RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  00-01674

            INDEX NUMBER:  128.02


            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be reimbursed in the amount of $525 for  the  cost  of  an  airline
ticket he purchased over the Internet from a travel agency, which  was
not under contract to the Federal Government.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

When he out-processed from Brooks AFB, he received a finance  briefing
which instructed him that he could either receive a ticket  from  SATO
for travel from San Antonio to Malmstrom AFB, or he could receive  the
equivalent in a direct deposit payment to his account, if  he  planned
to take leave before  arriving  at  his  next  assignment.   Since  he
planned to take leave in Florida before traveling to Malmstrom AFB, he
opted to receive the $525 for travel pay.  He was told that this money
was not part of his regular pay and he did not have to repay it.

He paid approximately $440 for a ticket  to  Malmstrom  AFB  over  the
Internet, which proved to be cheaper than the local travel agency (not
SATO) price for the same ticket.  When he arrived at Malmstrom AFB, he
was notified that because he  did  not  purchase  the  ticket  from  a
government contract ticketing office, he had to repay the $525.   This
would mean that he paid his own travel cost from Florida to  his  next
duty station at Malmstrom AFB.  The military was willing to  pay  over
$700 for his travel from Brooks AFB to Malmstrom AFB.  By  taking  the
route he did, he saved the military over $200.  If  he  had  purchased
the ticket from a government contract ticket  office,  he  would  have
been reimbursed in the amount of $440, since  it  was  less  than  the
official government transportation cost used in the cost comparison.

Since he did not receive all of the relevant  information  during  his
finance briefing, he should not have to repay the $525.

In support of the appeal, the applicant submits copies of  the  travel
voucher,  PCS  order,  PCS  travel  advance  voucher  summary,  flight
itinerary and credit card statement.

Applicant’s submission is attached at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the
letters  prepared  by  the  appropriate  office  of  the  Air   Force.
Accordingly, there is no need to recite the information in this Record
of Proceedings.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Chief, Traffic Management Division, HQ  USAF/ILTT,  reviewed  this
case and recommended that Special Order #AC-284, block 24, be  amended
to read “Member authorized actual expenses for airfare cost of $466.50
and will reimburse the government $58.50.”  The applicant received  an
assignment to Malmstrom AFB, Montana from  Brooks  AFB,  Texas,  under
Special Order #AC-284.  He was informed that he could  either  receive
government-issued tickets or receive travel pay up to  the  government
cost.  He elected to receive advance travel pay of $525.

The finance office denied the applicant’s claim due to his non-use  of
a commercial travel office and  instituted  a  collection  action  for
$525.  The applicant actually spent $466.50 for airfare to  his  leave
location and then to his new duty station.   Since  he  incurred  less
than  the  authorized  government  travel  cost,  he  should  not   be
authorized the full travel allowance.  In accordance  with  the  JFTR,
Vol.  I,  par.  U5105C,  a  member  may  elect   to   procure   common
transportation at personal expense under an  individual  travel  order
and be reimbursed for the transportation cost for the mode  authorized
and used.  A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 8 September
2000, for review and response within 30 days (Exhibit D).  As of  this
date, no response has been received by this office.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing  law
or regulations.

2.  The application was timely filed.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the
existence of probable error or injustice warranting partial relief  of
the applicant’s request.  We note that the applicant received the full
$525 authorized for advance travel pay for  travel  from  Brooks  AFB,
Texas to Malmstrom AFB, Montana.  However, he  paid  $466.50  for  the
airline  ticket,  $58.50  less  than  the  travel  pay  he   received.
Therefore, we agree with the office of primary responsibility that, in
accordance with the JFTR, the applicant should only be paid the actual
cost of his airline tickets and he should reimburse the government  in
the amount of $58.50, the amount of his overpayment.

4.  The documentation provided with this case was sufficient  to  give
the Board a clear understanding of the issues involved and a  personal
appearance, with or without counsel, would not have  materially  added
to that understanding.  Therefore, the request for a  hearing  is  not
favorably considered.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that on 15 February  2000,
competent authority  authorized  him  to  procure  commercial  airline
tickets from San Antonio, Texas (Brooks  AFB,  (TX)  to  Great  Falls,
Montana (Malmstrom AFB, MT).  Reimbursement will not exceed  the  cost
incurred.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 1 November 2000, under the provisions of  AFI 36-
2603:

                 Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Panel Chair
                 Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr., Member
                 Mr. E. David Hoard, Member

All members  voted  to  correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence was considered:

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 30 May 00, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ USAF/ILTT, dated 22 Aug 00.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 8 Sep 00.




                                   THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                   Panel Chair








AFBCMR 00-01674




MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air
Force Board for Correction of Military Records and under the authority
of Section 1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A Stat 116), it is
directed that:

      The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air
Force relating to, be corrected to show that on 15 February 2000,
competent authority authorized him to procure commercial airline
tickets from San Antonio, Texas (Brooks AFB, (TX) to Great Falls,
Montana (Malmstrom AFB, MT).  Reimbursement will not exceed the cost
incurred.





            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency