Nearly 1,200 soldiers on the base have been relocated either to other barracks or off-post into community residential housing, according to the statement. Army leaders decided that “the 50-year old barracks passed the point of economic diminishing return,” the statement reads.

The large-scale exodus came after Army and installation leaders, including Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, inspected the Smoke Bomb Hill barracks this summer.

The inspection found “higher than normal moisture levels” — conditions ripe for mold — “and quality of life concerns,” a spokesperson for Fort Bragg said in an unsigned email statement to Army Times.

Army spokespeople said in early August that all affected soldiers would be moved over the course of 30 days, but the process trickled on much longer than expected.

“It was not easy, but we wanted to ensure we did this right in order to best take care of our Soldiers,” Maj. Gen. Brian Mennes, the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg deputy commander, said in a statement. “We understood that all residential moves are significant to the soldier so our guiding principle was to take care of our people throughout this process and not cause undue hardship due to the move.”

Smoke Bomb Hill barracks were constructed in the 1970s through Project Volunteer Army, meant to give the newly all-volunteer service better living conditions in the post-Vietnam War years.

Barracks issues have cropped up at other Army bases in recent weeks, too.

Last month, leaders at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia said that they planned to increase barrack inspections, looking for mold in particular. This came after videos were posted to social media showing walls covered in mold at barracks on the installation.

The Army also recently issued an order to inspect all of its facilities across the force for mold, USA Today first reported Oct. 12.

The Army headquarters at the Pentagon distributed a memo requiring leaders to inspect all barracks, family housing and offices for active duty soldiers by Nov. 18 for “unhealthy, unsafe, substandard living conditions,” USA Today reported.

In an interview with Army Times in early October, Grinston noted the funding challenges the Army faces when trying to address sub-par barracks.

“It is incredibly challenging to forecast barracks projects over the next five years when you don’t know how much money you will have,” Grinston said. “There are a lot of requirements in the Army and the funding isn’t unlimited. Having the predictability to know what we can and can’t do is really important. Time is another factor. When you look at something like Smoke Bomb Hill, it will be a couple of years before new barracks are constructed.”

Grinston pointed to Fort Hood, where he said the Army has spent $557 million on 38 barracks since 2017. More money at more installations is expected in the coming years.

“We are working very hard on this and we’ll average over a billion (dollars) a year through 2030 to build, renovate and sustain our barracks,” Grinston added.

Department officials said they reviewed 130,000 cases over the summer to look for errors, which mostly involved simple clerical mistakes or disability ratings changes after veterans settled on their loans.

Under existing rules, veterans and service members must pay a VA funding fee when they apply for a VA home loan, with costs between 0.5 percent and 3.3 percent of total money lent. The money is designed to defray some administration costs for the department, but disabled veterans are exempt from the fee.

However, an inspector general report released earlier this year found that at least 53,000 disabled veterans had been charged the fees in recent years. VA officials announced in May they would review current and past loans, and contact veterans eligible for refunds.

In a statement, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said the effort stretched back as far as 20 years ago. “Our administration prioritized fixing the problems and paid veterans what they were owed.”

The payout total was significantly above the nearly $290 million total investigators estimated earlier this year. Those refunds ranged from a few thousand dollars to more than $20,000 for some individuals.

VA officials also announced a new policy guidance for lenders to ensure they are asking veterans applying for the loans about their disability status, and establishing new internal processes for oversight over future loan applications which may qualify for waived fees.

The department has also planned new outreach efforts to help inform veterans of the waivers they are eligible to receive.

Officials said they consider their review of the issue now complete, but veterans who believe they may be entitled to a refund for mistaken fees can contact the department’s regional loan center office at (877) 827-3702 or visit the VA’s website for more information.

“We know the veteran for the most part is someone who’s going to be reliable, disciplined and has the ethos of, ‘I have an obligation and I’m going to take care of it,’” said Tom Lynch, executive chairman of the mortgage company NewDay USA.

That sentiment should boost the confidence of any troops or veterans looking for the best mortgage options for buying their first homes. As should the benefits of VA loans, which offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can’t get.

A recent report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau indicated that active-duty troops and veterans buying their first homes are forgoing conventional real-estate loans and other government-funded mortgage options in favor of VA loans.

