Do It Yourself Move (DITY)

If you are in receipt of orders, the DO IT YOURSELF (DITY) move program may be a good deal for you. You can:

Move at your own convenience
Maintain control of your household goods throughout your move
Earn a cash incentive

The DITY program is designed to allow you to move your property and to receive a reimbursement from the Government. If you are renting a vehicle to move your property, the Government pays you an operating allowance. The allowance is 60 percent of the estimated constructive cost of your move if you are transferring, retiring or making a local move and 50 percent of the estimated constructive cost of your move if you are separating, based on the estimated weight of your household goods. The operating allowance is designed to help defray the expense of the deposit on a rental vehicle. IF YOU ARE USING A POV TO MOVE YOUR PROPERTY, NO OPERATING ALLOWANCE IS AUTHORIZED.

Note: Reimbursement for doing a DITY move is only for moving expenses and is entirely separate from travel pay.

Once you have reached your destination, you must submit a claim for reimbursement to the Naval Transportation Support Center (NAVTRANS),1837 Morris Street, Ste 600, Norfolk, VA 23511-3492 within 45 days of your move date. Claim should consist of the DD2278, DD1351-2, weight tickets, orders, proof of dependents and all receipts (gas, oil, packing materials, etc). Receipts are used as an auditing tool as well as your proof that you actually performed the move. Your reimbursement will be equal to 95% of what it would have cost the government to move your property using a contracted commercial carrier.

NOTE: Expenses for food and lodging should not be included in your DITY claim.

Incentive payments differ according to the weight of the household goods, distance traveled and a number of other factors which work together to determine your final incentive. Prior approval to perform a DITY move must be obtained from your local Personal Property Office. Failure to do so will result in non-payment of the incentive portion of your claim.

Individual situations may vary widely so the DITY Program may not be for everyone. The Personal Property Office can let you know the most cost-effective method of moving your household goods. If you have any questions regarding the advisability of doing a DITY move, ask for an estimate before you make your appointment.

The DITY move program is offered to you as an alternate means of moving household goods within the continental United States and Alaska (excluding Adak). DITY MOVES TO OVERSEAS AREAS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED. You have the option of selecting one of three types:

1. POV: Your privately owned or borrowed vehicle (NO OPERATING ALLOWANCE IS AUTHORIZED) can be used to effect your move. You must provide the vehicle registration or other proof of ownership when making your appointment. If the vehicle used to effect your move is a borrowed vehicle you must also provide a Letter of Authorization from the owner.

AUTHORIZED VEHICLES

Pickup Trucks
Cargo Trucks
Cargo Vans
Trailers

NON-AUTHORIZED VEHICLES

Automobiles, Station Wagons, Passenger vehicles
Motor Homes
Camping Trailers
Recreational vehicles
Pickup trucks with self-contained camper units
Customized vans
Vehicles licensed for and operated in commercial business

2. RENTAL VEHICLE: You procure the rental equipment and the accessories yourself and perform all the labor. Sources of rental equipment must be bonafide rental vendors such as RYDER, U-HAUL, etc. Rental of POVs from other individuals or rental of commercial vehicles from other than rental companies such as catering firms, lumber yards, owner operated tractor trailers, etc will not be authorized.

YOU LOAD-THEY-DRIVE: Offered by commercial carriers vice rental contractors. You perform all the packing, loading, unloading and unpacking of the van. The Carrier supplies the truck and driver to perform the line haul movement. Incentives for this type of move are authorized under public law, and will be calculated on the same basis as a DITY move by rental vehicle or POV.

3. COUNSELING: PARTICIPATION IN THE DITY PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY. YOU MAY CHOOSE A DITY MOVE, A GOVERNMENT MOVE OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO METHODS, SUBJECT TO ENTITLEMENT LIMITATIONS.

CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS: You must have a current mailing address and furnish it at the time of counseling. Numerous checks are returned daily to the paying office as undeliverable due to insufficient addresses, among other reasons. Additionally, the Post Office WILL NOT forward a Government check even though a change of address is on file.

WEIGHT TICKET IDENTIFICATION: To ensure proper identification of the weight tickets and subsequent payment of your incentive allowance, it is essential that the following information be included on each weight ticket obtained:

Imprint or official stamp with name and location of weigh station.
Signature and title of official certifying the weighing.
Legible imprint of the weight and date recorded.
Your name, rank and social security number.
Identification of vehicle weighed. You should retain a copy of each weight ticket for your personal records.

METHOD OF WEIGHING: VEHICLES MUST BE WEIGHED EMPTY AND FULL

1. Trucks and POV: Driver and all passengers must be out of vehicle and gas tank must be full each time vehicle is weighed. You MUST make every effort to weigh the vehicle at one time, either on a large platform scale or on two or more smaller scales.

NOTE: ANY POV IN TOW MUST BE DISCONNECTED PRIOR TO WEIGHING

2. Trailers: Driver and all passengers must be out of trailer. Rear seats, truck and car top carriers must be empty and gas tank must be full at each weighing. Towing vehicles and trailer must be weighed as a complete unit at one time on a large platform scale or on two smaller scales.

3. Axle weights are acceptable.

STORAGE:
Temporary storage incident to a DITY move is authorized at Government expense. However, the monetary incentive will be based on line haul costs and will not include an incentive payment for the storage portion of the move.

If you must procure storage, you should use a private storage facility and submit a claim for reimbursement for personally procured storage. This will be submitted on a DD1351-2 to NAVTRANS, Norfolk, VA.

You should have a residence available for delivery of the goods at destination within the period specified for the move. If storage is required at destination, you SHOULD do a Government move.

INSURANCE:
Coverage for vehicle failure is furnished by the contractor. Product failure insurance is also provided for trailers. Some automobile insurers extend coverage while pulling a trailer.

If you are involved in an accident while using the DITY program, you should first immediately notify a local law enforcement agency (you MUST have an official accident report to substantiate any claim for loss and/or damage) and if using a rental vehicle, the contractor. Liability in such cases is determined by the laws of the state in which the accident occurs and you may be held personally responsible if you have inadequate insurance coverage to satisfy all damage and third party claims or lawsuits resulting from an accident. Additional insurance, if required, must be procured by you, the member, and is not reimbursable by the Government. If you are involved in an accident while driving a rental vehicle, you may be required to pay. The Navy JAG has ruled that the amount of the deductible is not reimbursable by the Government. You should consider purchasing insurance deductible waivers (at personal expense) from the rental company and it would be wise to review your own automobile insurance policy coverage.

The claim for loss and/or damage will not be paid if it is not accompanied by an official accident report or if the accident was, in any way, caused by your negligence.

NOTE: IF YOU CHANGE ANY OF THE PRINCIPLE FACTORS OF YOUR MOVE, SUCH AS ESTIMATED WEIGHT, TYPE OF VEHICLE USED, (RENTAL, POV, BORROWED, ETC) DESTINATION OR ORIGIN, YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO RESCHEDULE YOUR COUNSELING SESSION TO PROVIDE TIME FOR PAPERWORK TO BE REGENERAT