R 291712Z MAR 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 178/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC L LP//
SUBJ/2012 SUMMER HOUSEHOLD GOODS PEAK SEASON PREPARATIONS//
POC/F. D. HYDEN/CIV/UNIT:LPD-2/-/TEL:(703) 695-7765 /EMAIL:FREDERICK. HYDEN@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO REMIND U.S. MARINE CORPS LEADERS, SERVICE MEMBERS, CIVILIAN MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES OF THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVING IN THE SUMMER AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS SHIPMENT DIFFICULTIES.
2. INFORMATION. ALMOST 65 PERCENT OF ALL DOD HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVES ARE PERFORMED DURING THE SUMMER PEAK SEASON PERIOD OF 15 MAY THROUGH 30 SEPTEMBER. LAST SUMMER, A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVING COMPANY CAPACITY ADDED TO SUMMER MOVE DIFFICULTIES FOR OUR MARINES, CIVILIAN MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND (USTRANSCOM), OWNER OF THE DEFENSE PERSONAL PROPERTY PROGRAM AND THE DEFENSE PERSONAL PROPERTY SYSTEM (DPS), IMPLEMENTED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS DESIGNED TO MITIGATE LAST SUMMER'S DIFFICULTIES AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE DURING THE UPCOMING PEAK SEASON. HOWEVER, CONTINUING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND AN INCREASE IN PRIVATE SECTOR MOVES CONTINUES TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT INDUSTRY CAPACITY. PROPER PLANNING, CAREFUL PREPARATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS, FLEXIBILITY IN MOVEMENT DATES AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS CARRIERS CAN REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR SHIPMENT DIFFICULTIES.
3. ACTION. MARINES AND CIVILIAN MARINES ANTICIPATING A PCS MOVE FROM 15 MAY THROUGH 30 SEPTEMBER 2012 ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:
3.A. PLAN YOUR MOVE. ATTEND A "PCS SMOOTH MOVE" OR OTHER COMMAND-SPONSORED PCS WORKSHOP.
3.B. VISIT WWW.MOVE.MIL AND REVIEW THE VAST HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVE PLANNING TOOLS AVAILABLE. TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THE "IT'S YOUR MOVE" PAMPHLETS, FRONT LOAD WASHER SERVICING NOTICE, FLAT SCREEN TV REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER USEFUL TRAINING AND INFORMATION TOOLS PRESENTED ON THE DPS WEBSITE.
3.C. MOST MARINES AND CIVILIAN MARINES CAN ESTABLISH AN ACCOUNT WITH DPS AND PROCEED WITH SELF COUNSELING. HOWEVER, FIRST-TIME MOVERS, SEPARATEES, RETIREES AND OTHER SPECIAL CATEGORY PERSONNEL MUST BE COUNSELED AT THE LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE. A DPS ACCOUNT IS STILL REQUIRED TO TRACK AND MANAGE SHIPMENTS AND FILE CLAIMS WHEN REQUIRED. LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICES CAN ASSIST IN SETTING UP THOSE ACCOUNTS. UPON COMPLETION OF SELF COUNSELING, IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE A COPY OF OFFICIAL WEB ORDERS TO YOUR LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE. APPLICATION(S) FOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVE(S) WILL NOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT A VALID COPY OF OFFICIAL ORDERS. ALL PERSONNEL ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSULT THEIR LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL COUNSELING ASSISTANCE WHEN NECESSARY AND TO PROVIDE CONCRETE FEEDBACK THAT CAN BE RELAYED THROUGH THIS HEADQUARTERS TO USTRANSCOM TO DRIVE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROGRAM.
3.D. ENSURE FLEXIBILITY IN PACKING, PICK-UP AND DELIVERY DATES.THE MOST POPULAR PICK-UP DATES FOR PCS MOVES ARE BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY AND TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FOURTH OF JULY. EXECUTING HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVES DURING THIS "PEAK OF THE PEAK" SUMMER SEASON PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGES SINCE SHIPMENT VOLUMES STRETCH THE LIMITS OF INDUSTRY CAPACITY. DESPITE A SLIGHT ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PAST TWO PEAK SEASONS, INDUSTRY RECENTLY REPORTED THAT LOCAL MANPOWER AND LINEHAUL DRIVER AND TRUCK CAPACITIES REMAIN STRAINED DURING THIS "PEAK OF THE PEAK" SEASON. PICK-UP DATES MUST NOT BE SO TIGHT THAT AN ADDITIONAL FEW DAYS BETWEEN REQUESTED AND ACTUAL PICK-UP DATES NEGATIVELY IMPACT PLANS TO VACATE HOUSING, COMMENCE TRAVEL AND EXECUTE OTHER PCS-RELATED EVENTS. THE LAST FEW DAYS AND THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF EVERY MONTH ARE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT DATES SINCE MOST LEASES AND RENTAL AGREEMENTS START OR END DURING THAT TIME. AS A REMINDER, FINAL PACK AND PICK-UP DATES ARE NOT CONFIRMED UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRE-MOVE SURVEY, SO BE SURE TO OBTAIN CONFIRMATION OF PACK AND PICK-UP DATES BEFORE MAKING ANY FINAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. IF CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE A CHANGE TO THE AGREED UPON PACK AND PICKUP DATES, THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL RISK THAT NEW REQUESTED DATES MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN GETTING NEW DATES.
