Claim for Cost of Shipping Household Goods

A Navy member stationed in Puerto Rico and entitled to home-of-selection transportation of household goods was detached from Puerto Rico and sent on temporary duty to the Naval Training Center, Orlando, Florida, pending transfer to the Fleet Reserve. His household goods were shipped to nontemporary storage in Jacksonville, Florida, incident to his transfer to Orlando. Within 1 year after his transfer to the Fleet Reserve, the Navy member chose Puerto Rico as his home-of-selection and had his goods timely shipped from nontemporary storage to that location. The member requested reimbursement of the costs incurred in moving and storage of the goods. GAO held that the costs of movement and storage of the member's household goods within the officer's authorized weight allowance were to be borne by the Government. The member also requested reimbursement for costs for temporary storage of his household goods after they reached Puerto Rico since a delay in shipment caused the member to release the temporary quarters he had secured in order to have a place for the shipment to be delivered. The member had requested temporary storage from the Navy, but this request was denied. The member then placed the goods in temporary storage on his own initiative. Regulations authorize temporary storage at destinations only when all conditions are met, including authorization by the transportation officer. In the absence of such approval, no legal basis exists to reimburse the member for any portion of the costs for that temporary storage. Accordingly, the request for reimbursement was denied.