USCG Hampton Roads

Integrated Support Command

US Coast Guard photo P1010074
USCG photo by PA2 Brian Leshak
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This information is designed for military and civilian personnel authorized to ship POVs at government expense.  It is based on entitlements found in the Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR), Volume I and Volume II, for military members and civilian government employees.  In addition, it contains information generally found in Department of Defense (DoD) 4500.34R, Personal Property Traffic Management Regulations.

One POV owned by you or your dependent may be shipped at government expense.  It must, however, be for you or your dependent's personal use only.  If you desire to make your own arrangement and ship an additional POV, consult your transportation office for any restrictions which may apply. You may be required to pay an import duty on a second POV.

The POV should be delivered to the port prior to the departure of the person on whose orders the shipment is to be made.  This includes dependent travel authorizations when no POV has been previously shipped on the sponsor's orders.  A POV will also be accepted for shipment if delivered to the CONUS port within 90 days after the sponsor or dependent has departed for an overseas tour of duty in excess of one year.  When delivery of the POV to the port has been delayed beyond 90 days from the date of departure of the member (or dependents) from CONUS, the POV may only be shipped with written approval from the overseas commander.

Make sure your POV is in safe and operable condition when it is turned in at the port.  Check that all loose or personal items are removed from your POV.  Do not leave any valuable equipment, or parts onboard, and remove (if possible) protruding objects from the exterior; these may include rear view mirrors, antennae, or spoilers.  You must ensure that only authorized articles remain in your POV when it is turned in for processing.  The value of tools and tool boxes must not exceed the value prescribed by the JTR.  AM/FM and citizen band radios, as well as tape decks and other accessories not permanently mounted must be removed before turning the vehicle in for shipment.

Shipment of any flammable or hazardous substance, including flares, waxes, oils, solvents, and polishes in your POV is prohibited.  It is recommended that the car is empty, but it is possible to leave such items as jacks, tire irons, tire chains, tire inflater, first-aid kits, jumper cables, warning triangles, and other basic hand tools as well as a spare tire.

Compliance with the above standards is required for shipment; failure to meet these standards constitutes grounds for the terminal commander to refuse shipment.

If loss of any of these items occurs a claim may be filed with the transportation office, but it may take up to two years to be reimbursed and it is at the depreciated value, not replacement cost.

In addition, make sure that your POV meets any host nation emission control and safety standards.  The DoD POV Export Control Program (ECP) is an important program which has been approved and authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with DoD to assist in protecting catalyst systems on POV's being shipped overseas to countries where unleaded gas is not available.  This is done by removing catalyst pellets, converters, and oxygen sensors and by using fuel-line adapters or removing fuel filler pipe constricting devices.

All DoD (and Coast Guard) members, both military and civilian, on PCS orders to or from overseas locations may participate in the ECP.  Program participation is voluntary, since all costs associated with the removal and refit of a catalyst system are paid by you.  The ECP is limited to 1976 and newer vehicles with catalytic converters.

You must acquire an EPA waiver letter from your local transportation office before the emission control components are removed.  You will need copies of your PCS orders and vehicle registration, and you must know the day you will turn your POV into the port for shipment.  Any emission control equipment which is removed from your POV must be retained in the POV and not shipped or stored separately.  The EPA-waiver letter will allow you to have your emission control components removed up to 10 working days (14 calendar days) prior to the turn in of the vehicle to the terminal for shipment.

Your POV may be exposed to freezing temperatures during shipment or during storage at the destination terminal.  For this reason, you should protect the POV's cooling system with a permanent type antifreeze solution.  An antifreeze test to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 F) or lower should be used.

You must ensure that your POV contains no more than one-fourth tank of fuel when it is delivered to the loading terminal.  A POV with a diesel engine may be shipped with the fuel tank three-quarters full.

All exterior surfaces, including the undercarriage, must be clean and free of soil and other foreign matter before turn-in at the terminal.  You may also want to consider rust protection and undercoating prior to shipment.

Discuss host nation requirements with your local transportation office before departing your current duty station.  You may be able to do some of the modifications before you depart.  Some may have to be done overseas to prevent violations of U.S. emission or safety standards during your trip to the port. Also, you should have a valid safety inspection sticker, if one is required, from the state in which the POV is registered.  If the state requires an emission control inspection certification, make sure one is affixed to the vehicle.

Naval Supply Center-POV Processing Center
POC:  Office
Location:  Naval Station Norfolk
Telephone:  444-4505/4636 & 1-800-358-4326
Hours:  Mon - Fri 0800-1630

Processing may take up to one hour, so members should arrive not later than 1530 when picking up a POV.


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