With that in mind, here are a few tips from experts for troops and veterans looking to buy their first homes.

Take advantage of VA loans

The fact more people are using VA loans isn’t a fluke.

For one, the VA provides 100 percent loans that eliminate the need for down payments. Most conventional loans require a down payment and usually only cover 80 or 85 percent of the home’s total value.

Unlike loans received through the Federal Housing Administration, VA loans don’t require a monthly mortgage insurance payment.

In addition, veterans who receive monthly disability benefits don’t have to pay the VA’s funding fee, which can run from 0.5 to 3.3 percent of an overall loan.

Lynch said that the usage rates of VA loans will probably continue to increase as more home-buyers discover all the upsides of going with a VA loan.

“It is rising,” he said. “It’s a combo of people understanding the benefit of the VA loan … and it’s also symptomatic of the rising real-estate values around the country.”

Know the VA loan process

Home-buyers must meet a few requirements in order to qualify for a VA loan, as the VA’s website details.

As with other loan types, you must have strong credit and enough income to afford the home.

But for VA loans, you need to apply for a VA Home Loan Certificate of Eligibility. The process has different rules depending on your military status.

After establishing your eligibility, the next step involves making sure you have all your necessary military service documentation handy. The most important form for this process is the DD214, a Department of Defense document issued whenever a service member separates from the military.

The VA’s website also mentions that anyone applying for a VA loan needs “certification that you will occupy the home.”

Once you have all your documentation ready, you can go to lenders like USAA and NewDay USA who work directly with the VA to get the right loan for your situation.

Do your homework

Lynch encouraged new home-buyers to make sure they understand all the fees that will be involved in their VA loans and — arguably more importantly — that their realtor does as well.

“If your realtor doesn’t understand VA loans, get to a realtor who has done VA loans before,” he said.

Ed Robinson, senior vice president and head of real-estate lending at USAA, advised first-time home-buyers to know the basics, like what kind of loan they want, their credit scores and as much about the borrowing process as possible.

“The process can seem extremely daunting to someone, because if you think about the vast majority of lending that’s available, it’s very short-term in nature,” he said. “Understand all the things you’re going to have to have handy.”

Lynch also made it clear that the ultimate goal is to put as little money into a new home as possible.

“Put a minimal amount of money down,” he said. “You try to keep money in the bank so you’re not cash-poor.”

Shop around

A VA loan is a great option for first-time home-buyers, but it’s certainly not the only one.

“I think they should look at a few options,” Robinson said.

You can also take out a loan through the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which includes secondary mortgage-loan lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

There are also conventional real estate loans and other government-funded loans available through agencies like the Federal Housing Administration and United States Department of Agriculture.

It’s also worth remembering that chances are you will be working with lenders who will be your middlemen for obtaining loans through any of these sources.

Believe in yourself

If veterans are unsure how to go about buying their first homes, there is no shame in asking for help, Robinson said.

Get “the counseling that’s on the marketplace so the service member knows how to get the best rate possible,” he said.

And, Robinson added, there are resources out there like VA loans designed to make the home-buying process easier for troops and veterans alike.

“It does make sense, especially for first-time home-buyers, to be able to maximize that opportunity and reduce that upfront out-of-pocket,” he said.

But because you don’t, it’s easy to miss a couple of questions when you are “interviewing” your prospective loan officer.

Remember, this is going to be one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. Getting it right can be easy if you know the right questions to ask. Here are seven, with some guidance on what the answers should be:

1. How many VA home loans do you, personally, close each month?

In my experience, a good loan officer will close at least five VA purchase loans every month. This number could fluctuate a bit by region — areas with very few veterans may offer limited opportunities for VA loans — but experience closing these loans is critical.

2. What is the average time it takes to close on a home, from contract to closing date, with your company?

In competitive markets, the average time is 30 days or less.

3. What do you charge for the VA origination fee?

The maximum charge is 1 percent, but some lenders may charge less.

4. Do you charge “discount points”?

These points are basically fees that lower your interest rate. In many cases, especially if you are planning to move or refinance, it doesn’t make sense to pay them.

5. How does your team communicate during the home-buying process?

Be sure your lender will keep you updated. If they don’t have a plan in place to do so, find somebody else.

