November 27, 1996
                                                    


                             GSBCA 13829-TRAV


                    In the Matter of MONTEZE M. JAGGERS


     Monteze M. Jaggers, San Francisco, CA, Claimant.

     John F. Wallace, Director of Resource Management, Corps of
Engineers, Washington, DC, appearing for the Department of the
Army.

GOODMAN, Board Judge.

     Ms. Monteze M. Jaggers is a civilian employee of the Army
Corps of Engineers in San Francisco.  Before leaving in April 1996
for a three week mandatory training course at Fort Lee, Virginia,
she received her travel orders which did not authorize rental and
reimbursement of a vehicle during the training course.  When she
requested authorization for this expense from her supervisor,
authorization was specifically denied, as other transportation was
available.  Ms. Jaggers rented a car during the training course and
thereafter sought reimbursement for $395, the cost of the rental. 
The disbursing officer denied the claim.  The denial of the claim
was then forwarded to the General Accounting Office for review.

     The first requirement for reimbursement of employee travel
expenses is that the travel be authorized by an appropriate
Government official.  In this regard, the Federal Travel Regulation
provides that, except as provided by law,  all travel shall be
either authorized or approved by the head of the agency or by an
official to whom such authority has been delegated.   41 CFR 301-
1.101(b) (1995).  Claims for unauthorized travel--either in advance
or after-the-fact--cannot be settled in favor of the claimant. 
Ronald H. Milligan, GSBCA 13702-TRAV (Sept. 19, 1996).  Ms. Jaggers
cannot show that the use of the rental car was approved in advance
or after-the-fact.  Rather, the use of the rental car was contrary
to her supervisor s specific instruction that such use was not
authorized.

     The Board settles the claim by determining that Ms. Jaggers is
not entitled to reimbursement for the travel at issue.





                                   _________________________
                                   ALLAN H. GOODMAN
                                   Board Judge