B-133904, OCT. 24, 1957

B-133904, OCT. 24, 1957

TO MISS MARY M. CAIN:

YOUR UNSIGNED LETTER OF AUGUST 23, 1957, ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF TREASURY CHECK NO. 105533, DATED AUGUST 15, FOR $8.10, REPRESENTING THE TRAVEL EXPENSES ALLOWED YOU BY OUR OFFICE SETTLEMENT DATED AUGUST 7, 1957. YOU SAY THAT THE SUM OF $3.15 EXPENDED FOR THE USE OF A TAXI ON APRIL 4, 1956, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PICKING UP YOUR BAGGAGE AT THE PLACE WHERE YOU WERE BILLETED FROM APRIL 1, 1956, AND DELIVERING SAME TO A GOVERNMENT-OPERATED HOTEL BEFORE A SPECIFIED TIME PREPARATORY TO YOUR RETURNING TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES REPRESENTS A JUST CLAIM. YOU ASK THAT WE RECONSIDER OUR SETTLEMENT OF AUGUST 7, 1957, WHEREIN WE DID NOT ALLOW REIMBURSEMENT THEREFOR.

PARAGRAPH 8 OF AIR FORCE MANUAL 40-10, CHAPTER 6, PROVIDES THAT TAXICAB TRANSPORTATION OTHER THAN BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION TERMINAL AND EITHER PLACE OF BUSINESS OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE WHILE IN A TRAVEL STATUS, WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED WHEN DETERMINED ADMINISTRATIVELY AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE AIR FORCE. THE RECORD BEFORE US CONTAINS NO DETERMINATION OF ADVANTAGE. MOREOVER, THE RECEIPT FOR THE TAXICAB FARE IS DATED APRIL 3, 1956, AND THE RECORD SHOWS YOUR DEPARTURE FROM FRANKFURT, GERMANY, WAS ON APRIL 4, 1956. ADDITIONALLY, THE RECORD DOES NOT SHOW THE OFFICIAL NECESSITY OF YOUR ARRIVAL AT FRANKFURT ON APRIL 1, 1956, OR CONTAIN SPECIFIC INFORMATION SHOWING WHETHER YOU WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THE BASLERHOF HOTEL, FRANKFURT, INCIDENT TO YOUR DEPARTURE FOR THE UNITED STATES. THE RECORD DOES NOT SHOW THAT YOUR REPATRIATION ORDERS OF MARCH 29, 1956, WERE IN ERROR. THUS, IT APPEARS THAT THE NECESSITY FOR USE OF THE TAXICAB IN LIEU OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION RESULTED FROM YOUR EFFORTS TO OBTAIN REEMPLOYMENT OVERSEAS. ACCORDINGLY, UPON THE EXISTING RECORD THE DISALLOWANCE OF THE TAXICAB FARE BY OUR SETTLEMENT OF AUGUST 7, 1957, MUST BE AND IS SUSTAINED.