Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-05-30
Additional Travel Allowance For
Discharged Soldiers.

Inc Director of Finance having practi-
cally completed payment Of the $50 bonus,
involving about 100000 claims, is now
settling additional travel allowance due
enlisted men of the army under Section 8
OF the Act approved February 20, 1919,
which authorized travel pay to enlisted
men honorably discharged since November
H. 1913, at the rate of cents per mile to
actual bona fide home or residence, or place
OF original muster into the service, at the
option of the soldier.
The Comptroller of the Treasury by de-
cisions of April II and May 3,l919, has au-
thorized the War Department to make
settlement of all claims for the 1-2 cents
difference from place of discharge to place
OF entry into the military service, also the
claims for additional allowance to actual
bona fide home or residence at date of
discharge when such bona fide home or
residence can be determined from the affi-
davit of the soldier and verified by infor-
nation contained in his original service
record. The Zone Finance Officer, Wash
ineton, D. C.. has been designated to settle
these claims with the above restrictions.
Applications should be addressed as fol-
lows:
ZONE FINANCE OFFICER,
Lemon Building,
Travel Allowance. Washington, D. C.
A blank form of application. which in
cludes the necessary affidavit for the addi-
tional travel allowance. may be obtained
from Red Cross Home Service Office. Rock
vile, Md. This affidavit must be accom-
panied by true copy of soldiers dis
charge certificate. certified as such by a
recruiting officer. or the original discharge
certificate, the latter to be returned with
check. While payment will be made on
the original discharge certificate, claimants
are advised that the use Of the copy will
eliminate the possibility Of the loss Of the
original. No further correspondence is
necessary except in case Of change in ad-
dress.
A certified copy of discharge certificate
submitted for payment of $50 bonus and
now on file in the Zone Finance Office will
be accepted in lieu of other copy of orisi-
nal discharge certificate. Men who have
submitted these certified copies will so
state when forwarding claim. Payment
will be made as expeditiously as circum-
stances permit.
In the event that actual bona fide home
orresidence at date of discharge, as claimed
by the soldier, is not the same as stated
on his original service record, the Zone
Finance Officer will make settlement for
the additional 1-2 cent per mile on the
same basis that the 1-2 cents per mile
was paid THAT is. from place Of discharge
to place of entry into military service),
and soldier may make claim to the Auditor
for the War Department for any additional
travel pay which he believes may be due
him.
Men who have been discharged since
February 20, 1919, and paid travel allow
ances at S cents per mile to place Of entry
into military services, and whose actual
bona fide home or residence at date of
discharge involved greater distance, may
submit claim to the Zone Finance Officer.
Washington. d. C.. as above.
1t is pointed out that settlement of travel
allowance claims cannot be accomplished
with the same rapidity which obtained in
the payment of the $50 bonus Each
claim will require certain verifcation by
War Department records. this to be fol-
lowed by mileage calculations in the Zone
Finance Office. The need for accuracy is
obvious, necessitating specialized office
personnel. and it is hoped that this circum-
stance will not be overlooked by those con-
cerned. Every letter or telegram making
inquiry or requesting expedited action will
operate to delay these payments. and the
public is therefore urged to lend full coop
Grafton with view to reducing correspon-
dence to the minimum. keeping in mind
that it will be several days before blank
forms can be placed in the hands of re-
cruiting officers