B-156022, JUN. 1, 1970

B-156022, JUN. 1, 1970

TRANSPORTATION--REQUESTS--ISSUANCE, USE, ETC.--REIMBURSEMENT BY USER PROCEDURE CONCERNING REQUEST WHETHER 5 GAO 2020.10 REQUIRES TRAVEL ORDER SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF GOVT. TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FOR RETURN-FROM LEAVE TRAVEL SUBJECT TO REIMBURSEMENT BY MEMBER, TRAVEL ORDER AS SUCH IS NOT REQUIRED BUT SINCE SOME FORM OF TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION IS NECESSARY FOR TRAVEL UNDER MANUAL REGULATION FOR REQUEST'S ISSUANCE, IF PROPOSED CERTIFICATE IS MODIFIED TO SHOW IT IS REQUEST AND AUTHORIZATION FOR TRAVEL AND IS ENDORSED SHOWING TRAFFIC MANAGER OFFICER'S APPROVAL, GAO REQUIREMENT WOULD BE MET, ASSUMING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICER'S AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE SUCH TRAVEL.

TO AIR FORCE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE CENTER, CHIEF, DIRECTORATE

OF PLANS AND SYSTEMS:

YOUR LETTER OF MARCH 31, 1970, REQUESTS AN OPINION WHETHER PARAGRAPH 2020.10, TITLE 5, U. S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE MANUAL FOR GUIDANCE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, REQUIRES A TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION TO SUPPORT THE ISSUANCE OF EACH GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST. YOU REQUEST THE OPINION FOR USE IN CONSIDERATION OF AIR FORCE MILITARY SUGGESTIONS KB-8 908 AND HIC- 108-70-1.

UNDER APPLICABLE REGULATIONS, AIR FORCE MEMBERS WITH INSUFFICIENT FUNDS TO RETURN TO THEIR DUTY STATIONS IN A LEAVE STATUS MAY BE FURNISHED A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST FOR THE RETURN TRAVEL, THE COST TO BE REIMBURSED BY THEM. HOWEVER, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN TRAVEL ORDERS COVERING THE TRAVEL FROM THE LOCAL ORDERING ISSUING OFFICE AS AUTHORITY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER TO ISSUE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FOR THE TRAVEL. THE ORDERS RECITE THAT THE MEMBER WILL REIMBURSE THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE COST OF TRAVEL. SUCH ORDERS ARE ACCEPTED BY THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER AS A TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION TO SUPPORT THE ISSUANCE OF COST CHARGE GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS (GTRS) FOR THE RETURN TRAVEL.

EACH OF THE SUBJECT SUGGESTIONS IS AIMED AT ELIMINATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR TRAVEL ORDERS. THE AIR FORCE FAVORS ADOPTION OF THE SUGGESTIONS AND PROPOSES IMPLEMENTATION BY HAVING THE MEMBERS EXECUTE AND PRESENT TO THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICE A CERTIFICATE AS FOLLOWS:

"I CERTIFY THAT I AM CURRENTLY ON LEAVE FROM (UNIT OF ASSIGNMENT AND LOCATION) AND DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PROCEED TO MY PROPER DUTY STATION. REQUEST THAT I BE FURNISHED A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST FOR TRAVEL TO MY DUTY STATION. I AM AWARE THAT THE COST OF THIS TRANSPORTATION WILL BE ADJUSTED AGAINST MY PAY ACCOUNT UPON COMPLETION OF TRAVEL. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT THE TRAVEL REQUESTED WILL BE PERFORMED IN A LEAVE STATUS. (SIGNATURE OF MEMBER)" THAT CERTIFICATE WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICER AS AUTHORITY FOR THE ISSUANCE OF NECESSARY GTRS. THAT OFFICER WOULD ALSO PREPARE A PAY ADJUSTMENT AUTHORIZATION DD FORM 139, TO INITIATE COLLECTION OF THE COST FROM THE MEMBER.

PARAGRAPH 2020.10, TITLE 5, U. S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE MANUAL FOR GUIDANCE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, COVERING THE ISSUANCE OF TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS, PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART THAT, "THESE REQUESTS WILL BE ISSUED BY DULY AUTHORIZED PERSONS * * * IN CONFORMITY WITH PROPER TRAVEL AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS."

