{"id":70798,"date":"2024-04-02T20:50:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T20:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/04\/02\/no-snakes-in-couches-what-to-know-for-a-smooth-pcs-move-in-2024\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:12:10","slug":"no-snakes-in-couches-what-to-know-for-a-smooth-pcs-move-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/pay-benefits\/mil-money\/2024\/04\/02\/no-snakes-in-couches-what-to-know-for-a-smooth-pcs-move-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"No snakes in couches: What to know for a smooth PCS move in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s a lot to keep track of when you\u2019re moving to a new military base. Just ask the family whose pet python got packed into a couch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lady called and said they hadn\u2019t found their yellow python. They didn\u2019t want to concern anyone, she said, but it may have gotten in the couch that was packed up days ago,\u201d said Brittany Brooks, vice president of Conser Group, a moving company based in Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frequent moves have made troops the target of certain scams. (Eric Pilgrim\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the truck\u2019s doors opened, animal control was at the ready. And indeed, there was the python, still alive and sealed into the couch by a thick layer of paper and plastic wrap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not every military family owns a snake, the anecdote highlights an important point for those making a permanent change of station move this year: Communication is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you start arranging an upcoming move, talk to your moving company about your specific needs, any extenuating circumstances, pets, schedules and more. The more information, the better \u2014 even if you think it\u2019s unimportant, Brooks said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShare it with us. We\u2019ll decipher what\u2019s need-to-know,\u201d Brooks said in an interview with Military Times about this year\u2019s moving season. \u201cHaving that proactive, organized conversation from the beginning is really crucial.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organization and planning are at the core of a successful relocation for troops and moving companies alike. Movers are now preparing to tackle peak PCS season, which runs from May 15 to Aug. 31 each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Transportation Command manages the flow of troops’ household goods around the world. (Defense Department)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are doing everything we can from a resource perspective,\u201d Brooks said. \u201cMany of us are currently in hiring stages, in training stages with our crews, fine-tuning our equipment [and] making sure we\u2019ve got the materials pre-ordered and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the bookings start to flow through for the military side, I think we\u2019ll find that capacity is ready,\u201d Brooks said in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historically, more than 120,000 shipments \u2014 about 40% of the annual total for Defense Department\u2019s household goods program \u2014 are moved during peak season, according to officials with U.S. Transportation Command, the organization in charge of shipping troops\u2019 belongings around the world. In 2022, for example, the military logged nearly 303,000 household goods shipments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are anticipating similar numbers for this year,\u201d officials told Military Times in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shipments don\u2019t equal the number of moves because some service members send out multiple shipments over the course of a single PCS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Industry\u2019s capacity to facilitate those moves in 2024 \u2014 such as the number of available trucks and drivers, and workers to pack and unpack everything from clothing to cars \u2014 looks similar to 2023, said Dan Bradley, vice president for government and military relations at the International Association of Movers, which represents about 2,000 companies in 170 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A family pet sits in its carrier after being unloaded from the Patriot Express at RAF Mildenhall, England, May 9, 2023. The Patriot Express offers service to personnel permanently changing station to and from the United Kingdom and other locations abroad. (Tech. Sgt. Anthony Hetlage\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe private and corporate markets are still slower, so that competition is probably down right now for resources\u201d such as drivers and equipment, said Bradley, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. \u201cWith those other markets being down, I think people are generally hungry for shipments, so they\u2019re looking forward to peak season, and looking forward to getting shipments started.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Transportation Command<\/a>, for its part, has tried to improve the moving process for troops and their families. For instance, the command aims to cap the number of moves at 9,000 per week during peak season to avoid overloading the moving industry and allowing companies to better plan for the summer demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSCOM has also stressed to the moving industry the importance of communicating with their entire supply chain and military customers, only taking on shipments they can safely handle, and proactively reaching out to customers when things don\u2019t go according to plan. A service member\u2019s local transportation office can also help set clear expectations about the moving process to help families prepare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the military branches have started offering more flexibility around when troops must report to their new duty stations. A service member\u2019s current chain of command can often work with the unit they\u2019ll join at the new location to smooth out any delays in arrival, according to TRANSCOM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSCOM is in the midst of implementing a new contract aimed at fixing many of the longstanding problems that have plagued service members when shipping household goods, like pickup delays, lost and broken belongings, difficulties with filing claims and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This spring, the command will start moving household goods under a single manager for a limited number of troops at five locations as part of the new contract. About 99% of service members making a move this peak season will remain under the current system.<\/p>\n\n\n\t