Posted on Jan 23, 2026
Pentagon Overhauls Military Moving System After Years of Family Complaints
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More than 20 years of military moves taught one Army family to expect frustration, confusion and long waits for their own belongings.
Defense officials are redesignating the Permanent Change of Station Joint Task Force into a new Personal Property Activity based at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, with plans to convert it into a standalone federal agency overseeing all military household goods moves.
The overhaul centralizes authority over shipping offices, claims processing and business rules for a system that manages about 300,000 moves each year and costs about $2 billion annually. It follows years of complaints from service members, families and moving companies about delays, damage, lost property and accountability gaps.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Henig has moved his household about 10 times in 22 years of service. For most of those moves, he said the system has felt disjointed, slow and exhausting.
That changed during his most recent move in December.
“We had more lead time in the orders process, better communication and real control,” Henig told Military.com. “I had a single person I could reach for any question.”
Defense leaders said that difference is not accidental.
Defense officials are redesignating the Permanent Change of Station Joint Task Force into a new Personal Property Activity based at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, with plans to convert it into a standalone federal agency overseeing all military household goods moves.
The overhaul centralizes authority over shipping offices, claims processing and business rules for a system that manages about 300,000 moves each year and costs about $2 billion annually. It follows years of complaints from service members, families and moving companies about delays, damage, lost property and accountability gaps.
Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Henig has moved his household about 10 times in 22 years of service. For most of those moves, he said the system has felt disjointed, slow and exhausting.
That changed during his most recent move in December.
“We had more lead time in the orders process, better communication and real control,” Henig told Military.com. “I had a single person I could reach for any question.”
Defense leaders said that difference is not accidental.
Pentagon Overhauls Military Moving System After Years of Family Complaints
Posted from military.com
Military Family
PCS
Transportation
Posted 2 d ago
Responses: 2
Being retired, I won't have to experience it first-hand, but for our active duty brethren I hope this 'overhaul' is better than the last 'overhaul'.
All I can say regarding the transformation of the "Permanent Change of Station JTF" into the new "Personal Property Activity" which will now have centralized authority over ALL aspects (shipping offices, claims, business rules, etc.) of the move .... It's about time.
All I can say regarding the transformation of the "Permanent Change of Station JTF" into the new "Personal Property Activity" which will now have centralized authority over ALL aspects (shipping offices, claims, business rules, etc.) of the move .... It's about time.
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COL (Join to see)
Moving was always stressful, but my wife and I had (several) mostly uneventful moves with only 1 minor theft and a few minor damage claims over 3 decades and 9 or 10 PCS moves.
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COL Randall Cudworth
COL (Join to see) - Likewise. Most of my moves were uneventful, but I did have 'one from hell' (my second move). Half my shipment was lost in the move and I spent the next half-year trying to figure out exactly what was in those boxes.
I should have paid attention to the advice of photographing everything that went into a box, but I had the typical 'young and don't need to listen because I know everything' attitude of a young twenty-year-old.
I should have paid attention to the advice of photographing everything that went into a box, but I had the typical 'young and don't need to listen because I know everything' attitude of a young twenty-year-old.
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Greetings COL (Join to see). Excellent post. Thank you for sharing this Sir. Facts. Very accurate. I fully concur. I recall when I used to be active duty Navy and active duty army, there was a lot of moving required. But, it comes with being in the military for many years, and can be slightly frustrating at times. :->
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