IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 1 May 2012
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110018586
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 that he be paid temporary duty (TDY) lodging expenses ($820.25) for the period 16 19 June 2011.
2. The applicant states that as a member of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) he was authorized official travel to New York City (NYC) for the period
16 19 June 2011; however, he was denied reimbursement for his lodging expenses because he used a third-party travel site and the method of payment was not allowed. He goes on to state that he believed it was authorized and he was up front and honest throughout the process.
3. The applicant provides a table of contents tabbed A through L for the documents he submitted.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant was commissioned as an infantry second lieutenant on 24 May 1989 and he has served continuously. He was promoted to the rank of colonel on 1 December 2009.
2. The applicant was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas and was a PhD Candidate at NPS when he was granted TDY to NYC for the period of 16 19 June 2011.
3. The applicant was unable to secure a hotel room with a government rate at the location of the conference he attended and went on-line to secure his own reservation at $219.00 per night which was less than the government rate of $224.00; however, he had to pre-pay in order to receive that rate. He received approval through channels to make the pre-payment. He completed his travel, submitted his travel voucher, and his lodging expenses were denied because he had used a third-party website to book his lodging.
4. In the processing of this application a staff advisory opinion was obtained from the Compensation and Entitlements Division of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff G1, which indicates that a Uniformed Travel Determination change to the Joint Federal Travel Regulation, U4129-H, Online Booking Tool clarifies that lodging reimbursement is authorized for hotel lodging obtained through an online booking agent only when the traveler can provide a documented itemized receipt for room costs from the hotel or online booking agent showing the daily hotel room costs, daily hotel taxes, and daily miscellaneous fees, if applicable. Officials at the G-1 opine that the applicant has provided the itemized breakdown of expenses and his request should be approved in the amount of $820.25. The advisory opinion was provided to the applicant for comment and to date no response has been received by the staff of the Board.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicants contention that he should be paid $820.25 for lodging per diem associated with his TDY from 16 19 June 2011 has been noted and appears to have merit.
2. While he may have booked his reservation from a third-party vendor, he did so with prior authorization and saved the government money in the process.
3. Additionally, the subject matter experts at the Department of the Army G-1 indicate that there are provisions that allow for individuals to use third-party vendors if they can provide documented itemized costs, which the applicant has provided.
4. Therefore, given the G-1's recommendation and the information provided by that office, the applicant should be authorized payment of $820.25 for lodging per diem associated with his TDY from 16 19 June 2011.
BOARD VOTE:
___X ___ ___X____ ____X __ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The Board determined that the evidence presented was 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 proper officials accepted his documented itemized costs, approved payment of $820.25 for lodging per diem associated with his TDY from 16 19 June 2011, and paying him that amount.
__________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.
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110018586
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110018586
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