DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY  2800 DEFENSE PENTAGON  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2800	2/23/2006

MEMORANDUM FOR :

SEE DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT :

REVISED AUTHORIZED BAGGAGE POLICY FOR SECURITY COOPERATION EDUCATION/TRAINING

REFERENCE :

1. DOD 5105.38-M, SECURITY ASSISTANCE MANAGEMENT MANUAL (SAMM), CHAPTER 10, C10.6.10 TABLE C10.T10

1. AIRLINES HAVE TIGHTENED THEIR CHECKED BAGGAGE POLICIES WITHIN THE PAST FEW YEARS. MOST NOW CHARGE EXTRA FOR AUTHORIZED CHECKED BAGGAGE WEIGHING MORE THAN 50 POUNDS PER BAG, INSTEAD OF 70 POUNDS PER BAG (AS PREVIOUSLY ALLOWED). DUE TO THE AIRLINES POLICY CHANGES FOR THEIR AUTHORIZED CHECKED BAGGAGE WEIGHT ALLOWANCE, IT IS NECESSARY TO REVISE REFERENCE POLICY. THIS NEW POLICY WILL REPLACE OUR EARLIER POLICY AND IS EFFECTIVE UPON DATE TIME GROUP OF THIS MESSAGE. INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STUDENTS (IMS) CURRENTLY IN THE US WHO HAVE INVITATIONAL TRAVEL ORDERS (ITO) AUTHORIZING THE OLD REFERENCE EXCESS BAGGAGE POLICY WILL BE GIVEN THE CHOICE OF STAYING UNDER THE OLD POLICY OR CONVERTING TO THE NEW POLICY. IN MOST CASES THE NEW POLICY WILL BE MORE BENEFICIAL.
2. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TRAINING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TMS) VERSION 6.003 WILL NOT BE CHANGED TO REFLECT THE NEW AUTHORIZED BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES. TMS VERSION 7, TO BE FIELDED IN OCTOBER 2006, WILL CONTAIN THE UPDATED AUTHORIZED BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES. IN THE INTERIM, ALL SAO S WHO PREPARE ITOS FOR IMS FUNDED IN PART OR IN WHOLE BY USG PROGRAMS, SHOULD LEAVE BLOCK 12.I BLANK AND PLACE THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZATION LANGUAGE FROM PARA. 4(A)(1) THROUGH (5) BELOW IN BLOCK 15 OF THE REMARKS SECTION ON THE ITO.
3. WHEN TRAVEL/TRANSPORTATION IS FUNDED BY THE COUNTRY THE COST OF TRANSPORTING IMS PERSONAL EXCESS BAGGAGE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE IMS OR THE HOME COUNTRY/GOVERNMENT.

4. THE BAGGAGE WEIGHT ALLOWANCES DECRIBED IN PARAGRAPHS (A)(1) THROUGH (A)(5) BELOW ARE AUTHORIZED FOR IMS ONLY WHEN TRAVEL COSTS ARE CHARGED TO THE USG FUNDED PROGRAM. THEY APPLY TO BOTH OVERSEAS TRAVEL AND TRAVEL TO US EDUCATION/TRAINING INSTILLATIONS OR LOCATIONS. BAGGAGE IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED IN THIS POLICY WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF IMS OR THE HOME COUNTRY/GOVERNMENT.

   EXCESS BAGGAGE IS AUTHORIZED FOR IMS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS (BASED ON DURATION OF EDUCATION/TRAINING AND TYPE OF COURSE(S)). EXCESS BAGGAGE IS THE AMOUNT OVER THE BAGGAGE AUTHORIZATION/LIMIT PERMITTED BY THE TRANSPORTATION CARRIER. EDUCATION/TRAINING DURATION INDICATED IN PARAGRAPHS (1) THROUGH (5) BELOW IS DETERMINED USING THE REPORT DATE FOR THE FIRST COURSE AND THE PROJECTED GRADUATION DATE FOR THE LAST PROGRAMMED COURSE (EXCLUDING ANY AUTHORIZED LEAVE OR TRAVEL).

