Moving, separating or retiring? Published June 29, 2015 By Deandrea Singleton Malmstrom Traffic Management Office MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- The peak summer move season is definitely in full swing. The Department of Defense expects the largest volume of requests for property movement to occur from May 1 to July 31, 2015. Much like last season, the entire DOD is competing with the private sector to secure transportation service providers to pack and pick up personal property shipments. The Traffic Management Office is currently under the 21-day rule and some areas are under a 30-day rule, which means the office needs 21 to 30 days advance notice before a carrier will move shipments. To offset the impact to families, the Air Force Joint Personal Property Shipping Offices are using all available tools and options to manage shipment volume and move property in accordance with customers' requested pickup dates. To that end, they are working closely with the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and commercial industry to indentify carriers who are able to service shipments. The JPPSOs are also placing some shipment into temporary storage at origin locations. Furthermore, military services have been working with the industry to add flexibility to business rules with a goal of securing maximum carrier capacity. Because there are so many competing pressures for personal property movement this summer, it's important to focus on a few things military members can do to offset the impact. First, individuals can review their schedule and work with the assignments team to determine if it's possible to postpone moves by changing report-no-later-than-dates until after the summer season when carriers are better able to pack and pick up property. The TMO understands this may be asking a lot, especially for those who absolutely cannot afford to make any adjustments (pending home sales, expiration of lease agreements, mission requirements, et cetera); however, flexibility in departure plans affords the JPPSOs an expanded opportunity to move individuals' property. Another very important thing members can do is elect the option to perform a personally procured move (formerly do it yourself, or DITY). This option allows individuals to control their move dates and ensures they have ready access to property upon arrival at a new location. There are several PPM options including one that reimburses up to what the government would have paid for the move and another where individuals could receive a financial incentive if their move costs less than 95 percent of the government's constructed cost. Factors such as weight limits, actual weight of property moved and distance between origin and destination determine the amount of money involved. In addition to the old "rent a truck" PPM option, individuals now have access to new modes within the commercial industry called portable moving and storage containers. These come in the form of containers dropped at the member's door that the individual packs and the company picks up, transports, stores and then delivers at the member's destination at their request. Some companies also offer a menu of associated services including full or partial packing. The local Traffic Management Office can discuss the benefits of PPMs and describe the particulars of the program to help determine if this option will work for military members. The Traffic Management Office is located at 5 80th St. No., Building 400, Room 217 (base supply warehouse upstairs) or can be reached by calling 406-731-6280/6281/6282. The Traffic Management office thanks everyone in advance for their patience and flexibility as they work to move everyone the best way they can.