{"id":75596,"date":"2023-12-07T22:02:09","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T22:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/12\/07\/more-delays-in-improving-the-process-for-moving-troops-belongings\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:06:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:06:28","slug":"more-delays-in-improving-the-process-for-moving-troops-belongings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/military-benefits\/2023\/12\/07\/more-delays-in-improving-the-process-for-moving-troops-belongings\/","title":{"rendered":"More delays in improving the process for moving troops\u2019 belongings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The new $6.2 billion contract that\u2019s supposed to improve the process for moving service members\u2019 household goods <\/a>has been delayed again \u2014 likely beyond next year\u2019s peak moving season, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s safe to say the majority of shipments will remain under the [current system]\u201d during next year\u2019s peak season, said Andy Dawson, director of the Defense Personal Property Management Office at U.S. Transportation Command, during a media roundtable Thursday. The delays are technology-related, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, new statistics give more clarity on the extent of troops\u2019 and families\u2019 problems with the current system. More than 800 companies handle approximately 170,000 shipments a year; some service members may have more than one shipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this year\u2019s summer peak moving season, the customer satisfaction rate was 74%, Dawson said. Year to date, the satisfaction rate is 78%. \u201cThat\u2019s tens of thousands of service members and families that aren\u2019t satisfied with their relocation experience,\u201d Dawson said. \u201cWe owe it to them within the context of the existing environment, with recruiting and retention challenges, and high op tempo, to do everything we can to improve the quality of life that our service members and families deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The customer satisfaction rates are at least 20 percentage points lower than the rates reported in past years \u2014 generally above 90%. But TRANSCOM has implemented new analytics. \u201cOver the last few years we\u2019ve implemented program changes that allowed us to see ourselves better and we have confidence in those statistics,\u201d Dawson said. Moving companies are no longer allowed to handle or disseminate customer satisfaction surveys. Service members are told they will get an email directly from the government with the survey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another telling statistic, Dawson said, relates to household goods claims for loss and damage. This year, to date, there has been a claims satisfaction<\/a> rate of 41%.<\/p>\n\n\n\t