Military family moves are unlike traditional relocations, with active duty service members being shuttled between myriad U.S. bases. As a military-friendly company Penske Truck Rental has created a specialized military call center to ease the stress of a do-it-yourself move, which the Armed Services also refers to as a PCS (Permanent Change of Station) and PPM (Personally Procured Moves).
U.S. Army veteran Joe Dezotell (pictured right) comprehends how a dedicated call center can aid transplanted military families. He was stationed at Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Fort Stewart (Georgia) Fort Gordon (Georgia) and Hanscom Air Force Base (Massachusetts).
While stationed abroad, Dezotell logged time in Panama, Germany and South Korea, where he met his wife (they have one child). He also recruited for the Army, served in the military police and at one time had 100 soldiers under his command. Dezotell served on numerous deployments during his career including combat operations and peacekeeping missions.
Today he is a retired Sgt. 1st Class of 24 years (20 years active duty and four years active reserve) and a member of the team of customer service representatives receiving toll-free calls from 1-844-4TROOPS.
“We are able to help these families find the best way to spend their military move budget,” Dezotell explained. “We help them utilize the proper discounts.”
Each Penske associate manning this center possesses a military connection: they either have a family member who has or is currently in active or reserve duty, or are veterans themselves.
“Our military call center employees have been specially trained to aid military members and their families navigate the unique requirements for each branch,” said Penske’s Don Mikes, senior vice president of rental. “We want to ensure that each family’s transition to a new base is conducted as smoothly as possible.”
By visiting PenskeTruckRental.com/military, active military members and veterans can learn about Penske’s discounts, which can add up to 20 percent, and related services like a certified public scale locator. These locators are needed to fulfill military rules requiring that soldiers and their families certify the weight of their rental trucks when moving.
Penske promises to match any competitive offer on one on one-way truck rentals for active military personnel or veterans (see the website for specific parameters).
Click here to read more about Penske’s place as a military-friendly corporation: attending military themed career fairs to hire veterans and their spouses; committing to the 10,000 Jobs Challenge; earning regular placement on the G.I. Jobs magazine Top 100 Military-Friendly Employers® list; being recognized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR); fundraising for the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA); and working with Support Military Spouses.
By Alen Beljin
Each year, thousands of U.S. military families rent moving trucks for their PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves, also commonly referred to as PPMs – (Personally Procured Moves) -- as the various branches of the military hand out new assignments to active personnel.
For Douglas McBroom, 24, a Sgt. in the U.S. Army, this move in the yellow Penske truck is unlike any other he has made. The veteran, who has served in Iraq, is heading home with a purpose.
His mother, Michelle, is terminally ill with triple negative breast cancer; Douglas wants to spend her remaining days with “Mommy McBroom” and to raise awareness of the disease.
The Army was kind enough to train him as a recruiter (he recently completed courses at Fort Jackson in South Carolina) and allow him to return and work in his hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. He was stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia.
Douglas picked up his 26-foot truck in Newport News, Va., and with the help of a friend, is driving the truck back to Texas.
There awaiting him is his wife Ashley and their two young daughters, Kiersten and Payton, and many family members, including McBroom’s parents.
McBroom is using part of the trip to raise awareness for triple negative breast cancer, as he intends to bicycle from Mobile, Ala., to Corpus Christi, starting today, as part of a fundraising effort to benefit the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation.
“We’re not taking any interstates, and we’re riding through small towns on back roads,” he said.
McBroom has established a Facebook page to chronicle the trip, where donations can also be made, My Ride for a Cure for Mommy McBroom.
He said that his fundraising efforts have been going well, from those he knows and those he has just met. “I’ve received a lot of support from Penske Truck Rental and other companies,” he stated.
When asked why he chose riding a bicycle, he responded: “I’m very athletic and I have been involved with sports…I thought this was the best way to raise awareness.”
Michelle is touched by her son’s efforts.
“It’s kind of hard to put it into words,” she said. “Douglas has always done tremendous and I always knew that when he set a goal, he would achieve it. Douglas and I have a very special relationship – I am tremendously proud of my son.”
Douglas described their warm and unique bond.
“My mother and I are more friends than mother and son,” he said. “I’ve never hesitated to ask her for advice and she has helped me grow from a boy to a man –she has been my best cheerleader and biggest supporter.
“She might not have much time left, so I wanted to do something for my mom and other cancer patients.”
The McBroom family is looking forward to more family time around the table, sharing and caring.
By Alen Beljin
Penske provided Douglas McBroom with a complimentary truck rental for one week to support his efforts.
A feature story on the Penske blog: one man’s moving journey to help cure cancer http://t.co/mvH8tDjG— Penske Truck Rental (@Penske Truck Rental) 1347903853.0