NAPLES, Italy — Thousands of sailors will soon receive their permanent-change-of-station orders now that the Navy has received funding to make the moves.
“We received additional PCS funding, which will significantly aid our transition into fiscal year 2011,” said Rear Adm. Mike Shoemaker, Navy Personnel Command assistant commander for career management. “Based on the amount of funds received and planned execution, we expect to be able to release approximately 10,000 orders by [Thursday].”
Sailors’ moves to new duty stations were put on hold last year after a PCS obligation policy change — a rule mandating services remain within budget restrictions — was put into effect.
Under the policy, funding had to be available for moves when orders were issued, rather than when they were executed, usually a difference of six to nine months. Exceptions to the policy were made for some sailors, including those separating from the service and individual augmentees.
The Navy spends more than $600 million annually transferring sailors from one duty station to another, according to the personnel command.
Extra money for the moves came from a July request by the Defense Department to Congress to shift nearly $4 billion in previously allocated fiscal 2010 funding to areas deemed higher priority by the services.
The money for PCS moves, as well as other requirements, was made available by shifting Navy funds from items such as housing allowances, where rates were lower than forecasted for the year, and death gratuity payments, which were lower than forecasted.