YOU QUESTION WHETHER IT IS THE INTENT OF THAT REGULATION TO REQUIRE A TRAVEL ORDER TO SUPPORT THE ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FOR THIS RETURN-FROM-LEAVE TRAVEL.

PARAGRAPH 2215 AIR FORCE MANUAL 75-4, PROVIDES THAT TRANSPORTATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 2214 OF THAT MANUAL WILL BE FURNISHED TO MEMBERS WHO, WHILE ON AUTHORIZED LEAVE, ARE WITHOUT FUNDS. PARAGRAPH 2214 PROVIDES FOR FURNISHING TRANSPORTATION TO ABSENTEES, STRAGGLERS AND OTHERS BEING RETURNED TO THEIR DUTY STATION. PARAGRAPH 2214 (3) B REQUIRES THAT SUCH MEMBERS BE CHARGED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND MEAL TICKETS FURNISHED AS PROVIDED BY PARAGRAPH M5400 OF THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AND REFERS TO PARAGRAPH 4139 OF THE SAID MANUAL.

PARAGRAPH 4139, AIR FORCE MANUAL 75-4, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF COST CHARGE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS, PROVIDES THAT A MEMBER TRAVELING WITH OR WITHOUT ORDERS WHO IS WITHOUT FUNDS TO PROCEED TO HIS PROPER STATION MAY OBTAIN TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICER OF THE NEAREST MILITARY INSTALLATION. IT FURTHER PROVIDES THAT A MEMBER WHO IS WITHOUT ORDERS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE LOCAL ORDER ISSUING AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN PROPER ORDERS BEFORE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS WILL BE FURNISHED.

AUTHORITY FOR THE AIR FORCE MANUAL PROVISIONS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS AND MEAL TICKETS TO MEMBERS WITH INSUFFICIENT FUNDS WHO ARE WITHOUT ORDERS IS FOUND IN PARAGRAPH M5400-2 OF THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS. SUCH PROVISIONS DO NOT REQUIRE THE ISSUANCE OF TRAVEL ORDERS. THE AIR FORCE REGULATIONS PROVIDING THAT SUCH MEMBERS MUST OBTAIN ORDERS BEFORE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS WILL BE FURNISHED APPEARS, HOWEVER, TO BE REQUIRED BY A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REGULATION, PARAGRAPH 304001, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPLY AGENCY REGULATION 4500.3, APPLICABLE TO THE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE ALIKE.

PARAGRAPH 2020.10, TITLE 5, GAO MANUAL FOR GUIDANCE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, DOES NOT REQUIRE THE ISSUANCE OF A TRAVEL ORDER AS SUCH TO SUPPORT THE ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS. HOWEVER, IT DOES REQUIRE SOME FORM OF TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION BEFORE SUCH REQUESTS MAY BE ISSUED.

ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICER HAS AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE THE TRAVEL IN THESE CASES, THE MANUAL REQUIREMENT WOULD BE MET IF THE PROPOSED CERTIFICATE IS HEADED TO SHOW THAT IT IS A REQUEST AND AUTHORIZATION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND IS COMPLETED WITH AN INDORSEMENT SHOWING APPROVAL BY THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICER. IF THE CERTIFICATE IS MODIFIED IN THAT MANNER ADOPTION OF THE SUGGESTIONS WOULD NOT BE PRECLUDED BY THE MANUAL PROVISION. THEIR ADOPTION, HOWEVER, COULD BE CONSIDERED AS INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROCEDURE CONTEMPLATED BY PARAGRAPH 304001, DEFENSE SUPPLY AGENCY REGULATION 4500.3.

THE NAVY PROCEDURE IN THESE LEAVE-TRAVEL CASES (PARAGRAPH 5252, NAVY TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS) AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, APPEARS TO HAVE RESOLVED THIS DOUBLE HANDLING PROCEDURE BY PROVIDING FOR ISSUANCE OF THE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS BY THE ORDER-ISSUING AUTHORITY.