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B-140819, JAN. 11, 1960

B-140819 Jan 11, 1960
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BROWN: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED DECEMBER 4. THAT GOVERNMENT AIR TRANSPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAVEL DIRECTLY TO THE UNITED STATES. IN YOUR LETTER YOU CONTEND THAT THE REPORT ORIGINALLY READ TRANSPORTATION "AS AVAILABLE" INSTEAD OF TRANSPORTATION "WAS AVAILABLE" AND THAT SOME PERSON INSERTED THE LETTER "W" BEFORE THE WORD "AS" TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE REPORT. IT APPEARS TO BE YOUR VIEW THAT THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER DID NOT INTEND TO REPORT THAT TRANSPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION AT THAT TIME. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE LETTER "W" WAS ORIGINALLY OMITTED FROM THE WORD "WAS" AND WAS LATER INSERTED IN THE REPORT. WAS GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAVEL TO CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES WHEN YOU PERFORMED SUCH TRAVEL.

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B-140819, JAN. 11, 1960

TO MAJOR WILLIAM D. BROWN:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED DECEMBER 4, 1959, REQUESTING RECONSIDERATION OF OUR DECISION TO YOU DATED NOVEMBER 16, 1959. IN THAT DECISION WE SUSTAINED THE ACTION TAKEN BY OUR CLAIMS DIVISION IN SETTLEMENT DATED MAY 22, 1959, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR TRAVEL PERFORMED FROM SAIGON, VIETNAM, TO FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, DURING THE PERIOD JUNE 19 TO JULY 23, 1958.

YOUR PRESENT LETTER DOES NOT FURNISH ANY INFORMATION NOT CONSIDERED BY US IN REACHING THE DECISION OF NOVEMBER 16, 1959. AS WE EXPLAINED TO YOU IN THAT LETTER WE HAD NO ALTERNATIVE OTHER THAN TO ACCEPT THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT DATED OCTOBER 7, 1958, THAT GOVERNMENT AIR TRANSPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAVEL DIRECTLY TO THE UNITED STATES, OR TO MANILA FOR TRANSSHIPMENT TO A GOVERNMENT VESSEL FOR TRAVEL ONWARD TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. IN YOUR LETTER YOU CONTEND THAT THE REPORT ORIGINALLY READ TRANSPORTATION "AS AVAILABLE" INSTEAD OF TRANSPORTATION "WAS AVAILABLE" AND THAT SOME PERSON INSERTED THE LETTER "W" BEFORE THE WORD "AS" TO CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE REPORT. IT APPEARS TO BE YOUR VIEW THAT THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER DID NOT INTEND TO REPORT THAT TRANSPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION AT THAT TIME.

WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE LETTER "W" WAS ORIGINALLY OMITTED FROM THE WORD "WAS" AND WAS LATER INSERTED IN THE REPORT, YOUR CONCLUSION CONCERNING THE MEANING OF THE REPORT DOES NOT FOLLOW FROM THE FACTS. IN HIS REPORT OF OCTOBER 7, 1958, TO THE CHIEF OF TRANSPORTATION, LIEUTENANT COLONEL HOBBS ANSWERED THE QUESTION, WAS GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAVEL TO CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES WHEN YOU PERFORMED SUCH TRAVEL. THE ANSWER HAD TO BE AFFIRMATIVE OR NEGATIVE. THE REPLY YOU SUGGEST AS INTENDED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL HOBBS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE QUESTION PUT TO HIM AND WOULD HAVE SERVED NO USEFUL PURPOSE. IT IS THEREFORE APPARENT THAT THE OMISSION OF THE LETTER "W" IN THE REPORT WAS A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR.

ACCORDINGLY, WE HAVE NO RECOURSE OTHER THAN TO REAFFIRM OUR DECISION OF NOVEMBER 16, 1959. YOU ARE AGAIN REQUESTED TO REMIT THE SUM OF $392.78 WHICH SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO THE "U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE," AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, BOX 2610, WASHINGTON 13, D.C. ..END :

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