What is a PPM Move?
PPM stands for Personally Procured Move.
You may know this as the Do-It-Yourself (DITY) move - there are many online resources that still refer to a PPM as a DITY.
What is a PPM? To put it simply, when the time comes for a military member to move, they have the option to manage the move themselves and be reimubursed.
When you receive Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Temporary Duty (TDY), or Temporary Additional Duty (TAD), or you separate, retire and/or move to or from government quarters under orders, the military will move your household goods for you. An alternative to this is a personally procured move - it allows you to be reimbursed (up to 95% of the cost) by the government for moving your belongings yourself.
There are two primary reasons that a military member might wish to do a PPM instead of letting the military handle the move.
- They wish to oversee the move themselves, and be able to choose the moving company. Belongings frequently get lost or damaged in moves, and this is a common problem with military procured moves.
- The military member is willing to do some or all of the work of packing/driving themselves, in order to receive the money that would otherwise have been paid to a moving company.
Whether it is because you wish to earn some extra money, or because you want to make sure that your belongings survive the move undamaged, it is important that you understand the process of a PPM, and the basics of how the reimbursement is calculated.
BASIC CONCEPT #1: The amount of money that you have to work with is based on the total weight of your household goods, limited by your PCS Entitlements (allowed weight). Your allowed weight, like most other things in the military, is determined by your rank.
Example Scenario 1: Navy E-3, with dependents, moving from Louisiana to North Carolina :
Potential PPM Reimbursement, assuming they are moving the maximum allowed weight, and moving everything themselves: $6500–$7400
Total weight of Household Goods (based on 2018 levels): 8000lbs
Service Member Pro-Gear (Work-related equipment & gear): 2000lbs (not included in the total weight)
Spouse Pro-Gear (Work-related equipment & gear): 500lbs (not included in the total weight)
Example Scenario 2: Army O-5, with dependents, moving from Louisiana to North Carolina :
Potential PPM Reimbursement, assuming they are moving the maximum allowed weight, and moving everything themselves: $11700–$13400
Total weight of Household Goods (based on 2018 levels): 17500lbs
Service Member Pro-Gear (Work-related equipment & gear): 2000lbs (not included in the total weight)
Spouse Pro-Gear (Work-related equipment & gear): 500lbs (not included in the total weight)
As you can see, the potential reimbursement will vary quite a bit based on your rank, the distance of the move, and the weight of your household goods. To estimate your personal potential reimbursement, start here.