[Claim for Relocation Expenses]

A federal employee requested a decision regarding his disallowed claim for reimbursement of real estate expenses associated with the sale of his residence incident to a permanent change of station transfer. The employee advised that he requested a transfer from a Navy facility to an Army facility, due to health reasons. GAO held that: (1) the Army properly denied reimbursement for the expenses associated with the sale of his residence, since he did not commute to work from his residence; and (2) since the 12-month service obligation does not require the employee to remain with the same federal agency that approved the transfer and he commuted to work at the Navy facility from his residence, the Navy was obligated to reimburse the employee for the real estate expenses incurred in the sale of his residence, provided that the claim is otherwise correct. Accordingly, the claim was allowed.