Joining the military forces is a hefty task, and one that requires you to keep #allthebases covered. One of the major decisions that you have to make while entering the military is whether or not to take your car with you. The question remains, will the military ship your car for you while on active duty? Let’s take a closer look!
The short answer to this question is yes, the military can ship your car for you while you are on active duty. In fact, they actually offer several options to choose from depending on the job you are performing and the location you are headed to. As Cross Country Car Shipping claims — most of the time, this service is free of cost and is provided as part of your relocation package.
Government Car Shipping Program
The first option is the Government Car Shipping Program which is only available to certain branches of the military like the Army, Airforce and Coast Guard. In this program, the military will work with an approved shipping company to get your vehicle from Point A to Point B. The military handles all the paperwork and you can track your car all the way to your final destination.
PPM
The second option is the Personally Procured Move program, also called the PPM. In this program, you can choose which company to hire for shipping, and the military offers a reimbursement for the cost of shipping. This can move things a bit quicker if you have any specific requirements such as an urgent requirement.
Cat C
The third option is the Cat C option, where the servicemen can move their car by giving it to a transportation company. The vehicle gets shipped in return for money that you pay to the transportation company. This is not a usual choice among the rules, but self-funded personnel can choose to transport their car.
Cat D
The fourth option, also called the Cat D option, is where the servicewoman/servicemen can handle the transportation of the vehicle themselves by driving it. The military does provide a mileage payout that can be used to cover the cost of gas, tolls, and any other expenses incurred while driving the vehicle from the origin to the end.
The term “Cat D” is an insurance classification used by the United States military when shipping vehicles to or from overseas locations. Cat D covers any off-road or restricted access delivery, meaning that the vehicle will be transported using special equipment like flatbed trucks, lowboys and dollies, which are better suited for difficult environments than traditional Auto Carriers. In most cases, Cat D will also include additional insurance coverage related to loading and unloading of the vehicle at both origin and destination as well as specific environmental requirements such as dust control around your vehicle during transport. For outbound shipments from the US, Cat D also typically includes overweight and oversize fees in addition to base freight charges.
In summary, the military offers a handful of options to make car shipping as easy as possible for the serviceman, as long as they have to relocate because of the military orders. Depending on your personal preference, you can choose among the 4 available options to ship your vehicle while on active duty. Keep in mind that the cost of shipping is already paid as part of your relocation package, except for personally procured moves. So, whether it is your first relocation or your third, note that shipping your car with one of these four choices is absolutely possible, and provided to make your move a little easier.
Some companies offer decent looking discounts: