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How to: “How Much Will I Get for my PCS?”

snizo

Supply Officer
(This would probably go well with the webmaster's PCS post)

Useful information for everyone that I picked up in supply school. This is by no means a catch-all for travel entitlements, but should cover a good number of AWs reader's moves. Here are the entitlements for a single servicemember PCSing via his car. Note that DITY information is not here - because DITY incentives are offered by your HHG / PP office (not disbursing clerk).

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Basic Entitlements

Transportation aka MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation)

This one is relatively simple. You are entitled to 15 cents per mile – the caveat is that they are not using Mapquest for mileage between your old home and new home. The government has its own program to determine mileage between city pairs. Still, any online map program will give you a good approximation.

NOTES: This $0.15 per mile is meant to cover all expenses for the travel with your vehicle – including fuel and oil changes. You will not be reimbursed for fuel, oil, carwashes, etc for your PCS.

Ref: Joint Fed Travel Regs - see PDF page 65 and paragraph U5105
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Lodging aka FRPD (Fixed Rate Per Diem)

This one is also pretty simple. You are entitled to $99 per travel day – that is actual travel days. That means that if you have 4 days for travel authorized, but only take 3 – you only get 3 days of FRPD. So how many days do you get?

a) Take your mileage from Mapquest (which, again, is an approximation) and round it to a whole number.
b) Divide by 350 miles. If your “remainder” is greater than 50 miles, round up to another day. (So 380 miles is one day, but 410 miles is two days)

NOTES: This amount is to cover food and lodging. Do not submit a receipt for these items – you get the $91 regardless of whether you spent $50 at Motel 6 or $250 at the Hilton.

Ref: Joint Fed Travel Regs Para. U2025
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Dislocation Allowance aka DLA

This one is as simple as looking on a chart. With a few exceptions, you’re entitled to DLA once per year, and are only entitled if you move your household goods.
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Misc. Expenses

You can be reimbursed for some miscellaneous expenses such as tolls and ferries. You can also claim passport/visa fees, telephone calls, laundry expenses, and ATM fees if they were necessary for the conduct of official business and are subject to the settlement officer’s approval.

NOTE: Receipts for misc. expenses are only required for amounts claimed in excess of $75.

Traveling with Dependents (One Car)

So - what happens if you're traveling with your spouse and a couple of kids to your new destination (in one car)?

MALT increases by $0.02 per dependent up to a maximum $0.20 per mile. (JFTR U2605)

FRPD increases - but depends on age. You still get your $99 per person, but your dependents only get part of that (you don't need one hotel room per person, right? I hope not!) If the dependent is under the age of 12, he gets 50% of the FRPD rate. Over the age of 12 gets you 75% of the FRPD rate. (JFTR U5210)

DLA will be the "with dependent" rate so it will be higher, but doesn't increase with the number of dependents.

PCS Travel Advances

Short on cash? Everyone who is PCSing is entitled to an advance. Advances can be paid starting 10 days prior to PCSing and can include:
- 100% of your MALT
- 100% of your FRPD (be careful about this one - if you check in "early" you will have a debt to the gov't)
- 100% of your DLA
Just don't forget to include the advance on your travel claim when you get to your new duty station to avoid pay mixups (albeit rare, it happens :D)

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Keep in mind that I am not (nor will I probably ever be) a disbursing officer. I don't liquidate your travel claims, so I can't answer everyone's questions about travel. Hopefully this gives you something to start with...let me know if you need clarification on something.
 

TrunkMonkey

Spy Navy
This is great gouge, thank you. Even though I am somewhat familiar with the military move process, it is great to see it spelled out in a simple way like this.
One question for Suppos, or the more experienced members:
Are there any circumstances for which the gov't will reimburse you for the shipping of a vehicle INCONUS? For instance, when leaving directly to meet a deployed unit from a location that is not that unit's homeport?
And if the answer is no, never, does anyone have any information on how the mileage allowance stacks up against the cost of privately shipping a vehicle?
Obviously, I'm currently facing this situation and trying to make a decision on what to do, as well as deal with HHG. Any info from those in the know would be very helpful.
 

snizo

Supply Officer
Example

Example - Single Servicemember Driving

Single O-1E servicemember PCSing from Pensacola to Norfolk, VA. I'm using approximate distances, so the actual value will be slightly different.

