Board of Contract Appeals General Services Administration Washington, D.C. 20405 ______________________ July 13, 2006 ______________________ GSBCA 16890-RELO In the Matter of JOHN CROSBY John Crosby, Boise, ID, Claimant. Rick Miller, Civilian Travel and Overseas Allowances Policy Manager, Force Sustainment Division, Department of the Air force, Washington, DC, appearing for Department of the Air Force. PARKER, Board Judge. Background In November 2005, John Crosby applied for a GS-11 position as a Supply Specialist at Keesler Air Force Base (KAFB), Mississippi. The vacancy announcement stated that permanent change of station (PCS) costs would not be paid. Mr. Crosby was offered the job and understood that PCS relocation expenses would not be paid when he accepted it. He then loaded his vehicle, drove from his home in Boise, Idaho, and reported for duty as a newly-hired employee at KAFB on January 9, 2006. Since that time, Mr. Crosby has been living in temporary quarters at KAFB. While he was still living in Boise, Mr. Crosby had also applied for a different position at KAFB. The second position, a GS-12 Supply Management Officer, offered PCS benefits. Mr. Crosby was selected for the GS-12 position on February 2, 2006, while he was already working at KAFB. He accepted the offer. The Air Force denied Mr. Crosby's request for PCS costs in connection with his move from Boise to KAFB because, at the time he was selected for the GS-12 position, Mr. Crosby already lived and worked at the base. Mr. Crosby would like to have the Air Force pay to bring his family to KAFB and has asked the Board to review the Air Force's decision to deny reimbursement of those costs. Discussion The Air Force's decision was correct. A "transferred employee" entitled to reimbursement of relocation expenses is "an employee who transfers from one official station to another." 41 CFR 302-3.100 (2005). When Mr. Crosby changed jobs, from a GS-11 Supply Specialist to a GS-12 Supply Management Officer, he did not transfer from one official station to another. Both his old and new official stations were located at KAFB. Accordingly, although the vacancy announcement for his new position stated that PCS costs would be paid, the transfer did not require a change of station. Similarly, because Mr. Crosby already worked at KAFB, he may not be considered to be a newly-hired employee, which the Federal Travel Regulation defines as "[a]n individual who is employed with the Federal Government for the very first time . . . [or] who is returning to the Government after a break in service." 41 CFR 302-3.1(a), (b). Although the timing of the offers and acceptances was somewhat unfortunate for Mr. Crosby, the Air Force was correct in declining to grant his claim for PCS expenses. _______________________ ROBERT W. PARKER Board Judge