{"id":78799,"date":"2025-09-11T22:49:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T22:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/09\/11\/dod-needs-more-feedback-from-troops-in-future-pcs-moves-gao-finds\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:14:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:14:28","slug":"dod-needs-more-feedback-from-troops-in-future-pcs-moves-gao-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2025\/09\/11\/dod-needs-more-feedback-from-troops-in-future-pcs-moves-gao-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"DOD needs more feedback from troops in future PCS moves, GAO finds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As defense officials take steps to improve the shipments of troops\u2019 belongings to a new duty station, they need to ensure that they include comprehensive feedback from troops and families about their household goods experience to inform future oversight, government auditors have recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was one of the key elements missing in the government\u2019s implementation of the now-failed Global Household Goods contract, according to a report released Thursday by the Government Accountability Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Transportation Command officials lacked sufficient information about troops\u2019 experiences with the contractor, HomeSafe Alliance, which limited TRANSCOM\u2019s ability to assess the contractor\u2019s performance, the report found. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSCOM also had limited information about other key aspects, such as cost and HomeSafe\u2019s mover capacity, needed to effectively manage the risks and oversee the contract, auditors stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

GAO\u2019s report comes nearly three months after DOD terminated the GHC contract<\/a> and ceased awarding household goods shipments to HomeSafe, reverting to awarding all shipments through the legacy system<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contract, which could have been potentially worth up to $17.9 billion over nine years, essentially privatized the management of household goods shipments, but TRANSCOM was to continue to oversee the enterprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HomeSafe\u2019s contract was terminated because it \u201cfailed in its execution of the contract, and that left military families stranded, confused and unsupported,\u201d Army Maj. Gen. Lance Curtis, commander of a permanent change of station task force, previously told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the creation of the task force in May, citing problems with troops\u2019 household goods moves that were getting worse<\/a>. The group includes more than 110 personnel from all military departments and the Coast Guard. The task force was required to submit long-term recommendations to Hegseth by Sept. 5; details about the status of the recommendations weren\u2019t available at the time of this report\u2019s publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of GAO\u2019s congressionally mandated review of DOD\u2019s management and oversight of the GHC, GAO auditors also conducted an open-ended online survey of service members and their spouses on their moving experiences with the GHC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the 1,217 responses were descriptions of challenges with inadequate communication with HomeSafe\u2019s customer service representatives about the status of their shipments, as well as delays in multiple phases of their moves. Some survey participants reported that they didn\u2019t hear from the contractor to schedule or confirm pickup or delivery dates, or that the movers didn\u2019t show up when expected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were also complaints about less funding for service members\u2019 personally procured moves, previously known as do-it-yourself moves. The amount service members could recoup from those moves was tied to GHC rates paid to movers, which were lower than amounts paid under the legacy system.<\/p>\n\n\n\t