BOARD DATE: 1 August 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160012145 BOARD VOTE: _____x____ ___x____ ___x_____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration BOARD DATE: 1 August 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160012145 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing the applicant was granted an exception to policy authorizing a personally procured move. a. A Personal Property Shipping Office/Personal Property Processing Office should contact the applicant and assist him in preparation and authentication of the applicable forms (DD Form 2278 and a DD Form 1352-1). b. Upon completion of the required forms by the appropriate authority, authorizing the reimbursement of the adjusted cost based on 95 percent of the monetary allowance of the government constructed cost, in this case $3,317.69 (movement of 5,620 pounds of household goods from Jackson, MI, to Fort Knox, KY), less his previous payment reimbursement of $773.52 and any appropriate Federal withholding tax. ____________x_____________ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. BOARD DATE: 1 August 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160012145 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests full payment for his personally procured move (PPM) (also known as a do-it-yourself (DITY) move). 2. The applicant states he completed his first DITY move and he was not instructed to go through "militarymove.com” (properly known as www.move.mil) to process his DITY move. The transportation office at Fort Knox, KY, told him he would only be reimbursed for the cost of the move based on his receipts and not the weight from the weight ticket. He requested approval of an exception to policy (ETP), highlighting Article 18, section C, of the 15 April 2010 Army Personally Procured Transportation and Non-Temporary Storage Policy (NTS) as a basis for his request. His request was denied. 3. The applicant provides copies of: * four receipts for costs of the move * ETP Memorandum, dated 29 June 2016 * Army Personally Procured Transportation and NTS Policy, effective 15 April 2010 * multiple e-mail messages CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant, a U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) staff sergeant, accepted a voluntary active duty position in the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Program in 2012. In 2014, the applicant extended his AGR enlistment. 2. He was reassigned from Jackson, MI, to Fort Knox, KY, in 2016. The acceptance of these orders necessitated a permanent change of station (PCS) and authorization to move his household goods (HHG). 3. The applicant completed the DITY move and submitted copies of a Budget rental truck receipt, truck weight receipt, cash sales slip, and diesel fuel charges. 4. The applicant filed an ETP request on 29 June 2016. In his request he stated had he known about the specifics of the DITY move requirements, he would have complied with the policy. His ETP request was apparently denied. 5. Although the official documentation of the amount of reimbursement the applicant received, his denial for greater reimbursement, and denial of an ETP is not of record, it appears that the applicant's request for a higher reimbursement cost was denied due to his failure to follow policy. 6. The e-mail provided by the applicant show he attempted to provide the documentation for reimbursement of his DITY move but full payment was denied. 7. In the development of this case, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Transportation Policy Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). This official stated: a. The PPM Program allows a military member to personally arrange for the movement of his HHG at a cost not to exceed 95 percent of what the government pays to procure transportation. b. In this case, Army G-4 PPM policy paragraph 18c applies: When a member did not contact a Personal Property Shipping Office for counseling and a DD Form 2278 (Application for DITY Move and Counseling Checklist), but has certified weight tickets for the transportation of HHG, the member is authorized payment of a monetary allowance equal to ninety-five percent of the government constructed cost (GCC) for the actual HHG weight transported not to exceed the member's maximum weight allowance. c. This office recommends a letter from the Fort Knox Transportation Officer be sent to Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)-Rome with a signed DD Form 2278 and DD Form 1352-1 (Travel Voucher or Subvoucher) authorizing payment of the 95-percent monetary allowance of the GCC or $3,317.69 to move 5,620 pounds of HHG from Jackson, MI, to Fort Knox, KY. DFAS-Rome should subtract his previous payment of the actual cost reimbursement of $773.52, and subtract 25 percent for Federal tax withholding. 8. A copy the advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant. The applicant didn't responded to the opinion. REFERENCES: 1. The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) are the basic statutory regulations governing a Uniformed Member's travel and transportation at Government expense and has the force and effect of law under the authority of Title 37, U.S. Code, section 481. JTR, paragraphs 5210D5a and 5b, authorize either an actual cost reimbursement or payment of a monetary allowance for personally procured transportation. 2. Department of the Army Pamphlet 55-2 (It's Your Move) provides guidance for PPM moves. It states the PPM is an alternate means of moving personal property and allows a service member to personally move HHG and either be reimbursed up to the Government's cost or to collect an incentive payment from the government when they have orders for a PCS, temporary duty, separation, retirement, or assignment to/from or between Government quarters. 3. Department of the Army Pamphlet 55-2 further states PPM reimbursement is equal to 95 percent of the Government's constructed cost. The Personal Property Office must provide counseling and prior approval for a PPM move. Failing to comply with service requirements of the program may limit payment or result in complete denial of a claim. 4. Army Personally Procured Transportation and NTS Policy, effective 15 April 2010; Change 1, effective 28 May 2010, Section I for Army Military Members provides: a. Paragraph 3 (Counseling). Personal Property Shipping Office/Personal Property Processing Office (PPSO/PPPO) must provide members information on the move types, monetary allowances and advance payment of the operating allowance. (1) The PPSO/PPPO must provide members the location of Government and commercial scales in the vicinity of the PPSO/PPPO. (2) The PPSO/PPPO must advise members that certified empty and loaded weight tickets are required. (3) The PPSO/PPPO must advise members what documents are required to certify the PPM and where to submit the documents. (4) The PPSO/PPPO must advise members to retain a copy of all documents for his/her records. b. Paragraph 18 (After-the-Fact PPMs). (1) Paid Invoice Available. When a member contracts transportation/NTS (vehicle, transportation service providers (TSP), commercial storage facility) and failed to contact a PPSO/PPPO for counseling and a DD Form 2278 prior to making a PPM, the PPSO/PPPO may authorize an after-the-fact actual cost reimbursement not to exceed the Government constructed cost (GCC) for the actual HHG weight transported not to exceed the member's maximum HHG weight. If the member does not have weight tickets, the member must complete a weight estimator. The member must provide a paid invoice for the rental vehicle or TSP. This guidance applies only to those cases in which the member has a paid receipt for personally procured contracted transportation and or NTS (i.e., rental truck, TSP transportation, commercial storage facility). The PPSO/PPPO must provide the member a DD Form 2278 or letter authorizing reimbursement. (2) Beyond the Member's Control. When a member was unable to obtain counseling, a DD Form 2278, and does not have paid receipts for contracted transportation/NTS (vehicle, TSP, commercial storage facility) for reasons beyond his/her control (i.e., family emergency, orders received less than 5 days to report to the new permanent duty station (PDS)), the PPSO/PPPO must submit the request to the Installation Management Command region for approval. The ETP request must include documentation to justify/validate the specific reason that was beyond the member's control for not obtaining PPM counseling and a DD Form 2278. If the ETP is approved and the member does not have weight tickets, the member must complete a weight estimator. An actual cost reimbursement not to exceed the GCC for the actual HHG weight transported not to exceed the member's maximum HHG weight or a payment of a monetary allowance equal to 95 percent of the GCC for the actual HHG weight transported not to exceed the member’s maximum weight allowance is authorized. The PPSO/PPPO must provide the member a DD Form 2278 or letter authorizing reimbursement. (3) Weight Tickets Only. When a member did not contact a PPSO/PPPO for counseling and a DD Form 2278 was not prepared but has certified weight tickets for the transportation and/NTS of HHG, the member is authorized payment of a monetary allowance equal to 95 percent of the GCC for the actual HHG weight transported not to exceed the member's maximum weight allowance. The payment of accessorial charges is not authorized. The PPSO/PPPO must provide the member a DD Form 2278 or letter authorizing reimbursement. (4) After-the-fact PPMs for Reasons Outside of the Parameters Cited Above. After thorough review by the PPSO/PPPO, the PPSO/PPPO may recommend to the member to submit an application to the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records (ABCMR). DISCUSSION: 1. The applicant entered the AGR Program from his USAR unit in Jackson, MI, where there are no Regular Army installations available to assist him in the process of relocating and moving his HHG. By orders, he was required to move to Fort Knox, KY. As no PPSO/PPPO was available in Jackson, MI, he did not seek nor receive counseling concerning the movement of HHG, nor did he prepare the applicable forms used in processing and approving the shipment of his HHG as a PPM. By regulation, the applicant received reimbursement for only his actual cost of moving his HHG, not the incentive based cost (95 percent of the GCC). 2. Appropriate counseling is required prior to approval of a service member's PPM. There is no evidence he received counseling in person or via the Internet before the PPM. However, there are procedures found within the Army Personally Procured Transportation and NTS Policy for after-the-fact PPMs. The applicant's circumstances appear to fall under the situations listed for after-the-fact PPMs. A recommendation for relief from this Board is his final possibility of receiving reimbursement. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160012145 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160012145 5 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2