Hiring a Mover for a PPM Out of Fort Hood

Updated 2026-10 · Killeen, TX

What a PPM is

A personally procured move is a PCS move you perform or arrange yourself instead of using a government-arranged mover. It used to be called a DITY move. Military OneSource points out that the newer name covers an option the old one left out: arranging the move by hiring a moving company yourself. You can do a full PPM, covering everything, or a partial PPM, where you move part of your goods and the rest goes in a government shipment.

Step one is the transportation office, not the mover

Before booking anyone, get the PPM approved. Military OneSource's guidance is that you book it in the Defense Personal Property System after counselling with your transportation office, which explains your options and what you need for reimbursement. At Fort Hood, outbound counselling is handled by the Personal Property Processing Office within the installation transportation office. If you plan to hire a commercial mover, raise it at counselling. You will also get an estimate of your incentive, which is the number to compare a mover's quote against.

How the incentive works

For a member-elected PPM, the incentive is described by Military OneSource as 100% of the government-constructed cost: what the government would have paid a contracted mover to move the same weight over the authorized distance, including applicable extra services. It is based on the weight you actually move, up to your weight allowance, and proven by weight tickets. Money left after your costs is yours, minus tax. Costs above the entitlement are not the government's to cover.

There is a second, rarer type: actual-cost reimbursement, approved in writing only when the government cannot book your shipment. DoD civilians have different rules again. And the rate itself has changed temporarily before: from May 15 to September 30, 2025, DoD paid 130% of the government cost. Use the figure from your own counselling session.

Weight tickets: the part that gets claims rejected

If you hire a mover, it is still your responsibility to make sure weight tickets come from a certified scale. That normally means the truck is weighed empty before loading and full after, and you keep both tickets. Agree this with the mover in writing before the day. Ask what happens if the company puts your goods on a truck with someone else's load, because that makes your weight harder to prove.

Keep every receipt: the mover's itemized invoice, packing materials, any storage. Keep the originals and submit copies. If you took an advance operating allowance, Military OneSource says the paperwork is due within 45 days of the planned move start. If something is missing, explain it and include supporting documents.

Checking the mover you hire

The mover works for you, not the government, so the checks are yours. For a move leaving Texas, look up the company's USDOT number and FMCSA operating authority on FMCSA's Protect Your Move site. For a move that stays in Texas, look up its TxDMV certificate in the state database and confirm it is active. Military OneSource recommends a mover registered with the federal government and warns about rogue operators who quote low, raise the price after pickup and hold goods until paid.

Get the estimate in writing. For an interstate move, FMCSA rules require a written estimate and the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" booklet. For a Texas move, TxDMV requires a written proposal with a maximum price before loading. Consider insurance too: whoever moves your goods in a PPM, Military OneSource notes that you carry the risk of getting adequate coverage.

Where to go next

• Movers for military PCS moves
• Checking a mover's TxDMV and USDOT number
• Moving on or off post