European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday May 19, 1986 fall expected to be Peak moving season stories by Bob hover staff writer. A record number of service families is expected to move to and from Europe in the fall. While family moves usually occur in the summer the Peak moving season this year will be delayed two to three months. The army and air Force Are extending overseas hours because of budget constraints. Officials say the seasonal shift is Likely to generate the heaviest traffic in family moves in and out of Europe since world War ii. Conversely the firms that move military household goods arc forecasting the quietest summer in years. Families scheduled to depart Europe by the end of june will be untouched by policy changes and will leave for the United states As planned brisk increases in baggage and household goods ship ments out of Europe this month and next Are predicted by personnel and transportation  that they expect a Sharp decline in moves to be followed in the fall by a Rinh in activity. The army which is extending Tours from 15 to 100 Days May have As Many As 60,000 soldiers moving to and from Europe in october november and december. The air Force has extended overseas hours by 60 Days. Personnel officials now expect the Peak moving season in september october and november. The Extension of Tours could change the mores of some 5,700 Safe personnel. The Navy has no plans to extend the hours of Shore based personnel in Europe. ,. Army troop movements in Europe normally Peak in july and August but this year arc expected to fall off dramatically after a typically Busy june col. Bill Sweeney director of enlisted personnel for the army s 1st personnel come. Says that beginning in july and extending into september troop movements out of Europe will be reduced a a trickle Only soldiers Given Early oils discharges and those granted exceptions to policy will be moving Home during the summer. Sweeney says about 1,500 troops originally scheduled to leave in september will be departing by he end of july. And he estimated an additional 1,000 to 1,500 will be granted exceptions to move families in the summer. Under the new assignment policy the Only troops arriving in Europe will be new soldiers and graduates of service schools it number estimated by Sweeney at 2,000 to 4.000. Other moves will be delayed until fall including the majority of an estimated 19,000 army troops originally scheduled for return to the Stales in july August and september adding postponed moves i Normal fall Rui Atlkins Sweeney says could result in the departure from Europe of 30,000 troops in october november and the first half of december. During the same period approximately an equal number of army personnel will be arriving in Europe the combined departure and arrival figures could equal i ooh looking at the increased traffic from a logistical perspective i. Col. Howard Wilson chief of the Frankfurt Consolida led personal property shipping office says five months of Normal rotations will be compressed into 2w months. School age children Sweeney says May be a reason. For moving a family Home in the summer ahead of the . Clearly there arc some folks for whom the move of the family ahead of the member May be the Best option he says. But most children of our younger troops Are at preschool age and for such families school adjustment May not be a valid reason for moving the family  Sweeney says thai a belter option for soldiers with. School age children might be to voluntarily extend in Stead of shipping families Home. For a career Soldier with a couple years of experience on the Job in makes sense to have him voluntarily extend Sweeney said. And we have streamlined the process for authorizing such extensions an option available to families departing Europe i Advance of service members could reduce the expenses of relocating. Spouses arriving Home Early May apply for family housing by presenting completed Dod i orm 1746 to their new unit. This farm must be completed by the member s old unil before the spouse departs. Advance planning is key to a Good Transfer moving Back Home should not be a Cas Ual exercise horror stories include passports and breakfast leftovers packed with the Kitchen China overweight household goods that Cost service members thousands of dollars in shipping charges inadequate inventories that made it difficult to document damage claims items pilfered from pack outs that were taken Loos in moving vans to the warehouse. They re All True. And like a broken record they re repeated every year during the Peak moving season. But most of them could inv been prevented. Whether you re packing out by june or being extended until Faff As part of the government plan to save Money the rules for gelling the jump on your move Are the same military transportation officials under score the need to plan Well in Advance if you Hope to have a Good move. Inadequate preparation increases risks especially if household goods include High Cost or irreplaceable items. It s your move a 28-Page depart ment of defense Booklet available at Mili tary transportation offices spells out the basics of the move from origin to Destina Tion. " officials recommend a six step outline for preparing and carrying out the move arrange for a counselling session at your transportation office As soon As you receive your orders. Check the weight of your shipment to avoid overweight charges. Keep important documents separate from things that Are going to be packed. Prepare an accurate inventory of All goods in your shipment. Be present at the pack out make sure the wooden containers stuffed with your household goods Are nailed shut by the moving Crew tie Lare they leave your premises. Unaccompanied baggage is packed and shipped in Advance of household goods. It contains items that will be needed immediately on arrival at new duly stations. Seasonal clothes linens cooking utensils infant care articles Small radios and por table tvs Are the Type of items authorized in baggage shipments. Fragile High Cost items should not be packed As baggage John Mcqueen chief of Usa eur s transportation management Branch says the counselling session can make  the move. He recommends that both service Memberg and spouses attend the sessions. Counselor will provide information on shipping items such As motorcycles Power Lawn mowers Gas Grill and firearms. Guns require  members should Check their household. Weight allowances in Advance with the Counselor. If there s a Chance a shipment will be overweight estimating ils weight in and Vance becomes a necessity. A Rule of thumb for estimating weight is to allow 9,000 pounds for the goods in an average room and Odd the weights of Large appliances and items in storage rooms. If the preview indicates too much weight options to reduce the excess in. Elude getting rid of trash Selling unheeded items or mailing items such As books and linens. Sometimes items can be danged during � move. Professional items such As reference books papers instruments and specialized clothing do not count against the weight allowance if icy Are packed marked and weighed separately. A  whose shipment re Mains overweight after exhausting All options May request that it be  at the new duty station. I Floc second weight exceeds the original weight the govern ment will compute overweight charges at the Tower of the iwo weights when packing Crews arrive members should make sure that shipping containers Are in Good condition. Even the but packed goods May be damaged if containers Are warped or Rotten. If a Container is questionable if a Crew member is insulting or doing a poor Job of packing the transportation office should be called. When such incidents occur an inspector is sent to he scene. Mcqueen warns it s important to store passports air tickets shipping papers for cars and other documents in a sate place out of the reach of packers. Packers often go about their work with Diligence he says and have been known to pack everything in sight including garbage trash Ana documents needed for the trip Home. Transportation Counselor advise Mem Bers to prepare a detailed listing of their goods and to make sure it corresponds with the inventory of the packing Crew. In the event of damage loss or theft the inventory will be needed to tile a claim against the government. When the packing is Complete Mcqueen says the wooden Container should be nailed shut at the residence. A packing Crew must have the Permis Sion of the transportation office or the service member to take packed items Loose to their warehouse for crating leaving items Une raied increases the potential for loss or theft. When losses occur the government will pay up to $25.000 per shipment in dam Ages. Members who wish additional pro Lection May takeout private insurance