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State and Defense Lift Japan Departure and Stop Movement Orders

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110417-04
4/17/2011

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Effective April 15, the State and Defense Departments' authorized departure of eligible family members from Japan and the stop movement of families to Japan have been lifted.

The decision was made following the State Department's determination that conditions in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami last month do not pose a significant risk to U.S. citizens.

Eligible family members who left Japan under the voluntary authorized departure or who had orders to Japan and were directed to stop movement may now return at government expense, to include quarantine of two household pets. However, those families whose sponsor is expected to execute Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders out of Japan within the next 60 days may not, unless authorized by the Secretary of the Navy.

Families who fall in this category are authorized safe haven allowances for up to 10 days from the date of the authorized departure termination and are expected to make travel arrangements to the new Permanent Duty Station (PDS) during this timeframe.

Authorized family members who departed with command-sponsored, school-aged children and who were enrolled in school at their safe haven location, have the option to remain with the child at this location until completion of the current school semester. Allowances for these families will end one day after the last day of the school semester.

Safe haven allowances will be processed in accordance with Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR). The termination of allowances and entitlements will vary depending on the circumstances of each family.

According to NAVADMIN 132/11, Command Pass Coordinators (CPC) will work with Sailors and their families to complete passenger reservation requests in order to make return travel arrangements for families and their pets.

If affected family members decide not to return to their sponsor's PDS, they may be authorized movement to a designated place under the early return authority contained in the JFTR, if the sponsor has not received official notice of a PCS move from the overseas duty station.

Non-command sponsored family members who evacuated and traveled at government expense to an overseas location may be provided return transportation to the PDS however, non-command sponsored family members who traveled at government expense to the continental United States is not authorized return transportation to Japan, unless approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)).

The Travel Processing Center – Hampton Roads (TPC-HR) remains the central processing site for all evacuation claims. Additionally, a fact sheet titled "Termination of Authorized Departure: Information regarding Return to Japan" is available at www.npc.navy.mil.

Travel claim forms and related information can also be found at www.cnic.navy.mil under popular links. Other useful sources of information are outlined in the NAVADMIN.

All eligible family members are strongly encouraged to update the status of their location upon arrival in Japan in the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) at https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil.

For more detailed information regarding the return of eligible family members to Japan, read NAVADMIN 132/11.

For more information from the chief of naval personnel, visit www.navy.mil/cnp.