Note: The Government will not pay expense of transportation of effects of competent or incompetent veterans discharged, on trail visit, absent without leave, or who have eloped, except that personal effects of a beneficiary discharged or on trail visit, or of a beneficiary being transferred to another facility at Government expense, which are not available at time of discharge, beginning of trail visit, or transfer of the beneficiary, due to the articles being in custody of the Government, may be shipped at Government expense.
38 C.F.R. §12.6