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USPHS SUPPLEMENT TO THE JOINT FEDERAL
TRAVEL REGULATIONS FOR RETIREMENT TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION The Joint Federal Travel Regulations
(JFTR) contain basic statutory regulations concerning Uniformed Service members’
travel and transportation.
These regulations
have been interpreted to have the force and effect of law. There may be circumstances when payment of
certain allowances is prohibited in JFTR.
The absence of a prohibition does not imply or grant authority or
permission for any action for which authority does not exist/is not explicitly
allowed in the JFTR. All members of the
active and Reserve Components, without regard to the Service to which assigned,
are covered by JFTR. A member on active duty is authorized travel and transportation allowances to a home of selection (HOS) from the last permanent duty station (PDS) when retired. A member may select a home at one of the following: (1) at any place within the United States, or (2) the home of record outside the United States or the place outside the United States from which a member was initially called or ordered to active duty, or (3) any other place. However, if a member selects as his home a place other than a place described in clause (1) or (2) of the preceding sentence, the travel and transportation allowances authorized upon retirement may not exceed the allowances which would be payable if the place selected as his home were in the continental United States (i.e., the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia). Authorized locations for HHG
transportation for retired members when retired include to or from
non-temporary storage; storage in transit (limited); to home of selection; from
last PDS; from a previous PDS; and from a designated place. Travel to a HOS must be completed
within one year after active duty termination except when undergoing
hospitalization or medical treatment*, education or training**, or other
deserving cases***. The entitlement to
ship HHG at Government expense will terminate unless HHG are turned over to a
carrier for shipment within one year of the retirement effective date unless
extended as described below. A written
time limit extension may be authorized/approved using the secretarial process. The Division of Commissioned Corps
Officer Support (DCCOS) is delegated authority to authorize/approve requests
for extensions of the 1-year time limitation.
The request for extension must include a description of the
circumstances preventing completion of the final move within the allotted time
with documentation supporting the request.
The request must also include the specific additional time period required
to complete the move and acknowledge the extension will not be granted merely
to accommodate personal preferences or convenience (JFTR U5012-I). Within the time limit extension
request, members must also agree to pay all costs for non-temporary storage
(NTS) for any period in excess of 1 year from the date of termination of active
service, or the longer period authorized due to hospitalization or medical
treatment, if applicable. Each extension
equals 1 year but may not be extended for more than a total of 6 years
(including the first year after retirement) from the retirement date. The member must submit the written request (see
attached
sample memorandum) and supporting documentation to: Director, Office of Commissioned Corps Operations ATTN: Travel Coordinator, Office of Commissioned Corps Officer Support
*Hospitalization or Medical
Treatment (JFTR, U5130-B2) A member confined in, or undergoing
treatment at, a hospital on active service termination date is authorized
travel and transportation allowances to a HOS from the last PDS. Travel must be completed within 1 year after
the discharge date form the hospital or termination of medical treatment except
when authorized/approved by the secretarial process. Prior to the expiration of the original 1-year entitlement, you must submit the following documents for an extension of time limitation:
1. Retirement order. 2.
Written
statement from the attending physician where hospitalization or treatment was
provided stating starting date and reason current treatment precludes travel. A member confined in, or undergoing
treatment at, a hospital for any period of time during the initial 1-year
period after the active service termination date is authorized travel and transportation
allowances to a HOS from the last PDS.
Travel must be completed within 1 year after the active service
termination date, plus a period equal to the member’s hospitalization or
treatment. A longer period may be
authorized/approved by the secretarial process. Prior to the expiration of the
original 1-year entitlement, you must submit the following documents for an
extension of time limitation:
1. Retirement order.
2.
Written
statement from the attending physician where hospitalization or treatment was
provided stating starting date and reason current treatment precludes travel. **Education or Training (JFTR,
U5130-B3) A member, who on the active service
termination date is undergoing education or training to qualify for acceptable
civilian employment or who begins such education or training during the 1 year
period after termination is authorized travel and transportation allowances to
a HOS from the last PDS. Travel must be
completed within 1 year after the education or training is completed, or 2
years from the active service termination date, which ever is earlier. The extended time must be authorized/approved
by the secretarial process. A further
extension of this time limit may be authorized/approved by the secretarial
process. Prior to the extension of the
original 1-year entitlement, you must submit the following documents for an
extension of time limitation: 1.