3.E. STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVING COMPANY, NOW KNOWN AS THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PROVIDER (TSP). DPS PROVIDES POINT OF CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR EACH TSP SUPPORTING EACH MOVE.
3.F. IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE SHOULD ANY UNFORESEEN ISSUES ARISE DURING THE MOVE.
3.G. CONSIDER PERFORMING A PERSONALLY PROCURED MOVE (PPM, FORMERLY KNOWN AS A DITY MOVE). ELIGIBLE MARINES MAY BE PAID UP TO 95 PERCENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S COST FOR PERFORMING A SIMILAR MOVE. A PPM OFFERS THE GREATEST FLEXIBILITY WHEN PERFORMING AN ELIGIBLE MOVE. MARINES ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM PPM COUNSELING WITHIN DPS OR AT THE LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE AND COMPLETE ALL DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE DD FORM 2278. PPM SETTLEMENT CLAIMS MAY BE TURNED IN TO THE NEAREST USMC PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE OR MAILED TO THE TRANSPORTATION VOUCHER CERTIFICATION DIVISION (TVCD). INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FILE A PPM CLAIM ARE LOCATED AT WWW.LOGCOM. USMC.MIL/TVCD. EMPTY AND FULL WEIGHT TICKETS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM.  WITHOUT THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION, THE PPM CLAIM IS INCOMPLETE AND THE INCENTIVE PAYMENT MAY NOT BE AUTHORIZED.
3.H. IF THERE ARE DAMAGES TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS SHIPMENT, ENSURE YOU NOTIFY THE TSP OF YOUR INTENT TO FILE A CLAIM, USING THE DPS CLAIMS MODULE, WITHIN 75 DAYS OF DELIVERY. YOU MUST COMPLETE AND FILE THE COMPLETED CLAIM WITH THE TSP WITHIN NINE (9) MONTHS OF THE DELIVERY DATE TO RECEIVE FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE. YOU MUST FILE A CLAIM FOR EACH SHIPMENT (HOUSEHOLD GOODS, NONTEMPORARY STORAGE AND UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE SHIPMENTS WHEN APPLICABLE). THE CLAIMS SUBMISSION PROCESS IN DPS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO USE, BUT USTRANSCOM IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL SHORT TERM FIXES TO MAKE THE CLAIMS SUBMISSION EXPERIENCE LESS INTIMIDATING TO USERS. THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE "HOW TO FILE A CLAIM IN DPS" VIDEO AT WWW.MOVE.MIL TO REVIEW THE CLAIMS PROCESS AND CONTACT THE LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE FOR CLAIMS FILING ASSISTANCE. IN THE EVENT YOU AND THE TSP CANNOT REACH A SETTLEMENT, CONTACT THE MARINE CORPS CLAIMS OFFICE AT (703) 784-9533 FOR GUIDANCE.
4. AFTER YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS ARE DELIVERED YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH A LINK TO COMPLETE A SHORT 12-QUESTION CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY. WE NEED YOU TO COMPLETE A SURVEY FOR EACH MOVE. YOUR RATINGS AND COMMENTS DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENT SHIPMENTS EACH TSP CAN RECEIVE AS A BEST VALUE PERFORMER. YOUR SURVEY REWARDS TOP PERFORMERS AND ELIMINATES POOR PERFORMERS. COMMANDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE COMPLETION OF THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY A PART OF THEIR PCS CHECK IN PROCESS.
5. PLANNING, PREPARATION, FLEXIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION ARE THE KEYS TO EXECUTING A SUCCESSFUL HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVE. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PERSONAL PROPERTY OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, TRAINING AND SUPPORT.
6. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN PANTER, DEPUTY COMMANDANT, INSTALLATIONS AND LOGISTICS.//