Making Sense Of Your Military Orders
Interpreting your military orders can be a daunting task, even for officers who have been in the military
for several years. While the intent of the orders is to give you instructions for getting to your next assignment
(i.e. the Officer Basic Course), they are written in a very cryptic manor which adds to the confusion. Much of
the information that is provided in your orders is used to convey essential information to either the Human
Resources Department, or the Finance Office, and is not meant to make sense to you. The key is to be able to
sort through the information and decide what information is important, and what information you can safely
ignore. This section is dedicated to helping you make those decisions.
This section will address two types of orders: Temporary Duty (TDY) orders (i.e. the orders bringing
you to the Officer Basic Course at Fort Sam Houston), and Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders (i.e. the
orders instructing you to report to your first active duty assignment). Your orders may differ from the orders
presented in this section, but most of the key information will be the same. If you have questions, please visit
the following website (
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/ophsdvc/Default.htm) to obtain the contact
information for the Human Resources Command Veterinary Branch Chief or Deputy Chief. They are
responsible for producing your orders, and they will be able to answer questions or make appropriate changes to
your orders.
In the following sections, you will see an example set of TDY orders directing a recent veterinary school
graduate to attend the Officer Basic Course (OBC) at Fort Sam Houston. Following the completion of OBC,
you will see PCS orders directing CPT Joe Snuffy to Fort Eustis for his first active duty assignment. On each of
these orders, you will see several sections underlined in blue. These highlighted sections represent key points
of information that you need to pay particular close attention to when reading your orders. Click on the
highlighted section to see a translation of the line into “civilian-speak.” The remainder of the non-highlighted
sections are still important to read, but may have been written for administrative purposes.
NOTE: You need to carefully read the TDY and the PCS orders together. Often times, the TDY orders
will contain a statement like “IF ORDERS AUTHORIZE…..” In this case, the TDY orders are making
reference to the PCS orders. If you find that your TDY and PCS orders conflict with each other, contact the
Human Resources Command for clarification.
(Temporary Duty Orders)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
U.S. ARMY HUMAN RESOURCES COMMAND
1 RESERVE WAY
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63132-5200
AHRC-OPD-RD 18 MAY 2005
ORDERS A-05-590945
JOE SNUFFY, 123 HOOOOAH LN., COLUMBUS, OH 43214, 123-45-6789, CPT VC
U.S. ARMY RECRUITING COMMAND
ATTN: RCHS-OPS
1307 THIRD AVENUE
FT. KNOW, KY 40121
YOU ARE ORDERED TO PROCEED TO TEMPORARY DUTY FOR THE PERIOD AS SHOWN BELOW,
UPON COMPLETION OF TEMPORARY DUTY YOU WILL PROCEED TO YOUR FIRST PERMANENT
DUTY STATION AS INDICATED IN ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS.
TEMPORARY DUTY AT: CO A, 187
TH
MEDICAL BN (W3VZ7C), AMEDD CENTER & SCHOOL, FT.
SAM HOUSTON, TX 78234
PURPOSE OF TEMPORARY DUTY: TO ATTEND THE AMEDD OFFICER BASIC COURSE #6-8-C20
(VC), CLASS #401, SCHOOL CODE 081
PERIOD: NLT 1300 HOURS 26 JUN 05 TO 20 OCT 05 FOR 17 WEEKS.
WILL PROCEED DATE: 22 JUN 05
SECURITY CLEARANCE: N/A
ACCOUNT CLAS: 2152020 0000 22-2010 435212.0000 21T2 $3,600.00 TTDY00 SNU6789AJ50626
N1DARA S23185
2162020 0000 0 22-2010 435212.0000 21T2 $2,400.00 TTDY00 SNU6789AA51001
N1DARA S23185. SUBJECT TO AVAILABLITY OF FUNDS.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: EARLY
REPORTING TO OBC IS NOT AUTHORIZED. PERMANENT
STATION IS MID ATLANTIC DVC, FT. EUSTIS, VA 23604. REPORT PER ORDERS A-05-590946 THIS
CENTER DATED 18 MAY 05. QUOTA SOURCE: 32A. TDY IN/AROUND CURRENT RESIDENCE OR
NEXT PERMANENT DUTY STATION (PDS) IS NOT AUTHORIZED. EARLY REPORTING TO OBC IS
NOT AUTHORIZED AND
EXCESS TRAVEL TIME IS CHARGEABLE AS LEAVE. USE OF
GOVERNMENT QUARTERS, MESS AND TRASNPORTATION IS DIRECTED. YOU MUST ATTEMPT
TO RESERVE GOVERNMENT QUARTERS IN ADVANCE. IF QUARTERS AND/OR MESS ARE
UNAVAILABLE, A STATEMENT OF NON-AVAILABILITY IS REQUIRED, AND YOU MUST
REQUEST THE GOVERNMENT DISCOUNT RATE FOR COMMERCIAL LODGING.
