Claim for Travel Expenses

A retired military member appealed a Claims Group's denial of his claim for personal and dependent travel expenses incident to a permanent change of station while he was in an active status. The travel in question was performed in 1973; he was retired in 1974; and the record does not show that he made a claim for the travel expenses until 1979. The member stated that he requested payment of these travel expenses in 1973, but the agency refused payment because there was no copy of his travel orders in his file. In 1979, the member again submitted all the necessary forms for the claim to the agency except for his travel orders, and the agency denied the claim because of the missing orders. Subsequently, the agency forwarded the claim to the Claims Group which denied the claim for the same reasons. Joint Travel Regulations provide that no reimbursement for travel is authorized unless orders by a competent authority have been issued. The member presumably traveled and returned under orders. However, in order to demonstrate what he was entitled to, he had to furnish a copy of his travel orders. Since the claimant failed to prove his claims and establish the legal liability of the United States and his right to payment, GAO sustained the Claims Group's disallowance of the claim.