DoD's Shipment of Service Members' Foreign-Made Automobiles
Abstract
Although service members are entitled to ship one privately owned vehicle at government expense when transferred overseas, DOD has historically limited such shipments to vehicles manufactured or purchased in the United States. In May 1977, after the Japanese government imposed strict vehicle standards, DOD embargoed shipments to Japan of post-1976 vehicles. DOD, in an attempt to reconcile the hardship it felt it had placed on service members transferred to Japan, designated Guam as an alternate port. This designation enabled uniformed service members to ship, at government expense, foreign-made vehicles purchased in Guam to their new duty stations upon completion of their tours in Japan. DODs actions were not inconsistent with the law. Whether its actions were inconsistent with congressional intent is questionable. The alternate port policy has resulted in increased sales of Japanese-made vehicles since uniformed service members realize considerable savings by purchasing vehicles in Guam. In 1984, DOD spent about $2 million shipping more than 1,300 Japanese-made vehicles from Guam.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 17, 1985
- Accession Number
- AD1177848
Entities
People
- Frank C. Conahan
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office