IF
GOVERNMENT/SHUTTLE BUS TRANSPORTATION IS UNAVAILABLE, YOU ARE AUTHORIZED
TAXI TO/FROM AIRPORT/LODGING/TRANING OR IN/AROUND MILEAGE NOT TO EXCEED DAILY
ON/OFF-POST LIMITATION, WHICHEVER IS APPROPRIATE. A DAILY ITEMIZED LIST OF
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES IS REQUIRED. MTSA WILL NOT FUND TRANSPORTATION
TO/FROM TDY SITE(S).
RENTAL CAR IS NOT AUTHORIZED. FOR ADDITIONAL
ADMINISTRATIVE AND WELCOME INFORMATION, SEE THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE:
HTTP://WWW.CS.AMEDD.ARMY.MIL/OBCHOME PRIOR TO REPORTING TO OBC. IF UNABLE TO
ACCESS THIS SITE, CALL 210-221-8355/8363, DSN 221. FOR STUDENTS BEING TRAINED ON POST,
GOVERNMENT QUARTERS ARE DIRECTED AT NO COST TO STUDENT.
STUDENTS WILL
REPORT TO BLDG 592, FORT SAM HOUSTON LODGING FOR ROOM ASSIGNMENT. FOR
STUDENTS BEING TRAINED OFF-POST AT TRINITY UNIVERSITY, GOVERNMENT QUARTERS
ARE DIRECTED AT NO COST TO STUDENT.
GOVERNMENT DEDUCTIBLE MEALS ARE
DIRECTED AT NO COST TO STUDENT, 7 DAYS PER WEEK. REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL
COURSES TAUGHT OFF-SITE WILL BE POSTED ON THE AMEDD CENTER AND SCHOOL WEB
SITE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CLASS REPORT DATES. FOR STUDENTS TRAINED OFF-POST AT
LOCAL CONTRACTED HOTELS, GOVERNMENT QUARTERS ARE DIRECTED AT NO COST TO
STUDENT. GOVERNMENT DEDUCTIBLE MEALS ARE DIRECTED AT NO COST TO STUDENT
WEEKDAYS WITH FULL PER DIEM FOR MEALS ON WEEKENDS AND FEDERAL HOLIDAYS.
REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL COURSES TAUGHT OFF-SITE WILL BE POSTED ON THE
AMEDD CENTER AND SCHOOL WEB SITE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CLASS REPORT DATES.
SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE IS AVAILABLE, WEEKDAYS AT FORT SAM HOUSTON. TAXI SERVICE IS
AVAILABLE AT FORT SAM HOUSTON.
IF YOU ARE DIRECTED TO TRAVEL BY AIR, YOU ARE
AUTHORIZED TAXI FARE NTE $30 A WEEK. IF THE TAXI AUTHROIZATION APPLIES TO YOUR
TRAVEL SITUATION, MAKE SURE YOUR ORDERS AUTHORIZES. YOU WILL NEED TO KEEP A
DAILY LOG OF TAXI EXPENSES. AUTHROIZATION UPFRONT MAKES SEEKING
REIMBURSEMENT FOR INCURRED EXPENSES EASIER.
IN AND AROUND MILEAGE, IF
APPROVED BY THE ORDER-ISSUING OFFICIAL, IS LIMITED AS FOLLOWS: 10 MILES, PER DAY, IF
ASSIGNED ON-POST LODGING. 25 MILES, PER DAY IF ASSIGNED OFF-POST LODGING AND
TRAINED AT FORT SAM HOUSTON. STUDENTS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM BRINGING THEIR
DEPENDENTS/FAMILY MEMBERS TO THE TRAINING SITE. FACILITIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE
TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPPORT. EARLY REPORT TO THE TRAINING SITE IS NOT
AUTHROIZED EXCEPT FOR SELECTED OFFICER ACCESIONS THAT ARE CALLED TO IMMEDIATE
ACTIVE DUTY TO AWAIT OFFICER BASIC TRAINING. ANY FURTHER INFORMATION NEEDED
SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YOUR UNIT TRAINING MANAGER LISTED BELOW. INCLUDES ALL
ARMY MILITARY COMPONENTS AND RANKS. DOES NOT ALTER OR STOP YOUR BASIC
ALLOWANCE FOR SUBSISTENCE. STUDENTS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO CALL AND MAKE
LODGING RESERVATIONS.
