Board of Contract Appeals
                 General Services Administration
                      Washington, D.C. 20405



                        __________________

                        December 16, 2005
                        __________________


                         GSBCA 16682-RELO


              In the Matter of THOMAS G. TUCKER, JR.


     Thomas G. Tucker, Jr., San Antonio, TX, Claimant.

     Jerry L. Hammons, Chief, Management and Procedures, Travel Pay Services, Defense
Finance and Accounting Service, Department of Defense, Indianapolis, IN, appearing for
Department of Defense.

GOODMAN, Board Judge.

     Claimant, Thomas G. Tucker, Jr., is a civilian employee of the Department of the
Army.  He has requested that this Board review the agency's denial of reimbursement of
temporary quarters subsistence expenses (TQSE) with regard to a permanent change of
station (PCS) move. 

                       Factual Background

     Claimant was issued travel orders dated March 11, 2004, for a PCS move from
Germany to Texas, which he accomplished in June 2004.  Claimant submitted a travel
voucher requesting reimbursement of $4926.61 for the cost of renting a furnished apartment
and feeding his family from June 25 to July 24, 2004.  The agency denied reimbursement,
basing its denial on the fact that claimant's travel orders did not authorize reimbursement of
TQSE.

     Claimant states that he has executed PCS moves at least six times in the last twenty
years and had been previously reimbursed for expenses he incurred for temporary quarters,
and that he therefore believed he was entitled to reimbursement based on previous practice. 
After filing his request for review to this Board, claimant submitted e-mail messages from
his commanding officer dated September 7 and October 4, 2004, which claimant interprets
as authorization to reimburse TQSE.  In response, the agency affirmed its decision to deny
reimbursement of TQSE, stating that claimant's travel orders have not been amended to
reflect the alleged authorization.

                            Discussion

     Whether to authorize reimbursement of TQSE to a relocating employee is a
determination which is wholly within the discretion of the agency involved.  TQSE is
therefore a discretionary allowance and not an entitlement.  Joint Travel Regulation (JTR)
C13105; see Vanessa G. Outenreath, GSBCA 16316-RELO, 04-2 BCA   32,681; Marvin R.
McGee, GSBCA 15829-RELO, 02-2 BCA   32,002.

     Claimant's travel orders did not authorize reimbursement for TQSE.  While claimant
has submitted information from his commanding officer subsequent to his relocation that he
interprets as authorization for reimbursement of TQSE, there is no evidence that claimant's
travel orders have been amended.  Under the present circumstances we cannot conclude that
the agency's determination was an abuse of discretion. 
     
                            Decision
                                
     The claim is denied.




                                   ____________________________________
                                   ALLAN H. GOODMAN
                                   Board Judge