The Defense Department’s brand-new policy for an animal PCS compensation advantage produced by Congress will slash the optimum advantage in half for abroad journeys — and will not cover the expenses of carrying any furry pals till next year.
Citing the “crucial function” of the armed force’s household animals, the department on Wednesday announced how it will spend for a few of their travel expenses sustained throughout an irreversible modification of station relocation. The compensation as it was gone by Congress in December permitted as much as $4,000 to carry a household animal on a PCS relocate to or from a responsibility station outside the continental U.S.
In its brand-new policy, nevertheless, the DoD has actually set the optimum compensation for such OCONUS relocations at $2,000 — half the optimum permitted under the law — and households moving this PCS season will not have the ability to get it. And while the law does not define animal types — just “an animal” — the brand-new policy says the DoD will pay the expenses of carrying just a cat or dog.
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Military families PCSing within the continental U.S. will have the ability to receive the law’s optimum compensation of as much as $550.
Troops have actually usually paid of pocket to move their animals, aside from a $550 compensation for obligatory quarantining of a cat or dog.
The COVID-19 pandemic made carrying animals more costly for households who required to fly from one task station to another, nevertheless, after airlines mostly stopped carrying animals. The scenario left some households with couple of choices, as animal shipping services might cost countless dollars.
Troops moving overseas can often deliver their animals with them as part of a Patriot Express flight, however that alternative, too, expenses in the numerous dollars, depending upon the animal’s size. Plus, space for animals on those flights is extremely restricted, so households should prepare ahead and might take just 2 animals per flight.
Starting Jan. 1, the DoD will “cover pet travel costs, like animal shipping or quarantine costs,” that families sustain throughout a PCS relocation, according to the statement.
Anticipating concerns from households, the Marine Corps released an administrative message dated June 9 letting its authorities understand that it likely would not be compensating members throughout this summer season’s moving season, mentioning “considerable unbudgeted expenses.”
As lots of as 227,000 service members a year might benefit from the brand-new advantage.
“Historically, service members paid most of their out-of-pocket costs to carry animals when designated to a brand-new task station,” according to the statement. “This policy lowers that monetary concern while acknowledging the crucial function an animal plays in a military family’s household.”
— Amanda Miller can be reached at [email protected].
Related: New Law Says Troops Get Up to $4,000 for Pet PCS Costs — But DoD Hasn’t Implemented It
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