Last-Minute Moving Tips for Military Families
April 13, 2017
Moving is stressful, and for most military families, it’s often a time-sensitive requirement.
<p>At Penske, we provide tools to ease the hectic nature of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and Personally Procured Moves (PPM). We have a dedicated military call center staffed by associates who are specially trained to aid military members and their families navigate the unique requirements for each branch. Every call center employee has a military connection: either a family member who is in active or reserve duty or the associate is a veteran themselves. Reach the call center via this toll-free number 1-844-4TROOPS (1-844-487-6677).</p><p>If you are currently tackling a military move on a time crunch, consider the following to-do list to mitigate the stress:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li><strong>Planning –</strong> Getting a plan in place is a good start. Gather important information into one folder, containing phone numbers, contact names, dates, receipts and checklists so you can easily track everything about your move. For some planning tools that focus specifically on military moves, visit the <a href="http://www.militaryonesource.mil/on-and-off-base-living/moving" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Department of Defense </a>website.</li> <li><strong>Moving –</strong> Many families choose to “do-it-yourself” (DITY) because it gives them more control over the move, and they can also potentially make some money in the process. The military provides an allotted cost for moving, and if you can come under that cost through your own planning, the military will pay you the difference. Penske will price-match any competitive offers on one-way truck rentals. Visit <a href="http://www.ditymove.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.DITYmove.com</a> to learn more.</li> <li><strong>Weights –</strong> Military rules require soldiers to certify the weight of the rental vehicle when empty and after it’s fully loaded. Weight limit reimbursements are set depending on a soldier’s rank and dependents, but the traditional weights are estimated at 1,000 pounds per room, excluding bathrooms and storage areas. Then add in the estimated weight of large appliances, garage items and items in storage. Compare this number to what is allowed, and determine if you can reduce the load in any way to avoid paying overweight costs. To help with weight certifications, Penske offers a <a href="http://www.publicscaleslocator.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Certified Public Scale locator</a> tool online to help DITY movers in finding weigh stations.</li> <li><strong>Contact info –</strong> File a change of address form at your local post office so mail can be forwarded, and also make certain your new information is updated with your specific branch of the military.</li></ul><p>Additionally, by visiting <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/military/" rel="noopener noreferrer">PenskeTruckRental.com/military</a>, active military members and veterans can learn about Penske’s discounts, which can add up to 20 percent.</p><p><em>By "Move Ahead" Staff</em></p></div>
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Military family moves are unlike traditional relocations, with active duty service members being shuttled between myriad U.S. bases. As a military-friendly company Penske Truck Rental has created a specialized military call center to ease the stress of a do-it-yourself move, which the Armed Services also refers to as a PCS (Permanent Change of Station) and PPM (Personally Procured Moves).
<p>U.S. Army veteran Joe Dezotell (pictured right) comprehends how a dedicated call center can aid transplanted military families. He was stationed at Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Fort Stewart (Georgia) Fort Gordon (Georgia) and Hanscom Air Force Base (Massachusetts).</p><p>While stationed abroad, Dezotell logged time in Panama, Germany and South Korea, where he met his wife (they have one child). He also recruited for the Army, served in the military police and at one time had 100 soldiers under his command. Dezotell served on numerous deployments during his career including combat operations and peacekeeping missions.</p><p>Today he is a retired Sgt. 1st Class of 24 years (20 years active duty and four years active reserve) and a member of the team of customer service representatives receiving toll-free calls from 1-844-4TROOPS.</p><p>“We are able to help these families find the best way to spend their <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/military/">military move </a>budget,” Dezotell explained. “We help them utilize the proper discounts.”</p><p>Each Penske associate manning this center possesses a military connection: they either have a family member who has or is currently in active or reserve duty, or are veterans themselves.</p><p>“Our military call center employees have been specially trained to aid military members and their families navigate the unique requirements for each branch,” said Penske’s Don Mikes, senior vice president of rental. “We want to ensure that each family’s transition to a new base is conducted as smoothly as possible.”</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="40a9d77dd403884ed843c68321121906" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="c15f0" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyNzM2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5ODQ5MDc4NH0.Rq_cfBOuzfep1BMMzCxyL3H-3RBaisnVvOY33vuT4oQ/img.jpg?width=980"/>By visiting <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/military/">PenskeTruckRental.com/military</a>, active military members and veterans can learn about Penske’s discounts, which can add up to 20 percent, and related services like a certified public scale locator. These locators are needed to fulfill military rules requiring that soldiers and their families certify the weight of their rental trucks when moving.</p><p>Penske promises to match any competitive offer on one on one-way truck rentals for active military personnel or veterans (see the website for specific parameters).</p><p><a href="http://blog.gopenske.com/?s=military">Click here</a> to read more about Penske’s place as a military-friendly corporation: attending military themed career fairs to hire veterans and their spouses; committing to the 10,000 Jobs Challenge; earning regular placement on the G.I. Jobs magazine Top 100 Military-Friendly Employers® list; being recognized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR); fundraising for the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA); and working with Support Military Spouses.</p><p><em>By Alen Beljin</em></p></div>
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Military families regularly relocate to bases across the U.S. which can most certainly be stressful, especially when conducted with little advance notice.
<p>Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and Personally Procured Moves (PPM) come with military assistance to help soldiers and their families make the transition. Families can also take advantage of the do-it-yourself (DITY) option offered by the military, which could make the overall transition much smoother.</p><p>No matter how quickly the move happens, or what kind of moving assistance your family requests, here are some moving tips from <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/">Penske Truck Rental</a> to keep in mind to help keep everything in order. Both active service and military veterans <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/military/">can save up to 20 percent</a> when renting from Penske.</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li><strong>Planning -</strong> PCS notifications can come without a lot of warning, or families may know about a potential move far in advance. For both instances, getting a plan in place is a good start. Gather important information into one folder, containing phone numbers, contact names, dates, receipts and checklists in this folder so you can easily track everything about your move. For some planning tools that focus specifically on military moves, visit the <a href="http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=MHF:RELO:0">U.S. Department of Defense</a> website.</li> <li><strong>Moving -</strong> Many families choose the DITY option because it gives them more control over the move, and they can also potentially make some money in the process. The military provides an allotted cost for moving, and if you can come under that cost through your own planning, the military will pay you the difference. Penske will price-match any competitive offers on one-way truck rentals. Visit <a href="http://www.ditymove.com/">www.DITYmove.com</a> to learn more.</li> <li><strong>Weights -</strong> Military rules require soldiers to certify the weight of the rental vehicle when empty and after it's fully loaded. Weight limit reimbursements are set depending on a soldier's rank and dependents, but the traditional weights are estimated at 1,000 pounds per room, excluding bathrooms and storage areas. Then add in the estimated weight of large appliances, garage items and items in storage. Compare this number to what is allowed and determine if you can reduce the load in any way to avoid paying overweight costs. To help with weight certifications, Penske offers a <a href="http://www.publicscaleslocator.com/">Certified Public Scale locator</a> tool online to help DITY movers in finding weigh stations.</li> <li><strong>Contact info -</strong> File a change of address form at your local post office so mail can be forwarded, and also make certain your new information is updated with your specific branch of the military.</li> <li><strong>Explore -</strong> Get to know your new neighborhood, both on and off base. If you have children, explore the schools and the after school activities available. Learn a bit about the city's history and gather information on the services the city offers so that on moving day, your water and electricity will be available when it's needed.</li></ul><p>When in the military, a move is practically inevitable, but the process can be much less stressful on both emotions and finances with a little organization and planning from the get-go.</p><p align="right"><em>By “Move Ahead” Staff</em></p></div>
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