STUDENTS WITHOUT A POV REPORTING TO COURSES TRAINED
ON-POST ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT FOR SAM HOUSTON LODGING AT (210) 357-2705,
EXTENSIONS 5140 OR 5141 BEFORE LEAVING THEIR HOME STATION SO ON-POST LODGING IS
ASSURED.
AUTHORITY: 10 USC 12301 (d) AND 12320
FORMAT: 400
FOR THE COMMANDER:
************* NAME
CHIEF, APPOINTMENTS
* AHRC *
* OFFICIAL *
*************
DISTRIBUTION: A1 PLUS
HQDA, AHPC-RMB, 200 STOVALL ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22332-0400 (1)
CDR, CO 1, 1
ST
BN, AMEDD CTR & SCHOOL, FT. SAM HOUSTON, TX 78234 (1)
CDR, USAREC, 1307 3
RD
AVE, ATTN: RCHS-MS, FT KNOX, KY 40121 (1)
CDR, AHRC-CIS-PV (1)
(Permanent Change of Station Orders)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
U.S. ARMY HUMAN RESOURCES COMMAND
1 RESERVE WAY
ST. LOUIS, MO 63132-5200
AHRC-OPD-RD 18 MAY 2005
ORDERS A-05-590946
JOE SNUFFY, 123 HOOOOAH LN., COLUMBUS, OH 43214, 123-45-6789, CPT VC
U.S. ARMY RECRUITING COMMAND
ATTN: RCHS-OPS
1307 THIRD AVE
FT. KNOX, KY 40121
YOU ARE ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN THE GRADE OF RANK SHOWN ABOVE FOR THE
PERIOD SHOWN IN ACTIVE DUTY COMMITMENT BELOW. YOU ARE ASSIGNED AS SHOWN AND
WILL PROCEED FROM YOUR CURRENT LOCATION IN TIME TO REPORT ON THE DATE SHOWN
BELOW.
REPORT TO: MID ATLANTIC DVC (W3U43W), FT. EUSTIS, VA 23604
REPORTING DATE: BETWEEN 0800 AND 1700 HOURS 31 OCT 05.
ASSIGNED TO: MID ATLANTIC DVC, FT. EUSTIS, VA 23604
ACTIVE DUTY COMMITMENT: OBLIGATED VOLUNTEER OFFICER 48 MONTHS.
PURPOSE: FULFILL ACTIVE ARMY REQUIREMENT
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS:
SECURITY CLEARANCE: SECRET REQUIRED. IF REQUIRED,
OFFICER WILL PRESENT HIMSELF FOR PHYSICAL EXAMINATION WITHIN FIVE DAYS AFTER
REPORTING FOR ACTIVE DUTY. EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF ENTRY ON ACTIVE DUTY (EAD),
YOU ARE APPOINTED IN THE RESERVE GRADE OF 1LT AND PLACED ON THE ACTIVE DUTY
LIST IN THE GRADE OF CPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH AR 135-101.
DOR IS TO BE ADJUSTED
BASED ON CONSTRUCTIVE CREDIT OF 04 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS AND PHASE POINTS OF 04
YEARS, 00 MONTHS, 00 DAYS. DOR TBD AFTER EAD IAW AR 624-100. OFFICER IS ENTITLED TO
$100/MONTH VETERINARY PROFESSIONAL PAY. MOVEMENT OF DEPENDENTS AND
HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO PERMANENT DUTY STATION IS AUTHROIZED. BE ADVISED THAT
AMEDD OFFICERS, NOT IN ONGOING TRAINNG, WILL REQUIRE A 120 DAY INITIAL OFFICER
EVALUATION REPORT (IAW AR 623-105). TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INSTALLATION
INFORMATION, USE
WWW.ARMY.MIL. IF YOU PLAN TO SHIP PERSONAL PROPERTY AT
GOVERNMENT EXPENSE, CONTACT YOUR TRANSPORTATION OFFICE TO ARRANGE FOR
SHIPMENT, AND
CONTACT THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AT YOUR NEW DUTY STATION
IMMEDIATELY AFTER ARRIVAL TO ARRANGE FOR DELIVERY. OFFICIAL TRAVEL ARRANGED
THROUGH COMMERCIAL TRAVEL OFFICES NOT UNDER CONTRACT TO THE GOVERNMENT IS
NOT REIMBURSABLE. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THE FAMILY HOUSING OFFICE OR
HOUSING REFERRAL OFFICE AT YOUR PERMANENT DUTY STATION BEFORE YOU MAKE
HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS. LEAVE DATA AS STATED IN DA FORM 31. YOU ARE REQUIRED
TO EMAIL YOUR NEW HOME ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER TO YOUR HUMAN RESOURCES
COMMAND ASSIGNMENT MANAGER/CAREER COUNSELOR WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ARRIVAL AT
YOUR NEW DUTY STATION OR UPON CHANGE OF RESIDENCE. SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD
GOODS TO PERMANENT DUTY STATION IS AUTHORIZED.
