TOP STORY >> I can use a GMV for that, right?

By 1st Lt. Lauren T. Guibert
314th Logistics Readiness Squadron, vehicle operations officer


Requests for Government Motor Vehicle (GMV) transportation occur on a daily basis here in my section.

Most of the requests are for legitimate reasons which fall under the scope of support vehicle operations provided here at Little Rock including delivering parts from the supply warehouse to the flight line, signing out U-Drive-It (UDI) vehicles to people who need them for official purposes, and crew runs that move aircrew between their squadron and aircraft. Conversely, every once in a while, someone requests a government vehicle for something that is not permissible, official or legal. So what exactly are GMVs supposed to be used for?

The governing AFI for vehicle operations is AFI 24-301. Chapter 2 specifically mentions the overarching rule concerning official use of GMVs: “Restrict the use of all DoD motor vehicles, including those rented or leased, to official purposes only, that is, uses that would further the mission of the Air Force. Providing a government vehicle solely or even principally to enhance the comfort or convenience of the member(s) is not permitted.”

The second sentence above tends to disapprove many requests that we receive. A requestor will attempt to use a GMV simply for convenience, when, in almost all cases, a personally owned vehicle is the sensible and legal choice.

A great example of this is the attempt to use a GMV as a “carpool vehicle” in order to attend an off-base function. Simply because military people are involved does not mean a GMV is authorized.

So what exactly is an ‘official’ purpose? As mentioned earlier, there are several functions here on base that GMVs are used for that are official, such as transporting parts to the flight line, transporting aircrew to their airplanes, and the use of UDIs for up to 72 hours by organizations who do not have assigned vehicles in order to meet a short-term official requirement.

Other official functions include transporting military and civilian personnel officially taking part in public ceremonies, parades, and military field demonstrations. This does not include retirements, funerals, awards ceremonies, dedications, promotions, or personal social engagements.

There are many more examples that are included in the AFI, but what do you do when something comes up that isn’t mentioned?

The AFI provides four factors that help determine what an official use is when not specifically mentioned in the AFI. These factors are: Is the purpose of the trip official? Does the request have the potential to create a perception that will reflect unfavorably on the Air Force or cause public criticism? Will the request impact mission requirements? Is commercial or DoD scheduled transportation available?

It is important to note that the Air Force does not provide transportation support that competes with commercial services. If a requestor can answer “yes” to all four of these questions, then the request may be approved.

If you keep all of the factors mentioned above in mind the next time you make a transportation request, success should be assured. Government Motor Vehicle transportation requests can be made by submitting a Form 1 to vehicle operations via fax, e-mail or by calling 987-6087.