Claim for Travel Expenses and Dislocation Allowance for Dependents' Travel

An advance decision was requested as to the entitlement of an Army member to travel allowances for his wife's and child's travel to his new duty station and entitlement to a dislocation allowance. The member's travel orders authorized deferred travel of his dependents. On the date of his change-of-station orders, the member's wife was a service member on active duty who had claimed their child as a dependent while serving in the military. Prior to her discharge, the member's wife received confirmation that she and her daughter were authorized to travel to the member's new duty station at the Government's expense. Subsequent to their travel, the finance and accounting officer at the new duty station determined that the member was not entitled to the transportation of his wife and child at the Government's expense because they were not his dependents on the effective date of his travel orders since his wife was then in the service and had claimed their child as a dependent. Therefore, the travel costs were collected from the member, and he was denied a dislocation allowance. The member reclaimed the travel costs and claimed a dislocation allowance since travel authorizations had been issued for their move. GAO found that, as he had no dependents on the date his travel orders became effective, he was not entitled to transportation of his dependents at the Government's expense. Since the member was assigned Government quarters at the new duty station, the member was not entitled to a dislocation allowance at the without dependents rate. GAO was without authority to allow the member's claim. Accordingly, payment on the voucher presented was not authorized.