MALT $133.50
The city pair distance is approximately 890 miles. That is $0.15 × 890 miles, or $133.50.

FRPD $297
890 miles ÷ 350 miles is 2 with a remainder of 190 miles, so you get 3 days to travel. 3 days travel at $99 per day is $297.

DLA $1598.44
Reference the chart to get that number. Remember - you don't get DLA unless you ask for it. Don't forget to check the DLA box on your travel claim.

Thats a total of $2028.94 for his move. Simple, eh?

Example - Servicemember w/ Dependents Driving

LTjg Bill Smith travels with his wife and two kids from Pensacola to Norfolk. He is an O2E and his kids are 10 and 14 years old. How much does he get? (We already determined the mileage and travel time to be 890 miles and 3 days in the previous example).

MALT LTjg Smith gets his $0.15 for himself plus $0.02 per dependent to make it $0.21 for the trip - but the limit is $0.20, so that is what he will actually get. That gives him ($0.20 × 890) $178.

FRPD LTjg Smith gets his $99, but also gets money for each of his dependents. Bill Jr & Mrs. Smith are over 12, so they get 75% of the $99 each, and Bill III only gets 50% of $99. $99 + $74.25 + $74.25 + $49.50 = $297 per day for three days is $891 (assuming they actually took the three days to get to Norfolk).

DLA LTjg is entitled to DLA for O-2E. From the chart, that is $2331.45

$2331.45 + $891 + $178 = $3400.45 for the move.
 

snake020

Contributor
No DLA for first duty station when goin EAD, right?

confirmed - first PCS from HOR to duty station, DLA not authorized (unless dependents involved)
 

Raptor2216

Registered User
Is there ever an exception to the DLA rule of once per year? I will be moving to corpus for primary in a couple of months. I received DLA when I moved from quantico to pensacola and that was back in october. I have had some people tell me that you can receive DLA twice in a year. So, since I will be PCS'ing to corpus, is there any chance of receiving DLA?
 

snizo

Supply Officer
Is there ever an exception to the DLA rule of once per year? I will be moving to corpus for primary in a couple of months. I received DLA when I moved from quantico to pensacola and that was back in october. I have had some people tell me that you can receive DLA twice in a year. So, since I will be PCS'ing to corpus, is there any chance of receiving DLA?

There are exceptions to the DLA rule - specifically if you're a flag officer, or moved for a national emergency or evacuation, BRAC, and a few others. There are about 8 pages in the JFTR that address when the second DLA is authorized and when it is not. Check paragraph U5620 and U5630 here. That should start at PDF page 406.
 

KSUFLY

Active Member
pilot
And for all you BDCPers, make sure you fight for you DLA. You are entitled to it even though you may have a lot of explaining to do in order to get it. I finally told the guy in StuCon to just let me check the box and I'll include the "enlistment" papers. He finally gave in. My check came...no DLA. I called and complained to PSD and they said that I should've got it and I did.
 

squorch2

he will die without safety brief
pilot
Make sure that you realize that DLA is authorized once per FISCAL year. So if you complete your PCS move Sep 30., and (for some reason) get PCS orders back to Umptysquat, USA on Oct. 1, you are entitled to DLA. DFAS, with the exception of the W-2, doesn't work on the calendar year.
 

snizo

Supply Officer
Traveling with dependents

^^^^ Correct - good point forgot to add that - thanks.

Edit: I added dependent information in the original post - still for one car, though.
 

KSUFLY

Active Member
pilot
Snizo, the travel days that you get paid for end when you check into your new wing, right?
 

snizo

Supply Officer
KSU - correct. If you're allowed 5 travel days, but you check in on day 3 - you only get 3 days of travel pay.
 

KSUFLY

Active Member
pilot
KSU - correct. If you're allowed 5 travel days, but you check in on day 3 - you only get 3 days of travel pay.

Good reason to check in on the last day possible. It's not that I'm out to "scam" the Navy but just to get every penny possible. They'll never tell you that you were underpaid $50 but they'll be sure to tell you that you were overpaid $20.
 

snizo

Supply Officer
Absolutely right - thats why I posted this. Until I learned about travel in school, it was a crapshoot for how much I'd get - and I'd never know if it was right or not.
 
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