6. Do you have a secure way to send and receive sensitive information?

Many of the forms you’ll fill out will require strong security measures. You don’t want your Social Security number roaming the internet.

7. What additional costs are associated with the loan?

Remember, just because you’re not putting any money down doesn’t mean the loan won’t cost you anything at signing: You still have to pay for closing costs, although they can be covered by the seller or with a lender credit.

Getting clarity on these small items can help turn an average home-buying experience into a great one.

David Piatek is in the Illinois National Guard and has over 12 years of experience specializing in VA home loans. Find him via email at teamdavid@thefederalsavingsbank.com.

Some caveats for all of the entries: Eligibility rules differ by state and from VA programs, and most state-run efforts include income and property-price limits, as well as other requirements that don’t have to do with military service.

State-based veteran housing benefits in:

• Alaska, California, Nevada, New York, Texas, Washington.
• Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Oregon, Wisconsin.
• Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah.
• Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.

Colorado: Qualified veterans can participate in the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s FirstStep and FirstStep Plus products regardless of whether they are buying their first home. The program requires participants to have a credit score of at least 620, but those without a measured credit score can participate. Second mortgages offered via the program can be used to assist with closing costs, down payments and other expenses; visit the CHFA online for details.

Connecticut: The Military Mortgage Option offered by the state’s housing finance authority reduces the program’s interest rate by 0.125 percent for qualified participants seeking to buy their first home (or their first in at least three years). It’s open to current and former service members, as well as to surviving spouses and civil partners of troops who died in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability. Other rules apply, including income and property-price caps. The new home must be the owner’s primary residence.

Delaware: Qualified veterans can use the Delaware First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit even if they’re not buying their first home. Beneficiaries receive either 35 percent of their taxable interest as a tax credit or a $2,000 credit, whichever is lowest. Visit the above link for other restrictions and property-price limits, and head here for a list of approved lenders.

Illinois: The state offers veteran support via multiple programs, including @HomeIllinois ($5,000 in down payment and closing cost help, plus other benefits) and 1stHomeIllinois ($7,500 in down payment/closing cost help on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in certain counties). Unlike other program participants, veterans aren’t required to be first-time buyers. Get details, contact information and links for all the programs here (PDF), and learn more about 1stHomeIllinois here.

Iowa: The Military Homeownership Assistance Program, run by the state’s finance authority, offers eligible veterans $5,000 toward a down payment or closing costs. It’s open only to those with time on active duty during Operation Desert Storm/Shield and since Sept. 11, 2001, and to surviving spouses of those veterans; visit the link for full eligibility requirements, including financial and property restrictions.

Louisiana: Qualified veterans are eligible for a variant of the Louisiana Housing Corporation Market Rate Program that allows beneficiaries to secure VA-backed 30-year fixed-rate loans at “favorable interest rates.” Participants must have a credit score of 640 or better and must use a program-approved lender (PDF).

Maine: Qualified veterans (active-duty members, honorably discharged veterans and reserve-component members who’ve served 180 days in a combat zone) can get an extra 0.125 percent off their 30-year fixed-rate mortgage under the SaluteME and SaluteME Home Again programs, offered via the Maine State Housing Authority. The programs are offshoots of the First Home Loan program, which offers some participants $3,500 to help with a down payment, closing costs or related fees. Check the program’s website for other requirements and contact details.

A number of states offer grants, reduced-rate loans and other benefits to service members and veterans of various stripes. Home HQ has featured several state-run programs in the past (here, here and here); see below for more options to help you land your next home.

Missouri: Veterans can take part in the state’s First Place loan program even if they’ve already owned a home. The program offers discounted rates as well as a Cash Assistance Payment option that lets beneficiaries borrow funds for closing and related costs. Learn more about income and purchase-price limits, and get links to lender and pre-qualification websites, here.

Nebraska: The Military Home Program, run by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, allows service members and veterans to qualify for “competitively priced” interest rates. Veterans also are exempt from the program’s first-time buyer requirement. Unlike many other state-run programs, VA loan eligibility isn’t required. Learn more here (PDF).

Ohio: Service members, veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for the Ohio Heroes program, a discounted interest rate offered via the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. The program also covers first responders and teachers. Participants must have a credit score of 640 or higher (660 for some loan types) and must complete an online education course. Other financial restrictions apply, including income and purchase-price limits.

