JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
Changes made to the Joint Travel Regulation affect every
traveler in the Department of Defense, according to 502nd Comptroller Squadron
officials.
Effective since Nov. 1, 2014, members on temporary duty
status can no longer claim ATM fees, laundry and baggage carrier tips.
Other changes include:
• The Defense Travel Management Office has mandated
travelers utilize the Defense Travel System
(http://www.defensetravel.osd.mil/dts/site/index.jsp) to book any lodging at
government and commercial facilities.
• At certain Continental United States locations, government
lodging is required for civilian as well as military members.
• Members on long-term TDY will be reimbursed per diem and
lodging at a flat rate. If going TDY to the same location for 31 to 180 days, members
are authorized a flat rate of 75 percent of the max lodging and per diem. If TDY is more than 180 days, members are
limited to a flat rate of 55 percent of the lodging and per diem rate. Stays
more than 30 days in the commercial lodging industry are considered extended
stays and the costs for these accommodations are commonly reduced. If the
commercial ticket office is unable to find suitable lodging at the reduced
rate, members may be entitled to an actual expense allowance.
Effective since Sept. 1, 2015, travelers on TDY assignments
utilizing DTS are required to book all hotel accommodations through DTS. This
includes government and commercial lodging.
To provide better security, safety and reduced rates, the
DOD has launched the integrated lodging pilot program. This program requires
mandatory use of government lodging for military members and civilian employees
at the following locations: Charleston S.C.; Dayton, Ohio; Fort Lee, Va.;
Norfolk, Va.; Hampton Roads, Va.; Newport News, Va.; Suffolk, Va.; Quad City,
Ill.; Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Seattle-Tacoma Airport Area, Wash.; Tampa, Fla;
and Twentynine Palms, Calif.
These locations are updated regularly and can be referenced
on the DTMO website at http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil.
The Defense Travel System has been updated to support these
new initiatives. When booking lodging in DTS, if government lodging is not
available, the system will auto-generate a non-availability letter. This added
convenience will save travelers time by reducing extra coordination needed when
booking hotel accommodations.
For more information, contact the 502nd Comptroller Squadron
office at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston at 221-0056, at JBSA-Lackland
at 671-1851 or JBSA-Randolph at 652-1851. These changes can also be seen at
http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil.