Title 32

SECTION 231.8

231.8 Procedures - overseas credit unions.

§ 231.8 Procedures - overseas credit unions.

(a) General policy. (1) Credit union services to authorized persons and organizations may be provided by domestic on-base credit unions operating under a geographic franchise.

(2) The extension of credit union service overseas is encouraged consistent with the principles prescribed for domestic credit unions and with applicable status of forces agreements or other intergovernmental agreements, or host-country law.

(3) Where permitted by the status of forces agreements or other intergovernmental agreements, or host-country law, only federal credit unions or federally insured state chartered credit unions may operate on overseas DoD installations. The ultimate decision to provide services overseas rests with the credit union itself.

(b) Establishment. (1) Commanders shall notify the Secretary of the Military Department concerned (or designee), through command channels, when overseas credit union services are needed. Such requests shall include:

(i) Full information about available space and logistical support.

(ii) The name and location of the nearest credit union facility or branch.

(iii) The distance between the installation and the nearest credit union facility or branch.

(iv) The availability of any official or public transportation.

(v) The number of DoD personnel in duty assignments that confine them to the installation or who cannot obtain transportation (such as hospital patients).

(vi) In countries not presently served, a statement concurred in by the cognizant Combatant Command that the requirement has been coordinated with the U.S. Chief of Diplomatic Mission or U.S. Embassy. The statement shall include that the host country will permit credit union operations and will indicate any conditions imposed by the host country with respect to those operations.

(2) Subsequent to approval of the request from the installation or community commander to establish an overseas credit union facility, the Secretary of the Military Department concerned (or designee) shall solicit proposals for the provision of full credit union services under the following provisions.

(i) Where there is a DoD designated geographic franchise with a specific field of membership, the Secretary of the Military Department (or designee) shall direct the installation or community commander to contact the supporting credit union and request that a branch or facility be established. The basic decision concerning such extensions of service rests with the servicing credit union. The Director, DFAS (or designee) shall maintain a listing of all geographic franchises assigned to credit unions serving DoD overseas installations.

(ii) Where there is no DoD designated geographic franchise, the Secretary of the Military Department (or designee) shall:

(A) Coordinate requests, through the Director, DFAS (or designee), to obtain a geographic franchise. A geographic franchise is the authorization granted to a credit union by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (OUSD(C)) to provide financial services in a specific geographic region located outside the United States, its territories and possessions.

(B) Solicit proposals from credit unions currently operating on DoD installations.

(D) Coordinate with field commands, as needed.

(E) Recommend selection to the NCUA or applicable state regulatory agency with a copy to the DFAS and the OUSD(C), requesting that the appropriate field of membership adjustment be made. Such a recommendation shall identify the primary installations on which the credit union would operate and, if applicable, the contiguous geographic boundaries for future facilities and branches.

(3) Where there is an existing field of membership, the Secretary of the Military Department concerned (or designee) shall take the following actions:

(i) If a credit union on an installation terminates operation, afford any other credit union having a geographic franchise within that country an opportunity to assume the franchise being vacated. If all such institutions decline, the geographic franchise shall be offered to the federally insured credit union community. If, as a result of a credit union decision to decline service to an installation or a termination action, another credit union:

(A) Offers to provide service.

(B) Meets host country requirements (if any) and

(C) Is assigned the former geographic franchise or portion thereof, the NCUA or the applicable state regulatory agency shall be notified and requested to make appropriate field of membership adjustments.

(ii) When other credit union(s) having a geographic franchise within a country decline the opportunity, or there is no other credit union having a franchise within that country, the provisions of paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section apply.

(4) No commitment may be made to a credit union regarding its proposal until the appropriate regulatory agency has announced a selection.

(c) Logistical support. Installation or community commanders shall provide logistical credit union support. Such support normally shall include:

(1) Adequate office space, including steel bars; grillwork; security doors; a vault, safes or both; security alarm systems and camera surveillance equipment (where deemed necessary) that meet documented requirements of the credit union's insurance carrier; construction of counters, teller cages, and customer and work areas; necessary modifications and alterations to existing buildings. The size and arrangement of space should permit efficient operations. The credit union shall pay for all improvements to the space given. Space assigned may not exceed that prescribed in DoD 4270.1-M.

(2) DoD housing on a rental basis to key credit union personnel unable to find suitable, reasonably priced housing in the vicinity of the DoD installation, if available.

(3) Education, on a space-available, tuition-paying basis, provided by the Department of Defense Education Activity to minor dependents of assigned staff in accordance with DoD Directive 1342.13.

(4) Utilities (i.e., electricity, natural gas or fuel oil, water and sewage), heating, intrastation telephone service, and custodial and janitorial services.

(5) DSN voice and data communication to include, where feasible, internet access.

(6) U.S. Military Postal Service support under DoD Directive 4525.6. The use of free intra-theater delivery system (IDS) is authorized for all routine mail sent and received between Army Post Offices (APOs) and Fleet Post Offices (FPOs) within a theater.

(7) Military guards, civilian guards (for use within the installation), military police, or other protective services to accompany shipments of money from the MBF to the credit union and return where it is impractical or not authorized to have a local armored car service or civilian police authorities entering a military installation to provide cash escort service or when the cost of obtaining such service is prohibitive. This level of protective service also shall be provided at other times as required to include replenishment of ATM currency and receipts, alarm system failures, and to avoid undue risks or insurance costs.

(d) Travel. Travel by credit union officials must be at no expense to the U.S. Government. Overseas commanders may issue invitational travel orders for official on-base visits by credit union officials at no cost to the U.S. Government.

(e) Operations. (1) An overseas credit union shall confine its field of membership to individuals or organizations eligible by law or regulation to receive services and benefits from the installation. Services shall not be provided to those personnel precluded such services by the applicable status of forces agreement, other intergovernmental agreements, or host-country law.

(2) The Department assigns overseas credit unions a prescribed geographic franchise. Any credit union, however, may continue to serve its members stationed overseas by mail or telecommunications, to include access to the Internet.

(3) A credit union proposing a new service to be offered by a branch office that is not authorized by the operating agreement shall coordinate the establishment of the new service through the cognizant Component command to the Combatant Command. The new service shall be offered only after the appropriate command's approval and coordination with the U.S. Chief of Diplomatic Mission or U.S. Embassy to ensure that the service does not conflict with the applicable status of forces agreement, other intergovernmental agreements, or host-country law.

(4) Credit unions that operate full service branches shall have U.S. currency and coin available for member transactions. In areas served by currency custody accounts, transactional U. S. currency and coins shall be made available from the servicing MBF with no direct or analysis charge to the credit union, provided settlement is made via the local MBF account or equivalent arrangements are made with the MBF.

(5) In countries served by MBFs operated under contract, credit unions shall purchase foreign currency only from the servicing MBF.

(i) The bulk rate purchase price shall apply to currency used by the credit union to make payments to vendors or to make payroll payments.

(ii) Credit unions that desire and are authorized to provide accommodation exchange services to its members shall acquire foreign currency from the servicing MBF at the MBF wholesale rate and sell it at a rate of exchange no more favorable than that available to customers of the MBF.

(6) Credit unions operating under a geographic franchise on an overseas DoD installation shall not publicize, display or sell vehicles on the installation.

(7) The NCUA or applicable state regulatory agency may review operations of overseas credit union offices either when it examines the main credit union or at other times of its choosing. For federally insured, state chartered credit unions, the applicable state regulatory agency also may examine credit unions operations.