FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Illinois, April 23, 2026 — The Department of War’s newest special activity, the Personal Property Activity (PPA), met with moving, shipping and logistics leaders April 23 to provide an update on the accelerated reform aimed at improving one of military families’ most critical quality-of-life issues, the permanent change of station moving process.
The event marked the organization’s first in-person industry engagement since transitioning from the Permanent Change of Station Joint Task Force to a permanent Department of War Special Activity earlier this year.
The engagement brought leaders from across the household goods industry together with PPA officials to identify operational challenges, improve accountability and implement solutions ahead of the 2026 PCS peak season.
“If you want to influence the future, please work with us and give us your ideas,” shared Maj. Gen. Lance Curtis when addressing industry during the engagement. “We cannot do it without you, we need you, alongside us, at the tip of the spear to rewrite our future.”
Discussions focused on increasing shipment predictability for service members and their families, improving communication, strengthening performance standards and modernizing the Defense Personal Property Program.
The engagement supports President Trump’s broader priority of delivering more efficient, accountable government services for military personnel and aligns with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s directive to fix long-standing issues within the military moving system.
When announcing the establishment of the Personal Property Activity in January, Hegseth called the organization “a permanent solution for all service members who move” and emphasized the Department’s responsibility to deliver reliable household goods services to warfighters worldwide.
PPA leaders emphasized that reform will be data-driven and facts-based, and that industry plays a critical role in delivering results.
The organization also highlighted measurable progress already underway, including an increase in self-reported claims satisfaction from 52% to 69%, signaling improved service quality for service members and families navigating the relocation process.
Col. Mike Ashton, director of operations with the PPA, announced a department-wide website launch, “where service members and providers will be able to find all the resources and advisories all collocated in one place.” The website will be a one-stop-shop for military movers and providers and will be accessible on May 1.
Industry partners received an update from PPA leadership on the reform and actions taken which are proactively intended to meet demand of workforce challenges, commercial best practices, pricing structures and operational innovations experienced by industry. The improvements are all intended to improve the overall performance of the program across the relocation enterprise and improve the quality of service delivered to our military movers.
“We have seen a noticeable increase in responsiveness to industry’s concerns since Secretary Hegseth announced the Personal Property Activity,” shared Chuck Kuhn, chief executive officer and founder, JK Moving Services. “Maj. Gen. Curtis and his team have been aggressive with the right sense of urgency to engage with industry to hear and address our concerns, while proactively improving the overall moving experience for military families.”
The Personal Property Activity continues working with industry partners to modernize military relocations, improve quality of life for service members and ensure PCS moves support readiness, not disrupt it.