PCS question for military spouses

[Sebastian (a lady)]

There is a new entitlement in the PCS personal property rules that allows spouses to claim 500lbs of spouse professional gear.

 

Has anyone done this?

 

I've been a scout leader for seven years and have done lots of community service with homeschool support groups. I'm not trying to claim all of my homeschooling stuff, but I'd sure like to claim all the various guidebooks and how to homeschool books that I use when counseling new homeschoolers.

[Mrs. Frankweiler]

Hello,

 

I haven't claimed this, but I would call the "moving office" (the Marines call it DMO--Distribution Management office, but other services may call it something else.) They should be able to answer your question.

 

Good luck with your move! That will be us in less than a year, and I'm already starting to get "the itch."

[Renthead Mommy]

Good luck with your move! That will be us in less than a year, and I'm already starting to get "the itch."

 

We hit the half way point in another couple weeks. Then it's another 1 1/2 year till then. But my husband was 'sorting' things on Sunday because "PCS is just around the corner." :001_huh::001_huh:

 

I don't know anything about pro gear. I don't even think he'll bother to claim it next move. We've never come close to our wieght limit, and according to the promotions list that came out last Thursday, our weight limit will go up by the next move. And if anything, we'll have less stuff!

[TravelingChris]

Oh, that will be great. 500 less pounds. I will be claiming it if I can. I consider myself a professional- I am a professional teacher and guidance counselor.

[lilbean05]

We have only claimed active duty pro gear, but it was really very easy and I assume the spouse pro gear is the same. We separated out all of the pro gear into the corner of one room. When the packers came, we told them this was the pro gear section and they peeked through for a second and then when they packed it up and labeled it on the inventory, they had some rubric for determining how much the weight was (and they were pretty forgiving about it) and that was that. Nothing else came of it and that weight was pretty much not counted towards our household goods shipment. It worked out great for us, because we were right at our limit for this past move. To be quite honest, I think it is all of the books we have!

[Mary in VA]

I found this description for spouse's "pro-gear" in the Defense Transportation Regulation http://www.transcom.mil/dtr/part-iv/dtr_part_iv_app_k_1.pdf

 

 

is necessary for employment or community support activities at the next duty station or a later destination.

 

Based on this definition, I'm don't think homeschooling items would be included. But ask the question, maybe they'll interpret it broadly :001_smile:

 

Mary

 

 

Edited November 23, 2010 by Mary in VA

[Leighton Academy]

I've known a couple of homeschooling families that claimed some of their homeschooling materials as the spouse's "pro gear".

 

We just PCS'd from CA to TN in June. We moved ourselves though. We're so far over the weight limit that we really had no choice.

[dm379]

The orders we got last month said that spouse professional gear wasn't allowed. It might be different since we were only allowed 1/3 of our weight anyway.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I asked because my property office gave me an interpretation of the new rules that said spouse pro gear has to be certified before the pack up. I guess it is a little more restrictive than the active duty pro gear (dh has thousands of books that ARE pro gear, which means that we have thousands of pounds of pro gear. The property office always acts astounded, but it's been pro gear for the last decade and still is).

 

I'm planning to claim the homeschooling support books and instructor guides that I have, based on my serving in multiple duty stations on homeschooling support groups. While we were here, I plan and run our group's curriculum day and I've counseled a lot of people on how to get started homeschooling and what curriculum might fit well. I'm not planning on claiming the kids' books or the fiction that we use homeschooling.

 

I'm also planning to claim the books, uniforms and personal outdoor gear related to being a Boy Scout leader.

 

We'll see how it goes.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The orders we got last month said that spouse professional gear wasn't allowed. It might be different since we were only allowed 1/3 of our weight anyway.

 

Interesting that it was specifically excluded. I wonder if that was partly something to do with expectations of employment while overseas being lower than if it were an INCONUS move.

[Tree Frog]

There is a new entitlement in the PCS personal property rules that allows spouses to claim 500lbs of spouse professional gear.

 

Has anyone done this?

