One of the biggest challenges for the NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Consolidated Personal Property Shipping Office (CPPSO) is assisting an entire crew of Sailors in their household goods (HHG) moves when a ship changes homeport.

According TO CPPSO Client Service Team Director David Stone, planning for a mass move like this is a team effort. The team includes CPPSO, Housing, Fleet and Family Center relocation services and other planning members from the ship's crew.

"All stakeholders get together to discuss specifics associated with the particular units involved," he added. "Discussions are planned and mass briefings are typically coordinated to cover everything from HHG shipment to schooling, transportation, housing availability, relocation expenses and BAH, security screenings and even the assignment of a vehicle move coordinators. You will see even a risk assessment is completed as HHG is just one piece of the larger picture our families have to deal with."

He added that there are several ships that the HHG personnel are assisting in homeport shifts, including USS Jacksonville (SSN 699), USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), USS Illinois (SSN 786), and USS Wasp (LHD 1) and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) who are in the process of swapping home ports.

Stone says that most of his staff is either prior active duty or family members who have changed duty stations themselves and understand what Sailors and their families are experiencing. Homeport shifts are a little different, because Sailors travel together with the ship and not with their families.

"This causes some stress on the family due to the added separation from their loved ones during this period of transition," he explained. "As a result we tend to provide a lot more hands on face-to-face assistance."

Stone added that these types of moves often involve working closely with the ship and that often ombudsmen play a larger role. He says that while these types of moves can present a challenge to his staff due to increased volume of customers and additional administrative tasks, starting early and being organized are a couple of the keys to their success.

"We work not only with the ships and crews, but with the order writers, service HQs and even the vehicle processing centers to ensure all the required and supporting information is properly prepared and provided to all essential parties to smooth out the process for our Sailors," he explained.

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