[Question of Air Force Secretary's Authority To Prescribe Packing Allowance]

An Air Force officer claimed reimbursement of charges he paid incident to the storage of an excess weight of household goods, contending that: (1) if the Air Force had applied the proper packing allowance, his shipment would not have been considered excess weight; and (2) the Air Force improperly promulgated the rule that provided for the lower packing allowance, which was in conflict with the rules provided under the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). GAO held that: (1) the Air Force applied a proper packing allowance because the total weight of the officer's household goods was not known; and (2) the Air Force properly promulgated the rule because it was effective under different circumstances than those specified under JTR. Accordingly, the claim was denied.