PCS Move Storage for NAS JRB Fort Worth and Tinker AFB Families: Using a Portable Container
Yes, a portable storage container can be part of a military PCS move. DoD guidance lists renting portable moving and storage containers as one way to do a Personally Procured Move (PPM), but you need approval from your transportation office first and must follow weight ticket rules. MODS has yards in Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, close to NAS JRB Fort Worth and Tinker AFB.
Can I Use a Portable Container for a PCS Move?
Yes. Official DoD PPM guidance lists renting portable moving and storage containers as an approved way to conduct a Personally Procured Move. A PPM is a move you arrange yourself instead of using a government-arranged mover, and it can be a full move or a partial move combined with a government shipment.
Before you book anything, read the current DoD Personally Procured Move fact sheet and the Military OneSource personal property resources. Rules change, and your branch may add its own requirements.
| PPM Type | What It Means | How a Container Helps |
| Full PPM | You move all household goods yourself | Load one or two containers and let MODS drive |
| Partial PPM | You move part; the government mover handles the rest | Keep heirlooms, electronics, and essentials in an 8 foot container under your own lock |
| Temporary storage | Storage between homes during the PCS | Hold the loaded container at a MODS yard until housing is ready |
What Must I Do Before Booking a Container for a PPM?
- Have your PCS orders in hand. Expenses before orders are generally not reimbursable.
- Get approval from your transportation office (TO) for the PPM, including the type and any storage.
- Request a pre-move estimate through MilMove or your branch process.
- Ask how weight will be documented. PPM payment depends on certified weight tickets for the goods you move.
- Confirm storage rules with your TO before using storage at origin or destination.
Call MODS at (817) 847-6637 and ask how weights can be documented for your container before you commit. Every detail should line up with what your TO requires.
How Do Weight Tickets Work With a Portable Container?
PPM reimbursement is based on the actual weight of goods you move, verified by certified empty and full weight tickets, up to your weight entitlement. DoD guidance also says that when you use a commercial company, it should provide weight tickets.
- Ask MODS first how weights can be provided for your loaded container.
- Ask your TO exactly what weight documentation it accepts for container moves.
- Keep every original document: weight tickets, rental agreements, storage contracts, and receipts.
- Use the move.mil weight estimator to plan against your entitlement.
The Military.com PPM guide explains the net weight formula and paperwork in detail.
PCS to or From NAS JRB Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth sits on the west side of Fort Worth, near Westworth Village, White Settlement, and Benbrook. Our Fort Worth yard at 2650 Cobb Park Dr serves the whole area.
- Nearby communities we serve: Westworth Village, Benbrook, Westover Hills, Weatherford, and all of Fort Worth.
- City rules: Fort Worth limits residential containers to 30 days unless tied to a building permit. Plan loading within that window and use our yard for longer storage. See do storage containers need permits.
- On-base housing: check base access and housing office rules before scheduling delivery.
PCS to or From Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker AFB sits on the east side of the Oklahoma City metro next to Midwest City and Del City. Our Oklahoma City yard at 6905 NW 63rd St serves the base area and the rest of the metro.
- Nearby communities we serve: Midwest City, Choctaw, Moore, and Oklahoma City.
- OKC team: (405) 720-7344.
- Summer is peak PCS season: book two to three weeks ahead from May through August.
Plan Your PCS With MODS
Tell us your report date, orders timeline, and addresses. We will plan delivery, loading time, and storage around your TO approval.Fort Worth (817) 847-6637 | Oklahoma City (405) 720-7344 | Contact MODS online.
Should I Store at Origin or Destination?
| Situation | Suggested Plan |
| Orders say report before housing is ready | Load at origin, store at the destination yard, deliver when you have keys |
| House sells before orders take effect | Store at the origin yard until you are ready to move |
| Temporary lodging on arrival | Hold everything at the destination yard |
| Moving between Fort Worth and OKC | MODS yards at both ends keep the container with one company |
Always confirm storage with your TO first, since storage rules and limits differ by branch and status. See the Fort Worth and Oklahoma City route guide.