TRAVEL BY POV AUTHROIZED.
EARLY REPORTING (NOT MORE THAN 10 DAYS EARLIER THAN THE NLT REPORT DATE) IS
AUTHORIZED TO PCS STATION. COMPLY WITH AR 600-8-8, MILITARY SPONSOR PROGRAM.
FORWARD DA FORM 4787, REASSIGNMENT PROCESSING, DIRECTLY TO GAINING COMMAND.
UPON RECEIPT OF THESE ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS, COMPLETE THE OFFICER
SATISFACTION SURVEY BY TYPING THE FOLLOWING URL INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER
WINDOW. YOU WILL NEED YOUR AKO ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO LOG INTO THE SITE.
HTTP://PERSCOMND044.ARMY.MIL/RFOSURVEY.NSF. INFORMATION IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
AS YOU PLAN YOUR RELOCATION. ACCESS SITES AT
HTTP://WWW.DMDC.OSD.MIL/SITES/OWA/SHOWPAGE?P=INDEX FOR ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT YOUR NEXXT INSTALLATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
OFFICER MUST
MEET WEIGHT STANDARDS AS SPECIFIED IN AR 600-9 TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.
IF THIS OFFICER IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE, THE LOSING COMMANDER WILL NOTIFY HUMAN
RESOURCES COMMAND, ATTN: AHRC-OPH-V. POC FOR THIS ACTION IS MAJ NAME AT (000)
000-0000.
FOR ARMY USE:
AUTH: 10 USC 12301 (D) PPN: U5 COMP: USAR
PERS CON NO: MCVE00025519 MDC: 1Z07
BASIC BR: VC
HOR: SQUARED AWAY, OH PLEAD/OAD: SAME AS SNL ACCT CLAS: NA
PAOC/SSI: 64A CIC: NA
PROJ SPECIALTY: NONE SEX: MALE
CON SPECIALTY: NONE RES GR: 1LT
FORMAT: 156
FOR THE COMMANDER
******************* NAME
* AHRC * CHIEF, APPOINTMENTS
* OFFICIAL *
*******************
DISTRIBUTION: A1 PLUS
HQDA, AHRC-MSR-S (1) CDR, AHRC-CIS-PV (1)
CDR, COMMANDER, HRC-ALEXANDRIA, ATTN: AHRC-OPH-V, 200 STOVALL ST, ALEXANDRIA,
VA 22332-0417 (1)
CDR, USAREC, 1307 3
RD
AVE., RCHS-VC, FT. KNOX, KY 40121 (1)
CDR, MID ATLANTIC DVC, FT. EUSTIS, VA 23604 (1)
Temporary Duty (TDY) Orders – Interpretations
Address Line – Be certain that your name, current address, Social Security Number (SSN), rank and branch
(i.e. CPT = Captain, VC = Veterinary Corps) are all correct. The Finance Office will use this address as the
starting point when they calculate the distance that you traveled from your home to Fort Sam Houston (San
Antonio, TX), and therefore the amount of money to reimburse you for your travel expenses. It is also
important to make sure that this information is correct because this is the information that they have in your
permanent record. For example, if your social security number is incorrect on your orders, it will likely be
incorrect on all future military documents. If you need to make corrections, please contact the
Human
Resources Command.
Return
Temporary Duty (TDY) – When you are asked to submit a copy of your TDY orders, this is the line that
indicates that these are TDY orders and not Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders.
Return
Officer Basic Course (OBC) Location – This line indicates your destination. As of the date of this publication
(December 2005), the Officer Basic Course (OBC) for Veterinary Corps Officers is conducted at Fort Sam
Houston (San Antonio, TX). Your orders should read the same way as this example (be aware, the unit CO A,
187
th
MEDICAL BN may change, however the OBC course should still be conducted at Fort Sam Houston). If
your orders show something different, please contact the
Human Resources Command. If they have indeed
changed the location of OBC, please notify the webmaster for this site.
