[Extension of 1-Year Time Limit for Selection of Home]

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy requested a decision on whether in certain situations presently outside authorization it is legally permissible to amend the Joint Travel Regulations to authorize the Secretaries of the uniformed services to extend the 1-year time limit for selecting a home upon retirement for purposes of travel and transportation. Current regulations provide that a retired member must complete travel and transportation of dependents and household goods to his selected home within 1 year of his retirement unless the member is undergoing medical treatment, is in an education or training program, or the delay is because of some unexpected event beyond the member's control. These regulations have required the services to deny certain requests for extensions that had merit since the situations precipitating the requests were not strictly beyond the control of the member. The Assistant Secretary proposed to amend the pertinent regulations to provide that an extension may be authorized upon a finding that it is in the best interest of the service, or to the benefit of the service member and not more costly or otherwise adverse to the service. GAO has no objection to the proposed amendment as long as it clearly states that the proposed travel be incident to separation from the service.