{"id":75877,"date":"2024-02-21T22:31:08","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T22:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/02\/21\/5-bases-to-test-new-privately-run-system-for-household-goods-shipments\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:41:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:41:36","slug":"5-bases-to-test-new-privately-run-system-for-household-goods-shipments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/02\/21\/5-bases-to-test-new-privately-run-system-for-household-goods-shipments\/","title":{"rendered":"5 bases to test new privately run system for household goods shipments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A limited number of troops and their families are about to see the fruits of U.S. Transportation Command\u2019s efforts to improve how household goods are shipped during military moves. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a few weeks, officials will announce five locations where they will begin assigning some troops\u2019 household goods shipments to HomeSafe Alliance, the new contractor<\/a> that will manage the flow of belongings around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new system is designed to improve troops\u2019 ability to communicate with their moving company, provide information about the location of their belongings throughout the transit, and improve the claims process. And the Defense Department promises more accountability if things go wrong during a move, like broken or lost items or missed pickup and delivery dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery single move is important to us. Every service member and family deserve a good quality move, a professional experience, and one that\u2019s free of stress,\u201d Andy Dawson, director of the of the Defense Personal Property Management Office at TRANSCOM, said during a call with reporters Tuesday. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t be more excited to move into the next phase and start executing shipments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, TRANSCOM officials delayed plans to phase in shipments under the new contract<\/a> <\/b>while the Defense Department ensured its software works with the system used by HomeSafe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t ready, so the best course of action was to do as we\u2019ve done until we were ready to go,\u201d Dawson said. Technology tests in January showed the team has successfully addressed \u201cthe majority of challenges\u201d and is ready to move forward with a \u201cdeliberate, conditions-based phase-in\u201d of the program, Dawson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first phase will be limited to local moves in those five areas, within a radius of about 50 miles. Examples of troops who can participate include <\/b>those moving from off-base housing to on-base housing, or those who are moving off of a base as they retire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moves will likely represent less than 1% of the overall DOD move volume this year, Dawson said, as officials don\u2019t want to roll out a major change during peak moving season, which typically runs from May to September. Dawson declined to specify the numbers of moves HomeSafe will handle. Most shipments will be moved under the current system this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSCOM plans to phase in more moves \u2014 focused on domestic shipping first \u2014 between September 2024 and peak moving season in 2025. Troops and their families shouldn\u2019t expect to see their belongings shipped internationally with HomeSafe until September 2025 at the earliest, Dawson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe goal is to responsibly roll out the system as quickly as possible,\u201d Dawson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t