Return
Temporary Duty (TDY) Purpose – This line tells you why you are reporting to Fort Sam Houston. The codes
will be different on your orders (i.e. Class #401, School Code 081, etc.), however somewhere in the line it
should indicate that you are attending the Officer Basic Course (OBC). If it does not, you need to contact
Human Resources Command (see website link at the beginning) as soon as possible. Note: classes ending in 01
(i.e. Class #4
01) represents the Prep Course. The Prep Course is an additional period of training (currently 1
week) devoted towards introducing you to the basics of military knowledge (i.e. how to wear the uniform, when
to salute, how to read a map, how to fire a rifle, etc.). It is meant for Soldiers who have never had previous
military training. If you are prior service (including ROTC students), you should contact the
Human Resources
Command and request to be placed in the All Corps Course (denoted by a class number ending in 02 [i.e. Class
#4
02]). Everyone eventually ends up in the All Corps class, however the Prep Course students arrive one week
earlier to start training. Following the introductory week, the Prep Course students are combined with the All
Corps students.
Return
Training Period – This line tells you the duration of the Officer Basic Course (OBC), but more importantly it
provides the report date/time. NLT 1300 HOURS 26 JUN 05 = No Later Than (NLT) 1:00 P.M. on June 26,
2005. This line is also particularly useful when you first contact your District Veterinary Commander (DVC),
as they will most likely ask you when you will finish OBC. Look at this line and you will be able to provide
them with an answer (20 OCT 05 according to the example orders).
Return
Will Proceed Date – The Army has determined how many miles you can drive safely each day (currently it
stands at 400 miles the first day, and 350 miles each subsequent day of travel). Based on this formula, and the
distance from your house to Fort Sam Houston, they determine how many days it should take you to safely
drive the entire distance. The “Will Proceed Date” represents the first date that you
should begin driving
towards Fort Sam Houston in order to safely arrive on your designated report date. You are allowed to start
traveling before, or after this date if you choose to do so. This date has more significance when you are moving
from one active duty assignment to another, because this is the date that your boss is required to release you to
start traveling to your next assignment. Coming straight out of veterinary school, this doesn’t really apply to
you. However, you do need to make sure that you are not still expected to be at school (i.e. make-up clinics,
etc.) on or after the “Will Proceed Date.” If there is a time conflict, you need to contact the
Human Resources
Command and your start date for the Officer Basic Course (OBC) will likely be changed to accommodate your
schedule.
Return
Early Reporting – This refers to arriving at Fort Sam Houston before your scheduled report date, and making
contact with the unit. The reason that “Early Reporting” is not authorized for the Officer Basic Course (OBC)
is that they want all of the students to fill out the paperwork at one time, rather than having hundreds of students
bombarding their office one at a time. You can arrive at Fort Sam Houston as early as you want, however the
housing office will not assign you a room (if on-post billeting is available), and the government may expect you
to pay for the additional lodging costs out of your pocket.
Return
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Orders – This line states that CPT Joe Snuffy will be stationed at Fort
Eustis, as part of the Mid-Atlantic District Veterinary Command (DVC). It makes reference to the Permanent
Change of Station (PCS) orders, represented by “ORDERS A-05-590946.” The order reference code is located
in the upper left hand corner of the orders. In our example TDY orders, the order reference code is “ORDERS
A-05-5590945.” Your PCS orders should contain the order reference code that is specifically stated in the TDY
orders. If they are different, you should contact the
Human Resources Command to make sure they haven’t
provided you with the wrong set of orders.
Return
Excess Travel Time – This line tells you that if you report late to the Officer Basic Course (OBC), even if you
have the Company Commander’s permission, they will remove that time from your available vacation time (aka
leave) for the year. Note: If you report late to OBC, and you have not contacted the company and gotten their
permission ahead of time, you will be considered Absent Without Leave (AWOL). AWOL soldiers may be
prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), which means that they may penalize you with
fines, refuse requests for leave over long holidays, force you to perform additional work after hours, etc. If
there is a possibility that you will arrive late, call the company ahead of time.
Return
Use of Government Facilities – This line simply states that while you are at the Officer Basic Course (OBC),
the government will pay to house and feed you. If government housing is not available on post, they will pay
for you to stay in a hotel off-post (their choice of hotels, not yours). If you are forced to live off-post, the
government is required to provide transportation for you to get to/from post.
