DD Form 1797 Personal Property Counseling Checklist

How to Fill Out DD Form 1797?

DD Form 1797 instructions are not distributed along with the form. The form itself consists of two pages and nine boxes in total.

1. Boxes 1 through 6 are devoted to basic personal information. This includes the name, SSN, and grade of the service member or employee, along with the number and paragraph of their relocation orders, the issuing authority, and date in YYYYMMDD format.

2. Box 7 is a checklist made up of nine parts with each devoted to a different part of the moving process or a different type of goods being shipped. Most sections are self-explanatory - the applicant must check off the boxes as they go through and complete the self-counseling process.

3. Part I is for Household Goods.

   • Question 2, Weight Allowances, must include the weight allowance of the shipment depending on the rank of the service member.
   • Question 3 is there as a reminder that any excess costs to the government will need to be personally assumed by the service member making the move.
   • Question 5 is for specifying the pickup date and the required delivery date, as determined by the requirements of the service member.
   • Questions 11 and 12 cover the appliances that are moved and require servicing and temporary storage options. In case HHG cannot be delivered to a residence, temporary storage is allowed to be arranged.

4. Part II of the form is devoted to Unaccompanied Baggage. Unaccompanied baggage is usually packed separately from the remainder of the HHG shipment and may be expedited because of the need for immediate use.

5. Part III is about Nontemporary Storage. Members are entitled to a weight allowance both for the physical move of HHG and non-temporary storage.

6. Part IV is for procedures concerning moving House Trailers and Mobile Homes. Shipping a mobile home replaces a standard HHG shipment since the mobile home will serve as a new residence at the new station.

7. Moving a mobile home also requires filling out additional paperwork. Service members must file and submit DD Form 1412, Inventory of Articles Shipped in House Trailer.

8. Part V is for Privately Owned Vehicles (or POV). In the case of receiving PCS orders, a POV that does not exceed 20 tons can be moved too. Additional items like car seats, tires or car tools can be shipped inside of the vehicle. The POV must be operable, clean, and have working brakes at the time the service member drops it off to be shipped.

9. The service member will receive and sign a copy of DD Form 788, Private Vehicle Shipping Document for Automobile signed by the authorized employee inspecting the vehicle. A copy must be kept on hand for any possible claims.

10. Part VI is for all specifics regarding Weapons and Ammunition. Shipped weapons must be inoperable, free of ammunition, correctly inventoried, and be easily accessed by customs officials.

11. Part VII is for the briefing on Liability, Claims, and Protection. In the event of loss or damage to the HHG during the move, a claim can be filed with the transportation service provider.

DD Form 1840, Joint Statement of Loss or Damage at Delivery, must be filled out and signed by a TSP agent on the day of delivery. An additional DD Form 1840R, Notice of Loss or Damage, is filed by the service member if they notice any additional loss or damage after the delivery. Both forms are submitted through the Military Claims Office.