1. Claim deadline calculator
Enter what you know. Your deadlines appear below, soonest first, each with its official source.
Rules checked October 2026 against the Military OneSource claims fact sheet (March 2026) and the DPS claims pamphlet. Rules change and can differ by contract and shipment: your own paperwork wins. Confirm with your Transportation Office or Military Claims Office.
2. What do the movers' codes mean?
At pack-out, movers write condition codes next to each item on the inventory (for example "SC-10"). Those marks can reduce what they pay later, so check them before you sign.
Show the whole legend
This is the commonly printed legend; compare it with the one on your movers' form.
3. Before the movers come
- ☐ Photograph your valuables: the whole item, the serial/model label, and its condition. These photos are your proof.
- ☐ Make a list of high-value items for the movers' high-value inventory.
- ☐ Set aside what must not go on the truck: orders, IDs, passports, medications, jewelry, laptops, anything you need first.
- ☐ Ask your Transportation Office what your orders allow (shipments, storage, weight) and about firearms or gun safes.
- ☐ Get a power of attorney for claims if the service member may be away when it's time to file.
- ☐ At pack-out, read the inventory before you sign and write your own notes where you disagree.
- ☐ On delivery day, tick off every sticker number, open the high-value boxes, and write anything missing or damaged on the movers' form before they leave.
- ☐ Keep damaged items until the claim is settled; the movers may inspect them.
Tip: print this page; only this checklist prints.
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Fortkeep is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense. This page is general information, not legal advice.