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A-2000, MARCH 12, 1932, 11 COMP. GEN. 344

A-2000 Mar 12, 1932
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QUARTERS AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES - ENLISTED MEN OF NAVY OCCUPYING PUBLIC QUARTERS THERE IS NO AUTHORITY FOR THE PAYMENT OF A CASH ALLOWANCE FOR QUARTERS TO ENLISTED MEN OF THE NAVY WHO ARE FURNISHED PUBLIC QUARTERS IN KIND. IS IN SOUTH AMERICA. ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE AT THE RATE PROVIDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 4728. IT APPEARS THAT THESE MEN WHILE ASSIGNED TO PUBLIC QUARTERS WERE CREDITED AN ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE AT $1.20 PER DAY AND QUARTERS ALLOWANCE AT 75 CENTS PER DAY BY AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION DATED MARCH 17. IT IS STATED THAT SINCE NOVEMBER 30. THE PERSONNEL ON DUTY AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AN ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE ONLY.

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A-2000, MARCH 12, 1932, 11 COMP. GEN. 344

QUARTERS AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES - ENLISTED MEN OF NAVY OCCUPYING PUBLIC QUARTERS THERE IS NO AUTHORITY FOR THE PAYMENT OF A CASH ALLOWANCE FOR QUARTERS TO ENLISTED MEN OF THE NAVY WHO ARE FURNISHED PUBLIC QUARTERS IN KIND. NEITHER THE CANAL ZONE NOR PANAMA CITY, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA, IS IN SOUTH AMERICA, AND ENLISTED MEN OF THE NAVY ON DUTY AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC, PANAMA CITY, OCCUPYING PUBLIC QUARTERS AT THE BALBOA RADIO STATION, CANAL ZONE, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE AT THE RATE PROVIDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 4728, DATED SEPTEMBER 29, 1927, FOR ENLISTED MEN ON DUTY IN SOUTH AMERICA. 5 COMP. GEN. 402, DISTINGUISHED.

COMPTROLLER GENERAL MCCARL TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, MARCH 12, 1932:

CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 22, 1931, IN REPLY TO A REQUEST OF THIS OFFICE DATED AUGUST 11, 1931, FOR A REPORT OF THE FACTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PAYMENT OF MONETARY ALLOWANCES IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE AND QUARTERS TO CERTAIN NAVAL PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC, NATIONAL AIRPORT, PANAMA CITY, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA.

IT APPEARS THAT THESE MEN WHILE ASSIGNED TO PUBLIC QUARTERS WERE CREDITED AN ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE AT $1.20 PER DAY AND QUARTERS ALLOWANCE AT 75 CENTS PER DAY BY AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION DATED MARCH 17, 1931, PRESUMABLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 4728, DATED SEPTEMBER 29, 1927. INVESTIGATION BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT ON THE SUGGESTION OF THIS OFFICE HAVING REVEALED THAT THE PERSONNEL CONCERNED OCCUPIED PUBLIC QUARTERS AT THE NAVAL RADIO STATION, BALBOA, CANAL ZONE, THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION BY DISPATCH DATED DECEMBER 10, 1931, DIRECTED THE CASH ALLOWANCE OF 75 CENTS PER DAY, AUTHORIZED FOR MEN NOT IN RECEIPT OF QUARTERS, BE IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED, AND IT IS STATED THAT SINCE NOVEMBER 30, 1931, THE PERSONNEL ON DUTY AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AN ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE ONLY, BASED ON THE GENERAL RATE OF $1.20 PER DAY.

AS BEARING UPON THE CONDITIONS EXISTING AT STATION NHC, THE DIFFICULTIES ATTENDING THE SUBSISTING OF THE PERSONNEL DUE TO ITS ISOLATION AND REMOTE LOCATION, AND THE OPINION OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT THAT THE PERSONNEL ATTACHED THERETO SHOULD RECEIVE ALLOWANCES SIMILAR TO THOSE PROVIDED FOR MEN STATIONED AT NAVAL RADIO STATIONS NGR, NCW, AND NRK, LOCATED RESPECTIVELY, AT CAPE MALA, LA PALMA, AND PUERTO OBALDIA, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA, IT IS STATED:

IN THIS CONNECTION IT IS DESIRED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE NO QUARTERS OR MESSING FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 6.5 MILES BY ROAD FROM THE BALBOA RADIO STATION IN AN ISOLATED SECTION ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF PANAMA CITY. RADIO STATION NHC IS, IN FACT, ISOLATED TO PRACTICALLY THE SAME DEGREE AS ARE THE NAVAL RADIO STATIONS AT CAPE MALA, LA PALMA, AND PUERTO OBALDIA, R.P. ALL FOUR OF THESE RADIO STATIONS ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE CANAL ZONE, BUT THE PERSONNEL DETAILED TO DUTY AT THE LAST THREE STATIONS MENTIONED ARE CREDITED WITH A SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE OF $1.90 PER DAY. THE EXPENSES OF THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO STATION NHC ARE AT LEAST AS MUCH AS, IF NOT MORE THAN, THOSE OF THE PERSONNEL AT ANY OUTLYING STATION IN THE FIFTEENTH NAVAL DISTRICT, YET THE PRESENT AUTHORIZED SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE OF THE PERSONNEL OF STATION NHC IS ONLY $1.20 PER DAY.

IT SHOULD ALSO BE STATED THAT THE ISOLATED LOCATION OF STATION NHC AND THE LONG HOURS WHICH THE ENLISTED MEN ON DUTY THEREAT ARE REQUIRED TO STAND WATCH MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO OBTAIN THEIR MEALS AT THE BALBOA RADIO STATION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND IMPRACTICABLE TO HAVE THEIR MEALS SENT TO THEM.

IT IS ALSO DESIRED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE NO FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR TRANSPORTING THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL FROM THE BALBOA RADIO STATION TO RADIO STATION NHC, PANAMA CITY NATIONAL AIRPORT, OTHER THAN THE PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILES OF THE PERSONNEL CONCERNED. THE AVERAGE COST PER DAY PER MAN OF THIS TRANSPORTATION, WHICH FREQUENTLY INVOLVES AS MANY AS THREE ROUND TRIPS BETWEEN BALBOA AND PANAMA CITY NATIONAL AIRPORT, TOTALING ABOUT 40 MILES PER DAY, IS ESTIMATED AS BETWEEN 40 CENTS AND 45 CENTS (INCLUDING GASOLINE, OIL, AND WEAR). THIS EXPENSE OF TRANSPORTATION IS BORNE SOLELY BY THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL.

IN VIEW OF ALL THE FOREGOING, THE NAVY DEPARTMENT IS OF THE VIEW THAT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC AT THE PANAMA CITY NATIONAL AIRPORT SHOULD BE CLASSED AS AN ISOLATED STATION IN THE SAME SENSE AS ARE STATIONS NGR, NCW, AND NRK AT CAPE MALA, LA PALMA, AND PUERTO OBALDIA, R.P., RESPECTIVELY. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, EACH ENLISTED MAN DETAILED TO DUTY AT THE LATTER THREE STATIONS RECEIVES A SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE OF $1.90 PER DAY. IN THE CASE OF PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO STATION NHC, THE NAVY DEPARTMENT FEELS THAT EACH MAN IS, AND HAS BEEN SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS STATION ON APRIL 1, 1931, ENTITLED TO A SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE OF $2.10 PER DAY (NO GOVERNMENT MESSING FACILITIES BEING AVAILABLE), IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 4728 OF SEPTEMBER 29, 1927.

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT ACCORDINGLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE AUTHORIZED ALLOWANCE FOR SUBSISTENCE OF ENLISTED MEN DETAILED TO DUTY AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC, PANAMA CITY NATIONAL AIRPORT, BE CHANGED FROM $1.20 PER DAY TO $2.10 PER DAY, EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 1, 1931, THE DATE THIS STATION WAS OFFICIALLY COMMISSIONED.