Retirement
order. 2.
Official
statement by the registrar or other appropriate education institution official,
or place of employment for on-the-job-training providing the date the period of
education or training began and the expected date of completion. Education must be on a continual
basis and the member must go at least two major semesters during the school
year or be a half-time student.
Changes
in majors may void future extensions.
Internet and correspondence courses do not qualify for education
extensions. The intent of the program is
to allow members undergoing education or training to qualify for acceptable
civilian employment. ***Other Deserving Cases
(JFTR, U5130-B4) An extension of the 1-year time limit
may be authorized/approved for a period not to exceed six years when an
unexpected event beyond the member’s control prevents the member from moving to
the home of selection within the specified time limit. A time limit extension may also be
authorized/approved for a period not to exceed six years if it is in the best
interest of the Service, or substantially to the benefit of the member and not
costly or otherwise adverse to the Service.
This includes cases where the 1-year time limit has already been
extended due to hospitalization/medical treatment or training/education. If, at the expiration of this extension
period, additional time is required, the member may request a further extension
though the Secretarial Process, citing the reasons for the extension. Extensions are authorized/approved
for the specific period of time, not to exceed six years, the member
anticipates is needed to complete the move (see examples below).
Note: The
circumstances outlined above are guidelines only. Due consideration is to be given to
circumstances surrounding each member’s request. Comptroller General Decision B207157,
Non-Temporary Storage (JFTR, U5365-C) The non-temporary storage (NTS)
authority begins on the date the retirement order is issued and terminates 1
year from the active duty termination date.
Members undergoing hospitalization or medical treatment may have HHG in
NTS continued at Government expense. The
HHG of a member, for whom the 1-year time limit has been extended because of
education or training or other deserving cases, may be continued in NTS with
the Government acting as the member’s agent for the period of the extension at
the member’s expense. The member retains
the right for HHG transportation at Government expense with an extension. Members may have NTS authorization
extended provided: 1) continued storage
is authorized/approved through the Secretarial Process, and 2) the member
agrees to pay all costs for NTS for any period in excess of 1 year from the
date of termination of active service, or the longer period authorized due to
the member undergoing hospitalization or medical treatment, if applicable (JFTR
U5365-C). Upon approval of an extension
for travel and transportation the government maintains the NTS account during
the period of the authorized extension.
The member must reimburse the Government.
Temporary Storage (U5365-C4) Storage in transit (SIT) of a
shipment from NTS is authorized only when necessary because of conditions
beyond the control of the member, such conditions arise after transportation from
NTS, and it is authorized/approved in accordance with Service regulations. Any portion of HHG not placed in NTS may be
placed in SIT as part of HHG transportation. SIT is cumulative and may accrue at
any combination of origin, transit, and destination. HHG storage cannot begin before the date the
HHG are released to a transportation service provider, or the Government for
transportation. A member is authorized
90 days storage in transit for any authorized HHG transportation. If HHG are not removed from storage before
expiration of the first 90-day period, storage charges accruing thereafter are
the member’s responsibility unless additional storage is authorized/approved.
Local Short Distance Moves (U5355-B4) A short distance HHG move between
residences or from NTS in an area to a residence within the PDS limits, same
city, town (intra-city) or metropolitan area (inter-city) is authorized when a
member is retired. The short distance
move is the final HHG transportation authorized. SIT is not authorized for intra-city HHG
moves. SIT for inter-city short distance
moves is limited to special circumstances and must be authorized/approved by
the Secretarial Process. GENERAL INFORMATION/SUMMARY ON
EXTENSIONS 1.
Requests
for retirement HOS travel and transportation extensions should be submitted 90
days prior to entitlement expiration. 2.
Extensions
are not automatically approved. 3.
Each
extension equals 1 year but may not be extended for more than a total of 6
years (including the first year after retirement) from the
retirement/separation date. 4.
Extensions
for medical reasons include non-temporary storage at government expense. 5.
Non-temporary
storage is payable by the member for extensions approved for education or other
deserving cases. 6.
If
your extension is disapproved, the time required for submission/review of the
request does not extend your time limit. |