Scott Air Force Base will soon have a new responsibility: hosting the new headquarters for the part of the military that’s responsible for being soldiers’ moving company when they are reassigned.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the Metro East military base will host what’s known as the Defense Personal Property Program, starting on May 1.
“We know moving is difficult for everyone involved, every person in that family,” Hegseth said in a statement posted on social media. “So, our warfighters deserve the kind of predictability, accountability and respect during that process that brings the stress down and makes it something they can focus on their job.”
The change is the result of a task force started last year to improve the relocation process, which more than 300,000 American soldiers across the globe undergo every year. Problems, including damaged furniture and poor packing, had plagued the current system, Hegseth said.
Scott’s selection for the new, consolidated headquarters fits in with the base’s broader mission of transportation, logistics and coordination. It's home to U.S. Transportation Command, which is responsible for coordinating much of the military's movement of equipment, weapons and fuel around the world.
Major Gen. Lance Curtis, who currently works in the Army portion of Transportation Command, will serve as the first commander of Personal Property Activity.
“When our warfighters are worried about their household goods, they aren’t focused on their mission." Curtis said in a statement. "We are ending that distraction. Mission readiness is non-negotiable.”
Scott officials could not immediately be reached for comment Friday about whether this will increase positions at the base.
