Dislocation Allowance
A dislocation allowance (DLA) partially reimburses a service member for expenses incurred when moving a household. The DLA is a flat amount and may be paid as a primary DLA, a secondary DLA, or a partial DLA, depending upon the circumstances of the household move.
A service member’s grade and dependency status on the permanent change of station (PCS) travel order’s effective date [PDF, 2 pages] determines the amount of the DLA.
Only one DLA payment is permitted in a fiscal year, unless the situation qualifies as an exception specified in the JTR, par. 050501 [PDF].