   1. TWO PIECES OF CHECKED BAGGAGE, NOT TO EXCEED 50 POUNDS EACH, ARE AUTHORIZED FOR IMS WHEN EDUCATION/TRAINING IS 12 WEEKS OR LESS. NO EXCESS BAGGAGE IS AUTHORIZED.
   2. THREE TOTAL PIECES OF CHECKED BAGGAGE, NOT TO EXCEED 50 POUNDS EACH, ARE AUTHORIZED FOR IMS WHEN EDUCATION/TRAINING IS 13 THROUGH 23 WEEKS. (ONE PIECE OF EXCESS BAGGAGE IS AUTHORIZED.)
   3. FOUR TOTAL PIECES OF CHECKED BAGGAGE, NOT TO EXCEED 50 POUNDS EACH, ARE AUTHORIZED FOR IMS WHEN EDUCATION/TRAINING IS 24 THROUGH 35 WEEKS. (TWO PIECES OF EXCESS BAGGAGE ARE AUTHORIZED.)
   4. FIVE TOTAL PIECES OF CHECKED BAGGAGE, NOT TO EXCEED 50 POUNDS EACH, ARE AUTHORIZED FOR IMS WHEN EDUCATION/TRAINING IS 36 WEEKS AND LONGER. (THREE PIECES OF EXCESS BAGGAGE IS AUTHORIZED.)
   5. IN ADDITION TO THE ALLOWANCE IN PARAGRAPHS (1) THROUGH (4) ABOVE, ONE ADDITIONAL PIECE OF EXCESS BAGGAGE (NOT TO EXCEED 50 POUNDS) IS AUTHORIZED FOR THE FOLLOWING IMS RECEIVING US FUNDED TRAVEL:
      1. AUTHORIZED ACCOMPANIED DEPENDENTS WHEN IMS IS ATTENDING EDUCATION/TRAINING PROGRAMS LISTED IN TABLE C10.T3 OF THE SAMM.
      2. IMS ATTENDING FLIGHT TRAINING.
5. IF US AND FOREIGN FLAG CARRIER AIRLINES DIFFER IN AUTHORIZED/FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE, OR IF BAGGAGE IS AUTHORIZED IN EXCESS OF 2 PIECES AND 100 POUNDS, TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS MAY ISSUE A MISCELLANEOUS CHARGE ORDER (MCO), OR THE EQUIVALENT TO COVER THE DIFFERENCE, UP TO THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED BY THIS POLICY.
6. IMS ENROUTE TO EDUCATION/TRAINING OR RETURNING TO HOME COUNTRY:
   1. FOR IMS ENROUTE TO EDUCATION/TRAINING, THE SAO MAY DETERMINE THE COST OF THE AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE AND INCLUDE THE COST IN THE IMS ADVANCE LIVING ALLOWANCE PAYMENT OR ISSUE A MCO. IF NEITHER A MCO, NOR ADVANCE PAYMENT OF THE AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE IS FEASIBLE, THE IMS MAY PRESENT THEIR EXCESS BAGGAGE RECEIPT AND FILE A TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM UPON ARRIVAL AT THE FIRST TRAINING LOCATION. SAO SHOULD NOTIFY THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STUDENT OFFICER (IMSO) AT THE FIRST TRAINING LOCATION TO MAKE HIM/HER AWARE THAT IMS WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A MCO OR EXCESS BAGGAGE PAYMENT PRIOR TO DEPARTING COUNTRY.
   2. FOR IMS ENROUTE TO FOLLOW-ON TRAINING, IF A MCO IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE IMSO MAY DETERMINE THE COST OF THE AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE AND INCLUDE THE COST IN THE IMS FINAL LIVING ALLOWANCE PAY VOUCHER. FOR AIR FORCE SPONSORED IMS,THE CONTRACT TRAVEL OFFICE WILL ENTER THE PRICE OF THE EXCESS BAGGAGE IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE IMS TRAVEL ITINERARY. THE IMSO WILL ENSURE THAT THE ITINERARY WITH ANNOTATED EXCESS BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE COST IS INCLUDED IN THE IMS FINAL LIVING ALLOWANCE PAY VOUCHER.
   3. FOR IMS RETURNING TO HOME COUNTRY, THE IMSO MAY DETERMINE THE COST FOR THE AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE AND INCLUDE THE COST IN THE LAST LIVING ALLOWANCE PAY VOUCHER IF A MCO IS NOT AVAILABLE. FOR AIR FORCE SPONSORED STUDENTS, THE CONTRACT TRAVEL OFFICE WILL ENTER THE PRICE OF THE EXCESS BAGGAGE IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE IMS TRAVEL ITINERARY, AND THE IMSO WILL ENSURE THAT THE ITINERARY, WITH ANNOTATED EXCESS BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE COST IS INCLUDED IN THE IMS FINAL LIVING ALLOWANCE PAY VOUCHER. IF NEITHER A MCO NOR ADVANCE PAYMENT OF THE AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE IS FEASIBLE, THE IMS MAY PRESENT THEIR EXCESS BAGGAGE RECEIPT AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SAO, FILE A TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM UPON RETURN TO HOME COUNTRY. THE IMS LAST SCHOOL OR TRAINING SITE SHOULD NOTIFY SAO IF IMS WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A MCO OR EXCESS BAGGAGE PAYMENT PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE US.
7. BAGGAGE SIZE, DIMENSIONS, AND WEIGHT, WILL CONFORM TO CARRIER STIPULATONS. BAGGAGE MUST ACCOMPANY THE IMS. NO CHANGE IN BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES WILL BE MADE AFTER IMS HAS DEPARTED COUNTRY.
8. WHEN ANY PORTION OF THE TRAVEL IS PAID BY THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, THE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE FOR THAT PORTION OF THE TRAVEL IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FOREIGN COUNTRY/GOVERNMENT REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF PIECES OR WEIGHT INVOLVED. HOWEVER, FOR THAT PORTION OF THE TRAVEL PAID FROM US EDUCATION/TRAINING PROGRAM FUNDS, EACH IMS IS AUTHORIZED BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE NOT TO EXCEED THE LIMITATION IN (1) THROUGH (5) ABOVE.
9. DSCA POC FOR THIS MESSAGE IS MS. KAY JUDKINS, PROGRAMS-MANAGEMENT DIVISION, KAY.JUDKINS@DSCA.MIL, (703)601-3719 OR DSN: 329-3719.

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