 

Yes, we used this when we moved this summer. We said something about being a homeschooling family when we went to the TMO appt. I was allotted 500 lbs and was told to have it labeled when it was packed. I included all my IG's, the corresponding books, manipulatives, etc, as well as some of our personal library, since those books were purchased to augment school. I think we probably had more than 500 lbs (10-15 boxes at about 50 lbs each.) We had no problems. If I can offer any other info, let me know.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

*gasp* *sputter*

 

Are you saying that we can claim homeschooling materials as spouse pro gear???

 

We were *barely* under our weight limit with our PCS this past summer. And I do mean barely. If I could trim a little fat *anywhere* it would be helpful.

 

I will be keeping a close eye on this. I had never heard of a spouse pro gear claim.

 

The spouse pro gear just went into effect this year. I'm not sure that anyone I know has gone through the process.

 

Reading what I've gotten from the property office, I don't think that they would certify material that was just for your family's use. The case I intend to use is that I have a community service history as a support group leader and counselor to many new homeschoolers.

 

I'm hoping that it helps that I was a board member of the support group on our base.

 

But if not homeschooling, maybe there is some other community service role you have that you could claim materials or uniforms for. Scouts, Red Cross, Awana, sports coaching. But it does look like you have to list what you are claiming (in a general sense at least) and have it certified by the property office before the packout.

 

Are you already doing pro gear for your dh? We will move books all around so that anything that is related to work is in one area and clearly labeled. Same with plaques and pictures that were work related. But you're evidently not supposed to claim regular uniforms.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Update:

 

I took my letter requesting spouse certification for professional gear in this morning. I was expecting a bunch of scrutiny. He looked over the letter, looked at the memo about the allowance that was posted on the wall and said, "OK."

 

I asked when I'd hear the answer and he said that was it, just have it separated and labeled.

 

In case it is helpful to anyone else, here are the paragraphs that I put into my request. I didn't claim all of our school books. I am pulling out all of the TMs and the reference material I use for teaching groups. I'm also claiming copies of things that I keep mostly as samples to show other potential homeschoolers.

 

Homeschool Advisor and Support Group Officer – I counsel families on approaches to homeschooling, relevant local requirements, and curriculum options. I proctor standardized exams for homeschooled students. As vice president of the XXXX support group, I led workshops and organized curriculum presentations for current and potential homeschoolers. I hold a master’s degree in education. I have served as a leader in homeschool support groups since 20xx.

 

Please certify the following as spouse professional gear:

• Homeschooling reference books, guide books and teacher manuals

• Manipulatives for math, science, and early reading instruction

• Nature study field guides and science project guides

 

He also had no problem with the stuff I claimed for Boy Scouts.

 

Scouting Adult Volunteer – I am a registered adult leader with Boy Scouts of America (since 20xx) and hold leadership positions for units serving first grade to age eighteen. As a BSA trainer I train other volunteer leaders in youth programs and outdoor activities (Adult Leader Position Specific Training, Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation – BALOO). As a direct contact scout leader I plan and supervise den and troop meetings, outdoor activities and camping overnighters. I camp with the youth to provide qualified leadership for outdoor activities. I am registered with xx Council as Pack xx Trainer and Troop xx Committee Chair.

 

Please certify the following as spouse professional gear:

• BSA uniform items

• Scouting reference manuals, guide books and training syllabi

• Outdoor leadership training materials used for demonstration purposes including guides, handbooks, manuals and outdoor equipment

• Personal equipment used when supervising scout camping and outdoor activities

 

I'm thrilled. 500lbs is nothing to sneeze at.

[dm379]

That's great! I'm bookmarking this post for our next move, just in case. I tried to slip a few things past when our movers came a few days ago and no such luck.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

That's great! I'm bookmarking this post for our next move, just in case. I tried to slip a few things past when our movers came a few days ago and no such luck.

 

One lesson for this was that they didn't tell me about the spouse pro-gear allowance. I had to ask them about it. And it required two trips, one to ask the question and get a copy of the memo, another to bring my request. (They tried to do the "member has to make the request" to which I responded, "Do you need another copy of the POA?")

 

So I would go in forearmed when you set up your move and have a letter already ready.

 

In hindsight, I think they would allow for a lot of community service. La Leche League, Bible study leader, boy/girl scouts, maybe even FRG.