THE RECOMMENDATION OF CHANGING THE SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE FROM $1.20 PER DAY TO $2.10 PER DAY, EFFECTIVE RETROACTIVELY TO APRIL 1, 1931, WOULD OPERATE TO NOT ONLY PERMIT THOSE HERETOFORE IMPROPERLY PAID 75 CENTS PER DAY FOR QUARTERS TO RETAIN THAT AMOUNT BUT ALSO TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 15 CENTS PER DAY.

THE FACTS STATED BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT IN ITS LETTER OF OCTOBER 15, 1925, AND UPON WHICH, BY DECISION OF THIS OFFICE DATED DECEMBER 1, 1925, 5 COMP. GEN. 402, YOU WERE ADVISED THAT CREDIT OF THE SPECIAL RATE OF SUBSISTENCE TO THE PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO THE NAVAL RADIO STATIONS AT CAPE MALA, LA PALMA, AND PUERTO OBALDIA, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA, WHEN PROPERLY AUTHORIZED BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT, WOULD BE PASSED IN THE DISBURSING OFFICER'S ACCOUNTS, ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE FACTS AND CONDITIONS EXISTING AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NHC, PANAMA CITY. THE CONCLUSION IN THAT CASE WAS BASED PRIMARILY UPON THE REPORT THAT "THEY (PERSONNEL OF THE THREE INVOLVED STATIONS) ARE DEPENDENT ALMOST ENTIRELY UPON SUCH SERVICE AS THE NAVY IS ABLE TO GIVE THEM FROM INTERMITTENT TRIPS OF DISTRICT VESSELS; " THAT IT WAS NECESSARY THAT THEY RESTRICT THEIR USE OF FRESH MEATS AND VEGETABLES TO SUCH AMOUNTS AS MAY BE CONSUMED SHORTLY AFTER RECEIPT; AND THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO USE MOSTLY TINNED MEATS AND VEGETABLES, WHICH WERE MORE COSTLY THAN THE FRESH PRODUCTS.

IT IS ADMITTED THAT THE MEN ATTACHED TO STATION NHC, PANAMA CITY, WERE NOT ONLY PAID A MONETARY ALLOWANCE IN LIEU OF QUARTERS, BUT THAT THEY ALSO OCCUPIED GOVERNMENT QUARTERS WITHOUT COST AT THE BALBOA RADIO STATION, CANAL ZONE, WHERE, AMONG OTHER THINGS THE GOVERNMENT OPERATES STORES HANDLING ALL SORTS OF FOODSTUFFS AND SUPPLIES WITH MODERN COLD-STORAGE AND ICE PLANTS, AN ABATTOIR, AND THAT THERE ARE AVAILABLE RESTAURANTS, CAFETERIAS, ETC., WHERE MEALS MAY BE SECURED AT PRICES NO HIGHER THAN AT DOMESTIC RATES. GOVERNMENT-OPERATED COMMISSARIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE, WHERE PERSONNEL CAN SECURE FRESH SUPPLIES AT LESS THAN THE RETAIL COST OF THE SAME SUPPLIES IN THE UNITED STATES PROPER. THE CANAL ZONE IS NOT IN SOUTH AMERICA NOR IS THE CITY OF PANAMA. PAYMENT OF THE SUBSISTENCE RATE FOR PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN SOUTH AMERICA TO PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO THE RADIO STATION AT PANAMA CITY IS NOT AUTHORIZED.

WITH RESPECT TO THE QUARTERS ALLOWANCE HERETOFORE PAID BY DISBURSING OFFICERS ON VOUCHERS FALSELY DRAWN IN A MANNER INDICATING THAT QUARTERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, SUCH EXCESS WAS CLEARLY CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND CREDIT FOR THE SAME WILL BE DISALLOWED IN THE ACCOUNTS OF THE DISBURSING OFFICERS WHO MADE SUCH ERRONEOUS AND ILLEGAL PAYMENTS.

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