B-107367, MAY 21, 1954

B-107367, MAY 21, 1954

PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE

MR. AND MRS. ERNEST W. CHRIST:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF JUNE 15, 1953, WRITTEN IN YOUR BEHALF BY MR. PAUL W. GORE, 510 HANNIBAL TRUST BUILDING, HANNIBAL, MISSOURI, REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING CERTAIN ITEMS APPEARING IN A CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF THE PAY ACCOUNT OF YOUR LATE SON, EDWARD W. CHRIST, MASTER SERGEANT, AIR FORCE, CONTAINED IN DECISION OF NOVEMBER 26, 1952, B-107367.

SPECIFICALLY YOU QUESTION THE CORRECTNESS OF CHARGES APPEARING IN THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FOR (1) $100 ON ACCOUNT OF A CLASS E ALLOTMENT PAYMENT TO MRS. CHRIST FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 1951, CONTENDING THAT SUCH PAYMENT WAS NOT RECEIVED; AND (2) $210 PAID TO YOUR SON ON VOUCHER NO. 3089, JUNE 1951 ACCOUNTS OF J.D. BAILEY, SYMBOL NO. 225-245, AS A TRAVEL ADVANCE.

THE SAID CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT WAS BASED ON FACTS AND FIGURES SUPPLIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE. IN VIEW OF MR. GORE'S LETTER, FURTHER REPORTS AND INFORMATION HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM THAT DEPARTMENT.

IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE CHECK ISSUED IN PAYMENT OF THE AUGUST 1951 ALLOTMENT PAYMENT WAS NOT MAILED AND HAS BEEN CANCELLED. ACCORDINGLY, THE CHARGE APPEARING IN THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FOR SUCH PAYMENT WAS IMPROPER. THE ELIMINATION OF SUCH CHARGE REDUCES THE TOTAL OF THE DEBIT ITEMS APPEARING IN THE ACCOUNT TO $1,796.08.

THE SAID PAYMENT OF $210 TO YOUR SON AS A TRAVEL ADVANCE, HAVING BEEN RECEIVED BY HIM, IS A PROPER CHARGE IN HIS ACCOUNT. HOWEVER, UNDER THE TERMS OF HIS ORDERS AND THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS OF THE MILITARY FORCES YOUR SON WAS ENTITLED, UPON COMPLETION OF THE TRAVEL, TO CREDIT OF TWO DAYS' PER DIEM AT $9 PER DAY, AND TO VARIOUS CREDITS OF MILEAGE FOR CERTAIN OFFICIAL DISTANCES BETWEEN HIS STATION IN ALASKA AND HIS ULTIMATE DESTINATION AT SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE ADVISES THAT IT HAS FOUND NO VOUCHER COVERING PAYMENT OF SUCH TRAVEL ALLOWANCES TO YOUR SON, AND THE FACT THAT HE NEVER REACHED KELLY AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS, HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION, BUT WAS REASSIGNED TO SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO HIS DEATH, JUSTIFIES A CONCLUSION THAT HE NEVER RECEIVED SUCH ALLOWANCES AND THAT THE AMOUNT THEREOF IS DUE HIS ESTATE.

UNDER YOUR SON'S ORDERS AND THE LAW AND REGULATIONS, HE WAS ENTITLED TO CREDIT OF MILEAGE AT 5 CENTS PER MILE FOR 496 MILES OF TRAVEL IN ALASKA, AND TO CREDIT OF MILEAGE AT 6 CENTS PER MILE FOR THE OFFICIAL DISTANCES OF 1856 MILES FROM SEWARD, ALASKA, TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AND 2366 MILES FROM SEATTLE TO SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, TOTALING $278.12. THE FACT THAT YOUR SON TRAVELED TO YOUR HOME IN A LEAVE STATUS, UNDER ORDERS TO KELLY AIR FORCE BASE, DOES NOT AFFECT HIS RIGHT TO MILEAGE, HE HAVING BEEN REASSIGNED TO THE DETACHMENT OF PATIENTS AT SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE AND HAVING COMPLETED TRAVEL TO THAT DESTINATION PRIOR TO HIS DEATH. B-116439, AUGUST 19, 1953. THE ADDITION OF THE TOTAL OF SUCH CREDITS ($18 PER DIEM AND $278.12 MILEAGE), $296.12, INCREASES THE TOTAL OF THE CREDIT ITEMS APPEARING IN THE SAID STATEMENT OF YOUR SON'S ACCOUNT TO $2,168.20. ACCORDINGLY, A BALANCE OF $372.12 ($2,168.20 TOTAL CREDITS, LESS $1,796.08 TOTAL DEBITS) IS DUE YOUR SON'S ESTATE AND A SETTLEMENT THEREFOR WILL ISSUE PROMPTLY IN YOUR FAVOR.

THE DELAY INCIDENT TO DISPOSITION OF THIS MATTER IS REGRETTED. HOWEVER, SUCH DELAY WAS OCCASIONED BY THE DIFFICULTY EXPERIENCED IN ASSEMBLING THE RECORDS RELATING TO YOUR SON'S TRAVEL ACCOUNT AND WAS UNAVOIDABLE.