 

But I don't think they are going to sign off on hobby stuff (knitting, scrapbooking) unless you can give a reasonable community service reason.

 

And homeschooling itself might be a hard sell. That's why I claimed TM's but not the kids' books.

[TravelingChris]

COmmunity activities- ok. NOw I know how to do this. I am in a garden club here that does community activities and am intending to become a master gardener at our next location. So in go my gardening books. I currently teach in homeschool co-op and also help with speech and debate and with testing and other homeschool activities like 4H so all those things can go in the pile too. Yes, I think I can legitimately withhold 500 lbs. and like one of the previous posters, this will be a real blessing for us since we were just at weight limit last time and we have added some things.

[Tree Frog]

One lesson for this was that they didn't tell me about the spouse pro-gear allowance. I had to ask them about it. And it required two trips, one to ask the question and get a copy of the memo, another to bring my request. (They tried to do the "member has to make the request" to which I responded, "Do you need another copy of the POA?")

 

So I would go in forearmed when you set up your move and have a letter already ready.

 

In hindsight, I think they would allow for a lot of community service. La Leche League, Bible study leader, boy/girl scouts, maybe even FRG.

 

But I don't think they are going to sign off on hobby stuff (knitting, scrapbooking) unless you can give a reasonable community service reason.

 

And homeschooling itself might be a hard sell. That's why I claimed TM's but not the kids' books.

 

Wow! Your experience was vastly different from mine. When I told the woman at the TMO I homeschooled, she immediately mentioned I qualified for spouse pro gear. I didn't need to take in additional paperwork (which was a good thing because we were 1.5 hours away from the post) and the packers had no problems with any of our books. I wonder if it was easier for us because my husband was present at the appt and I didn't need a POA.

 

I hope your move goes smoothly.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I wonder if it was easier for us because my husband was present at the appt and I didn't need a POA.

 

 

 

Wouldn't that have been a dream come true? :lol: But not on this tour. This is the tour where dh showed up late to his own fairwell, because he was still at work.

 

Anyway, even with needing to do the request, it wasn't something they quibbled over. I was expecting to have a big back and forth over what I'd claimed. Pleasingly simple. (Which was a surprise, because this base is infamous for not being customer friendly.)

[expat91]

:bigear:

I asked because my property office gave me an interpretation of the new rules that said spouse pro gear has to be certified before the pack up. I guess it is a little more restrictive than the active duty pro gear (dh has thousands of books that ARE pro gear, which means that we have thousands of pounds of pro gear. The property office always acts astounded, but it's been pro gear for the last decade and still is).

 

I'm planning to claim the homeschooling support books and instructor guides that I have, based on my serving in multiple duty stations on homeschooling support groups. While we were here, I plan and run our group's curriculum day and I've counseled a lot of people on how to get started homeschooling and what curriculum might fit well. I'm not planning on claiming the kids' books or the fiction that we use homeschooling.

 

I'm also planning to claim the books, uniforms and personal outdoor gear related to being a Boy Scout leader.

 

We'll see how it goes.

I am interested in how this turns out and what branch you are in. I am PCSing in the winter. Please post if it works. Thanks.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

:bigear:

I am interested in how this turns out and what branch you are in. I am PCSing in the winter. Please post if it works. Thanks.

 

So far it hasn't been an issue. I took my letter to the property office and they said it was no problem and added it to my file.

 

When the packers came, I had shelves of homeschooling stuff and scouting stuff separate and marked with signs that said "Spouse Pro Gear".

 

I did need to make sure that they were marked on the inventory as SPOUSE Pro Gear and not just normal pro gear. The guy marking the inventory did a tally of the weight of dh's pro gear as well as mine.

 

I ended up with about 950 lbs of stuff marked pro gear. I figure that whoever does the calculations will only count 500 of it.

 

FWIW, for the books I claimed things like field guides and camping guides that I used teaching scouts. Then I counted books about homeschooling and various teacher manuals that I have used in workshops with homeschool support groups. I wasn't counting the kids' academic books. It was very easy to get to 500 lbs.

 

We are very close to the weight limit because of the enormous number of books we move around. We just received out storage shipment in March, so I guess I'll here in the next couple of months if they considered us overweight or not.