551-88N-0002 (SL2) - Prepare for Unit Move

1.   Prepare vehicles and equipment for shipment.

2.   Load vehicles with unit equipment.

3.   Load containers (when applicable).

4.   Prepare vehicle load cards.

5.   Prepare equipment and supplies for shipment.

6.   Build 463L pallets.

7.   Load equipment and supplies into containers.

8.   Prepare hazardous materials for shipment.

1.   Prepared vehicles and equipment for shipment.

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a.
Cleaned equipment
thoroughly, removing all dirt and
oil.

b.
Inspected
vehicle to ensure it is mechanically
sound, free of leaks, drips, and
other operational defects.

c.
Stenciled
vehicles.

d.
Checked
fuel levels.

e.
Inspected
fuel cans for faulty lid gaskets,
leaks, and other defects.

f. 
Removed and secured
sensitive and classified material.

g.
Removed
and consolidated hazardous materials
when practical.

h.
Reduced
vehicle length, height, and width.

i.  
Secured ignition keys to
steering wheel with wire.

j.  
Secured rotating parts.

k.
Ensured
all vehicles and trailers were
equipped with serviceable tiedown
devices or shackles.

l.  
Protected radios and
other electronic components on
vehicles.

m.  
Boxed and/or stored on
vehicle equipment (OVE).

n.
Lowered
cab assembly (only if required).

2.   Loaded vehicles with unit equipment.

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a.
Maximized use of all
cargo space.

b.
Did
not exceed vehicle payload capacity.

c.
Protected
against metal-to-metal contact.

d.
Protected
load from weather damage.

e.
Securely
restrained all loaded equipment.

f. 
Weighed and documented
the load on the load card.

3.   Loaded containers (when applicable).

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a.
Prepared vehicles as
described in step 1.

b.
Reduced
vehicle fuel levels to 1/4 tank.

c.
Placed
vehicles in gear with the handbrake
set.

d.
Disconnected
batteries and secured terminal
cables to prevent arcing.

e.
Chocked
or cradled vehicle wheels on all
four sides to prevent lateral and
lengthwise movement.

f. 
Placarded container
appropriately when enclosing vehicle
with fuel in the tank.

g.
Documented
container load and seal number (if
applicable) on the packing list.

4.   Prepared vehicle load cards.

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a.
Completed, in duplicate,
FORSCOM Form 285-R.

b.
Placed
one copy of the vehicle load card in
the driver side door pocket (or
taped to the inside of the door) and
provided one copy to the platoon
sergeant or platoon leader.

5.   Prepared equipment and supplies for shipment.

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6.   Built 463L pallets.

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a.
Distributed large, heavy
objects from the center of the
pallet outwards to maintain center
of balance (CB).

b.
Placed
lighter and/or smaller items on top
or beside the heavier objects.

c.
Placed
containers right-side up with
"special handling" labels
facing out.

d.
Constructed
load in a square or pyramid shape,
whenever possible, to make load
stable, easy to handle, and easier
to secure on the pallet.

e.
Placed
hazardous materials, approved for
palletizing by the UMO, on the
pallet with the label clearly
visible and never buried or hidden.

f. 
Placed plastic covers
over the load.

g.
Placed
nets over the plastic covers and
adjusted to fit snugly to load.

7.   Loaded equipment and supplies into containers.

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a.
Inspected containers for
defects. 
Rejected containers with
holes, severe dents, faulty doors,
damaged lifting points, or
structural defects.

b.
Equalized
weight distribution throughout the
container.

c.
Placed
heavy and wet material on the bottom
and light and dry material on top.

d.
Kept the CB of the load,
as near as possible, at the center
of the container for air shipments. 
If this was not possible,
marked the CB on the outside of the
container.

e.
Stored
items that could be damaged by water
on dunnage off the floor.

f. 
Placed packages
containing liquid, or that posed a
leak hazard, on a double layer of
dunnage to reduce damage due to
leakage.

g.
Stowed
hazardous material by the doors of
the containers.

h.
Blocked
and braced spaces between the
contents of the load and the
container walls and container
ceiling to prevent the load from
shifting when moved or tilted.

i.  
Blocked and braced doors
at least six inches back to prevent
the load from falling out when the
doors were opened.

j.  
Placed one copy of the
packing list inside the container on
the door and one copy on the outside
of the container door. 
Three additional copies of
the packing list should be provided
to the Unit Movement Officer (UMO),
who in turn will forward a copy each
to the Installation Transportation
Office (ITO) and the Transportation
Terminal Battalion (TTB).

8.   Prepared hazardous materials for shipment.

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a.
Packed for shipment with
equipment only those hazardous
materials identified by the UMO.

b.
Applied
the required markings, proper
shipping name, ID number, and UIC/SUN
provided by the UMO.

c.
Marked
all oxygen and acetylene containers
with the UIC/SUN.

d.
Drained
and cleaned all five-gallon fuel
cans, field cans, water heaters,
gasoline lanterns, portable
generators, blow torches, and
similar equipment in which
combustibles or fuel, other than
diesel, were used or stored.

e.
Disconnected
the batteries of non-self-propelled
equipment, such as generators, and
protect the terminal ends from
arcing and from corrosion.

f. 
Drained and placarded
bulk fuel carriers.

g.
Removed
all loose ammunition and explosives
from all containers and vehicles.

FM
4-01.011

TM
38-250