Wartime Gate Security Slows Moving Trucks During Peak PCS Season

Heightened security measures at military installations are causing lengthy delays for moving companies as service members relocate.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:49am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a stylized moving truck icon repeated in a tight grid pattern, using vibrant neon colors and heavy black outlines to create a modern pop art representation of the challenges faced by the moving industry during the military's peak relocation season.The heightened security at military base gates is causing major delays for moving companies during the peak PCS season, disrupting the relocation process for service members and their families.Fredericksburg Today

The Defense Department's heightened wartime security measures at installation gates across the United States are slowing delivery of household goods as peak season for permanent changes of station (PCS) begins this month, according to moving companies. The suspension of the Trusted Traveler Program, which previously allowed personnel with Defense Department identification to vouch for others entering with them, has led to longer wait times at gates as each entrant must now be vetted and issued a temporary pass. Moving companies are reporting delays of up to six hours to access some bases, causing inconvenience for service members and their families as they juggle work and school schedules during the busy PCS season.

Why it matters

The delays in accessing military installations are impacting the moving industry's ability to efficiently deliver household goods during the peak PCS season, when many service members and their families are relocating. This can create logistical challenges and frustration for those trying to plan their moves, especially as they balance other work and family commitments.

The details

The heightened security measures, ordered by U.S. Northern Command, require that each person entering a military installation be vetted and issued a temporary pass, rather than allowing personnel with Defense Department identification to vouch for others. This has led to moving trucks facing wait times of up to six hours to access some bases, according to moving company executives. The delays are impacting companies across the country, from San Diego-based Republic Moving and Storage to Cornerstone Moving and Storage in Fredericksburg, Virginia, which does almost all of its business with the Defense Department.

  • The heightened security measures were ordered by U.S. Northern Command on March 2, 2026.
  • The peak season for permanent changes of station (PCS) begins this month (April 2026).

The players

Katie McMichael

Executive director of the Movers for America alliance.

Bill Lovejoy

CEO of San Diego-based Republic Moving and Storage.

Caleb McCartney

Vice president of Cornerstone Moving and Storage, a company based in Fredericksburg, Virginia, that does almost all of its business with the Defense Department.

Maj. Matthew Visser

Spokesman for the Personal Property Activity (PPA), a unit formed in January 2026 to oversee the relocation of service members' possessions during a PCS move.

Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary who announced the formation of the Personal Property Activity in January 2026.

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What they’re saying

“If you're scheduled to have your shipment picked up at 10 a.m., these drivers with their trucks may not be able to get on to base 'til noon or 1 o'clock.”

— Katie McMichael, Executive director of the Movers for America alliance

“Some days there are lines all the way outside the gates. In the most extreme case, one of the company's trucks waited six hours to get into Camp Pendleton, Calif., because of an emergency gate closure.”

— Bill Lovejoy, CEO of San Diego-based Republic Moving and Storage

“Sitting in line for two, three hours; you got four or five people in a truck. Not only does it increase the cost of labor on an already very capital-intensive industry, but it also impacts the military member. We tell them we're going to be there between 8 and 9, and we can't get on post because there's a backup at the visitor center of the gate. We can't get on post until, you know, 10, 11.”

— Caleb McCartney, Vice president of Cornerstone Moving and Storage

What’s next

The Personal Property Activity (PPA) is currently considering options to mitigate the impacts on the moving industry and reduce wait times at military installation gates while maintaining security protocols.

The takeaway

The heightened wartime security measures at military bases are causing significant delays for moving companies during the peak PCS season, creating logistical challenges and inconvenience for service members and their families as they relocate. The moving industry and the Defense Department are working to find solutions to balance security needs with efficient household goods delivery.