B-137441, JAN. 29, 1965

B-137441, JAN. 29, 1965

TO THE HONORABLE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 30, 1964, FROM THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER) CONCERNING A PROPOSED MODIFICATION IN THE RULES FOR COMPUTING TRAVEL TIME OF MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES WHO PERFORM TRAVEL UNDER PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION ORDERS. THE PROPOSED MODIFICATION AND THE REASONS THEREFOR ARE SET FORTH IN COMMITTEE ACTION NO. 206A OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, MILITARY PAY AND ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE.

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SAYS THAT THE PURPOSE IN MODIFYING THE RULES IS (1) TO REQUIRE THE UTILIZATION OF A UNIFORM RATE OF 300 MILES PER DAY, IN LIEU OF THE 250 PRESENTLY USED, AS THE BASIS FOR COMPUTING ALLOWABLE TRAVEL TIME FOR TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE ON PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION, AND (2) TO PRESCRIBE THAT HIGHWAY DISTANCES (CONTAINED IN THE OFFICIAL TABLE OF DISTANCES) WILL BE THE ONLY DISTANCES EMPLOYED IN COMPUTING TRAVEL TIME WHERE MIXED MODES OF TRAVEL ARE USED BY THE MEMBER.

IN OUR DECISION OF JANUARY 29, 1959, 38 COMP. GEN. 513, AS MODIFIED BY DECISION OF JULY 18, 1960, 40 COMP. GEN. 13, REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RULES AND PROCEDURES THEN PROPOSED FOR COMPUTING TRAVEL TIME OF MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES INCIDENT TO PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL, WE SAID THAT THE USE OF THE 300-MILE FIGURE AS THE MEASURE FOR ALLOWING 1 DAY'S TRAVEL TIME FOR TRAVEL BY A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE WITH AN ADDED DAY ALLOWABLE FOR FRACTIONS EXCEEDING 150 MILES, CORRESPONDING TO THE RATE SET IN EXECUTIVE ORDER NOS. 10153 AND 10649, WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC THAN THE 250 MILES PER DAY MEASURE THEN IN EFFECT. SEE 38 COMP. GEN. 513, 516. THE PRESENT PROPOSAL IS IN CONSONANCE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THAT DECISION AND ACCORDINGLY, IT HAS OUR ENDORSEMENT.

WHILE WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED THAT THE USE OF 300 MILES A DAY IN COMPUTING TRAVEL TIME FOR TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCES SHOULD BE ADOPTED BY THE SERVICES, WE HAVE MADE A FURTHER STUDY OF THE PROBLEM AND WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THE USE OF 300 MILES PER DAY IS UNREALISTIC IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN FEDERAL AND STATE HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS, THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMOBILE TRAVEL CONDITIONS, AND THE DISTANCES ACTUALLY BEING TRAVELED BY MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO PERFORM PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE. THIS MATTER WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR PROPOSED REPORT TO THE CONGRESS (EXCESS TRAVEL TIME ALLOWED MILITARY PERSONNEL USING PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES ON PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE), A COPY OF WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO YOU FOR COMMENT ON JULY 27, 1964. FOR THE REASONS SET OUT IN OUR PROPOSED REPORT, WE RECOMMENDED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT YOU TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REQUIRING THE SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY SERVICES TO ISSUE DEFINITIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO INCREASE THE BASIS FOR COMPUTING ALLOWABLE TRAVEL TIME FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL USING PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE ON CHANGE OF STATION TRAVEL TO A MINIMUM OF 325 MILES PER DAY WHERE THE MEMBERS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY DEPENDENT CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE, AND TO A MINIMUM OF 375 MILES PER DAY FOR ALL OTHERS. BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 1, 1964, THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (MANPOWER) STATED, FOR THE REASONS SET OUT IN THE LETTER, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COULD NOT CONCUR IN THIS RECOMMENDATION. WE EXPECT TO ISSUE OUR REPORT ON THIS MATTER IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN OUR REPORT WITH A VIEW TOWARD ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING A PER DAY MILEAGE RATE IN KEEPING WITH HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND THE TIME WHICH IS IN FACT BEING USED BY MILITARY PERSONNEL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ORDERED TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE.