Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

Soldiers must utilize IPPS-A tools and resources to learn and execute the proper procedures for PCS absence submission, ensuring a successful transition to their new duty station and receipt of the appropriate pay and benefits. ​

Soldier pay and benefits can be negatively impacted if Soldiers are not properly arrived or departed.​

HR Professionals and Leaders must prioritize accounting for the Army by:​​
  • Validating PCS absences; Executing accurate and timely arrivals/departures, orders, awards, slotting, and assignments​
  • Utilizing IPPS-A as the system of record for personnel accountability and preventing Failure to Lose/Failure to Gain discrepancies​
  • Leveraging IPPS-A resources to support their Soldiers, ensure delivery of accurate pay and benefits​, and achieve accountability​
Please refer to ALARACT 097/2025 for additional guidance. 
 

Factsheets and Additional Resources

Engage your Arsenal by utilizing these resources to ensure a successful PCS Season. 
 
Link to: PCS Member Overview
 
 

Recent Updates

IPPS-A Team recently implemented major upgrades to the PCS Process. 

February 26th, 2026 
The following materials have been updated:

February 4th, 2026 
QUICK SHEET UPDATED: Submitting a PCS Event (Absence Type: 05-PCS Events)

BLUF: Absence submittal is a Self-Service function, Pay-Absence-Incent-Ded (PAID) tile is used to submit various absence requests, including PCS Absence. PCS events are a grouping of absences, i.e., PCS absence, house hunting, etc. Navigation: PAID tile > Entry Type: Absence > Absence Type: 05-PCS Events

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January 30th, 2026
NEW MILPER MESSAGE: 26-039! This message provides personnel policy guidance to support the FY26 Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Season. It applies to all Contiguous United States (CONUS) Active Component and AGR Soldiers with report dates from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2026.

Requests for deletions and deferments which are in excess of 60 days must be submitted to HRC via IPPS-A Administrative Records Correction Personnel Action Request (PAR) with O6 recommendation.

Please review MILPER 26-039 for complete details and procedures: https://www.hrc.army.mil/Milper

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January 27th, 2026
Changes to Absence Requests

When submitting a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Absence request in IPPS-A, Service Members will now see two main changes: 

  1. Absence Reason Limit: You can now include a maximum of three absence reasons in addition to your travel days for a single PCS absence request.  

  1. Parental Absence Combination: The system now permits you to combine a Parental Absence with a PCS Absence. 

Engage your Arsenal and utilize the resources below! 

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January 15th, 2026
Workflow and Approval Authority
An Army-wide compliance issue was identified with funded PCS orders approved by contractors at Military Personnel Divisions (MPDs). IPPS-A access roles allowed contractors to action orders, but by law only government personnel may approve orders that direct travel or obligate funds. Contractors may prepare and route PCS orders, but final approval must be completed by a military member or Department of the Army civilian.

Please review this quick sheet: Workflow and Approval Authority.

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December 19th, 2025
Changes to Assignment Elections 

  1. After placement on your follow-on PCS assignment, you will receive an email from IPPS-A titled "Member Elections."  
  1. MANDATORY Member Elections: This email includes a new required questionnaire, specific to your assignment. These questions are designed to gather a comprehensive understanding of your circumstances, individual needs, and specific requirements. 
  1. Order Finalization: You MUST complete this questionnaire to determine your eligibility for various entitlements and finalize the PCS process, allowing you to receive your official orders. All determinations are based on official regulations.   

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15 JULY 2025
PCS Absence Enhancement
Team IPPS- A recently released a new system enhancement that makes managing PCS absences easier!
 
Previously, if a PCS absence was approved but the associated assignment was later canceled, records could become "broken" with no way to link it to a new assignment.
 
Now, Members can easily update their assignment IDs. This means PCS absence records can be properly relinked and maintained, streamlining the process, and reducing administrative burdens.
 
We encourage you to review your PCS absence records and update your assignment ID as needed to ensure everything is accurate. For more information and additional resources, check out the PCS webpage on the IPPS-A Website: https://ipps-a.army.mil/Drive-the-Change/PCS-Season/



 
As of February 2026, subject to change