move date approaches and the variables stack up. That combination has been useful enough that PCS freight has become a meaningful slice of ATI’s freight book.

Related ATI freight resources

Need NMFC classification for a particular shipment line item? Use the ATI freight class calculator.