Published Jun 29, 2026, 10:51 AM EDT
Civilian attorney and former Army JAG offers tips to make relocating more affordable.
Follow
Published Jun 29, 2026, 10:51 AM EDT
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season often brings its share of anxiety as military families try to navigate a long to-do list before making the big move. Hidden “junk” fees for travel expenses shouldn’t be one of them, but the reality is most families are unaware of them and don’t realize the federal government sometimes doesn’t offer reimbursements to cover them. But Lt. Col. (Ret.) Durward Johnson believes there are ways to work around those fees. Johnson, a former judge advocate general, has served as an attorney for more than 20 years. He recently launched BreckenWander, an online travel booking site, and has several tips to share to help families have a less stressful PCS season. Johnson knows the stress of moving firsthand. He relocated his family 10 times while serving in the Army for more than two decades. “Hidden “junk fees” are travelers’ top booking frustration, and they hit military families harder than civilians,” Johnson told Military.com. Junk fees often relate to drip pricing. For example, an online booking site will show a low room rate in its headline to attract buyers. The buyer books the room, lodges there, and then discovers mandatory charges at checkout, such as resort, destination, amenity and service fees. “They’re not optional and not taxes,” Johnson said. “(Those charges) are revenue dressed up as a line item.”
