Shipment of Vehicles Overseas for Two Married Employees

A decision was requested as to whether: (1) there was an entitlement for a married couple, both members of the Army, to ship two privately owned vehicles when both employees were transferred to an overseas duty station in the same approximate area; and (2) each member should sign a transportation agreement. The Army has several husband and wife teams with each member subject to mandatory transfers. It is Army policy to assign husband and wife team members to different locations in the same overseas area when possible, to preclude conflict with nepotism regulations. As to the entitlement of each member to ship a privately owned vehicle overseas, Federal regulations limit entitlement incident to a transfer when two married members are both transferred to duty stations in the same approximate area. However, the Army was advised that two vehicles may be shipped under these circumstances, provided that the duty locations are separate and sufficiently far apart that shipment of two vehicles would be advantageous to the Government. Assuming that each member would meet the conditions necessary for the shipment of a privately owned vehicle, GAO had no objection to the shipment of two vehicles where husband and wife members are transferred overseas. Although the regulations purport to limit relocation expenses where two or more family members are transferred, GAO has held that under such circumstances duplicate payments for the same purpose may not be allowed, but each employee is entitled to reimbursement for separate relocation expenses incurred incident to each member's transfer. Regarding transportation agreements, under such an agreement, the agency agrees to furnish transportation, and the member agrees to remain in the Government service for a specified period. GAO believed the member who was only shipping a vehicle and who was listed as a dependent for other relocation expenses should be required to sign a separate transportation agreement. Such agreement should be limited to the shipment of the vehicle and should otherwise follow the required conditions.