Military PCS with TT

[TracygeneRV]

We are active duty set to PCS this May. We are doing a partial Dity move using our TT. It seems we won't be paid for the trailer but only the weight we transport. We have to weigh it empty then weigh it after it is fully loaded. My question is if we own the TT, why won't we get paid for it? We have only had it since Nov so this will be our first move with it. Should will fill our fresh water tank when we weigh it; I do not want to cheat the system, but we will need some water with us while traveling?
Any other tips on doing a PCS with a TT? We are excited about the stops we will get to make along our way. We have reservations at some military campgrounds already. I know some of you have more experience at this so your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Gene and Tracy

[Bombfixer]

I agree with the advise to check with the officials at the base you are PCSing from. They are the experts. But one word of advice from an old CSM. As this is a partial DITY move, empty your TT completely of all personal belongings before weighing empty. I would have a full load of propane and fresh water as that is included in the empty weight. Now load all you personal items back it along with any cargo you can safely carry. All those pots, pans, clothes, lines etc normally kept in the TT are part of you HHG and should not be included in the empty weight.

[wa8yxm]

First: If you "Cheat the system" and get caught.... Woe will be you.

So Id not suggest you try that

Find a scale near you.. Some Towign companies, scrap metal companies, farmers elevators, Truck stops, all have scales.

They can weight the trailer for you

If you have half a tank of water, have half a tank of water next time you weigh it (loaded). that would be my best suggestion. or better yet, drain the tank so you have more cargo carrying capacity.

[Valkyriebush]

Ask the experts, most of us have been retired to long ago to give current advice on this subject. Do enjoy and make the best out of your PCS move. Where are you headed to? Good Luck.

[bobjogone]

Do you have your Active Duty Military National Parks Pass yet? It is free - usually at ITT and will get you in to National Parks/FOrests/Wildlife Refuges free and/or discounts.

[Scott_85]

I tried.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Scott_85 wrote:
Isn't a TT considered a mobile home and you can get mileage for that.

If it is their primary residence at this time, and will be their primary residence at their new duty station.

And no other HHG will be transported at government expense.

I don't know about today's rates, but when I was on active duty - it was a huge financial loss to move a real mobile home more than a few hundred miles for a PCS move.

[TracygeneRV]

Scott, that sounds like an awesome vacation. We are in Pensacola heading to DC so we are taking the kids to Williamsburg and Jamestown first. We plan to travel the NE and hope we can make it to all those states on this tour so we can fill up our sticker map. I bought the kids each their own too and they want to go to all 50 someday.

[Scott_85]

http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/faqpcs.cfm#17

[Scott_85]

Isn't a TT considered a mobile home and you can get mileage for that.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

TracygeneRV wrote:
Still, it's a chance of a lifetime and we have always made our transfers into a vacation, stopping along the way.

In the fall of 1982, I was transferred from Antigua in the Caribbean to Yokosuka outside Tokyo Japan.

We rented a car from Hertz in Melbourne, FL (arrival POE was Patrick AFB) and drove it to Shreveport, LA. Spent two weeks with my parents, picked up another rental at Texarkana, AR and drive to San Diego, CA where I had a short training period before the flights overseas.

Best vacation trip we had. The kids were 8 & 10 and loved the stops at Disney, Bellengrath, Carlsbad, Grand Canyon and more. Cost me about 25% more than flying - but it was worth it.

Enjoy your trip, and hopefully the new duty station will be a good one.

[markandkim]

path1 wrote:

Or better yet - why not ask your military rep? They get paid to answer those kinds of questions. It doesn't matter one iota even if every person on this forum agrees with you. You need an official answer. You won't get it here.

X2 talk to you your TMO or whatever your branch calls it. Traffic Management Office. Probably got a civ worker there that has worked there many years and knows every in and out. And download reg and learn.

On Mil Camps, be sure to find out what gate to use and gate hours before showing up. Some bases have the "new" gates that they think you can turn on a dime.

Water is around 10 pounds a gallon, I would have weight out of RV as possible when empty weight and have as full as I could when weighing loaded weight.
Wonder if you could do the U-Haul thing pulling the RV? Also at 10-12 mpg doesn't pay to go out of your way with Famcamp prices at some bases.
Enjoy your trip.

Water weighs 8.44 lbs per gl.

[YnotTurbo]

Make sure you save all your receipts. You will not make much money when you do a partial dity unless you are moving furniture and household goods. You will get money for chow and fuel. PM me if you have any other questions. I retired in 2010 and moved 6 times.

[TracygeneRV]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I am sorry if I confused some using military lingo; I assumed those who were not prior military would just disregard my post. But I figured there had to be some folks on here with military background. That's who I was addressing. Sorry I did not make that clear.
As for doing the partial move in the TT, we are only carrying things we will use or we will need right away. We estimated 1500-2000 for the five of us in the truck & TT and found out we will get some reimbursement, but I had not calculated the extra gas. Thanks for thinking of that. Still, it's a chance of a lifetime and we have always made our transfers into a vacation, stopping along the way. Who knows if we will ever get to that part of the country again. Seize the day 🙂

Blessings to you all!

[TracygeneRV]

We have checked on base and it was TMO who said they only pay for motorcycles, not RV's. I just wondered why since it was something we owned. I'm not too concerned, just curious. It will be a blessing to not have to live out of a suitcase for a change. We will pack our clothes in the closets. Plus we won't have to eat out nearly as much.