B-143244, JUL. 22, 1960

B-143244, JUL. 22, 1960

TO CHARLES A. RICKSECKER:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED MAY 31, 1960, REQUESTING REVIEW OF SETTLEMENT DATED APRIL 12, 1960, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR $59.25 FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF COST OF HAULING YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM LA GRANGE TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND STORAGE AND HANDLING CHARGES, INCIDENT TO YOUR ASSIGNMENT TO DUTY AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII.

BY STANDARD TRANSFER ORDER FFA NO. 047, DATED MARCH 4, 1959, YOU WERE DIRECTED TO PROCEED FROM THE RECEIVING STATION, NAVAL BASE, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, TO COMBARPAC VIA THE RECEIVING STATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, FOR DUTY. YOU STATE THAT YOU WERE ADVISED BY THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS OFFICER AT PHILADELPHIA THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO SHIP YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS AS FAR AS SAN FRANCISCO AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE. THEREFORE, YOU RETURNED TO LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, PACKED YOUR GOODS AND ARRANGED WITH LINCOLN STORAGE AND MOVING COMPANY OF CHICAGO TO PICK UP YOUR GOODS AND DELIVER THEM AT SAN FRANCISCO. THAT COMPANY PICKED UP YOUR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ON MARCH 13, 1959, HAULED THEM FROM LA GRANGE TO CHICAGO AND PLACED THEM IN THEIR WAREHOUSE WHERE THEY REMAINED UNTIL MARCH 17, 1959, WHEN THEY WERE FORWARDED TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

YOU FURTHER STATE THAT UPON CONTACTING HOUSEHOLD GOODS DIVISION, NAVAL SUPPLY CENTER, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, YOU WERE ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE MOVE FROM LA GRANGE TO HONOLULU SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE, BUT SINCE YOU WERE PRESSED FOR TIME YOU WERE TOLD TO CONTACT THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS DIVISION, NAVAL SUPPLY CENTER, PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, UPON ARRIVAL. THUS, YOUR APPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING NO. N34184180 WERE EXECUTED IN HAWAII AFTER YOUR ARRIVAL THERE AND YOUR GOODS ACTUALLY MOVED AS FAR AS SAN FRANCISCO ON A COMMERCIAL BILL OF LADING. THE GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING, WHEN ISSUED, DID NOT INCLUDE OR AUTHORIZE THE MOVE FROM LA GRANGE TO CHICAGO FOR WHICH YOU WERE BILLED $59.25 COVERING LINE HAUL OF 1,500 POUNDS OF GOODS A DISTANCE OF 30 MILES AT $2.75 PER CWT., PLUS STORAGE AT 60 CENTS PER CWT. AND $9 FOR WAREHOUSE HANDLING, FOR WHICH YOU NOW CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT.

THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES IS GOVERNED BY THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 303 (C) OF THE CAREER COMPENSATION ACT OF 1949, AS AMENDED, 37 U.S.C. 253 (C). PARAGRAPH 8150-1, CHANGE 66, DATED FEBRUARY 1, 1958, OF THOSE REGULATIONS, IN EFFECT AT THE TIME YOUR GOODS WERE SHIPPED, PROVIDES THAT SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ORDINARILY WILL BE MADE THROUGH A SHIPPING OR TRANSPORTATION OFFICER. PARAGRAPH 8150-4 PROVIDES THAT WHEN A MEMBER ARRANGES FOR SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS BECAUSE A SHIPPING OR TRANSPORTATION OFFICER WAS NOT AVAILABLE, OR BECAUSE THE MEMBER WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE SHIPPING OR TRANSPORTATION OFFICER TO MAKE SHIPMENT AT PERSONAL EXPENSE, THE MEMBER MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ACTUAL COST NOT TO EXCEED THE COST WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY THE GOVERNMENT HAD THE SHIPMENT BEEN MADE BY A SHIPPING OR TRANSPORTATION OFFICER.

IN YOUR CASE, HAD THE SHIPMENT BEEN ARRANGED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE BY A TRANSPORTATION OFFICER THE GOODS WOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP IN LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, AND SHIPPED TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, FOR OVERSEAS SHIPMENT. THE EXPENSES OF SHIPMENT BY CIRCUITOUS ROUTE TO CHICAGO AND ATTENDANT STORAGE OR WAREHOUSE HANDLING CHARGES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INCURRED. EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ERRONEOUSLY ADVISED BY THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS AND WERE UNCERTAIN OF YOUR RIGHTS, WE MAY NOT PROPERLY AUTHORIZE PAYMENT TO YOU OF A GREATER AMOUNT THAN THAT PERMITTED BY THE REGULATIONS.