Return
Taxi Authorization – This line states that you are authorized to take a taxi cab around post, back and forth to
the hotel, to the store, etc. ONLY if the government does not provide some sort of means of transportation (i.e.
shuttle bus). “IN/AROUND MILEAGE” refers to local travel, for example the distance traveled from the hotel
to the classroom building and back qualifies as In/Around Mileage. You can only claim taxi cab expenses that
are related to official business. Taking a cab down to the Riverwalk to go party on Friday night is not
considered an official travel expense. Taking a cab from the Airport to Fort Sam Houston, in order to report for
the Officer Basic Course (OBC) is an official travel expense, and thus could be claimed. In order to receive
compensation for your travel expenses, you need to complete a travel log. Save all receipts for expenses that
exceed $75. When you arrive at your permanent duty station, you will submit the travel log and all receipts as
part of the travel voucher. After the expenses have been reviewed and approved, you will be repaid in a single
lump sum.
Return
Rental Car – Rental cars are not typically authorized for the Officer Basic Course (OBC) students, primarily
due to the length of the course. It is highly recommended that you drive your privately owned vehicle (POV) to
OBC.
Return
Reporting In – When you arrive at Fort Sam Houston, you will travel directly to the housing office (currently
Building 592). You will provide them with a copy of your orders, which gives them the authority to provide a
room for you at the government’s expense. They will assign you a room in the Bachelor Officer Quarters
(BOQs) if there is room available, or they will direct you to a designated hotel off-post. In addition, they should
provide you with follow-up instructions as to where the company wants you to meet for the first day to begin in-
processing.
Return
Meals – This line states that the government will provide you with meals 7 days a week. Under the current
training policy, Officer Basic Course (OBC) students are permitted to dine in the dining facility Monday-
Friday, and they are expected to fend for themselves on the weekends and holidays. The government does
provide you with per diem pay for all holidays and weekends (currently $41/day), however you won’t receive
the per diem pay until you arrive at your permanent duty assignment and submit your travel voucher.
Return
Taxi Expenses – This line states that you are allowed to claim maximum of $30/week in taxi cab expenses.
NTE = Not To Exceed.
Return
In/Around Mileage – This refers to the mileage that you accumulate on your privately owned vehicle (POV),
as it relates to official travel. For example, driving 10 miles each way to get from the hotel to post for daily
training is considered official in/around mileage. If you orders authorize in/around mileage, you can claim
these miles on your travel voucher when you arrive at your permanent duty station. This line also indicates the
maximum amount of mileage that the government will reimburse you for, if you are authorized to collect
in/around mileage.
Return
Family Members – This line states that you are not supposed to bring family members with you to the Officer
Basic Course (OBC). Family members are not authorized to travel with you to OBC, and if they do travel with
you, the government will not pay to house or feed them. Therefore, all expenses will be paid directly out of
your pocket. Even if all other OBC students are being housed in a hotel off-post at the government’s expense,
you will be expected to pay the entire cost of the hotel room if you bring your family. Part of the reason is that
the government pays married couples (or single parents) a separation allowance to help compensate for the time
that they forced you to be apart from your family. If the family accompanies you, and you’re receiving
separation pay, then you are guilty of fraudulent collection of funds from the government, which is a crime
punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
Return
Lodging – If you plan to fly to Fort Sam Houston, rather than driving a privately owned vehicle (POV), this
line states that you should call ahead to notify the lodging office so they can attempt to reserve a room for you
(since you will be without a vehicle while you are at the Officer Basic Course). Even when they have the OBC
students stay off-post in the hotels, the lodging office typically reserves several rooms for students who arrive
without a POV. It’s less stressful for the student, and it’s much cheaper for the government to house you on-
post. Rooms are very limited, even if you call ahead they may not have an available room on-post, and you
may still have to take a taxi (or ride with a friend) to post every day.
Return
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Orders – Interpretations
Order Identification Code – This is a unique identifying code assigned to this individual set of orders by the
Human Resources Command. The Temporary Duty (TDY) orders make reference to this code when they
address your instructions after completing the Officer Basic Course (OBC). It is important to make sure that the
Order Identification Code mentioned in your TDY orders matches the code found on your Permanent Change of
Station (PCS) orders. If they do not match up, it is possible that you have been provided with the wrong set of
orders, and you should contact the
Human Resources Command to resolve this issue.
