power of attorney to someone else and a certified true copy of the power of attorney accompanies the claim. Second, the loss must be “incident to service.” As indicated at the beginning of this section, “incident to service” overseas is defined as including both the assigned duty station as well as the living quarters, whether it is assigned government quarters or privately leased or owned quarters. Claims for losses that occur while on leave or liberty away from the assigned quarters are generally not payable. Third, the adjudicating authority must determine if the claimant’s use, possession and safeguarding of the property was “reasonable, useful or proper under the circumstances at the time of the loss.” Examples of problems under the “reasonableness” test include losses of cash or expensive jewelry from quarters. Jewelry, watches, and other highly pilferable items must be safeguarded by extra security measures above and beyond a locked residence. Safes, locked security chests or other extra security measures are sometimes used. In shared quarters such as barracks, the “double lock” rule applies. That is, in addition to the door to the room being secured, the claimant must also secure high value items separately in lockable chests, safes or other storage vessels. Common sense should be your guide in exercising reasonable care to safeguard your property. When leaving quarters unoccupied, all doors and windows should be locked, and shutters should be closed and locked. Theft claims cannot be paid if the thief gained entry through open or unlocked doors or windows. If you are victim of a burglary, contact the NSA Security Department, regardless of where you live in the Naples area. Security will provide a police report, which must be included with any claim. Given the high number of thefts that occur from parked, locked vehicles, no valuables should be left in them. Vehicles are simply not a proper place to store valuables. Fourth, the claimant must establish ownership and value of all property for which a claim is submitted. Household goods shipment inventories, purchase receipts, owners manuals, photographs or videos of the property are all excellent evidence of ownership. Purchase receipts that also provide proof of value are especially useful for high-value items. Other acceptable sources in determining the value of claimed items include catalogs and written estimates from commercial businesses dealing in the product in question. Fifth, for household goods shipments, the adjudicator must determine if the claimant completed the Joint Statement of Loss or Damage at Delivery (DD Form 1840/1840R) and submitted it to the shipper within 70 days of delivery of the household good to the new residence. This is a vital requirement. If the form was filed correctly, the U.S. government will be able to hold the shipper accountable for damages and losses. If the form was not filed correctly, the claims officer is required to reduce any award to the claimant by the amount the government would have recovered from the shipper. Failure to file this form with the PPO can reduce your potential claim to nearly zero. This is a vital requirement. When visiting Naples, as with any large city, or when trahttp://www.cnic.navy.mil/naples
veling on crowded buses or trains, be aware of the likelihood of pickpocketing or purse snatching. Make a habit of carrying only the amount of money you need. It may also be helpful to carry some of the money in a different location on your person. Be cautious of wearing flashy jewelry or watches. It only takes a moment for a clever thief to take them. Further information about Navy claims procedures and regulations can be obtained from the Claims Division of the Region Legal Service Office EURAFSWA.
Complaints and Denouncements
In the event you wish to file a complaint or press charges against an individual, it is advisable to first notify the NSA Naples Security Department. It is also advisable to seek the assistance of the EURAFSWA Region Legal Service Office if legal advice is needed. All crimes need to be reported to NSA Naples security personnel first, no matter the severity, whether it is a burglary of your home or a theft or vandalism of your vehicle. When it’s time to file a complaint with local Carabinieri or Polizia di Stato, the NSA Naples Security Department has qualified interpreters who can assist you. These interpreters are available 24 hours per day. Contact security at 081-568-2207 or 081-811-4269. Beware of making a false accusation because this in itself is a serious offense.
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