If you are an active duty Navy or Marine Corps member, a reservist on active duty, a DON employee, or DODEA employee on a DON base, and stationed in an affected region in the Middle East, and your personal property has been damaged, lost, stolen, or destroyed due to authorized/ordered departures and exigent circumstances that required a rapid departure such that personal property had to be left behind, you may file a Personnel Claims Act (PCA) claim if your personal property was lost/damaged incident to service and located in your assigned quarters or located on base or at an embassy when it was damaged. Army, Air Force, and USCG personnel should file with their own service (links embedded).

NOTE: Incidental claims (e.g., expenses for meals, lodging, laundry, pet boarding, Uber, parking, subscription services and warranties) and inconvenience claims are not covered under the PCA. However, for military members, some expenses may be covered under other allowances.  For further guidance, please refer to:

https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/Documents/Travel-Documents/

https://www.travel.dod.mil/Policy-Regulations/Joint-Travel-Regulations/

In addition, there are a number of things you should know before filing:

• If you are a dependent of an active duty service member, your sponsor must file the claim, unless you have a power of attorney authorizing you to do so.
• If you have not departed yet, take pictures and document/inventory your personal property that will be left behind.  *Be sure to record model numbers of items, if available.
• If at all possible, CARRY high value items with you (e.g., important documents, jewelry, and irreplaceable memorabilia).
• You must be able to establish proof of ownership/damage.
• If you have personal insurance, place your carrier on notice (note: your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance may cover you while overseas).
• Remember: Incidental expenses and inconvenience claims are not covered under the PCA. A separate process exists for reimbursement of those expenses.

Click on Claims packets to find the packet and directions for filing a PCA claim. Fillable forms are provided below:

• DD Form 1842: Claim for Loss of or Damage to Personal Property Incident to Service - This is the required form used for filing your claim against the government for damage to personal property. Blocks 1 through 19 in Section I must be completed prior to submitting your claim.
• DD Form 1844: List of Property and Claims Analysis Chart — This form is used to list each specific item you are claiming and indicate specific amounts claimed to repair or replace your property for your claim against the government for damage to personal property.

Upon completion of your packet, you may submit it via email directly to the Personnel Claims Unit (PCU) at norfolkclaims@us.navy.mil. Once a claim is submitted, PCU personnel will do a preliminary review of your claim as expeditiously as possible. If additional information is required, a representative of the PCU will contact you.

It is important that anyone who files a claim keeps the PCU informed of their current address and phone number. If you relocate or get a new phone number after you have filed a claim, please notify the PCU immediately.

If you have any questions, you may contact the PCU Claims Help Line from 0700-1630 EST at (757) 440-6315 or DSN 564-3310 or you may send an email to norfolkclaims@us.navy.mil. For questions regarding reimbursement of incidental expenses, contact your command leadership.

The Department of the Navy is committed to resolving all claims related to this matter in a fair and timely manner. All claims processing will be expedited as much as possible; however, we cannot forecast an expected processing time.