If you’re planning a military PCS move and considering a Personally Procured Move (PPM), you may have come across references to a 130% military PPM reimbursement rate. That temporary increase was real—but it was part of an emergency response to problems with the military household goods moving system in 2025.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the increased reimbursement as military families faced delayed shipments, mover shortages, damaged belongings, and widespread problems with the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). The temporary policy gave service members a stronger financial incentive to arrange their own moves rather than rely entirely on the government-managed system.
So what happened to the 130% rate, what is the military PPM reimbursement rate now, and can you still save money by arranging your own PCS move? Here’s what military families need to know.
Why Did the Military PPM Reimbursement Rate Increase to 130%?
In 2025, the Defense Department temporarily increased PPM reimbursement from 100% to 130% of the applicable Global Household Goods Contract rate. The increase was designed to help military families arrange their own moves during a period when the government’s new household goods moving system was struggling to meet demand.
Hegseth acknowledged that existing reimbursement levels weren’t always sufficient to cover what military families actually had to pay when arranging their own moves. At the same time, moving companies were struggling with rates and capacity under the new system, contributing to a shortage of movers willing or able to accept military shipments.
The 130% reimbursement was therefore a temporary solution: give service members more financial flexibility to procure their own transportation while the Defense Department addressed broader problems with the PCS moving system.
Importantly, the 130% reimbursement was a temporary 2025 policy—not the standard military PPM reimbursement rate today.
Why Military Families Choose PPM Moves
The problems that led to the 2025 reimbursement increase ran deep. Through the first quarter of 2025, only about 25% of domestic moves were handled under the new GHC contract. Even worse, 1,600 of those moves had to be turned back to the legacy system because HomeSafe couldn’t find moving companies to handle them. The Army ultimately stopped booking new moves under the contract, directing bases to return to the legacy system “until further notice.”
A Personally Procured Move gives service members another option. Instead of having the government arrange the entire household goods shipment, you take responsibility for some or all of the move yourself. That can mean renting a truck and doing the work yourself, hiring a professional moving company, or using a combination of services.
The biggest advantage is control. You can choose your mover, compare prices, coordinate your schedule, and decide how much of the moving process you want to handle yourself.
You may also be able to come out ahead financially. Your PPM payment is based on the government’s calculated cost for your authorized move rather than simply reimbursing whatever amount you spend. If you complete the move for less than your authorized payment, you may retain the difference, subject to applicable taxes and PPM rules.
What Is the Military PPM Reimbursement Rate Now?
The temporary 130% reimbursement increase was specific to the 2025 PCS moving crisis and should not be confused with the standard PPM reimbursement structure today.
Under current military PPM rules, a member-elected Personally Procured Move generally pays 100% of the Government Constructed Cost (GCC) for transporting your authorized household goods, based on your actual shipment weight up to your authorized weight entitlement.
That does not mean the government simply reimburses 100% of whatever a moving company charges you. Your authorized PPM payment is calculated using the government’s estimated cost of moving your shipment, taking into account factors such as weight, origin and destination, and your authorized entitlement.
If you complete the move for less than your authorized PPM payment, you may be able to keep the difference, subject to applicable taxes and PPM rules. Before committing to a PPM, get an official estimate from your transportation office so you understand your authorized payment and documentation requirements.
Finding the Right Mover Just Got Easier
For service members choosing a PPM, finding the right mover can make a significant difference—not just in the quality of the move, but in what the move ultimately costs. Comparing qualified movers and competitive pricing can help you evaluate your options against your authorized PPM payment.
Agoyu simplifies that process. Instead of spending hours researching movers, making phone calls, and scheduling multiple estimates, you can use Agoyu’s AI-powered video survey to scan the belongings in your home and build an accurate moving inventory.
From there, Agoyu lets you compare competitive quotes from vetted moving companies for your specific move. That gives you a clearer picture of your actual moving costs—and a much easier way to determine which mover offers the right combination of price, service, and reliability.
For a military PPM, that comparison can be especially valuable. The less you spend completing your move relative to your authorized PPM payment, the greater your potential financial benefit, while still giving you control over who handles your belongings.
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What the 2025 PPM Changes Mean Today
Hegseth's 2025 PCS directives were significant for reasons beyond the temporary reimbursement increase. They represented an acknowledgment at the highest levels of the Defense Department that military families needed better options when the traditional household goods system couldn't reliably deliver.
The Defense Department also began reviewing military PPM rates, accountability, capacity, and the broader PCS process. The temporary 130% reimbursement should therefore be understood as one part of a larger effort to address shortcomings in military household goods transportation.
For service members planning a move today, the larger lesson remains relevant: you don't necessarily have to accept a one-size-fits-all moving solution. A PPM can give you greater control over your mover, timing, costs, and overall relocation experience.
Making Your PPM Work for You
A successful Personally Procured Move starts before the first box is packed. As soon as you receive PCS orders, talk with your installation transportation office about your PPM options, authorized weight allowance, estimated government cost, and documentation requirements.
From there, compare your options carefully. Depending on your move, you may rent equipment and move yourself, hire labor for part of the process, hire a professional moving company, or combine several services.
Keep careful records throughout the move. Weight tickets, receipts, invoices, contracts, and other required documentation can affect your final reimbursement claim.
If you're hiring professional movers, don't automatically choose the lowest estimate. Compare what each quote includes, verify the mover's credentials, understand valuation or insurance coverage, and watch for estimates that could increase substantially after your belongings are loaded.
This is where technology can make a PPM considerably easier. Agoyu uses an AI-powered video survey to build an inventory of what you're moving and allows you to compare pricing from vetted movers without scheduling multiple in-home estimates or repeatedly describing the same shipment.
The goal isn't simply to find the cheapest mover. It's to find the best combination of price, reliability, service, and control while staying within the economics of your authorized PPM payment.
The Bottom Line on Military PPM Reimbursement
The 130% military PPM reimbursement rate was an extraordinary response to an extraordinary period in the military household goods moving system. It gave service members additional financial flexibility during part of the 2025 PCS season, but it should not be treated as the standard reimbursement rate for current moves.
If you're considering a PPM today, start by getting your official reimbursement estimate and requirements from your transportation office. Then compare what it would actually cost to complete the move yourself or hire a professional mover.
That's where a PPM can still be compelling. Greater control over your mover, schedule, and costs can make the PCS process more predictable—and competitive moving quotes can help you understand whether a Personally Procured Move makes financial sense for your family.
Agoyu makes that comparison easier by using AI to inventory your household goods and connect you with vetted movers competing for your move. Instead of calling movers one at a time, you can compare your options and make an informed decision based on your actual shipment.
The 130% reimbursement may have been temporary. The ability to take greater control of your PCS move isn't.
