A PCS DITY move (Do It Yourself move), also called a Personally Procured Move (PPM), gives military families control over their relocation while potentially earning money in the process. If you're considering a military move DITY option for your next PCS, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to maximize your reimbursement and execute a successful move.
At Stewart Moving & Storage, we've proudly supported thousands of military families through DITY moves over the past 25+ years. Whether you're planning a full DITY move or an Army partial DITY move, understanding the process helps you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes.
What is a DITY move?
A DITY move is when you take responsibility for moving your household goods instead of using government-contracted movers. The military reimburses you based on what it would have cost them to move your items, typically paying 95-100% of the government's estimated cost.
The key advantage? If you complete your move for less than the government estimate, you keep the difference as profit. Many military families earn $2,000-$5,000 or more through DITY moves by managing expenses carefully. You can handle the entire move yourself by renting a truck and doing all the labor, hire the professional movers you trust, or do a combination of both. This flexibility makes Army PCS DITY move options attractive to families who want control over their relocation timeline and process.
What does a DITY move include?
A DITY move covers transporting your authorized household goods from your current duty station to your new one. This includes everything from packing and preparing your belongings to the actual transportation. You'll need to gather packing materials, pack all household items, disassemble furniture, and prepare appliances for transport. The transportation phase involves renting a moving truck or trailer, covering fuel costs, tolls, and parking fees, plus handling all the loading and unloading labor yourself or hiring help.
Documentation is crucial for reimbursement. You'll typically receive 95-100% of the government's estimated moving cost, calculated based on the weight of household goods you moved. The profit potential comes when your actual costs are lower than what the government estimated.
Types of Military and PCS Moves
Understanding your options helps you choose the best approach for your situation.
1. Partial DITY move
A military partial DITY move combines personal moving with government-contracted services. You move some items yourself while the military moves the rest. This hybrid approach is common when families want to transport valuable items personally while letting professional movers handle the bulk of their household goods. You might transport vehicles and specialty items yourself while movers ship everything else, or take essential items in your personal vehicle while the government handles furniture and boxes.
2. Household Goods Move (HHG)
The traditional government-arranged move is where military-contracted movers handle everything at no upfront cost to you. The government schedules and pays the movers, who then pack, load, transport, and deliver your belongings. You don't receive any financial benefit, but you get a completely hands-off moving experience. This option is best for families preferring not to deal with moving logistics or who can't manage the physical and administrative demands themselves.
3. Personally Procured Move (PPM)
A full DITY move means you handle the entire relocation and receive maximum reimbursement. You arrange all moving logistics, pay all expenses upfront, and then submit receipts and weight tickets for reimbursement. This option offers the greatest potential to profit from your move and gives you complete control over every aspect of the relocation. It's best suited for organized families comfortable with logistics who want maximum financial benefit and don't mind the additional work involved.
The Ultimate Guide for Your Military DITY Move
1. Start Your DITY Move Application
Begin the DITY move process as soon as you receive your PCS orders. Contact your installation transportation office immediately and request a DITY move counseling appointment. During this appointment, you'll discuss your weight allowance based on your rank and dependents, and the counselor will help you obtain a government weight estimate for your household goods. This is also when you can request an Advance Operating Allowance (AOA), which provides up to 60% of your estimated incentive payment upfront.
2. Stay on Track with a Moving Budget
Creating and maintaining a detailed budget is crucial for the success of your PCS DITY move. Your budget needs to account for truck or trailer rental, fuel costs, packing materials, and moving equipment like dollies, straps, and blankets.
Don't forget lodging during travel, meals while on the road, and potential storage costs if there's a gap between leaving your old home and moving into your new one. Ask for military discounts everywhere you go.
3. Plan Ahead and Gather Information
Start by mapping your route and identifying certified weigh stations along the way. You'll need to locate weigh stations near both your origin and destination, and it's smart to call ahead to confirm their hours and procedures. If you hire a moving company like Stewart Moving & Storage, they will take care of all the documentation you need.
Gather important information from your transportation office, including the government's weight estimate for your household goods, your authorized weight allowance based on rank, the current reimbursement rate per pound, and required documentation for claims. Keep all transportation office contact information handy and understand deadlines for submitting reimbursement claims.
4. Create Packing Goals Checklist
Start 6-8 weeks before your move by decluttering your entire home and selling or donating items you don't want to move. This is also when you should gather all your packing supplies and begin packing non-essential items like seasonal decorations, storage items, and things you won't use before the move.
Pack guest rooms and rarely used spaces 4-6 weeks out. Tackle books, extra linens, and off-season clothing. Disassemble any furniture that won't be used before moving day. With 2-4 weeks before your move date, pack most rooms except for daily essentials. Label all boxes clearly with the room name and a description of contents. Create a detailed inventory list of everything being packed, and handle garage and outdoor items during this phase.
In the final one to two weeks, pack remaining non-essential items and prepare appliances for moving by cleaning and disconnecting them properly. Pack your "open first" box with immediate necessities you'll need right away at your new home, and set aside items for your "do not pack" zone – things like important documents, medications, and valuables that will travel with you separately.
5. Pack Strategically
Use sturdy boxes appropriate for the weight of items you're packing. Heavy items like books and tools should go in small boxes to keep them manageable, while light items like linens and pillows can fill large boxes. Wrap fragile items individually with bubble wrap or packing paper, and fill empty spaces in boxes to prevent items from shifting during transport.
Don't overpack boxes – keep the weight manageable so they can be safely lifted and stacked. Label boxes on multiple sides with the room destination and a brief description of contents. Mark fragile boxes clearly so you know to handle them with extra care. Number all boxes as part of your inventory tracking system so you can verify everything arrives at your destination.
