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B-197525 1 (1980-03-03)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadiax0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 



                      , THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL
|ECISIN!.  J  OF THE UNITED STATES
                        WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548


FILE: B-197525


DATE:  March 3, 1980


MATTER  OF: PHiC Patrick H. Dunivin, USN


A member of the Navy was separated from A2L9   0
his wife when he transferred to
Washington, D.C., and she remained in
Puerto Rico.  The wife obtained a divorce
in Puerto Rico in February 1976 but the
member did not have knowledge of the,
divorce until February 1977. Basic
Allowance for Quarters (BAQ) at the
dependent rate was.not terminated until
August 1977, resulting in overpayment.
BAQ at dependent rate from February 1976
through February 1977 may be waived since
member was not at fault due to lack of
knowledge of divorce during that period.
BAQ at dependent rate paid after Febru-
ary 1977, to August 1977 may not be
waived since the member was aware of
the divorce and had an obligation to have
the payments stopped or set aside for
refund.


     The issue presented upon an appeal of a waiver denial
by our Claims )ivision is whether a member of a uniformed
service must be considered partially at fault for an over-
payment of basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) at the with
dependent rate where the member's wife upon whom the with
dependent rate was based, obtained a divorce and, due to
distance and lack of communication between the spouses,
the member did not learn of the divorce until a year
later.  In the circumstances of this case the answer is
no, and the debt is waived in part.

     The debt arose due to an erroneous payment of BAQ at
the with dependent rate from February 1976 through August
1977 in the total amount of $3,448.04.

     The file indicates that Chief Petty Officer Patrick H.
Dunivin, USN, had been receiving BAQ at the with dependent
rate while he was stationed in Washington, D.C., but his
wife was located in Puerto Rico. Although there had been


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