Transportation Control Numbers (TCN)

This is a 17-character number, unique to each shipment. As usual, the gov't has figured out a way to complicate the heck out of this - there are 12 different formats:

  1. Shipments in response to MILSTRIP requisitions (other than Security Assistance [SA]).
  2. SA Foreign Military Sales (FMS)/Grant Aid shipments.
  3. Non-appropriated Fund Activity shipments.
  4. Unit move shipments.
  5. Shipments by the Defense Courier Service.
  6. Shipments of mail from postal activities.
  7. Cargo shipments (except personal property) not detailed previously.
  8. Personal property shipments.
  9. Shipment of a SEAVAN/MILVAN (TCN assigned by the Clearance Authority).
  10. Channel air shipment of a 463L pallet.
  11. Partial and Split shipments.
  12. Supercargo personnel and other passengers on ocean voyages.

Of these, 1-6 are not applicable to us, nor are 8-10 and 12. So, we'll only have to worry about #7 and #11, but #11 is part of #7.

7. (H) Cargo shipments (except personal property) not detailed previously:
Posn Explanation
1-6 DODAAC of the activity assigning the TCN
7 The last digit of the calendar year
8-10 The Julian day-of-the-year the TCN is assigned.
11 Alpha character (A-Z) to be selected by the shipper for tracking purposes. X is the default character. For TCNs that begin with "V", do not use "G" or "W". For TCNs that begin with an "N," do not use "G," "M," "N," "R," "V," or "W".
12-14 A serial number without any duplication on the day shown in positions 8-10 (rp 37-39). Use the numbers 001 through 999 in sequence. Additional numbers, if needed, will use alphanumeric, e.g., A01, A02, A999, B01, B02.
15 The letter "X" unless the shipment unit must be shipped from multiple plant or warehouse locations. For multiple locations, identify each shipping point alphabetically, incrementing beginning with A, but don't use I, O, or X.
16 The partial shipment code (see #11, below; default = "X").
17 The split shipment code (see #11, below; default = "X").

11. (L) Partial and Split shipments:
Partial shipments are shipments of less than the full PO quantity. Split shipments are not defined by the shipper but by the transshipper (so we can ignore them and just use "X" for the last position).
The codes are the same for both types of incomplete shipments and are:
Code Shipment Increment
X Entire shipment unit moved together
A 1st increment of a partial or split shipment
B 2d
C 3d
D 4th
E 5th
F 6th
G 7th
H 8th
J 9th
K 10th
L l1th
M 12th
N 13th
P 14th
Q 15th
R 16th
S 17th
T 18th
U 19th
V 20th
W 21st
Y 22nd
Z 23rd increment of a partial or split shipment.
Notes:
1. Note that neither "I" nor "O" are used.
2. If the shipment unit is divided into more than 23 partial or split increments, create a new TCN.