(a) Travel for attendants. The services of an attendant to accompany a veteran while traveling for rehabilitation purposes may be provided when such services are necessitated by the severity of the veteran's disability. Attendants may only be used to enable a veteran to attend appointments for initial evaluation, counseling, or intraregional or interregional travel at government expense under §21.370 and §21.372.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 111)

(b) Attendants not employed by the Federal government.

(1) VA may authorize persons not in regular civilian employment of the Federal government to act as attendants. Payment of travel expenses for attendants will be authorized on the same basis as for the veteran the attendant is accompanying. VA:

(i) Will furnish the attendant with common-carrier transportation, meal and lodging expenses; or

(ii) Will grant the attendant a mileage allowance in lieu of furnishing the assistance cited in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) VA will not pay the attendant a fee if he or she is a relative of the veteran. A relative, for this purpose, is a person who by blood or marriage is the veteran's

(i) Spouse,

(ii) Parent,

(iii) Child,

(iv) Brother,

(v) Sister,

(vi) Uncle,

(vii) Aunt,

(viii) Niece, or

(ix) Nephew.

(c) Attendant employed by the Federal government.

(1) VA may authorize a person in the regular civilian employment of the Federal government to act as an attendant. When assigned, the attendant:

(i) Will be entitled to transportation and expenses, or

(ii) May be allowed per diem in place of subsistence in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Travel Regulations (5 U.S.C. Chapter 57).

(2) VA will pay no fee to civilian employees of the Federal government who act as attendants.

[49 FR 40814, Oct. 18, 1984; 50 FR 9622, Mar. 11, 1985]