Return
Address Line - Be certain that your name, current address, Social Security Number (SSN), rank and branch
(i.e. CPT = Captain, VC = Veterinary Corps) are all correct. The Finance Office will use this address as the
starting point when they calculate the distance that you traveled from your home to Fort Sam Houston (San
Antonio, TX), and therefore the amount of money to reimburse you for your travel expenses. It is also
important to make sure that this information is correct because this is the information that they have in your
permanent record. For example, if your social security number is incorrect on your orders, it will likely be
incorrect on all future military documents. If you need to make corrections, please contact the
Human
Resources Command.
Return
Report To – This line tells you which District Veterinary Command (DVC), and installation you are ordered to
report to. This does not represent the installation that you are assigned to (unless your next assignment is
located on the same installation as the DVC, as is the case with Fort Eustis). In many cases, the District
Commander has new officers report directly to the District Command office before they report in at their
permanent assignment.
Return
Report Date – This line tells you specifically when you need to report to your next assignment. Compare the
report date to the end date for your Officer Basic Course (OBC). Make sure that these dates do not overlap, and
make sure that you will have a sufficient amount of time to travel from Fort Sam Houston to your next
assignment. According to the Army, you can safely drive 400 miles the first days, and 350 miles each
subsequent day. Use this formula to calculate how many days it should take you to safely drive to your next
assignment. Do you have at least this much time allotted in your orders? If there is a conflict with the times,
contact the
Human Resources Command. If you simply will not be able to report by the specified date due to a
prior engagement (i.e. wedding), contact your District Veterinary Commander (DVC) to explain the situation.
If they feel that the reason is justifiable, they may allow you to delay your report date. However, they will most
likely require you to use your leave (i.e. vacation) time.
Return
Assigned To – This line tells you which installation you will be working at. If you have been told that you are
going to be assigned to a facility that is different than the one listed in your orders, you need to contact
Human
Resources Command as soon as possible to make sure that you haven’t been reassigned.
Return
Active Duty Commitment – This line states how much time you have left to fulfill your active duty service
obligation. If this time is different than the service obligation that you agreed to in your contract, you need to
contact
Human Resources Command to rectify the situation.
Return
Security Clearance – This line tells you what type of security clearance is required for you to hold this
assignment. You need to make sure that you have the security clearance that is listed, otherwise you may be
scrambling around trying to get the approved security clearance, or you may have to be reassigned. If you do
not have the security clearance that is required, you need to contact
Human Resources Command immediately
for further instructions. A security clearance takes quite a bit of time to obtain, and there is a lot of paper work
involved. The sooner you realize the problem and report it, the easier your life will be.
Return
Physical Examination – This line indicates that you may be required to report for a physical examination
within the first week of arriving at your permanent duty station. Bring your Physical Training (PT) Uniform
with you when you report to your first duty station. At a minimum, they will most likely measure your height
and weight to see if you meet the standards. You also need to be in good physical condition when you report in,
as some units may require you to take a physical fitness test, depending on how long it has been since your last
record Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).
Return
Date of Rank – The date of rank refers to the date that you were initially commissioned as a Captain. In order
to justify promoting you to the rank of Captain, without having served a single day in the military, the Army
gives you 4 years of constructive credit. In this example, the Captain had accrued 4 years of service time while
attending school. Students who enlisted in the Early Commissioning Program (ECP) or entered the military
through the ROTC program are eligible to accumulate time in service while you attend school.
Return
Professional Pay – As a veterinarian, you are entitled to additional professional pay. As of the date of this
publication, it stands at $100/month, however it may increase with time. Regardless of the amount, you need to
make sure that it appears somewhere in your orders. If there is no mention of additional veterinary pay in your
orders, you will not receive it.
Return
Household Goods – This line states that the government will pay to package and ship your household goods to
your permanent duty station. It also states that your family is allowed to move with you to your next duty
station. Certain assignments (i.e. Korea, Iraq, etc.) prohibit family members from accompanying you. Contact
the Transportation Office at the nearest military installation to your house (obtain the phone number from your
local health care recruiter). If you are a single officer, you should make arrangements to have your household
goods shipped before you arrive for the Officer Basic Course (OBC). The Transportation Office will ship your
household goods to your next duty station and place them into temporary storage (for up to 90 days), or long-
term storage (for more than 90 days). Married officers can make arrangements to move household goods at any
time, as long as your spouse is present to release the household goods to the movers. The government pays to
have the movers come to your apartment/house and package all of your household goods, as well as move them
to your next assignment, move them into your next apartment/house, and unpack them for you. NOTE: Before
you turn over all of your worldly possessions to the movers, make sure that you document all of your high-
dollar items (preferably with serial numbers and digital photos). The movers are required to provide you with
an itemized list of the boxes, but they don’t document the content of the boxes. If someone decides to remove
contents from some of your boxes (i.e. tools, CD’s, DVD’s, etc.), if you don’t have physical proof that you
possessed it at one point in time, the government may not reimburse you for the stolen goods.