6. Weigh your Vehicle
Official weight tickets are absolutely required for Army PCS DITY move reimbursement, so understanding this process is critical. You need to obtain certified weight tickets from certified scales, weighing your vehicle or trailer completely empty first, then weighing it again when fully loaded with all your household goods. Ideally, use the same scale for both weighings to maintain consistency. The tickets must clearly show the date, time, and weight for each weighing.
The driver should be in the vehicle for both weighings to maintain consistency, and if you're towing a trailer, both the towing vehicle and trailer need to be included in both weighings. You can get weight tickets at certified truck scales at truck stops, commercial moving companies that have scales, recycling centers with certified scales, and sometimes grain elevators or feed stores. Your installation transportation office can usually recommend nearby locations.
7. Save Every Receipt
Meticulous documentation is essential for maximum reimbursement. Save receipts for your truck or trailer rental agreement, all fuel receipts from every single fill-up during your move, tolls, whether from receipts or electronic transaction records, packing materials like boxes, tape, and bubble wrap, and any moving equipment rentals such as dollies, blankets, or straps. If you hire any labor help, keep those receipts. Storage fees should be documented, along with lodging costs during your move and any other moving-related expenses.
8. Submit Your PPM Reimbursement Claim
Timely and complete submission ensures you receive your full reimbursement. You'll need to submit DD Form 2278 (Application for DITY Move), your weight tickets showing both empty and loaded weights, all receipts for moving expenses, rental agreements for your truck or trailer, a copy of your PCS orders, and any additional forms required by your specific military branch.
Visit your installation finance office within the required timeframe, which is typically 45 days after completing your move, though this can vary by branch. Keep copies of everything you submit—never turn over your only copies of important documents.
Choosing Stewart Moving & Storage for Your PCS DITY Move
Even with a DITY move, you don't have to do everything yourself! Stewart Moving & Storage offers flexible services to support your military partial DITY move or full PPM, helping you maximize your reimbursement while reducing the physical strain and stress of moving.
With over 20 years of military moving and storage expertise, we understand DITY move requirements and regulations inside and out. We provide transparent pricing with clear quotes that help you plan your budget accurately. Our experienced crews are familiar with military move requirements and can provide proper documentation and inventory for your records. We offer valuation coverage for your peace of mind, and we're committed to helping you achieve a successful, profitable DITY move.
Stewart Moving & Storage started as a military mover, and we remain dedicated to serving those who serve our country—whether you choose our team or not. We understand that a successful military partial DITY move balances financial benefit with practical support, and we're here to help you find that balance.
FAQs about PCS DITY Moves
How much do you get paid per pound for a DITY move?
The payment per pound for a DITY move varies based on several factors and isn't a simple flat rate. The military calculates your reimbursement based on what it would have cost them to move your household goods using contracted movers. This amount is determined by the weight of your shipment and the distance of your move. You typically receive 95-100% of the government's estimated cost.
Your transportation office can provide a personalized estimate based on your specific rank, weight allowance, and move distance. They'll calculate exactly what the government would pay and what your reimbursement would be, helping you determine whether a DITY move makes financial sense for your situation.
What PCS move expenses does the Army pay?
The Army pays for various PCS move expenses depending on which moving option you choose. For a traditional Household Goods (HHG) move, the Army pays for professional movers to pack, transport, and deliver your authorized household goods up to your weight allowance. They also provide Dislocation Allowance (DLA) to help offset incidental moving costs, which ranges from approximately $2,000 to $10,000+ depending on your rank and whether you have dependents.
Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) reimburses you for hotel and meal costs if you need temporary housing, typically up to 10 days. If you're doing a PCS DITY move, the Army provides the 95-100% reimbursement of what they would have paid movers, plus you can request an Advance Operating Allowance (AOA) of up to 60% upfront.
The Army also covers temporary storage costs if your household goods arrive before your permanent housing is ready, and depending on your new duty station location, they may pay to ship your personal vehicle. Understanding exactly what's covered helps you budget for out-of-pocket expenses that inevitably arise during any military move.
Is a full DITY move worth it?
Whether a full DITY move is worth it depends on your personal situation, organizational skills, physical capability, and financial goals. The primary advantage is the potential to profit significantly—many families earn $2,000-$5,000 or more by managing their own moves efficiently. You also gain complete control over your timeline, how items are packed and handled, and the entire moving process. This control is valuable if you have fragile, valuable, or sentimental items you don't want to entrust to movers.
However, a full DITY move requires substantial work. You're responsible for all packing, loading, driving, and unloading. This is physically demanding, especially if you have a large household. You also shoulder the financial risk and more upfront costs, which requires having adequate savings. You'll spend significant time on logistics, weight tickets, documentation, and paperwork.
If you have an extremely large household, significant valuable items, or limited time and energy, you might prefer a traditional HHG move or hiring movers through a military partial DITY move.
What are some DITY move tips and tricks?
Get multiple quotes for truck rentals and compare not just the daily rate but also mileage charges and insurance options. Military discounts can save hundreds of dollars, so always ask and provide your military ID. Schedule your move for mid-month and mid-week if possible, as these times have lower demand and better rates than month-end weekends.
Declutter ruthlessly before packing to save weight. Sell unwanted items online or at garage sales to add money to your moving fund. Use free or cheap packing materials by collecting boxes from your current base, grocery stores, liquor stores, and retail shops. Use your own linens, towels, and clothing as padding for fragile items rather than buying excessive bubble wrap.
Consider hiring help just for loading and unloading. It's often worth spending a few hundred bucks on labor to prevent injury and speed up the process. Use professional packers for your most valuable or fragile items while packing standard items yourself. Most importantly, start planning as soon as you get your PCS orders to give yourself plenty of time.
