Displaced families can seek safe haven within United States Published Sept. 8, 2005 By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Military families and Department of Defense civilians and their family members ordered to evacuate military installations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama because of Hurricane Katrina are now authorized to select an alternate safe haven anywhere in the continental United States, defense officials confirmed Sept. 7.David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, announced the new policy for servicemembers and their families in a memo sent to the service secretaries Sept. 1. A similar memo for civilian employees was sent out Sept. 2.The authority applies to family members whose housing was declared uninhabitable following the hurricane, Mr. Chu wrote.Affected civilian employees must remain within the geographic area designated by their respective commanders. However, their family members may seek a safe haven anywhere within the lower 48 states, with the federal government picking up the tab for their travel costs and per diem, said Dick Nicholson, a human resources specialist in DOD's office of civilian personnel policy.Military families affected by the policy qualify for up to two months of advance pay, and military family members will receive safe haven allowances for up to 180 days after arriving at their alternate safe haven location, Mr. Chu wrote. For civilians and their families, the allowance authorization extends for the duration of the evacuation order, but no longer than 180 days. Military family members, civilian employees and their immediate family members age 12 and over will receive travel pay and 100-percent of the per diem for their safe haven location for the first 30 days, Mr. Nicholson said. DOD will pay full travel costs and 50-percent of the per diem rate for family members under age 12.Allowances will be paid in accordance with the Joint Forces Travel Regulation, with calculations generally following rules for temporary duty travel: the actual cost of lodging, plus a separate meal and incidental allowance, said Lt. Col. Al Bruner, of Mr. Chu's office.For more information, servicemembers can contact the Defense Finance and Accounting Service's 24-hour, toll-free hotline at (800) 756-4571 and request option 6.Two additional civilian personnel policies are under consideration and expected to be approved soon, Mr. Nicholson said.One policy would permit former civilian employees who accepted a voluntary separation incentive when they retired or resigned to return to the federal workforce without penalty to support hurricane-recovery efforts, Mr. Nicholson said.Normally, these former employees would have to return their "early out" bonuses if they return to federal employment within five years of retiring or resigning. A program that will allow federal employees to donate annual leave to hurricane-affected civilians is also expected to be instituted soon.President Bush approved the effort, and the Office of Personnel Management directed all federal agencies, including DOD, to implement it. Each military department will operate its own leave-donation program for its civilian work force, Mr. Nicholson said.