Return
Moving In – When you arrive at your duty station, following the completion of the Officer Basic Course
(OBC), your District Veterinary Commander (DVC) will provide you with a reasonable amount of time to find
a new place to live. If you have intentions of living on post, it is highly recommended that you contact the
housing office at that installation at least 3 months prior to arriving, as there is often a waiting list for junior
officer housing on-post. If you plan to rent an apartment or house, the housing office at the installation has a
realtor that will help you find a place to live. Once you have a place to live, contact the Transportation Office to
make arrangements to have your housing goods taken out of storage and moved into your new place. Be aware
that it may take a couple of weeks to find a date when they are available to move your household goods in, but
you don’t have to live like a hobo in the meantime. Visit the Army Community Service (ACS – sometimes
nicknamed the “Roadrunner”). They have a lending closet for soldiers and their families, where you can obtain
dinnerware, pots, pans, sheets, fold-out beds, etc. The ACS has a lot of services to offer, but you have to seek
them out. You can borrow the items until your household goods arrive, and then return the borrowed items in
the condition that you received them, and there are no fees associated with this service. Once your household
goods have been moved in, check all of your items carefully for damage. A digital camera will be your best
friend in this situation. Document everything carefully, and have a witness confirm your findings (preferably
the movers who delivered the damaged item). When dealing with the government, it’s always better to have too
much proof than not enough. You will have a chance to submit a request for reimbursement for any
damaged/missing items, as long as you can provide valid proof that the item was damaged in transit. The
movers are supposed to fill out a form verifying that the item was damaged upon delivery, do NOT let
them leave until you have visually inspected your items. Once the truck pulls away, if you find that
something is broken but they haven’t verified it on the form, you may be accused of breaking the item
afterwards and trying to rip-off the government.
Return
Official Travel - If you are flying from your house to Fort Sam Houston, or Fort Sam Houston to your next
assignment, you need to make official travel arrangements through the military Travel Office (i.e. Carlson
Travelit). If you decide to use a commercial travel agent (i.e. Expedia, Orbitz, etc.), the government is not
required to reimburse you for the cost of the flight. If you make arrangements through the Travel Office, you
will be reimbursed for the cost of your flight.
Return
Housing Office – This line is warning you not to go off on your own and buy a house without consulting the
military Housing Office. Some installations require you to submit a statement of non-availability in order to
live off-post. If you proceed with buying a house without consulting the Housing Office first, you may end up
losing your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).
Return
Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) – This line indicates if you are permitted to drive to your next duty
assignment or not. Certain duty stations (i.e. Korea, Iraq, etc.) do not permit you to bring a privately owned
vehicle (POV) with you. If your orders specifically state that you are not authorized travel by POV, but you
decide to drive (or ship your vehicle to another country), you will be held personally liable for the costs
associated. If you are authorized to take a POV with you overseas (i.e. Germany), the government will pay to
have your vehicle shipped.
Return
Early Reporting – This line indicates if you are allowed to arrive before the designated report date. For most
assignments, you will be granted up to 10 days early reporting at your first duty station. Most District
Veterinary Commanders (DVC) are anxious for you to arrive and get to work as soon as possible.
Return
Height & Weight Standards – You are required to pass a record Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), and
meet the height and weight standards before you are allowed to leave the Officer Basic Course (OBC). If you
are unable to meet the physical standards, a comment will be entered into your permanent file saying something
to the effect of “officer was unable to meet the minimum physical fitness/height and weight standards….” This
will reflect negatively on you as an officer each time you request additional training (i.e. airborne school),
promotion boards, etc.
Return
Home of Record – The home of record refers to the city/state that you consider to be your permanent home
(usually for tax purposes). Make sure that the correct city/state is listed, if not contact the
Human Resources
Command to have it changed.
Return
Primary Area of Concentration (PAOC) – The PAOC for all veterinarians is 64A, unless you have an
advanced degree (i.e. MPH, DACVIM, etc.). If your PAOC code is anything other than 64A, you need to
contact the
Human Resources Command to clarify. If they change the PAOC, please contact the webmaster for
this website and request that they make a change to this document.
Return
