Authorization:

Civilian employees (not on TDY orders), dependents of both Service members and civilian employees, and approved escort for a dependent are authorized evacuation allowances when ordered/directed to leave a CONUS location due to unusual emergency circumstances.

Civilian employees and their dependents follow two different sets of regulations for allowances related to evacuations. The authority for evacuations of civilian employees and their dependents in the CONUS is the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations 5 CFR, Part 550, subpart D. Provisions specifically for DoD civilian employees are in JTR, Chapter 6. Allowances for a uniformed service member’s dependents are in JTR, Chapter 6.

Things to keep in mind…

  • The decision of local civil officials to evacuate an area is not sufficient. The appropriate authorizing official must authorize or order an evacuation since civil officials cannot obligate expenditure of DoD funds. Evacuation allowances can only be paid as of the date the evacuation is authorized or ordered. These allowances cannot be authorized retroactively.
  • All documentation to include receipts must be in the evacuees name not in the military sponsors name when evacuee is a military members dependent.

Allowances:

Transportation and Per Diem En Route to the Safe Haven Location

Authorized evacuees receive transportation and per diem for allowable travel time, excluding personal travel time, from evacuated location to safe haven location.

If an authorized evacuee travels to a location other than the safe haven location, then payment is limited to the authorized area and the standard CONUS per diem rate applies unless the alternate location is later approved by the authorizing or ordering official.

Traveling by Privately Owned Vehicle (POV)

Authorized evacuees traveling by a POV to and from a safe haven are reimbursed at the TDY mileage rate.

Things to Keep in mind….

  • Shipment of a POV to a safe haven is not authorized.
  • When a military dependent is unable to drive a POV to the safe haven location, a local travel allowance at the rate of $25 a day per family is authorized to offset expenses incurred for local travel.
At the Safe Haven (SH) Location

Authorized evacuees are paid safe haven allowances, a combination of entitlements for lodging and M&IE.

The lodging allowance can pay for commercial quarters (established lodging facility in which evacuee incurs a cost) and must be documented by a receipt. To determine the maximum allowable amount, please click here:  https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/perdiemCalc.cfm

Authorized Allowance:
Duration at Safe Haven 12 Years of Age and Older Less than 12 Years of Age
First 30 Days A maximum of 100 percent of the locality per diem rate for the area A maximum of 50 percent of the locality per diem rate for the area
31 - 180 Days Up to 60 percent of the locality per diem rate for the area Up to 30 percent of the locality per diem rate for the area

After 180 days:

  • Service members' dependent: Safe haven allowances terminate 180 days after the evacuation order was issued unless extended by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
  • Civilian employees' and their dependents: Safe haven allowances terminates on the 181st day after the evacuation order was issued.  Any subsequent order issued after the 180th day constitutes a separate order, starts a separate 180 day period and applies only to evacuees departing under that order.  The same authority that issued the evacuation order can issue the subsequent order.
Things to keep in mind….
  • Tax for lodging are a separate reimbursable expense.
  • If dependents of Service members or civilian employees remain in their home and choose not to evacuate, they are not authorized safe haven or special allowances for subsistence.
  • Service members dependents: Reimbursement for lodging is not authorized if staying with friends or relatives.
  • Civilian Employees and dependents: Reimbursement for lodging is not ordinarily authorized if staying  with friends or relatives, but may be approved if the traveler can substantiate an additional cost that the host incurred for providing lodging.

Escort Dependents

A Service member may be authorized round-trip travel and transportation allowances to escort dependents incapable of traveling alone to the safe haven. This is considered official travel if the Service member is on active-duty or TDY status.

Unaccompanied Baggage

Service members' dependents: May ship up to 350 pounds of unaccompanied baggage per dependent age 12 or older and 175 pounds per dependent under age 12 for a total of 1,000 pounds. Must be authorized or approved and requires a letter from Transportation Office. Air Freight Replacement may be authorized on the orders in lieu of unaccompanied baggage.

Civilian Employees and dependents: There is no authority for the Government to ship or pay for shipment of unaccompanied baggage.

Household Goods (HHG)

Service members' dependents: Installation commanders have the authority to ship or store household goods (HHG) using local operation and maintenance (O&M) funds, including quarters-to-quarters (Government, privatized, and local economy) moves and non-temporary storage (NTS) of HHG for quarters that become uninhabitable at locations in the CONUS due to a natural disaster.

Civilian Employees and dependents: Movement of HHG to the safe haven may be authorized for an evacuation. Local moves may be authorized under JTR, par. 054802, short-distance transfers. There is no authority for HHG storage.

Local Travel Allowance

Service members' dependents: When a dependent is unable to drive a POV to the safe haven location, a local travel allowance at the rate of $25 per a day per a family is authorized to offset expenses incurred for local travel.

Civilian Employees' dependents: There is no authority to pay a local travel allowance for dependents of civilian employees.

Evacuation Termination

The authority that authorized or ordered the evacuation may terminate the evacuation and authorize return to the permanent duty station (PDS):

A. If the authorized evacuee returns to the evacuated PDS, then transportation and per diem are authorized and any HHG or unaccompanied baggage are returned to the PDS. As a reminder, If an authorized evacuee travels to a location other than the safe haven location, then payment is limited to the authorized area and allowances may be limited.

B. Movement to a designated place or to another PDS.

  • Service member’s dependents: Authorized to move to a designated place are authorized PCS transportation, per diem to that location, unaccompanied baggage, HHG / POV transportation, a dislocation allowance, and safe haven allowances at the designated place for up to 30 days while establishing a permanent residence.
  • Civilian Employees dependents: Authorized to move to a designated place, then transportation and per diem, in addition to HHG from the evacuated PDS or safe haven, are authorized to the designated place. Safe haven allowances are authorized at the designated place until a permanent residence is established provided the civilian employee and/or their dependents do not exceed the 180-day limit.
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Page Updated September 29, 2021