storage & moving during OCS/IFS/API

[airgreg]

I'm getting ready to leave for OCS with a SNA slot. That means I won't get a military paid move of all my stuff until after API. During OCS/IFS/API, I'm planning on storing my stuff with a storage company near my home of record. A couple questions:

1) After API, will the military will pay movers to move my stuff from storage to Primary (Corpus or Whiting)?

2) Will the military movers be able to pick up my stuff from storage even if I am not there?

3) HOW do I tell the Navy where/when to pick up my stuff from storage? Is this taken care of during API?

Thanks for any answers to these questions,
-Greg

 

[Gatordev]

Bear w/ me here, as I didn't go the OCS route, but here's some general info on how the whole household goods thing works...

Once you graduate from OCS, you will have orders to flight school. W/ those orders, you are entitled to move from your home of record (or place where you enlisted or whatever) to your duty station. Generally, there's two kinds of shipments: regular or express. I've only used express when going OCONUS, and it sucked, but I imagine it's a bit faster INCONUS. Usually, someone needs to be present for the moving company to pickup (and deliver) your goods, so someone would have to be at your storage space. If that's not you, you can designate someone when you do all the paperwork. Also, the express shipment is limited to 600 lbs.

So how do you set this all up? At the Personal Property Office at where ever you're stationed, which would be Mainside there in Pensacola. There right there, about a block or two from Schools Command. They'll give you a brief, and tell you how to pack and all that stuff, basically walking you through it. And all of this is free to you, the service member.

Hope that helps. Some OCS guys can give some more specifics on when you actually do this, but I would imagine it's the last week or two of OCS.

 

[airgreg]

gatordev,
Thanks. That was exactly what I was looking for.
-Greg

 

[absolutVU]

It might also be helpful to check out the smartwebmove website https://mvweb-1.mech.disa.mil/swm/index.jsp although I still can't figure out exactly how I go about getting paid for piling my stuff in my car and moving it myself...

 

[Gatordev]

Absolut:

That's referred to as a DITY move (Do it yourself). You just tell the the personal property people you want to do a partial DITY or a full DITY. The catch here, though is that those going to OCS may not be eligable for any of this. I don't know, like I said, I'm not an OCS guy. But my understanding is that you come to OCS and are payed for your transportation (per diem/gas or plane tix). Once you're done w/ OCS, then you're eligible for an actual personal property move.

 

[robv182]

Check with personal property before you make too many plans, some of the single guys in my class had problems because they did not have definate follow on orders to whiting, corpus, or where ever. I am an SNFO and did not have their problems. They on the other hand, had to move their stuff on there own. At one time the Navy would move up to 700 pounds for individuals in their status(enroute a school and just enterring the Navy), but I guess they discontinued that practice. You are not actually authorized to ship your household goods until after you graduate OCS and have orders stating ENS Smith and what training squadron you are going to. You will be at your training squadron long enough for the Navy to consider it a Permanent Change of Station(PCS) and they will ship your stuff. In my situation, I had to route a special request to get my orders early to move my family. It had to be approved by the Director and the only reason he approved it was because I was selling my house and had to get my family out asap. I also had to sign an agreement stating that if for some reason I failed to graduate from OCS that I would pay the gov back for the move. All of this and I was a PO1 coming from active duty. You will get your final grad orders week 10 of OCS and will be briefed on procedures that week. You will have plenty of time during candidate officer phase to schedule everything. Good luck, Rob

 

[catpounce]

Hey Robv182,

I am in a similar boat as you were. I am signed up for NFO and will have to move my stuff down prior to OCS as my lease is up (luckily) a few days before I am supposed to report. I am in the DEP program though (non-paid, non-active) so I don't know if that will be an issue. I plan on moving my stuff myself (DITY) and would like some more info on how you managed the special exception. My lease doesn't have a military clause so I have to go when it's up or lock myself in for another year (ain't no way!). Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[robv182]

Cat, contact your local personal property office and get the word directly from them. You might have to put it in storage and then have the Navy ship it after you graduate. They will do a shipment from your home of record after you grad OCS. When I made the request I had already passed all graded evolutions and there was no doubt about my graduating, bar any stupid stuff on my part.

 

[catpounce]

Thanks for the input. I'm going to check into it but most likely will be moving it on my own. It is actually more expensive to store my stuff here than move it and store it closer to Pensacola (can you believe that!). Thanks again.