As part of Secretary Austin’s Taking Care of People initiative and to ease costs that can strain budgets and cause financial uncertainty during Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, the Department of Defense (DoD) has authorized changes to two PCS allowances: Dislocation Allowance (DLA) and Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) that will take effect October 1, 2022.
DLA partially reimburses a Service member for the expenses incurred while relocating their household. As of October 1, DLA rates will increase for E-1 through E-4 by $500 to further help offset personal expenses for PCS moves. Additionally, E-5 and E-6 rates will also be increased to ensure compensation is equal to or greater than the lower Enlisted members. Furthermore, DLA payments for all Service members will now be paid automatically one month prior to their move date to preempt Service member out-of-pocket expenses. For 2023, DLA rates for all ranks will be increased by the annual basic pay increase which will be effective January 1, 2023.
Also taking effect October 1, the number of days that a Service member may receive TLE will be increased from 10 days to 14 days (when moving to a permanent duty station (PDS) within in the continental United States (CONUS)) or 5 days to 7 days (when moving to a PDS from CONUS to outside CONUS). TLE is an allowance that partially reimburses a Service member for the cost of lodging and meals when they or a dependent occupy temporary lodging during a PCS move.
In addition, due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain CONUS military housing areas (MHAs) continue to experience a shortage of permanent housing for Service members and their families. In these areas, Service members may encounter significant delays in obtaining permanent housing and may need to utilize TLE for longer than 14 days. In MHAs where there is a documented local housing shortage, Service members may be authorized up to 60 days of TLE. This new process will be effective October 1, 2022.
These increases to PCS allowances reflect the Department’s commitment to the Secretary of Defense’s top priority—to take care of our people.
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