TMO entering peak season

Published May 9, 2014
By Senior Airman Cortney Paxton
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Moving season for Air Force members is all year long, but peak moving season for Malmstrom's Traffic Management Office is about to begin.

"Peak season starts May 15 [and runs] through July 31," said DeAndrea Singleton, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron chief of personal property. "Then we have a timeframe called the 'peak of the peak,' which is the busiest time for us, and those dates are usually June 16 through the Fourth of July. The reason it's the peak season is mostly because that's when most people are moving - during the summertime. That's when orders really drop so people can move when school is out and get children there before [the next school year] starts. Those are the timeframes in the busiest months that we have, and it's hard to get carriers during those months."

Team Malmstrom members who receive their orders during this timeframe are urged to start processing their move through the TMO office immediately. They are encouraged to visit www.move.mil to enter their information into Defense Personal Property System.

"They should go to move.mil and put in all of their information about their move - the dates and everything - and then that's when they will come in to see us," Singleton said. "That's the most important thing, because a lot of people get their orders and think they have enough time but, because of peak season, we need 21 days out before a carrier can actually come to their house and start packing. Those 21 days are just during the week - not including the weekends. So that's almost a whole month out before a carrier can come to their house to actually start packing."

Individuals who may not receive their orders within 21 duty days before required to move have additional options to pursue.

"A lot of people sometimes get their orders late - which is, of course, not their fault - and need to be gone before the 21 days," Singleton said. "That's when we tell them they can get a Power of Attorney for someone who can release their shipment - if they need to go to their new duty station, someone can be here to release their shipment. Or they can do a personally procured move - a ['Do It Yourself' or] DITY move - where they can pack everything themselves and move it and then they'll [be reimbursed]. Or they can contract a carry out, where they would contact a local company downtown and get them to move their household goods - they'll get paid for it just like they were moving it themselves. Those are the different options that they have in case a carrier can't be there in the timeframe that they want."

Individuals planning to do a personally procured move don't have to worry about the 21-day deadline during peak season, as processing their move doesn't rely on a carrier. According to Singleton, those who do a PPM would be able to visit move.mil and the TMO office the day before their travel and still be able to process the move; however, a visit to the TMO ahead of time is never a bad idea.

"It's still good to come in ahead of time so you can make sure you're doing everything right," Singleton said. "With a DITY move, you have to make sure you get weight tickets and everything like that - there are different things that we have to brief you on."
For Airmen planning to have a carrier move their goods, the TMO has a few tips to keep things running smoothly.

"We say it's good to take pictures or videotape everything -make sure your video camera has the dates on it, then [while filming], turn your TV on and make sure it's working, then your stereo, and anything else like that," Singleton advised. "That's the main thing - taking pictures or video with the time and date just to ensure that everything is working.

"Any valuables you don't want the carrier to pack you would probably want to take yourself," she continued. "That can be your antiques, and I would even say laptops - you wouldn't want the carrier to take stuff like that - any important paperwork. So any valuables I would take myself - I would do a DITY move on that."

While preparing for everything is a good option, the TMO has a quality control, or QC, individual who can stop in while the carrier packs the member's goods to ensure everything is running smoothly and the packing organization is doing what they are supposed to.

Malmstrom's TMO is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 731-6280.