Claim for Reimbursement of Cost of Shipping Privately Owned Vehicle From Overseas to the United States

Having completed an assignment as a civilian school teacher for the United States Air Force in England, the employee made arrangements for shipment of her privately owned vehicle (POV) to the United States. She did not contact a transportation officer and thus was unaware of the requirement that her POV should be transported by a U.S. flag carrier. She appealed a decision that disallowed her claim for reimbursement of the cost of shipping her POV on a foreign flag carrier. Since U.S. flag carriers were available during the time of the shipment, the disallowance of the employee's claim was sustained. Lack of knowledge concerning the law does not relieve the employee from her obligation to pay for transporting her POV on a foreign flag vessel when American flag ships were available.