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Z-Gram #43; dated 13 October 1970

Disbursing Claims Processing

R 131820Z OCT 70
FM CNO (Z-43)

TO NAVOP

UNCLAS //N07280//
DISBURSING CLAIMS PROCESSING

1. I HAVE HAD A STUDY MADE OF THE CURRENT PRACTICES AND PROBLEMS IN PROCESSING CLAIMS (TRAVEL, PER DIEM, ETC.) WITH A VIEW TO REDUCING THE LENGTH OF TIME INVOLVED. EXPEDITIOUS PAYMENT IS IMPORTANT TO THE MEMBER FROM A FINANCIAL AND MORALE STANDPOINT.

2. DELAY IN THE EXPEDITIOUS PROCESSING OF CLAIMS IS INHERENT IN PEAK WORKLOAD PERIODS, SUCH AS DURING SEMIANNUAL PAY RECORD TRANSITION, WHEN W-2S ARE BEING PREPARED IN JANUARY, WHEN LARGE NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL ARE REPORTING IN OR BEING DETACHED DURING OUR LARGE SUMMER ROTATION OF PERSONNEL, MOVEMENT OF CARRIER GROUPS, OPENING AND CLOSING DATES OF SERVICE SCHOOLS, ETC. IT IS NOT ECONOMICALLY PRACTICAL TO PERMANENTLY STAFF OUR DISBURSING OFFICES TO MAINTAIN NORMAL SERVICES DURING SUCH PERIODS. I ENJOIN COMMANDING OFFICERS TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE TO MINIMIZE THE ADVERSE IMPACT ON DISBURSING SERVICE DUE TO PEAK WORKLOAD SITUATIONS. THERE ARE SOME NON-TECHNICAL DISBURSING FUNCTIONS WHICH CAN BE PERFORMED BY OTHER PERSONNEL, SUCH AS SIMPLE COPY TYPING, COMPARING FIGURES AND DATA ON ONE DOCUMENT WITH THOSE ON ANOTHER TO VERIFY CORRECTNESS, ETC. TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS OF PERSONNEL TO ASSIST IN SUCH AREAS WILL BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION. DURING A PEAK WORKLOAD PERIOD, WHEN AN ABNORMAL BACKLOG IN CLAIMS DEVELOPS, THE DISBURSING OFFICER WILL INSURE THAT A PRIORITY SYSTEM OF PROCESSING CLAIMS IS SET UP TO INSURE ACCOMMODATING HARDSHIP CASES; GENERALLY THOSE WITH LARGE AMOUNTS DUE AND WHERE NO TRAVEL ADVANCES WERE DRAWN. A PRIORITY SYSTEM WILL OF NECESSITY AGGRAVATE THE PROCESSING TIME OF THE OTHER CLAIMS AND I ASK THAT THOSE CLAIMANTS APPRECIATE THE SITUATION.

3. THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE BEING OR WILL BE TAKEN WITH A VIEW TO CORRECT OTHER DISCERNABLE CAUSES THAT EXTEND CLAIM PROCESSING TIME.

A. DOD HAS UNDER REVIEW, A COMPLETED DETAILED STUDY OF ALL FACETS OF TRAVEL, INCLUDING THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURE; THE OUTCOME IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE PROCESSING TIME.

B. DURING COMMAND INSPECTIONS, AUDITS, AND EXAMINATIONS, COMMANDERS, THE NAVY AREA AUDIT SERVICE AND THE NAVY REGIONAL FINANCE CENTERS WILL PLACE ADDED EMPHASIS IN THE AREA OF CLAIM PROCESSING PROCEDURES AND PROCESSING TIME.

C. COMMANDING OFFICERS SHOULD COUNSEL MEMBERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUBMITTING CORRECT AND COMPLETE CLAIMS. THE NECESSITY TO CONTACT MEMBERS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR IN DELAYING PAYMENT NOT ONLY TO THE MEMBER INVOLVED BUT TO ALL OTHERS AS WELL. COMMON CRITICAL ERRORS AND OMISSIONS ARE: FAILURE TO SECURE NON-AVAILABILITY ENDORSEMENTS AS TO GOVERNMENT QUARTERS AND MESSING AT TAD LOCATIONS, AND FOR GOVERNMENT AIR WHERE APPLICABLE; FAILURE TO SECURE NON-AVAILABILITY ENDORSEMENTS AS TO GOVERNMENT QUARTERS AND MESSING AT TAD LOCATIONS, AND FOR GOVERNMENT AIR WHERE APPLICABLE; FAILURE TO GIVE COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST (TR) USAGE INFORMATION; MEMBERS INCORRECTLY INDICATE USE OF NON-GOVERNMENT QUARTERS AND MEALS IN PART I OF DD-1351-2; SUCH USE WOULD CALL FOR A REDUCED PER DIEM RATE (NON-GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE COMMERCIAL. THE DEFINITION IS CONTAINED ON THE REVERSE OF THE FORM AND SHOULD BE READ). MEMBERS SHOULD LEAVE THE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION BLOCK BELOW THEIR SIGNATURE BLANK; OMISSION OF OR ERRONEOUS ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES AND DATES; FAILURE TO SIGN CLAIM.

D. TO MINIMIZE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP RELATED TO TRAVEL, MEMBERS SHOULD BE COUNSELED AS TO THEIR PRIVILEGE TO DRAW ADVANCES FOR PCS TRAVEL AND TAD, PAY ADVANCES INCIDENT TO PCS, AND TO OBTAIN GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS (TRS) FOR TRAVEL, INCLUDING THAT OF DEPENDENTS.

4. COMMANDING OFFICERS SHOULD COUNSEL MEMBERS ON THE PROPER PREPARATION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSS AND DAMAGE CLAIMS. COMMON CRITICAL DEFICIENCIES ARE LACK OF DOCUMENTATION OF EITHER ORIGINAL COST OR APPRAISED VALUE OF EXPENSIVE OR UNCOMMON ITEMS AND FOR REQUIRED ESTIMATES FOR REPAIRS TO DAMAGED ITEMS; OMISSION OF DATE AND PLACE OF PURCHASE; AND DISPOSAL OF DAMAGED ITEMS BEFORE NAVY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO INSPECT THEM. MEMBERS SHOULD BE ADVISED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT TO SHOW THE DAMAGED GOODS TO THE INSPECTOR AT THE SCHEDULED TIME. RESCHEDULING ABORTED VISITS IS VERY COSTLY TO THE ENTIRE CLAIM PROCESSING OPERATION. COOPERATION BY MEMBERS IN THESE AREAS WILL HELP EXPEDITE PAYMENT OF THEIR CLAIMS.

5. BASED ON THE STUDY AND IN ANTICIPATION OF ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ACTIONS, I BELIEVE THAT A GOAL OF TEN WORKING DAYS MAXIMUM PROCESSING TIME FOR ALL CLAIMS IS FEASIBLE AND SHOULD BE NORMALLY ATTAINABLE WITH PERSONNEL ALLOWANCES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. I RECOGNIZE THAT SOME DISBURSING ACTIVITIES ARE PROCESSING CLAIMS IN LESS THAN THE 10 DAY GOAL SPECIFIED. I ENCOURAGE THESE ACTIVITIES TO CONTINUE THIS FINE PERFORMANCE. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF ALL CLAIMS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE; I EXPECT EVERYONE TO WORK TOWARD THAT END. E.R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U.S. NAVY, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
BT

__________

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS:
DOD: Department of Defense
NAVPERS: Navy Personnel Command
PCS: permanent change of station
TAD: temporary additional duty

[END]
Published: Mon Oct 03 07:26:47 EDT 2016