Moving Without Orders: The Lowdown on Local Moves

Military moves are expensive! Somehow, despite Dislocation Allowance (DLA), reimbursement from a Personally Procured Move (DITY), and even a complete household goods move by military movers, little costs add up. In addition, there’s the house-hunting trip and boarding and daycare during the move for anxious pets and busy children. Then, you can’t forget the cost of replacing your curtains, area rugs, and other such items that no longer fit your new space, as well as replacing the random pots, pans, and coffee machines that magically disappear en route. But, what about local moves? What then?

For many military families, moving while remaining at the same duty station is indeed a reality. Local moves are part of a growing reality for families receiving who receive continuing orders and longer assignments.

There are many reasons why a family would move while remaining at the same duty assignment. These include:

• Foreclosure: When a landlord undergoes a foreclosure, the occupants must vacate the premises. In this case, it is incumbent upon the tenant to verify who should receive rental payments up until the point of vacancy—the landlord or the lending institution. Military families in such a situation should seek advice from JAG to validate the accuracy of the recipient of rental payments. In the case of a foreclosure, the Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTS) permits a local move for tenants, meaning that military families can relocate with considerable assistance from the DoD. This assistance does not apply to military families who have foreclosed on homes they personally own.
• Moving out of government quarters when required to free up housing for others, such as students for on-base schools.
• Moving into government quarters to fill idle housing.
• When PCS orders are accompanied by a PCS designation: This means the service member is switch from a job in one unit to another, or from one local installation to another within a 50-mile radius. The PCS designation only applies when the government determines that it is in its best interest to have a PCS designation on the orders, but in no case can a service member request a PCS for personal convenience.

Each of the above moves includes options to help military families cover the cost of a local move. To find out move about who is permitted a local move, read section U5355 of the JFTS.

However, not all local moves come with assistance from the military.

For families who have simply outgrown their space or those who wish to downsize after their children have left the nest during the course of the assignment, it’s on you to cover the costs of a local move. These can quickly add up.

Costs for a local move should not venture anywhere into the realm of out-of-state moves, but it is important to be aware of several costs for planning purposes:

• Move-out fees: Will your lease incur move-out fees, such as mandatory cleaning fees if pets lived in your home? These should be spelled out clearly in your lease; however, you will incur move-out fees that may be subtracted from your initial security deposit in the event of damages.
• Security deposits: While moving onto an installation rarely incurs hefty deposits, moving off the installation is another story. In many cases, families must pay at least the first month’s rent along with a deposit upon signing a new lease. In many cases, families must wait for a period of 60 days, as per local and state laws in certain parts of the U.S., before receiving their returned deposit from their original rental. In the meantime, military families need a place to live! Service members are permitted a one-time option of a pay advance of base pay during the course of a single PCS; if you did not apply for this pay advance during your initial move, this is one option for covering the cost of a deposit. This is a zero-interest loan, but it will make your budget tighter for the next year during repayments!
• Moving trucks: A truck rental for a local move is inexpensive compared to a one-way move.
• Moving boxes and supplies: Home improvement stores, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, often have much cheaper supplies than truck rental stores. Plan ahead for each room, and buy plenty of packing tape and permanent markers for marking the boxes.

We’ve moved twice during this current assignment, so I know that the costs—while nothing compared to a long-distance PCS—are a burden.

What tips and advice can you offer to fellow military families facing a local move without government assistance?