I've been ghosting this board for weeks getting many of my pre-Korea questions answered, but this is my first official post. DH reports to Osan in June, and I plan on coming ncs. However, before we even get to start worrying about Korea, we're supposed to TDY for 4 months in TX. (currently in CA) TMO at our base is completely incompetent, so DH and I have been scouring the JFTR trying make the best of our situation. Basically we have to do the move to TX over Christmas leave, and we just got the orders two days ago. Since it's TDY we're only allowed to move 400 lbs, so we're moving ourselves and assuming we're not going to get reimbursed for much. Because it was taking forever to get orders, DH's commander told us a month ago to go ahead and buy our plane tickets home and then to our follow-on. TMO is saying that normally they would have paid for DH's ticket, but since we already purchased it they can't reimburse us. Also since the move is en-route, we can't get any per diem pay or any type of travel allowance.

Does this sound correct to you all, or is there a reg I haven't been able to find about travel reimbursement? I read the TDY chapter, but I'm not sure what I can apply to our situation and what I can't.

Sorry, I know this isn't really a Korea question, but many of you seem to know your regs so I thought I'd ask here since I wasn't getting a response on other military forums ...

I cannot answer everything, but you will get the money back for your hubby's ticket....but you'll only get back what it would cost the military. So if the ticket cost you $1000 and the military can get it for $500 then your going to loose $500.

__________________
CH-47 SI

They must find it difficult...

Those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than truth as the authority. --Gerald Massey

Do you know how we'd go about getting that money? Hubby is AF, and TMO told us that the AF is the only branch that won't reimburse plane tickets.

TMO is wrong. When he gets to Osan all h has to do is file the paperwork. I haven't heard of anyone having problems getting reimbursed for their tickets.

Hi, Fairmaiden, and welcome to the wonderful world of NCS!

I wasn't particularly clear whether you're speaking of your DH's tickets to Korea, or to the TDY in Texas.

In either situation, it's finance, not TMO that determines reimbursement on expenses due to travel, I'd recommend contacting the finance department as your *gaining* base , as they're the ones who will be determining whether you'll be reimbursed or not. Save the receipt for your hubby's ticket for documentation, you'll need it to file that claim on your travel voucher when you get to your next base... Also, get a statement from TMO as to the amount they'd pay for your husband's ticket, as your reimbursement amount will be determined by that statement, as chuck explained. I would also, if possible, get some kind of statement from your hubby's Commander, stating that he advised your hubby to purchase his ticket, and why. That should definitely help your case.

Sadly, you will not be reimbursed for your flight, or travelling expenses, nor will your hubby receive per diem for you as you travel, and you will not receive any reimbursement, even if it's forthcoming, until you're at your next base,and file your travel voucher.

A personal anecdote..we purchased our own plane tickets to Korea, hubby included, instead of going through TMO, and were reimbursed for his plane ticket. He included the claim, and a receipt for his ticket on his travel voucher. However, when we got our tickets to return home, we were informed of a recently enacted AF TMO policy that states that since the travel is overseas, TMO is supposed to buy the tickets, and that finance wouldn't reimburse for our puchase. My hubby questioned the TMO rep and was referred to finance, finance told him that they would reimburse for the ticket, with the proper documentation...and in our initial assignment briefing, on VMPF, it clearly stated that my hubby can buy his own ticket, so..we do have that documentation as a supporting argument.

Who's right? The TMO rep who advised us or the Finance rep we spoke to? We don't know yet, as hubby hasn't filed his travel voucher here at our next base, yet. We're not counting on getting that money back, but if we do, it'll be a pleasant surprise. I'll let you know what we find out.

Just remember, if you're not reimbursed for the expense, keep your receipt and claim it on your taxes as a work-related expense.. at least that way, you'll have some return on your investment.

One thing is for certain, dealing with TMO is frustrating, and often the answers you get will vary from representative to representative.

An odd side question..you mentioned something about getting tickets to your follow-on.. were you even able to get those over a year in advance? And if so, are they refundable/flexible tickets? The only reason I ask this is because I think most of us have experienced the truth of the statement 'The only predictable thing in the AF is unpredictability'. I've seen deros dates changed due to the needs of the AF, and I've also seen follow-ons changed in the midst of a tour, and I'd hate for you to have to be stuck with tickets you can't use if things *do* change.

Dee :)

P.S. Where in Texas will you be going on your TDY? We just arrived at a base here,and love it. :)

Sorry I wasn't clear, I was talking about our plane tickets to our TDY. And follow-on base probably wasn't the best wording .. I meant that we have two tickets -- CA to MO (home for Christmas), and then MO to TX. Rather than coming back to our regular base after winter exodus, we're supposed to report at the TDY base instead. Because of this, we apparently can't get a travel allowance since hubby will be on leave, which really isn't fair since we weren't the ones who decided to move to the TDY over Christmas We will need a rental car to get from the airport to the base; anyone think finance will cover it?

Oh and Dee, we're being stationed at Goodfellow AFB until my hubby goes to Osan this spring. Where are you?