B-109027, MAY 6, 1952, 31 COMP. GEN. 574

B-109027, MAY 6, 1952, 31 COMP. GEN. 574

TRAVELING EXPENSES - MILITARY, NAVAL, ETC., PERSONNEL - RECEIPTS FOR CASH FARES UNDER NAVY TRAVEL REGULATIONS REQUIRING THAT CLAIMS OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENDITURES FROM PERSONAL FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION BE SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS WHEN FOR THEIR OWN CONVENIENCE THEY DO NOT OBTAIN TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS OR USE REQUESTS FURNISHED THEM, A NAVAL RESERVIST WHO FOR HER OWN CONVENIENCE--- IN THAT LEAVE EN ROUTE WAS AUTHORIZED--- WAS NOT FURNISHED TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS UPON CHANGE OF STATION, IS NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION COSTS IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH RECEIPTS.

ASSISTANT COMPTROLLER GENERAL YATES TO ALICE SPARKS BENNETT, MAY 6, 1952:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 4, 1952, IN EFFECT REQUESTING REVIEW OF THAT PART OF THE SETTLEMENT OF AUGUST 11, 1944, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF YOUR TRANSPORTATION FROM CEDAR FALLS, IOWA, TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, WHILE YOU ( ALICE MARION SPARKS) WERE SERVING AS YEOMAN, THIRD CLASS, UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE.

BY STANDARD TRANSFER ORDER DATED JUNE 26, 1943, YOU WERE TRANSFERRED FROM U.S. NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL (Y-W), CEDAR FALLS, IOWA, TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, FOR DUTY. YOU WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO YOUR NEW STATION ON JULY 5, 1943, SIX DAYS LEAVE EN ROUTE BEING AUTHORIZED. YOUR LEAVE ADDRESS WAS SHOWN AS MEDFORD, OREGON. YOUR CLAIM FOR SUBSISTENCE AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF YOUR TRANSPORTATION BY RAIL FROM CEDAR FALLS TO SEATTLE, JUNE 26 TO JULY 5, 1943, WAS REFERRED TO THIS OFFICE BY THE BUREAU OF SUPPLIES AND ACCOUNTS FOR DIRECT SETTLEMENT FOR THE REASON THAT "RECEIPTS SUBSTANTIATING TRAVEL" WERE NOT FURNISHED. BY THE SETTLEMENT MENTIONED ABOVE YOU WERE ALLOWED $6 AS SUBSISTENCE (8 MEALS AT 75 CENTS PER MEAL), AND YOUR CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION WAS DISALLOWED FOR AND THAT UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES,"APPLICABLE REGULATIONS REQUIRE RECEIPTS; NONE WERE FURNISHED.' HOWEVER, IT NOW IS YOUR CONTENTION THAT NAVY DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS DID NOT REQUIRE RECEIPTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL UNTIL AFTER YOUR TRAVEL HAD BEEN PERFORMED, AND THAT OTHER MEMBERS WERE REIMBURSED FOR TRAVEL AT THE SAME TIME UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

PARAGRAPH 3 (A) (4), ARTICLE 2511 ( CHANGE 14, APRIL 1, 1943) U.S. NAVY TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS, IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE TRAVEL HERE IN QUESTION WAS PERFORMED PROVIDED, IN PERTINENT PART, AS FOLLOWS:

RECEIPTED BILLS FOR HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS, PASSENGER IDENTIFICATION CHECKS, OR CASH FARE RECEIPTS FOR SLEEPING OR PARLOR CAR ACCOMMODATIONS * * * WILL BE ATTACHED TO CLAIM. RECEIPTS FOR TRANSPORTATION WHEN PAID FOR IN CASH BY ENLISTED MEN WILL NOT BE REQUIRED WHEN, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS. SUCH RECEIPTS, HOWEVER, WILL BE REQUIRED WHEN, FOR THEIR OWN CONVENIENCE, THEY DO NOT OBTAIN TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS OR DO NOT USE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FURNISHED THEM. * * *

SINCE IT APPEARS THAT FOR YOUR OWN CONVENIENCE, IN THAT LEAVE EN ROUTE WAS AUTHORIZED, YOU WERE NOT FURNISHED TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT UNDER APPLICABLE REGULATIONS YOU WERE REQUIRED TO FURNISH RECEIPTS COVERING THE COST OF YOUR TRANSPORTATION. SINCE SUCH RECEIPTS WERE NOT FURNISHED, THERE IS NO LEGAL BASIS FOR THE ALLOWANCE OF YOUR CLAIM. 8 COMP. GEN. 94; 9 ID. 52; ID. 271; 22 ID. 1105. SUCH BEING THE CASE, THE SETTLEMENT OF AUGUST 11, 1944, WAS CORRECT AND IS SUSTAINED.

AS TO YOUR STATEMENT THAT OTHERS RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, IF YOU WILL FURNISH THIS OFFICE WITH THE NAME, RANK OR GRADE, ADDRESS AND SERIAL NUMBER (IF POSSIBLE) OF SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER WITH INFORMATION AS TO THE DISBURSING OFFICER (IF KNOWN) WHO MADE SUCH PAYMENTS, THIS OFFICE WILL INITIATE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO RECOVER ANY AMOUNTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ERRONEOUSLY DISBURSED.

THE ENCLOSURES WHICH ACCOMPANIED YOUR LETTER ARE RETURNED HEREWITH IN COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR REQUEST.