[Query Concerning Payment of Family Separation Allowances]

A decision was requested concerning whether family separation allowances should be paid in circumstances where both spouses are or were members of the uniformed services. In one case involving a service member married to another service member and their child, one spouse received permanent change of station orders with authorization for dependent travel. The claimant's spouse elected to stay at the old duty station with the child. GAO agreed with the Pay and Allowance Committee that the reassigned parent was not entitled to a separation allowance because dependent travel had been authorized and both parents cannot claim a child as a dependent for the same allowance. Even though the reassignment resulted in family separation, the enforced separation did not result in additional housing expenses. In another case, the dependent spouse was a former member who, before separation from active duty, was assigned to the same permanent duty station overseas as the member. She then returned to the United States for separation from active duty and after separation did not return to the claimant's permanent duty station. It was asked whether the separation could be viewed as enforced, entitling the claimant to a family separation allowance. Since this separation was voluntary and not due to military orders, the allowance was not payable.