Along with DD Form 1797, DD Form 1299 (pdf), the Application for Shipment and/or Storage of Personal Property is required to be submitted to your local Transportation Office to initiate the moving process. If using the self-guided moving portal provided by Move.mil, you will be guided through filling out the form. After you’ve completed your required self-counseling, you’ll be furnished with copies of your forms and instructed to submit them to your local TO. If you’re completing your counseling in person, your TO will guide you through completing the forms.

The form lists both the origin shipping office, that is, the office that is closest to your current location and the destination shipping office, or the office closest to your new station. While the origin office can help you prepare for your move, your destination office will be your point of contact should any of your moving plans change, or should you find yourself needing assistance with a post-move claim.

You are asked to estimate the number of pounds of household goods you will be shipping or storing. Keep in mind that each room in your home (excluding bathrooms, mudrooms, laundry rooms) probably contains around 1000 pounds of goods. So if you are moving a 5 bedroom house with 2 living spaces, a kitchen, and a dining room, you’re probably moving around 9000 pounds worth of goods. Remember, you are given a maximum weight allowance based upon your rank. If you exceed this weight, you, and not the government, will be footing the bill for the excess weight. So while this form just requires an estimate, you’ll want to make sure you are thinking realistically and estimating with relative accuracy. This may be a situation in which personally procuring your own move (DITY move), would be beneficial, because professional long distance movers can help assess the weight of your move during this phase of the planning process. Make sure you separately estimate the number of pounds of professional books, papers, and equipment (PBP&E) you’ll be transporting. PBP&E are items that are necessary for you to perform your military duties. You receive a separate weight allowance of up to 2,000 pounds for PBP&E. Make sure you declare your PBP&E so that you receive credit for this additional weight allowance. This additional allowance may help keep you from exceeding your PCS allowance.

Make a complete inventory of any expensive and valuable items. It’s also advisable to take pictures of these items and get particularly important items appraised. This way, in the event of loss or damage, submitting a claim and getting full reimbursement for the replacement value will be much easier and defendable. The form asks you to approximate the number of cartons of such items you’ll be moving.

In the event you are moving a mobile home, this replaces your traditional PCS weight allowance. Generally, moving a mobile home is expensive and will probably exceed your given weight allowance, so think very carefully before moving a mobile home. Additionally, you’ll need to consider the location you are moving it to – do you have land, water hookups, permits, etc.?

Make sure your pick-up and drop-off addresses or correct, and additionally designate a party to receive the property if you won’t be there to do so. After that, you will sign and submit your paperwork. Let the moving begin!