Proposal To Amend Joint Travel Regulations

The Department of the Air Force requested an advance decision concerning whether the Joint Travel Regulations may be amended to authorize the transportation of a uniformed services member's dependent child acquired outside the United States to the same extent as that authorized for a dependent transported to the member's permanent duty station outside the United States at Government expense and attaining 21 years of age while the member is serving at such a station. Generally, upon attaining age 21 a person loses the status of dependent child for the purpose of transportation at Government expense. However, transportation is authorized for a dependent child attaining 21 while a member is serving outside the United States and is ordered to a permanent change of station, as long as the unmarried child was transported at Government expense to a location ouside the United States. The specific language used in the applicable statute makes it clear that Congress felt that the Government had an obligation to return a dependent child to the United States in those situations where the dependent had been transferred overseas at Government expense in the first place. No inference can be drawn that the Congress felt the Government had any obligation for return transportation of dependent children who were acquired overseas and then lost their status as dependents for transportation purposes by becoming 21 years of age. Until legislation is passed authorizing the Government to assume the expenses of transportation on a different basis than is now authorized, such expenses must be borne by the persons concerned. Accordingly, GAO was required to object to amending the regulations as proposed.