Do You Rate Dislocation Allowance?

You've got your PCS orders in hand and are thinking about all the costs involved with moving to your next duty station. Some of those costs can be defrayed with Dislocation Allowance (DLA). DLA is not the same thing as advanced pay, which you may apply for when you move. This is an allowance, which does not have to be paid back. 

Here are the key points for DLA:

• It does not need to be paid back
• It is used to help pay for non-refundable moving expenses such as security deposits, first month's rent, etc.
• You have to apply for it
• There is no DLA authorized when leaving active duty
• You are not eligible for DLA if you are moving into government housing
• You are eligible for a partial DLA amount of $718.08 if you are moving into privatized government quarters
• DLA is dependent on rank. Find your DLA authorized amounts in this chart

For a full overview of Dislocation Allowance, visit http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/faqdla.cfm.