Column: Outsourcing Military Moves Was A Disaster. Let’s Get It Right

The Virginia Pilot, August 11, 2025
By Katie McMichael, Executive Director, Movers for America

For years, military families and the moving professionals who proudly serve them have sounded the alarm on the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). What was touted as a solution to the stressful process of household moves for military personnel became a slow-moving disaster — malfunctioning technology, service members left stranded or forced to pay out of pocket, and Department of Defense officials unsure if they had the logistical capacity to meet demand.

The GHC wasn’t a partisan idea — it was a bipartisan disaster, spanning multiple
administrations and years of missteps. But now, with strong, decisive leadership, there’s an opportunity to finally course-correct and create a system worthy of the people it’s designed to serve.

Movers for America applauds Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for taking bold action to terminate the GHC contract. In doing so, he delivered a clear message: Failure is not an option when it comes to efficiently moving our service members and their families. His decision — coupled with the formation of a new task force to design a smarter path forward — puts military families and functionality ahead of failed bureaucracy.

The Israel-Iran conflict demonstrates the mission-critical importance of being able to move our troops efficiently. Hegseth’s legacy could well be defined by rebuilding a military household moves system that serves our service families with minimal friction — that’s a legacy that could last far into the future.

But success requires abandoning the GHC’s “one throat to choke” model that has failed our military across multiple administrations.

The GHC’s rigid, one-size-fits-all approach ignored the core realities of the moving industry. It overlaid a complex federal acquisition framework onto a dynamic, seasonal and competitive market. The result? Long-trusted small businesses and independent contractors were left confused, unable to comply — and some were even shuttered due to the program’s uncertainty and mixed signals. And worse, military families faced no-shows, delays and inconsistent quality during one of the most stressful times in their lives.

In recent remarks to Congress, Hegseth acknowledged the truth: “We know it’s not working, and it’s only getting worse… That’s a failure of the United States military, and we’re going to fix it.” Military families received these words with relief and gratitude, but now they must be followed by smart change and meaningful action.

A viable replacement for the GHC and prior legacy systems must reflect how the moving and storage industry actually operates, not force it into a rigid framework that simply doesn’t fit. That means restoring a competitive, tender-based environment that allows companies to flexibly price jobs and respond to peak-season demand, especially during the summer when most military moves occur.

It also means embracing the innovation that already exists in the private sector. Many moving companies offer cutting-edge technology such as real-time shipment tracking, customer-facing apps and digital inventory systems — tools that could dramatically improve the experience for military families if the system simply allowed them to be used.

Finally, a smarter, more accountable program must be built on transparent performance metrics and real-time data. Jobs should be awarded to licensed, proven movers with demonstrated customer satisfaction, not just those who merely check bureaucratic boxes. Grounding decisions in measurable outcomes is essential to restore trust, ensure accountability, and build a system that can perform over time.

This is a turning point for the Department of Defense — and for Hegseth. He can step into the same quagmire that swallowed his predecessors, or he can deliver a legacy of lasting reform for the families who serve this country. We have the opportunity to build a military moving program that reflects the values, strength and excellence of those it serves. American moving professionals are ready to help. Let’s get it done — together.

Katie McMichael of Annapolis, Md., is executive director of Movers for America, a coalition of companies, moving professionals and independent owner-operators dedicated to supporting active-duty military families as they relocate across the country and around the world.