[Questions Concerning Entitlement to Reimbursement for Cost of Moving Household Goods From Storage]

An Army employee filed a claim for reimbursement of the cost of moving household goods from storage to a new residence incident to separation for retirement. GAO noted that the government paid the storage costs for the first 60 days and the employee assumed the storage costs thereafter; however, the employee allowed the goods to remain in storage for 2 years. The claimant argued that an Army inspector advised that he was entitled to payment of delivery costs; however, the claim was denied by the Army because the movement of goods to a final destination had not begun within 2 years of the employee's separation. GAO found that: (1) an employee who transports a portion of household goods to a new duty station within 2 years is not entitled to shipment at the government's expense for the remainder of the goods after 2 years; (2) the time limitations set forth in applicable federal travel regulations may not be waived, modified, or extended, regardless of extenuating circumstances; and (3) since the claimant had not designated the shipment of household goods until after the expiration of the 2-year time period, he was not entitled to reimbursement for the cost of shipment from storage to the new residence. Therefore, GAO sustained the Army decision to disallow the claim.