If you are in the process of voluntary military separation, the US government may pay for one more final military move up to six months after your final exit date. However, it is worth noting that you may be forced to pay some of the cost out of your pocket if the location you are moving back to is quite far away. With that said, you still get paid after PCS.
When Do You Get Paid After PCS?
While there are general rules for all service members, each military service has its own rules and regulations. This can affect the coverage or offers after voluntary separation. Make sure to check with your local transportation office about the coverages and what is available.
Traditionally, the military will pay for you to make one last move, whether moving back to your home of record or your place of entry. But the amount will most likely be them simply footing the bill for the move. For example, if you were stationed in San Diego, California, but your home of record is Los Angeles, California, then that means you only get a small amount to cover for that move. What happens if you are moving to a completely new location? In this instance, you will have to check in with the Department of Defense (DoD) on how much weight you are permitted to move and the distance covered. If you manage to fit the allowed weight and distance, then DoD will be able to cover your whole shipment. Another thing the DoD considers is your ranking, which may come with lower or higher benefits. Evidently, it varies from person to person.
You may make your final military move two ways: use military-hired packers and movers or personally procured move (PPM). The first one will involve the military-approved local transportation officials, which will then help you calculate how much the move costs and whether or not you have to pay additional. The advantage of this is that the government pays for it fully, and they will only give you a cash collection voucher if the cost is higher than the coverage. Your goods will be delivered even if you have not paid the excess amount, but keep in mind that the DoD will likely recoup the money through your tax returns if you fail to pay. As for the latter, this is more of a do-it-yourself situation and will involve asking the military for a reimbursement. In this instance, the reimbursement rate will be based on the allowed weight-to-allowed distance formula. You will then get paid after PCS via reimbursement.
The best thing to do is to meet with the local transportation office before deciding. It is important to weigh how much you bring and calculate the distance. This will help you determine whether the government can fully cover the cost of your move. Nevertheless, you can rest assured that you will get paid after PCS.
