ALEXANDRIA, VA (USTCNS)--Service members moving in this spring-summer's high personal property move period may be getting a break this year.

Military and trade officials say the number of household goods shipments are expected to be not as large as it has in the past two to three years. Fewer moves mean a less hectic schedule for personal property firms and their equipment and people. Typically, this translates into an easier move for service members and the family members.

"No one knows what to expect really but we don't think the volume will be as heavy as last year," said Terry Head,President, Household Goods Forwarder's Association of America, Inc.

Roughly half of the annual average of 500,000 personal property moves managed by MTMC occur between May and August.

World events are making it difficult for transporters to pinpoint the number of Department of Defense household goods moves that will be made during this summer surge.

"We have a large number of people graduating from schools this summer," said Jolie Lay, Chief, Personal Property Division. "There are a lot of folks coming out of Ft. Leavenworth schools this year."

As an example, the Army's Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., will graduate about 1,100 mid-grade officers this summer.

"Right now, the place is jam-packed with moving vans," said Bob Kerr, Command Information Officer of the Fort Leavenworth Public Affairs Office.

Trucks are parked along streets and around cul-de-sacs across post, said Kerr.

While some schools may have a higher volume of students to move this summer, other issues may lessen the load during this year's peak season.

"Stop Loss will likely keep our numbers down," said Cullen Hutchinson, Deputy to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Passenger & Personal Property.

Army Personnel Command reported 2,800 soldiers are currently ineligible or separation due to stop loss. Soldiers in that group, who would have separated, would have been granted a final shipment.

Military households account for roughly 10 percent of the moves performed by professional moving companies each year, according to industry estimates. That makes MTMC the movers' biggest customer.

"We're competing with Corporate America for movers," said Hutchinson.

Half of the industry's $7 billion in annual revenue comes from a busy four-month period.

"A major corporation might move 1,000 people a year at most," said Hutchinson. "That's a gnat's eyelash to us. Belvoir moves more than that alone."

The personal property office at Fort Belvoir, Va., handles moves for service members throughout the National Capital Region of Washington, D.C.

Due to a low volume of corporate moves, MTMC will not be vying so much against the private sector for experienced carriers this year, said Head.

When corporate move volume is heavy, carriers rely more on casual labor to support the surge and this year there will be more experienced movers available for military shipments, said Head. The temporary-hires brought in
most summers have a higher instance of claims against them, said Head. With fewer temporary workers, there should be fewer claims.

While a slower season may mean less revenue for the carriers, it means more quality for customers.

The Personal Property Division at MTMC sends a message to installation transportation offices each year, reminding transporters of methods to alleviate some surge-related burdens. The official message provides some
latitude in normal procedures, said Lay. The message allows installations to book carriers that might otherwise be considered too expensive.

The message also reminds transportation officers to encourage customers to start their shipment plans as soon as they receive orders.

For service members and defense employees, there are tips available in Army Pamphlet 55-2, "It's Your Move," available online at: http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/p55_2.pdf.