Tennessee: Service members past and present who participate in the state’s Great Choice Home Loans program can qualify for a lower interest rate (half a percentage point below other beneficiaries) and can participate in the first-time homebuyer program even if they’ve already owned a home. A series of restrictions apply including home price and income maximums, and credit score requirements; military spouses also may qualify. Head here for details.

Utah: The Utah Veteran First-time Homebuyer Grant offers $2,500 to active-duty service members and veterans who’ve left service in the last five years to purchase their first home in the state. Beneficiaries must be eligible for a VA loan to participate, and they can qualify for the grant if they’ve owned homes in other states. Head here for the online application.

Lt. Col. Deric Prescott, the former staff judge advocate at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, has been charged with stealing and trying to steal money from two companies that moved his household in different permanent change-of-station moves.

Prescott, who last year was reassigned from his job at Minot to Air Force Space Command while the Office of Special Investigations conducted an inquiry into his PCS moves, was charged June 15 with stealing more than $500 from Coleman World Group, and trying to steal more than $500 from Total Military Management, in violation of articles 121 and 80 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Prescott allegedly filed “a household goods claim [in 2017] which included items for which [he] was not entitled claims payment and would have resulted in such payment” if Total Military Management hadn’t noticed similarities between that and previous claims in 2011 and 2014.

Prescott was also charged with four specifications of violating article 107 of the UCMJ, or making false official statements to agents investigating the alleged fraud.

In an Aug. 16 statement, Prescott’s attorney, Frank Spinner, said he expects his name to be cleared.

“Lt. Col. Prescott is disappointed that the Air Force Times published a negative story about him without giving him an opportunity to comment first,” the statement said. “He is also disappointed that the Air Force he has served with integrity and honor for so many years is pursuing the reported adverse action. He expects to be fully vindicated by the end of this process and looks forward to resuming his career with the same integrity and devotion to duty he has always displayed.”

As staff judge advocate, Prescott served as the top lawyer at Minot, providing legal assistance and advice to commanders, first sergeants and other supervisors there. The legal office he oversaw also handled military justice for courts-martial and non-judicial punishment actions, as well as assisting service members, retirees and family members on personal, non-criminal legal matters such as wills.

An Article 32 preliminary hearing, in which the prosecution is required to show probable cause for the charges filed against Prescott, is scheduled for Sept. 6 at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, according to Stephen Brady, a spokesman for the 21st Space Wing.

According to the charge sheet, Prescott allegedly lied to special agents multiple times about household items that were, he claimed, repeatedly damaged in moves.

There was a decorative eagle, whose claw was allegedly broken off in 2011 and 2016. The charge sheet said Prescott told an agent earlier this year that he glued the claw back on after it was allegedly damaged the first time. The second time, Prescott allegedly told the agent that the claw broke off again, and the claw was lost.

Prescott also allegedly told an agent that movers bent a stand in 2014, which he was able to repair on his own. But in his 2016 move, Prescott allegedly said the stand was once again bent.

The charge sheet also said Prescott said movers smashed in the front screen and broke the back outlet of an electrical item in the 2011 move. Prescott allegedly said he was able to fix the back outlet’s plug two years later, but in the 2016 move, the rear plug had been broken again and its speakers were scratched.

Prescott also allegedly told an agent at Minot last July that sealing stickers for wooden crates used in a move had been ripped off when they arrived, and that an inspector had noted they were ripped.

In all those instances, Prescott is accused of making statements he knew were “totally false” and “with intent to deceive,” the charge sheet said.

Brady said the total amount of the money Prescott allegedly stole or tried to steal will be used at his trial and cannot be released at this point.

Brady said that the charges against Prescott are accusations, and he is presumed innocent until, and unless, he is proven guilty.

Jacob McGreevey refinanced the loan on his Vancouver, Washington, home in 2006, according to documents from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He deployed to Iraq in 2009 and returned in 2010, when he requested another refinance; he told OregonLive.com that he’d missed payments and was expecting the foreclosure procedures that began in August 2010.

He wasn’t aware of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which prohibits lenders from initiating foreclosure proceedings on military personnel serving on active duty without a court order. The current act extends this protection up to nine months after leaving active service, down from a year at the time of McGreevey’s foreclosure.

But regardless of the protection time, McGreevey didn’t know about the act until learning about it while in business school; he didn’t invoke the act until filing a complaint in 2016, after he’d left service.

The SCRA doesn’t have a statute of limitations. In such instances, per the court’s ruling, judges seek legal precedence to determine what a reasonable statute would be: McGreevey’s lawyer pointed to acts with six-year statutes, while lawyers for his lender suggested a four-year limit based on an existing Washington state law.

The judges sided with the lender and upheld the foreclosure. McGreevey told OregonLive.com he hadn’t decided whether to appeal.

The ruling doesn’t change existing SCRA benefits. It likely doesn’t even clarify the law’s statute of limitations outside Washington state, and a potential appellate ruling, or a ruling in a separate case by a different court, could limit the ruling’s scope further in that regard, or negate it entirely.

That said, service members may avoid similar legal issues by making SCRA claims or seeking similar financial protections immediately; learn more about the law here and here, and contact you legal assistance office if you think it may apply to your situation.

Like many other military families this moving season, this family has had delays in the delivery of their household belongings. They’ve paid $4,000 as they’ve waited out the delays, and they’ve had trouble communicating with the moving company.

“We have a kid with a disability and she needs to sleep in a bed, not on an air mattress,” the military spouse said. “We had to dip into our savings. I’m curious how much worse this is on enlisted families out there who don’t have the money.”

Because these delays cause hardships for military families, they have the option to file an inconvenience claim with the transportation service provider — the company that was awarded the shipment. Some families don’t realize this, and they may not get clear information about where to file a claim.

These claims are separate from the claims for reimbursement for damage or loss to household goods that’s discovered at delivery, although both are filed with the transportation service provider.

It is the transportation service provider’s responsibility to deliver a shipment on or before the required delivery date, said Army Maj. Dave Dunn, spokesman for U.S. Transportation Command, which oversees DoD’s shipment programs for household goods and privately owned vehicles. The transportation service provider is awarded the shipment by TRANSCOM’s Defense Personal Property Program, but usually subcontracts with other companies to pack, load, haul, unload and unpack the military shipments.

If the shipment isn’t delivered on time, the service member can file an inconvenience claim with the TSP, not the subcontracting companies.

“Service members should contact their TSP regarding what is paid for with an inconvenience claim prior to making purchases,” Dunn said.

An inconvenience claim is not an entitlement, he said, adding that it likely won’t cover the $200 this military wife paid to rent the U-Haul.

Service members are not entitled to per diem when household goods don’t arrive on time, but they can be reimbursed for certain expenses. It’s important to keep those receipts. The maximum amount of reimbursement can’t exceed the daily lodging and meal per diem rate.

Examples of some out-of-pocket expenses that can be covered are lodging, meals, laundry service, and furniture/appliance rental. Rental furniture includes beds/air mattresses, cribs, sofa, chairs, table, appliances and one TV per customer. It also could include purchase of sheets, towels, pots and pans, paper plates, napkins and disposable cutlery. Itemized receipts are required for lodging, meals/food, and furniture rentals. These expenses must be reasonable and relate directly to relieving a definite hardship.

The TSP has seven days to acknowledge an inconvenience claim and 30 days to pay it, according to TRANSCOM. If there is a disputed claim, the service member can contact the installation’s personal property office for help in resolving the dispute.

Other points to remember:

• The name on the moving truck is likely not the name of the company you should contact when there are problems with the shipment, or when you need to file an inconvenience claim. The transportation service provider often sends an email to the service member when the shipment is first awarded, with contact information. Keep that contact information handy.
• Officials stress that the best point of contact for service members with problems is the personal property/transportation management office at their installation. If there are problems with pickup and packing, contact the office at the current location. If there are problems at the end of the road, contact the office at the new location.
• Use Move.mil to find more details on regulations, claim forms, and other information.  
• Those experiencing financial hardships can also contact their military relief society to request assistance.

Hers is one example of what’s happening to a number of military families who are moving this summer.

“This was a living nightmare, to say the least,” said Fancher.

While her husband is on a hardship tour, Fancher was moving from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to Aberdeen, Maryland, in June, after he got orders there. She made the move with her daughters, an 11-month-old and a 6-year-old with special needs.

While the company delivered her household goods a day early, she has plenty of complaints about the packers, as well as the crew that unloaded her shipment.

Her household goods were delivered in a U-Haul truck after the moving van broke down. She contends that her family’s belongings were haphazardly thrown into that truck, causing extensive damage.

She became so upset as her shipment was unloaded that she called her husband, who was asleep in another time zone. He told her to stop the unloading while he tried to reach the base’s transportation office. Meanwhile, she was able to reach the workers’ boss, telling him not to unload anything else until they found help.

The following day, the workers didn’t arrive until after 6 p.m. As they were leaving, about three hours later, she told them they needed to put the beds together, as required. At this point, she and her daughters were exhausted.

Since then, Fancher has had trouble reaching the company responsible for the packers and driver as she seeks payment for the damage done to her old residence while moving furniture out, and to the new residence while moving it in. She figures she’s owed about $820 — and that she’s spent 60 hours over six weeks trying to reach the company.

However, her claim for $4,000 in damage to her household goods was quickly approved and reimbursed by Total Military Management, the company that was responsible for the overall move. Although TMM isn’t responsible for the damage to the residences, TMM chief operating officer Kent Stermon looked into the issue.

A check from that subcontractor company was actually already on the way to the previous landlord, he said, although it was a lesser amount. The company’s CEO agreed to pay the extra amount, and Fancher confirmed her previous landlord received the first check this week.

“TMM has been great getting my claims processed,” she said, and communication was easy.

Among the damaged items, when all was said and done: family heirloom vases, dining room table, treadmill, bedroom furniture, and many more.

Total Military Management, of Jacksonville, Florida, arranged for the packing, loading, hauling and unloading by a separate company based in North Carolina.

“This has been a brutal summer,” said Stermon, echoing the comments by others in the industry and U.S. Transportation Command, which oversees DoD’s shipment programs for household goods and privately owned vehicles.

The basic problem is that there aren’t enough packers, truckers and other workers to handle the capacity of moves this summer. A shortage of more than 50,000 truck drivers nationwide and an improving economy that is drawing workers to other companies outside the moving industry contribute heavily to the problem. In addition, moving companies get paid less for military moves than they do for corporate and residential moves.

About 10 percent of service members moving this year have experienced a delay in delivery, and the delays are expected to continue, according to U.S. Transportation Command officials. They advise families to work closely with their personal property offices to understand their options, such as filing inconvenience claims.

‘Horror story after horror story’

TMM has a policy of not taking on more business than they can handle, Stermon said. For example, they are turning down all moves in Key West right now because there is not enough capacity to handle those moves. While they are finding ways to solve problems elsewhere, it’s just not possible for Key West, he said.

“I’m hearing horror story after horror story about Key West. There’s only one moving company there,” he said.

But getting information about delays has been a big issue for many military families, whose moves are being handled by many different companies across the country.

Another military wife, who asked not to be identified, was so frustrated with the delay in receiving her unaccompanied baggage shipment from overseas that she rented a U-Haul and drove to pick up the shipment, needed in no small part because they have a child with a disability. The unaccompanied baggage shipment is a smaller shipment sent ahead more quickly from overseas, designed to provide the family with essentials until the full shipment arrives.

She said there have been continual issues with reaching the moving company that has their household goods. Although their regular household goods shipment arrived more than a month ago, it has yet to be delivered.

“We’ve shelled out about $4,000” for needed items, she said. “We have a kid with a disability and she needs to sleep in a bed, not on an air mattress. … We had to dip into our savings. I’m curious how much worse this is on enlisted families out there who don’t have the money.”

“There are a limited number of companies that will contract for the moving, All you get is excuses,” the military wife said. “The company says, ‘We have a lot of stuff, we only have so many trucks, we only have so many crews.’

“But they were hired to fulfill a contract to deliver these household goods in 45 days. Either meet the contract or pay me,” she said.

“All the branches of service need to communicate how many service members they’re moving in and out of these places. They can make some adjustments, extend service members or move them earlier, so there’s a manageable amount of moving. … And they need to stop moving people every two years. They need to move every four years,” she said.