Families moving between Texas and Oklahoma bases can keep one container from start to finish, since MODS operates both the Fort Worth and Oklahoma City yards.
How Do I Protect High-Value Items During a PCS?
Keep irreplaceable items under your own lock or with you, and document everything before it leaves the house. DoD guidance notes that a PPM can make sense for heirlooms, photographs, and important documents you want to protect yourself.
- Photograph and list every high-value item before packing.
- Use a separate small container for heirlooms, uniforms, awards, and electronics in a partial PPM.
- Lock the container with a disc or shrouded padlock you control.
- Keep orders, IDs, medical records, and firearms documentation with you, not in the container.
- Follow all laws on firearms and ammunition transport; do not store ammunition or flammables in a container.
- Check insurance for goods in transit and in storage.
Watch for rogue operators. Official PPM fact sheets warn service members to vet any moving company carefully. Read are portable storage containers secure for lock and placement tips.
What Does a PCS Timeline With a Container Look Like?
| When | What to Do |
| Orders received | Contact your TO, choose full or partial PPM, request an estimate |
| Six to eight weeks out | Book your container and confirm weight documentation with MODS and your TO |
| Three to four weeks out | Container arrives; start loading low-use rooms |
| Final week | Finish loading, strap sections, keep documents and valuables with you |
| Move | MODS transports or stores the container |
| After arrival | Unload, then submit weight tickets, receipts, and claims on your branch timeline |
What Size Container Do I Need for a PCS?
Size your container to the goods you plan to move yourself, not your whole household, if you are doing a partial PPM. For a full PPM, the same home-size guidance applies as for any move. Weigh large items like gym equipment and safes carefully against your entitlement, since excess weight is not reimbursed.
| Household | Suggested Container |
| Single service member, apartment | One 8 foot |
| Partial PPM of high-value items | One 8 foot |
| Two-bedroom family home | One 12 foot |
| Three-bedroom family home | One 16 foot |
| Larger households | Two containers |
See storage container sizes explained.
PCS Move Storage FAQs
1. Can I use a portable storage container for a military PCS move?
Yes. DoD PPM guidance lists renting portable moving and storage containers as a way to conduct a Personally Procured Move. Get approval from your transportation office first.
2. Is MODS a government-approved military mover?
No. MODS is a private portable storage company. Service members who choose a PPM can rent a MODS container, following their transportation office rules.
3. Do I need weight tickets for a PPM with a container?
Yes. PPM payment is based on certified weight tickets. Ask MODS and your transportation office how weight will be documented before booking.
4. Can I store my container during a PCS?
Temporary storage can be part of a PPM when approved. MODS can hold your container at its Fort Worth or Oklahoma City yard; confirm storage rules with your transportation office.
5. Does MODS serve NAS JRB Fort Worth?
MODS serves the west Fort Worth area around NAS JRB Fort Worth from its Fort Worth yard. Check base access rules before any on-base delivery.
6. Does MODS serve Tinker AFB?
MODS serves Midwest City, Del City, and the Tinker AFB area from its Oklahoma City yard. Call (405) 720-7344.
7. Can I do a partial PPM with a MODS container?
Many families use a small container for high-value or essential items while a government mover handles the rest. Confirm the plan with your transportation office.
8. What documents should I keep for my PPM?
Keep orders, TO approval, weight tickets, rental agreements, storage contracts, and all receipts.
9. When should I book a container for a summer PCS?
Six to eight weeks ahead is ideal. Summer is peak PCS season, and containers book quickly.
10. Does MODS offer a military discount?
Ask your local MODS yard when you call for a quote.
Make Your Next PCS Easier
MODS Mobile On Demand Storage has yards near NAS JRB Fort Worth and Tinker AFB, all-steel containers, and storage when report dates and housing dates do not match. Talk to your transportation office first, then call Fort Worth at (817) 847-6637 or Oklahoma City at (405) 720-7344, or contact MODS online to plan your move.