Need for Additional Improvement in Administering the Temporary Lodging Allowance Program in the Department of Defense

The General Accounting Office (GAO) has made a limited survey to determine whether corrective actions taken or promised by the Department of Defense as a result of prior GAO recommendations have been / effective in improving administrative control over the temporary lodging allowance (TLA) program for military members assigned to duty at overseas locations. Although the military services have made some progress in this area, we feel that much remains to be done. TLA is authorized for members initially reporting at a permanent duty station outside the continental United States while awaiting assignment to Government quarters or completion of arrangements for other permanent-type living accommodations. The allowance is authorized also when permanent accommodations are required to be relinquished prior to departure from the overseas duty station. The purpose of the allowance is to partially reimburse members for the more than normal expenses incurred by them while they are required to use hotel or hotel-like accommodations and public restaurants. The service member and one dependent each receive 50 percent of the travel per diem rate established for the particular overseas area, and each additional dependent receives 25 percent of the prescribed rate. The maximum period of entitlement is 60 days for arrival TLA and 10 days for departure TLA. These entitlement periods can be extended, when justified on an individual-case basis, by major overseas commands.