Military  Movers led the way beginning in 1989 by providing their own, simple, "Families First Program."  

The concept is straight forward: 

1. Commit to the member. 
2. Provide the best service possible.  
3. Get fair pay for what we do, but no more than what it would have cost the government if the move was contracted through TMO.  

Military Movers concept was so successful, in February 1996, Major General Roger Thompson Jr, the former Commander of MTMC, now SDDC, took our lead. The Commander's intent was to finish a 1993 MTMC study and call it a Re-Engineering program. He briefed the program at the 1996 AMSA annual conference in Las Vegas, NV.  Unfortunately, MG Thompson retired before the new program was implemented.  Since then, SDDC spent large budgets doing studies, including expensive pilot tests, trying to find the best fit.  Regrettably, the moving industry was not actively consulted and the newly named re-engineered program "Families First" is still not operational.  One of the reasons is that the Air Force program manager choose not to participate.   

SDDC and Air Staff has not asked Military Movers for advice (we offered) on how to simplify the process. Maybe because Military Movers working model is too simple.  The model is this:  Let the military member choose their own contractor, reimburse the member for services rendered, and let the member control all of the move.

Fortunately, buried in the regulations, the authority for the military member to choose his own contractor exists. 

Unfortunately, very few TO's know about the authority. Also, it is not briefed to the member.  Furthermore, SDDC and Air Staff chose to make the wording in the regulations complex and confusing.  The result is to make a very simple concept, the military member may choose his own moving company, burdensome with difficult to understand language and unlawful interpretation of the JFTR. 

The positive side is -- the concept has not changed.

A Military Member may choose his own moving company contractor and get reimbursed up to what it would have cost the government.  This is not a DITY move. It is a personaly procured move (PPM) where the member does not do the move themselves.  The member hires a full service moving company  This is the law. It is a congressionally approved regulation (JFTR).

The Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR) U5320D and 5385 D authorizes a military member to contract with their own moving company and be reimbursed up to what it would have cost the government.  In other words, a military member does not have to use the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office's (JPPSO) contracted carrier.

Furthermore, AF supplement to the JFTR authorizes a military member to contract with their own household goods moving company and be reimbursed up to what it would have cost the government.  Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard have similar regulations.

The list of some families Military Movers moved speaks for itself.  

Military Movers' commitment to serve the military member WORKS!

Who benefits.

1. You, the military member, because your move is stress free.
2. You, because you are in full control.  Your plans change, you let us know. You need an extra day, you let us know.
3. The TMO, because they do not have to arrange or track the shipment.
4. The taxpayer, because the overhead costs nearly disappear.

Our procedures are straight forward.

1. Contact Military Movers and request a move.  Or, choose a moving company YOU like.
2. Contact your origin Transportation Management Office (TMO) with Military Movers' estimate.
3. Control the entire move yourself.  Military Movers associates are a telephone call away.
4. Receive your HHG at your new home in the same condition as at your old home.
5. Contact your destination TMO with Military Movers' final invoice and other supporting documentation. 
6. Get reimbursed by the government.

The negative:  The military member may need to have discussions with their TMO or Major Command JPPSO to receive their full reimbursement entitlement. Military Movers will provide all supporting documentation including specific paragraphs of the regulations.  Unfortunately, in May 2007, the Air Force decided not to follow the Congressionally approved law (JFTR). Transportation staffers chose to punish Military Movers for thinking outside the box and illegally withhold full reimbursements.  These same misinformed staffers are also against the families first program.  We continue to survive this unfairness and our commitment to you, the warrior, is to never ask for more money than what you were reimbursed. 

Testimony: Military Movers withstands adverse "desk jockey staffers" pressure and remain in business ( as of Tuesday, September 06, 2011). We continue to serve repeat and referral customer warriors of the highest rank.  Military Movers, headed up by Gene, will serve the hardworking operational military member,  despite government staffers violating federal law by not paying due compensation.  If you have questions about their injustice, ask us. Failure is not an option.