PCS Departure Date/TDY Enroute School Date

[likearock1515]

I PCS'd from UPT about a month ago for TDY enroute at Altus, but my departure date was a week before my class start date. Since it was a PCS departure, no more housing at the old PDS...it only took two days to arrive at Altus, so I was here for about five days with no class, but still spending money on the hotel.

Went to finance to do an accrual voucher so I could be reimbursed for the hotel, and was told that I would not be reimbursed for any days prior to the day before my class start date....which means I'm paying out of pocket for an unwanted 5 day vacation in lovely Altus, OK. Does anyone know if it is possible to get an amendment on the TDY orders that puts me arriving here when I actually did so I can be reimbursed for those days prior to the class start date? Or did I get boned? At least there's free breakfast...

My only other thought was to claim TLE for those few days ICW the PCS, but I was hoping to use all those TLE days at the new PDS.

[Learjetter]

Aren't you still drawing BAH?

[Smokin]

The orders that sent you TDY should have had reporting instructions attached. It will usually dictate an arrival date, not a RNLTD. If you showed up early, you might be out of luck. You can try for an amendment; if that works, your golden. Otherwise, find a finance guy (ahem... Finance Guy..) who knows what he's doing, tell him what happened, and he might be able to work some magic for you.

[likearock1515]

Reporting instructions were on the AETC ETCA site, and said that students should plan to arrive one day prior to class start date... It went on to say that if students arrive more than one day prior to class start date, to go ahead and report in to student admin on the next duty day, which I did. It just didn't make sense that I would be PCSd seven days prior to the class start date. I am still drawing BAH, so I can definitely pay the ~$400. I just would have much rather spent that money and those extra days in a different location...

Decided to travel straight to Altus based on the fact I thought I was already TDY...not even sure what my "status" was then after being PCS'd, before being "TDY", prior to signing in at a new PDS, and not being on leave. Hate to be the first person to go AWOL to Altus... What exactly was my status after outprocessing a PDS and prior to arriving at a TDY enroute location?...may help knowing that when I go to finance next time.

[stract]

travel status. You get 1 day per 400 mi (TDY) or 350 mi (PCS).

Outside of that, you will be charged leave.

Edited August 27, 2014 by stract

[Ram]

If you were living in on-base housing at UPT, you should start receiving BAH the day you vacated gov't quarters. That is the BAH rate you get until "signing-in" at your new duty station. Because you're allowed some days for house hunting (permissive TDY), you should be able to sign-in early for the PCS.

At any rate, you won't receive your new BAH until you have signed-in, but you should still be earning BAH otherwise. Also, don't forget TLA (temporary lodging allowance or some shit like that), which should be up to 10 days of housing and per diem to help cover PCS lodging expenses. You'll need to file a voucher for that shit.

Talk to a finance NCO who knows their shit, or just use teh googles.

[Smokin]

I'm sure you realize this now, but so others can learn from your mistake...

For next time, and any other younger guys reading this, you generally tell the AF the exact date you are going to PCS. Big blue just gives you a general time frame with a few exceptions. You are given reporting instructions for your next base/assignment/TDY enroute and it is up to you to make sure you meet them. If you have a PCS with a TDY enroute, you need to time your departure to arrive at your TDY at the time the reporting instructions give you. For reporting in to your gaining base, a RLTND is just that. But for a TDY, you generally are given an exact day to arrive on and need to plan your travels accordingly.

I don't mean to talk down to you, but I have no idea what your background is and some OTS and one year ROTC guys just don't have exposure to stuff like this.

Overall, probably won't be too costly. Live and learn.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Smokin

[likearock1515]

Had no idea I could change the departure date...good to know for the future.. Thanks! It was my first outprocessing...happened to others in my class too so we just went with it.

[letsgofast]

PCS w/TDY en route and gov't quarters are directed at TDY location (less than 20 week course).. do I still draw BAH from the PDS I left?  JTR Table 10E-12 Rule 1 says I do but footnote 1 says "The member is not authorized BAH/OHA if assigned Gov’t Qtrs adequate for the member (and dependent(s) if applicable). Start BAH/OHA effective the date of Qtrs termination, if applicable.".

[the g-man]

PCS w/TDY en route and gov't quarters are directed at TDY location (less than 20 week course).. do I still draw BAH from the PDS I left?  JTR Table 10E-12 Rule 1 says I do but footnote 1 says "The member is not authorized BAH/OHA if assigned Gov’t Qtrs adequate for the member (and dependent(s) if applicable). Start BAH/OHA effective the date of Qtrs termination, if applicable.".

You get BAH from departing base.

Source: I once did a PCS with a TDY en route once.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk