PPM Move Guide: How to Actually Profit From Your Military PCS
A PPM move military guide with real math, weight tables, and the exact steps to pocket $2,000-$5,000 on your next PCS. Written by someone who's done it five times.
U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps PCS Guide: Entitlements, Orders, and Checklist
A Marine Corps PCS runs through your monitor and IPAC, and accompanied versus unaccompanied tours change what you are owed. Here is the money, how your orders actually get cut, and the traps that cost Marines real dollars on a move.
What a Marine Corps PCS actually pays
These entitlements come from the Joint Travel Regulations, so they are set by your rank, your dependents, and your distance, not by your branch. What changes between services is how you claim them.
DLA (Dislocation Allowance)
A flat payment set by pay grade and dependency status, roughly $1,871 to $6,386. No receipts required, but you have to claim it.
MALT (mileage)
$0.205 per mile when you drive, calculated on official distance rather than your odometer.
Per diem (travel days)
Up to $178 per travel day at the standard CONUS rate, with reduced rates for dependents by age.
TLE (temporary lodging, CONUS)
Reimburses actual lodging and meals for up to 21 days, up to $290 per day. Keep every receipt.
TLA (temporary lodging, OCONUS)
The overseas equivalent, commonly authorized up to about 60 days depending on your location.
PPM / DITY incentive
Move yourself and the government pays 100% of what it would have cost them to ship your weight. Certified weight tickets are mandatory.
Run the numbers now with the free DLA calculator and MALT and travel days calculator, or build your Marine Corps playbook to see all of it against your actual orders.
How Marine Corps orders actually work
01
Work your monitor
Marine assignments run through your monitor at Manpower. Your slate and your timing come out of that conversation, so keep your preferences and your record current.
02
Orders through MOL, processed by IPAC
Web Orders come through Marine Online, and IPAC processes and endorses them. Accompanied versus unaccompanied status is set here, and it drives dependent travel, housing, and what you can claim.
03
Check out, then file
Work your check-out sheet at every level, then file your DD 1351-2 through IPAC or finance after you check in at the new command. DLA, mileage, and per diem are claimed on that voucher.
Marine Corps systems at a glance
- Assignments
- Your monitor at Manpower works your slate (MMEA enlisted, MMOA officer)
- Orders
- Web Orders through Marine Online (MOL); IPAC processes and endorses them
- Personnel/pay system
- MCTFS is the system of record behind your pay and your record
- Travel claim
- DD 1351-2 travel voucher through IPAC or finance
Marine Corps PCS gotchas
Accompanied versus unaccompanied tour status changes your entitlements. Know which one your orders authorize before you plan the move.
Ask about a DLA advance before you detach so the cash is there during the move.
PPM pays 100% of the government constructed cost, but only with certified empty and full weight tickets.
Start EFMP and OCONUS screening early. Overseas orders add command sponsorship, passports, and pet steps that do not move quickly.
Working the timeline
Most Marines start too late. Household goods, housing, medical records, and finance all have their own lead times, and they do not run in parallel as nicely as you would hope. Start about 90 days out.
Use the free 90-day PCS checklist →Marine Corps PCS questions
How do Marines get PCS orders?
Your monitor at Manpower works your assignment, Web Orders come through Marine Online, and IPAC processes and endorses them. Your accompanied or unaccompanied status is set here and it affects your entitlements.
What does a Marine Corps PCS pay?
The entitlements (DLA, MALT mileage, per diem, TLE or TLA overseas, and a PPM incentive) are set by rank, dependents, and distance, not by service. A personalized playbook runs your exact numbers.
Should I do a PPM as a Marine?
Often yes, especially on shorter CONUS moves. A Personally Procured Move pays 100% of the government constructed cost, and your profit is that reimbursement minus your actual cost. You must have certified weight tickets.
Keep reading
DLA Rates by Rank 2026, Full Table + How to Claim
2026 DLA rates for every military pay grade, with and without dependents. Full table, eligibility rules, claim steps, and common mistakes to avoid.
OCONUS PCS Checklist, Everything Before You Go Overseas
The complete OCONUS PCS checklist: passports, medical screening, HHG, POV shipping, command sponsorship, and more. Timeline from 12 weeks out to arrival.
Get this for your exact Marine Corps move
Your real entitlements in actual dollars, a timeline counted down from your report date, and the checklist for your rank, dependents, and destination. Free preview before you pay.
Build my playbook for $24One-time. Full refund within 24 hours if it is not useful.
Estimates only. Rates and service policies change, so verify every dollar amount and deadline with your servicing finance and personnel office before you count on it. PCS Copilot is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or any branch of the armed forces.