The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

Personnel BY METTE BEECROFT, STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION DIVISION Travel and Transportation: Frequently Asked Questions Responding toquestions about Foreign Service travel and transportation is a chal- lenge, becauseoften there isnoeasy answer. People’s requirements varywidely and the “cookie cutter” approach does not work. Nevertheless, there is acertainbodyof infor- mation that applies to everyone. Some of this information is highlighted below. Q: A big international move is so com- plicated. Where can I get the best guid- ance and assistance? A: Though “It’s Your Move” does not answer every question, it is the best general source of information on moving. Several people have referred to it as their “bible.” It is published by the Divisionof Travel andTransportationwith frequent updates, the latest of which is November 2002. You can obtain a copy from Transportation (Room 1248, Main State) or look on the Intranet (http://lm.a.state.gov). WebMove may also simplify your move. The employee can initiate his/her move request to the transportation office via the department’s Intranet for Washington-to-post moves. Shortly, WebMove will alsobe available for post-to- postmoves. WebMove is designed tohelp reduceproblems associatedwithamoveby introducing a one-stop resource for start- ing the moving process. Find it at http://webmove.a.state.gov. Q: After many years inWashington, D.C., we are again being posted overseas. Where do I begin? A: Many bureaus at the Department of State have their own checkout lists for employees who are being postedoverseas. However, both the personnel technicians (Room2808, Main State) and the Employee Services Center (Room 1252, Main State) have “generic” checkout lists that apply to everyone. The Overseas Briefing Center, located on the NFATC campus, also publishes a useful booklet titled “ForeignServiceAssignment Notebook.” When you move, there are basically three major divisions in the State Department that playa role: (1) theMedical Division; (2) thepersonnel technicians; and (3) the transportation counselors. The transportationcounselor cannot permit an actual pack-out until travel orders are avail- able. Travel orders cannot be prepared (or “cut”)until theemployeehasmedical clear- ance. Thus these three functions are inter- related and take place sequentially. Theemployeeandfamilyobtainmedical clearance from the Medical Division. It is important to schedule the physical exami- nationsasearlyaspossibletoobtainclearance inatimelyfashion.Itisoftenusefultohand- carry a copy of the medical clearance to the appropriate personnel technician (Room 2808). The personnel technicians are assigned according to the first letters of the employee’s last name. Similarly, once the ordershavebeenprepared,itisusefultohand- carrythetravelordersfromthepersonneltech- nicians to the transportation counselors (Room1248). Thetransportationcounselors divideup theirworkbybureaus. For exam- ple,oneteamhandleseveryonewhoisbeing posted to Africa and another team handles everyone posted to Europe. Therearemanyotheritemsonthecheck- lists, but they canbe handledmore flexibly. Thethreestepsmentionedaboveneedtobe taken sequentially. Q: We are going to post with a pet. What do I need to know? A: “Fly America” regulations and airline embargopolicies all limit choices for employees travelingwith a pet. The key is to start early tomakeplans based both on travel options and on any possi- ble restrictions at the post of assignment. The Overseas Briefing Center (http://www.state.gov/www/obc) at the Foreign Service Institute has excellent information on airline policy and on pro- fessional pet shippers. It also has available a standard “TMTWO” from each post. The TMTWO is the welcome message to the employee frompost that outlines host country restrictions on importing pets. Reimbursement for pet shipping charges (transportation only) is available under the “Miscellaneous” portion of the ForeignTransferAllowance (Standardized Regulations 240) andunder the same por- tion of the Home Transfer Allowance (Standardized Regulations 250). Q: How do I arrange to ship a car? A: The first step is to investigate what type of car would be acceptable at post. Host countrieshave var- ious restrictions on themake, age and even color of the cars allowed in country. Some features (suchas tintedglass orwhitehead- lights) are not acceptable. Parts must be available (unless you ship themwith your household effects, known as the HHE). Repair facilities must also be available. Sometimes, a gearshift car is preferable to a car with an automatic transmission. The employee obtains a copy of the JF- 49 from Transportation (Room 1248) or fromthe Intranet , whichhe or she then fills out and sends to the Baltimore Despatch Agency alongwitha copyof the titleor cer- tificate of origin. The address and other contact information are provided on the JF-49. TheDespatchAgency thenarranges for a “drive-away” company to drive the car from your residence to the port—unless you opt to drive it yourself. Sometimes, items not attached to the vehicle disappear in transit, so be sure to remove spare tires and tools fromthe vehi- cle for inclusion in your HHE. It is also prudent to obtain door-to-door marine insurance. The OBC has extensive infor- mation on insurance. If it is necessary to remove the catalytic converterbecause lead- 6 AFSA NEWS • JANUARY 2003 Q & A