Army; Authorizing OCONUS Travel for Spouse due to PCS?
I have been having a huge problem with the Army concerning this ordeal, so just let me start from the beginning: I was stationed in Korea for a period of two years (April 08 - April 10). I met my wife in Korea, she is a Korean national, and we wed in February 2010. After we got married I went to my S1 shop to make sure she would get put on my orders since I was PCSing soon. They told me to wait until I actually get my orders. Well something messed up and I had to report to Ft. Knox, Ky on the day I was supposed to DEROS. So when I got those orders I took them to S1 to amend the orders and put my wife on them. Then they told me I couldn't do that since I don't have 1 year left on my contract, (but I was barred from re-enlisting at that time due to a medical condition. Otherwise I would have). So they told me when I get to Knox, the S1 there can do it. So I arrived here at Knox on April 12th, and immediatly began working on getting my wife over here. I went to S1 to talk to them about amending my orders, but they said it's impossible to do it in Ky since the orders were cut in Korea. They got a hold of someone back in Korea and said it was absolutely possible my wife could have been put on orders to travel to the States at the governments expense (since she is my dependent). Either my last S1 didn't know about it, or were too lazy. So the S1 and finance office began helping me put her on my orders. They have been communicating with someone back in Korea to help me out. Finally my orders were amended from the original to stating this, (I am only copying the pertinate paragraph): (d) Dependents (YES) reimbursement for land travel in the continental United States during the Permanent Change of Station portion of movement to assist in the movement of your dependents, privately owned vehicle and HHG is limited to that from the cost effective APOD to the authorized designated location of your dependents at Pocheon City, South Korea 487-831 and onward movement to your next duty station. Ok. Now I spotted this problem from the get-go. It states "Reimbursement for land travel in the continental United States". There is no mention of overseas travel. Now. My wife went to the travel office back in Korea with the original orders, and the amended orders. But they gave no mention of that little part, all they told her was that she is unauthorized to fly at the govt's expense because she is a Korean, and we married in Korea. I have never, in my military career, heard of that type of rule before. As far as I was aware, dependents are authorized free travel as long as they are on orders. Doesn't matter if they are Korean, Philipino, Russian, or Mexican. She has an ID card, is enrolled in TriCare, has a passport, and her Visa. There shouldn't be any issues here. So what my S1 is attempting to do now, is contact their contact in Korea and see if he can amend the orders once more and put in she is authorized overseas flight travel. But they said it probably wouldn't work. Tickets are about $1,200 and I don't have that kind of money to spend on a ticket, and the medical portion of her Visa expires in a month. Has anyone ever heard of a dependent being denied authorized travel due to being a non-US citizen (even though she is listed as my dependent)? Does anyone have any experience in this kind of a situation? How about a regulation I can throw in their face? I was searching the internet but couldn't really find anything on this. And are there any other options I can use in-case the orders thing falls through? I know this was long, and I appreciate any help I can get. 19K
Military - 3 Answers
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1 :
I have 2 points to state here: 1. Write your Congressional Representative. The military had to approve your marriage and obviously approved your orders (amended) so they are in the wrong and need to be held accountable. Trust me when I say, writing your congressman gets results. Just do yourself a favor and make sure your commander knows what you are doing. They hate surprise calls about congressionals. 2. If she has a passport and a visa, as you stated, why not just buy her a ticket and get her over here? Yes it would cost you, but I bet your bride would appreciate your effort. Good luck and thanks for your service.
2 :
She cannot use Space A for travel as she is overseas herself without you with her. She could have used it while you were stationed overseas to travel to and from the mainland or if you are deployed longer than 120 days. But as she is attempting to move to the US from Korea it is not an option. She could have been authorized travel even if she is Korean because she is listed as a dependent. But because the orders were amended after you had reported in the US that could be why they will not grant her the ticket. You can go to Army Family Services and talk to them about it and see if they will give you teh money to pay for hte ticket. This would be a loan that you repay back each month but it is an option. Then when she arrives you take the ticket and file it with Travel office and see if they will refund the money. She does need to fly on an American carrier not Korean.
3 :
she's not authorized cuz she is considered an aquired dependent.. she was NOT on your orders to Korea so she is ineligible to be flown From Korea to your next duty station. you will have to foot the bill yourself or get a AER loan to cover it. In other words, they never foot the bill for her to go to Korea so they won't foot the bill for her to leave Korea. her being a dependent is not in question. only her eligibility for authorized travel expenses. once she arrives in the States all orders after that should have her included automatically(Ibarring any trips to Diego Garcia or Souda Bay)
