MAY 13, 2024 – Nearly 1 million military spouses serve alongside their loved ones in uniform. These spouses face unique challenges, such as completing permanent change of station moves every two to four years and dealing with the struggles that come with that, for example, having damaged or missing household goods.
One military spouse, Chalon Conley-Mosley, a former claims advisor and current quality assurance/quality control inspector with the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade Logistics Readiness Center-Daegu has been working hard to support Soldiers and military families with one of the most stressful parts of military life… PCS moves.
After Conley-Mosley began her position as a claims advisor with LRC-Daegu, she quickly realized the profound impact she could make on Soldiers and their families.
She observed that many service members did not know how to file a claim after their PCS move. “Everyone is told if your stuff is broken, you can file a claim, but nobody does it because they don’t know what to do,” she said.
When a service member completes a PCS move, if their property arrives at their next duty location broken, damaged, missing, or late they are entitled to submit a claim through the Defense Personal Property System to receive monetary compensation.
Once she recognized the need for education and advocacy, she made it her mission to inform as many service members as possible of this benefit. She created informational pamphlets and booklets with detailed instructions, from the point of first receiving PCS orders to a claim settlement, as well as points of contact and websites with additional information. She also participated in interviews with the American Forces Network and attended newcomers’ briefings to inform others about when they should file a claim and how to do so.
Conley-Mosley was able to empathize with the Soldiers and families she was helping because her family also had unexpected struggles when PCSing to South Korea. Their household goods shipment arrived much later than expected and they had damaged items. Conley-Mosley and her wife, 1st Sgt. Shaquina Mosley, did not initially submit a claim because, at the time, they did not know how.
After being hired as a claims advisor, Conley-Mosley was able to use her own experience to learn the claims process and see for herself that the process works. “When I got the job, I was still within my nine-month period to file a claim. So literally my first client was myself. I was able to walk myself through the process because I had to file my own claim,” she said.
Conley-Mosley observed an increase in claims filed over the past few years and saw it as a sign that her hard work was paying off. She explained that this is not a result of an increase in damaged items, but instead it is the result of increased awareness and knowledge on how to file a claim.
She emphasized the importance of filing claims, regardless of the item’s value. “It’s important for people to file claims, whether it’s a small glass or whether it’s your 75-inch TV. I wanted the Soldiers to know that it doesn’t matter what it is that is broken,” she said.
After two years as a claims advisor, Conley-Mosley became a quality assurance/quality control inspector, where she now has an even larger role in the PCS process. Her job now is to be present at household goods pickups and deliveries to ensure that transportation service providers handle and pack items correctly. She continues to provide customers with firsthand knowledge of the claims process so service members and their families can claim compensation for any damaged or broken items.
Working as a Department of the Army Civilian with LRC-Daegu has deepened Conley-Mosley’s connection to the military community. “As a military spouse, I really didn’t know what that meant until we moved to Korea. Being a military spouse, it’s almost like a club,” she expressed. “Being here has really shown me what we do for the community. I appreciate this community so much more than I think I ever realized that I needed.”
For more information on how to submit a claim, visit https://www.militaryonesource.mil/resources/millife-guides/moving-claims/ and for more information on support for military spouses, visit https://www.militaryonesource.mil/relationships/married-domestic-partner/milspouse-support-and-services/.
Story by Sarah Ridenour
U.S. Army Sustainment Command