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DEFENSE TRAVEL SYSTEM

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Marine Corps Forces Reserve
2000 Opelousas Avenue, New Orleans, LA. 70114

AO USEFUL DOCS

Latest Admin Updates

DTS Approving Official Useful Documents

Mistakes can be made by the traveler but the AO is also responsible for ensuring his/her fiduciary responsibilities are met at all times. Authorizations and vouchers must be thoroughly reviewed before approval. This saves everyone a lot of pain in the future.

Click Here to see the most common errors found users are making in DTS.

Click Here for AO instructions.

Click Here for a checklist to help Approving Officials spot problems in vouchers.

RENTAL CAR

Government travelers must ensure they comply with all rules and regulations governing the acquisition and use of rental cars, and must be aware of the procedures to follow if damage to the vehicle occurs.

1.  The MTMC and JTR require all travelers make travel reservations, including reservations for rental cars, with a commercial travel office (CTO). Exceptions to this requirement are very limited and these instructions state that when an available CTO is not used, reimbursement for a rental car will be limited to what it would have cost if a CTO had made the arrangements. The CTO will ensure that a reservation for a vehicle rental is made with a rental agency that is a "participating provider" under the Agreement.  This will ensure the Government gets all the benefits that accrue under the Agreement. 
 
2.  When the traveler arrives at the rental agency to pick up the rental vehicle, they must present either their Government Travel Credit Card (GTCC) or a copy of their official travel orders to identify themselves as a government traveler.  Additional authorized drivers are not required to be listed on the rental contract.  An authorized driver is any properly licensed person, including the renter and fellow employees while acting within the scope of their employment duties.  The renter will not be bound by any stipulation in any rental agreement or contract that is inconsistent with any terms in the Agreement.
 
3.  If you are involved in an accident with the rental vehicle, you should immediately notify the rental agency, and the local police department if applicable.  You will be required to file an accident report with the rental agency.  You should get a copy of that report, if possible, and report the accident to your command's SJA or legal advisor when you return from travel.
 
4.  The Agreement prohibits the rental agency from charging any costs, other than the rental fee, to your personal credit card.  If you receive a bill for damages or the rental agency charges your credit card for damage to the rental vehicle, contact your command legal advisor immediately.
 
5.  If the traveler fails to rent from a rental agency that is a participating provider under the Agreement, the cost of damage/loss is NOT borne by the rental agency.  The terms of the contract he signed when he rented the vehicle apply.   That is, he must return the vehicle in the same condition it was in when he rented it.  If the traveler damages the rental vehicle, his command must determine if the damage occurred while the vehicle was being used for an official. If the command determines the vehicle was damaged while being used for one of the official purposes listed in the references, the command may reimburse the traveler or make direct payment to the rental agency. If the command determines that the vehicle was damaged while being used for other than an official purpose, the command should inform the rental agency of this determination and instruct the rental agency to proceed directly against the traveler for reimbursement.  If the traveler rented the vehicle using the GTCC, VISA provides coverage that does not have a scope of employment or official purpose limitation.  The traveler's command need only certify, when appropriate, that the traveler's primary purpose for the rental was to carry out the business of the government.  For assistance in filing a claim, please contact VISA at 1-800-VISA-911.  Remember, in order to take advantage of the coverage offered by the GTCC, the traveler must notify VISA of the accident within 20 days after it occurs.  The traveler may also submit the claim to his personal insurance carrier. The Government cannot pay a claim for damages unless the damage occurred while the vehicle was being used for an official purpose. Please note that "official purpose" is not the same as "scope of employment".
 
6.  The guidance in this update is limited to damage/loss to rental vehicles and does not pertain to injuries to third parties or damage to other property.  The Agreement provides that participating providers will provide primary liability insurance for personal injury and property damage suffered by third parties as a result of the traveler's negligent act or omission. This provision has not changed.  If a government traveler is sued in his or her individual capacity, the Government will determine if this person was acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the act or omission.  This determination is based on state law.  If so, the exclusivity provisions of the Federal Tort Claims Act enable the individual to seek removal of their name as the defendant in the lawsuit and substitute the United States.  If it is determined that the traveler was not acting within the scope of his employment at the time, the traveler is personally liable for all damages to third parties.
 
7. The Point of Contact for this subject in the Community Program Services Legal Office is Mr. Eric Kemp, (901) 874-2971, DSN 882-2971.
MCCSSS JOHNSON TAD

Info in regards to TAD entitlements at MCCSSS, Camp Johnson, NC.

Currently, MCCSSS, Camp Johnson is seeing a lot of members attending formal school on TAD orders trying to utilize these orders to obtain messing at the dining facility at no cost to the member.  TECom currently will only reimburse Marines the GMR "unless" the member is residing off-base.

Per the Base Policy Letter, admin sections sending Marines TAD to Camp Johnson for a formal school will:

  1. ensure Marines and units understand that messing is directed and available.
  2. ensure members TAD less than 30 days know they will be expected to pay the meal rate upon entrance to the chow hall (unless the meal card is local and the Marine is on non-funded TAD).
  3. ensure the traveler can cover the expenses while TAD and educate them on the process of requesting an advance for non GTCC holder.
  4. ensure that the statement, "Messing is Available" is on all orders limiting the member's reimbursement to the GMR vice per diem.

See the base policy letter here:
POLICY LETTER.pdf

DTS PROGRAM INFO

AIRLINE RECEIPTS

 

Airline Receipts - DTS Discrepancy Notices

Marines -

FYI; for DTS we continue to have numerous discrepancies for approval of
airline travel reimbursement without a valid receipt. Below is some
additional info regarding how to obtain receipts.

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For units utilizing Carlson Wagonlit travel CTO the website is
https://www.virtuallythere.com/

Note: the passenger reservation number is on the email from Carlson when
ticketed. Not to be confused with the confirmation number.

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The ViewTrip Electronic Expense Receipt displays air itinerary information,
ticket prices, agency service fees and any amounts collected by the agency
regarding your trip. After signing into ViewTrip, the Electronic Expense
Receipt may be selected from the list of options in the left navigation
panel of the ViewTrip display screen selections.

Ravenel Travel
(504) 678-7361 or DSN 678-7391

For Travel Services only
FAX (504) 678-7366 or DSN 678-7366

MARFORRES CTO
MFR CTO DSN 363-6011/12/31
Comm. (504) 942-6011/12/31
800 782 8165

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RELEASE 11 PROBLEMS

Problems in DTS with release 11

All,

      Release 11 in DTS has created new challenges. Some of the issues we have been receiving calls about from ODTAs, MSCs and sections reps are:

1) Rental Car issues -- Adjustments to the rental car costs cannot be made in the voucher. Here is the temporary solution until Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) fixes the problem.

      a) If the member has not signed the voucher, remove the voucher and amend the authorization to include the actual costs for the rental car. Re-route and re-approve the authorization. Once that's done and the authorization has been approved, the member can create a new voucher.

      b) If the member has signed the voucher, what the member can do is take the difference of the rental car costs that's already populated in the voucher and add as a non-mileage expense. Ex: Rental car in authorization says $100 -- actual costs on return are $175.29. Take the difference ($75.29) and add as a non-mileage expense. In the box as an explanation: Rental Car Costs - DIFF.

2) Having problems seeing people in their groups -- In order to see a person in your group, you must either type in the last and first names, the full SSN or the TANUM in all caps.

DTMO is working to fix these issues. If you come across anymore please let us know. Disseminate this information to the lowest level.

V/r,

Tracee Thomas

DTS Program Office

MARFORRES

New Orleans, La

(504) 697-8799
NAVIGATION