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B-169655, SEP. 29, 1970

B-169655 Sep 29, 1970
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OVERSEAS EMPLOYEE WHO INSTEAD OF SHIPPING UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE INCIDENT TO HOME LEAVE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND AUTO AT OWN EXPENSE FROM ONE SAFE HAVEN POST TO ANOTHER IS ENTITLED TO AN ALLOWANCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF SHIPPING HIS BAGGAGE BASED ON HIS ALLOWANCE AND THREE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY. SWENSON: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 23. KELLERMAN IS AN AGRICULTURAL ADVISER DETAILED TO THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STATIONED IN VIETNAM. KELLERMAN'S FAMILY WAS IN MANILA. THIS WAS APPROVED. BETWEEN HIS TOURS OF DUTY HE WAS AUTHORIZED HOME LEAVE IN MOORHEAD. HE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HIS UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 147.2 OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MANUAL.

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B-169655, SEP. 29, 1970

TRANSPORTATION OF BAGGAGE - CONSTRUCTIVE COST APPLICATION - OVERSEAS EMPLOYEE AUTHORITY FOR CERTIFICATION OF VOUCHER REPRESENTING ALLOWANCES FOR CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF SHIPPING OVERSEAS EMPLOYEE'S UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI INCIDENT TO HOME LEAVE TRAVEL. OVERSEAS EMPLOYEE WHO INSTEAD OF SHIPPING UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE INCIDENT TO HOME LEAVE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND AUTO AT OWN EXPENSE FROM ONE SAFE HAVEN POST TO ANOTHER IS ENTITLED TO AN ALLOWANCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF SHIPPING HIS BAGGAGE BASED ON HIS ALLOWANCE AND THREE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY.

TO MISS HELEN L. SWENSON:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 23, 1970, IN WHICH YOU ENCLOSED THE TRAVEL VOUCHER OF MR. CALVIN R. KELLERMAN FOR $349.06 AND ASKED FOR OUR ADVANCE OPINION AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF CERTIFYING HIS CLAIM.

THE RECORD SHOWS THAT MR. KELLERMAN IS AN AGRICULTURAL ADVISER DETAILED TO THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STATIONED IN VIETNAM. THE SAFE HAVEN POST FOR MR. KELLERMAN'S FAMILY WAS IN MANILA. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS TOUR OF DUTY MR. KELLERMAN ELECTED TO TAKE A SECOND TOUR OF DUTY AND REQUESTED A CHANGE OF THE SAFE HAVEN POST FOR HIS FAMILY FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI. THIS WAS APPROVED. BETWEEN HIS TOURS OF DUTY HE WAS AUTHORIZED HOME LEAVE IN MOORHEAD, MINNESOTA. INSTEAD OF UTILIZING HIS UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE FROM MANILA TO MOORHEAD AND RETURN, HE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HIS UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 147.2 OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MANUAL. THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND AUTOMOBILE FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI WAS TO BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EMPLOYEE.

THE EMPLOYEE SHIPPED HIS EFFECTS IN ONE SHIPMENT FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI AND FILED A CLAIM FOR $349.06, THE COST OF THE ENTIRE SHIPMENT. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU ASK OUR OPINION ABOUT THE PROPER ENTITLEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE.

SECTION 147.2 OF THE FOREIGN AFFIRS MANUAL, VOLUME 6, IN EFFECT AT THE TIME, PROVIDES FOR A MAXIMUM OF 300 POUNDS OF UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE PER TRAVELER OUT OF WHICH 100 POUNDS MAY BE SHIPPED BY AIR FREIGHT AND 200 POUNDS BY SURFACE FREIGHT.

WE FIND, THEREFORE, THAT MR. KELLERMAN IS ENTITLED TO AN ALLOWANCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF SHIPPING 1200 POUNDS FROM MANILA TO TAIPEI BY SURFACE FREIGHT FOR HIMSELF AND THE 3 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY.

THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE OF THE CLAIM INDICATES THAT THE CHARGES (NOT INCLUDING PACKING) FOR SHIPPING THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE WERE $219.46. FOR THE 3,140 POUNDS THIS AMOUNTS TO APPROXIMATELY 7 CENTS PER POUND. THEREFORE, MR. KELLERMAN IS ENTITLED TO AN ALLOWANCE OF $84 FOR THE SHIPMENT OF SUCH BAGGAGE.

THUS, THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $84.

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