TMO offers tips for moving personal property PCS in 2009

  • Published
  • By James Pehan
  • Base Transportation Management Office
With 65 percent of DoD personal property moves occuring between April and July, the Buckley Transportation Management Office offers tips to make moves less stressful.

- Visit the TMO Personal Property office outbound counter at the north end of Bldg. 606. Arrive with orders in hand at least 30 - 60days before you want household goods, baggage or non-temporary storage to be moved. The member will be scheduled to attend a mass briefing where they will complete all documentation required to affect the move.

- Emergencies are handled on a case-by-case basis.

- The member's orders reflect their entitlements. Remember all services in the Denver Metro Area are handled by the Buckley TMO office.

- Members should use separate dates for their baggage pickup, household goods pickup and items going to non-temporary storage, if applicable.

- TMO reviews the information on the members' orders to determine their entitlements and to facilitate and complete all documentation, which is sent to Joint Personal Property Shipment Office - Colorado Springs, or JPPSO-COS, to be booked with commercial carriers.

- Members are asked to schedule their pickup dates any time other than the last three days of each month if possible, because carriers are normally saturated on those days with everyone who wants to get moved by the end of the month.

- Members should keep their pack and pick up dates free of any other obligations. House closings and going-away parties shouldn't be scheduled on the same dates as moves.

- Moving companies handle many shipments on the same day and although the member is required to be available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., the movers can come any time during that time period, and may work until 7 p.m. in some cases.

- The packers often go from one residence to another on a schedule, depending on the weight being moved.

- Members should call the moving company that is packing their household goods the day before their pack dates to get an idea where they fall on the mover's schedule.

- Members should never plan for their household goods to be picked up on the same day they must vacate their residence. Members should try to give themselves an extra day in case of any problems. Weather conditions could prevent loading at a property and could cause the moving company to delay the pickup date. This is rare, but sometimes happens, so the member should be prepared.

- The member should estimate the weight of their property. One thousand pounds per room is a good rule of thumb, unless the member can ascertain the actual weight.

- Estimate your weight. One thousand pounds per room is a good rule of thumb.

- Normally, 4,000 pounds can be packed and picked up the same day; 4,000 to 6,000 takes one day to pack and one day to pick up; and anything more than 6,000 pounds may require two days to pack and one day to pick up.

- Changing of pack-out dates once they are established will only be done for emergencies that are beyond a member's control.

- Always be aware of what company is handling what shipment. Ask for identification when allowing movers in your home. Government-approved companies will have shipment documents in the company's name and most wear some sort of company uniform or t-shirt with a logo.

- Do not leave cash, jewelry, airline tickets, passports, check books or valuables unattended. These items are supposed to be hand-carried and should be out of the carrier's access during packing and pick-up. Every year, someone ends up paying to have part of their shipment unpacked to find their passports or airline tickets, which could cost hundreds of dollars. Those items should be locked in a car out of sight and everyone's way during pack-out.

- It's the member's responsibility to remove all articles from crawl spaces or attics if they are not accessible by a permanent staircase.

- Refrigerators and freezers must be empty, defrosted and washed at least 24 hours prior to the pick-up date. It can be helpful to put fresh coffee grounds in a sock and leave it in a refrigerator or freezer during moving period.

- Remove window air conditioners, satellite dishes, TV antennas and disassemble any outdoor equipment, sheds or play houses prior to pickup.

- Disconnect all stereo equipment, VCRs, and other appliances.

- It's the member's responsibility to disconnect the washer and dryer and clean them prior to shipment.

- Dispose of any unsealed food items that might spill or spoil during shipment and possibly contaminate the shipment. TMO has a list of unauthorized items.

- Dispose of any unserviceable or unwanted items like books, papers, magazines and clothing prior to packing date. These heavy items can add weight to a shipment and it is best to discard little-used items rather than exceed weight limitations and pay extra.

- Separate professional books, papers and equipment and ensure they are identified to the carrier, because the weight of those items doesn't count against the overall weight of the shipment. Professional equipment does not include any furniture items, i.e., cabinets, desk with drawers, computer desks and storage cabinets.

- Drain or use up all gasoline from power-driven equipment, lawn mowers, motorcycles and remove battery cables, making sure they are corrosive-free and clean.

- Ensure all major items appear on the inventory and are reflected in an accurate condition. If a member feels the inventory is not accurate he or she has the option to make notes in the remarks section at the bottom of each inventory sheet.

Below are the weight allowances for the maximum Joint Federal Travel Regulation allowance, which include any household goods shipment, baggage and non-temporary storage items allowed.

Officers: Without Dependants With Dependants
0-6 to 0-10 - and civilians 18,000 18,000
0-5 16,000 17,500
0-4 and W-4 14,000 17,000
0-3 and W-3 13,000 14,500
0-2 and W-2 12,500 13,500
01 and W-1 10,000 12,000


Enlisted: Without Dependants With Dependants
E-9 13,000 15,000
E-8 12,000 14,000
E-7 11,000 13,000
E-6 8,000 11,000
E-5 7,000 9,000
E-4 (Over two years) 7,000 8,000
E-4 (Under two years) 5,000 8,000
E-3, E-2 and E-1 5,000 8,000

For those going overseas, there may be other weight restrictions or policies, depending on if furniture support is available at your next base. Japan and Korea are restricted.

- Planning a move well ahead of time is the key to having a smooth transition. Please ask questions during your personal property counseling/briefing.

Passenger travel reservations/tickets:
Travelers going overseas should contact the passenger travel office in Bldg. 606 at the north end of the reception area, to ensure flights and documentation are available to meet their projected departure dates. If there are no military operated/controlled flights the member will be sent to the Commercial Travel Office in the next cubicle to make reservations, etc.

For passenger travel, call 720-847-6441.

For Commercial Travel Office, call 720-847-6290.

The 460th Logistics Readiness Squadron/TMO provides quality customer service to make transitions smooth. For more information, call the TMO front desk at 720-847-6685.