Entitlement to Reimbursement for Travel of Dependent Daughter

An accounting and finance officer of the Department of the Air Force requested an advance decision as to whether a voucher could be paid that was submitted by a member for expenses incurred by his daughter's travel from her college to his permanent duty station. The member was transferred to West Germany. He reported for duty and had his wife and five of their six children join him at a later date. The sixth child, a dependent daughter, traveled from her college in the United States to Germany during her winter break, but then returned to school for the spring term. The member requested reimbursement for the expenses incurred for this daughter's travel. Travel expenses for a dependent are payable when it is obvious that the place of duty is intended to become the dependent's permanent place of residence. In this case, the travel expenses were incurred for a short-term visit. Since the daughter did not travel to Germany with the intention of establishing a permanent residence there, the member was not entitled to reimbursement for the expenses incurred. Accordingly, the voucher was not approved for payment.