§ 554. Travel and transportation; dependents; household and personal effects; trailers; additional movements; motor vehicles; sale of bulky items; claims for proceeds; appropriation chargea
(a)
In this section, “household and personal effects” and “household effects” may include, in addition to other authorized weight allowances, two privately owned motor vehicles which may be shipped at United States expense. Under regulations prescribed by the Secretaries concerned, and in place of the transportation of household and personal effects, a dependent, who would otherwise be entitled to transportation of household and personal effects under this section, may transport a house trailer or mobile dwelling within and between the areas specified in section
409 of this title for use as a residence by one of the following means—
(2)
deliver it to an agent of the United States for transportation by the United States or by commercial means; or
If a trailer or dwelling is transported under clause (2) or (3), that transportation may include two privately owned motor vehicles which may be shipped at United States expense. Transportation, and incidental costs, authorized by this section shall be at United States expense without any cost limitation, and any payment authorized may be made in advance of the transportation concerned.
(b)
Transportation (including packing, crating, drayage, temporary storage, and unpacking of household and personal effects) may be provided for the dependents and household and personal effects of a member of a uniformed service on active duty (without regard to pay grade) who is officially reported as dead, injured, ill, or absent for a period of more than 29 days in a missing status—
(2)
to the residence of his dependent, next of kin, or other person entitled to custody of the effects, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned; or
(3)
on request of the member (if injured or ill), or his dependent, next of kin, or other person described in clause (2), to another location determined in advance or later approved by the Secretary concerned, or his designee.
When he considers it necessary, the Secretary concerned may, with respect to the household and personal effects of a member who is officially reported as absent for a period of more than 29 days in a missing status, authorize the nontemporary storage of those effects for a period of one year, or longer when justified. In addition, he may authorize additional movements of, and prescribe transportation for, the dependents and household and personal effects, or the dependents and house trailer or mobile dwelling, of a member who is officially reported as absent for a period of more than one year in a missing status.
(c)
When a member described in subsection (b) is in an injured or ill status, transportation of dependents and household and personal effects authorized by this section may be provided only when prolonged hospitalization or treatment is anticipated.
(d)
Transportation requested by a dependent may be authorized under this section only if there is a reasonable relationship between the circumstances of the dependent and the requested destination.
(e)
In place of the transportation for dependents authorized by this section, and after the travel is completed, the Secretary concerned may authorize—
(f)
The Secretary concerned may store the household and personal effects of a member described in subsection (b) until proper disposition can be made. The cost of the storage and transportation (including packing, crating, drayage, temporary storage, and unpacking) of household and personal effects shall be charged against appropriations currently available.
(g)
The Secretary concerned may, when he determines that there is an emergency and a sale would be in the best interests of the United States, provide for the public or private sale of motor vehicles and other bulky items of household and personal effects of a member described in subsection (b). Before a sale, and if practicable, a reasonable effort shall be made to determine the desires of the interested persons. The net proceeds received from the sale shall, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, be sent to the owner or other persons. If there are no such persons, or if they or their addresses are not known within one year from the date of sale, the net proceeds may be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
(h)
Claims for net proceeds that are covered into the Treasury under subsection (g) may be filed with the Secretary of Defense by the rightful owners, their heirs or next of kin, or their legal representatives at any time before the end of a 5-year period from the date the proceeds are covered into the Treasury. When a claim is filed, the Secretary of Defense shall allow or disallow it. A claim that is allowed shall be paid from the appropriation for refunding money erroneously received and covered. If a claim is not filed before the end of the 5-year period from the date the proceeds are covered into the Treasury, it is barred from being acted on by the courts or the Secretary of Defense.
(i)
If a motor vehicle of a member (or a dependent of the member) that is transported at the expense of the United States under this section does not arrive at the authorized destination of the vehicle by the designated delivery date, the Secretary concerned shall reimburse the dependent for expenses incurred after that date to rent a motor vehicle for the dependent’s use. The amount reimbursed may not exceed $30 per day, and the rental period for which reimbursement may be provided expires after 7 days or on the date on which the delayed vehicle arrives at the authorized destination (whichever occurs first). In a case in which two motor vehicles of a member (or the dependent or dependents of a member) are transported at the expense of the United States, no reimbursement is payable under this subsection unless both motor vehicles do not arrive at the authorized destination of the vehicles by the designated delivery date.