{"id":70310,"date":"2021-07-22T21:49:27","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T21:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/07\/22\/army-to-soldiers-suffering-from-pcs-woes-get-help-from-your-chain-of-command\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:32:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:32:20","slug":"army-to-soldiers-suffering-from-pcs-woes-get-help-from-your-chain-of-command","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2021\/07\/22\/army-to-soldiers-suffering-from-pcs-woes-get-help-from-your-chain-of-command\/","title":{"rendered":"Army to soldiers suffering from PCS woes: Get help from your chain of command"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As military families struggle in a moving season that\u2019s more turbulent than any in recent history\u2014 because of shortages of moving companies <\/a>and housing<\/a> \u2014 Army officials are advising soldiers to contact their chain of command if they\u2019re having trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUp and down the chain of command, the Army recognizes moving is a stressful time for any soldier and any family. No soldier has to do this alone,\u201d said Maj. Gen. Omar Jones, deputy commanding general of Installation Management Command, during a call with reporters Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe installation team, the chain of command, from the sergeant all the way up to Army senior leaders, are all in to help work with the soldiers to give them options and to work them through the process to reduce the stress so they and their families have a successful [permanent change of station] move,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Troops and families of all service branches<\/a> are feeling the brunt of a widespread housing crunch. Many have said they are taking a large financial hit, having to pay out of pocket for extended hotel stays as they wait for housing. In some cases, they\u2019ve had to rent places that exceed their housing allowance by $600 or more each month, yet are often far away from their installation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many who are trying to buy a house report bidding tens of thousands of dollars more than the listing price, while still being outbid in a fiercely competitive housing market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there\u2019s the problem of moving companies that struggle to find workers, deal with shortages of equipment and other issues in a busy military and commercial moving season that may continue for weeks, according to an industry source. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this is exacerbated by the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 54,000 soldiers are moving between April 1 and Sept. 30 this year, with a total of 92,000 shipments, because some soldiers have multiple shipments \u2014 such as a partial personally procured shipment and a regular government-arranged household goods shipment. The Army has moved about two-thirds of those people and shipments so far, Jones said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jones said the four installations experiencing the most challenges right now are Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., in a region with Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard members; and Fort Drum, N.Y.; Fort Knox, Ky.; and Fort Irwin, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Army IHG Hotels, like this Candlewood Suites at Fort Jackson, S.C., are lowering their room rates for service members and families who need to stay longer because they’re having trouble finding housing. (Courtesy IHG Army Hotels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Army has already taken some steps to help soldiers caught in these situations, such as giving soldiers flexibility in report dates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soldiers with report dates from July 6 through Sept. 30 can report to their new duty station up to 30 days early and up to 20 days later than the report date on their orders. Military personnel divisions can defer soldiers up to 60 days from the original report date but no later than Nov. 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, Jones said, Army housing offices are working with off-post landlords to find more rentals, and are now encouraging off-post hotels to provide cheaper rates for soldiers who find themselves having to stay longer than the current 10 days covered by Temporary Lodging Expenses entitlements. Housing officials are asking for hotels to set rates equal to the soldier\u2019s Basic Allowance for Housing, which kicks in after TLE ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is similar to what the Army IHG Hotels system announced this week. Their 40 on-post hotels in the United States will provide service members the option of applying for temporary lodging at BAH rates until they find permanent housing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they don\u2019t have any information about whether any off-post hotels have lowered their rates yet, Jones said, \u2018\u201dwe anticipate that off-post hotels may be following their lead in the future, hopefully the short future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t