by Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle
Air Force Public Affairs Agency
6/29/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- In an effort to improve customer support and expedite travel voucher payments, Air Force financial management leaders will mandate standardized use of the Defense Travel System for contingency, exercise and deployment travel, officials said here June 28.
The change will be mostly transparent to the traveler, who will still receive a paper CED order from the personnel readiness unit; however, these orders will now be stamped "Certified in DTS," reminding the traveler and the local financial services office to file the settlement voucher in DTS, officials added.
"The FSO will continue to support the traveler throughout the entire process," said Chief Master Sgt. Jesse Stirling, financial management's enlisted career field manager.
Finance management officials said this translates to significant reductions in voucher turnaround time; DTS payments average three days, whereas filing a paper voucher averages 8 days.
"Standardized CED travel operations will provide a consistent practice for all Airmen without regard to deployed location or primary duty station," said Joan Causey, the deputy assistant secretary for financial operations. "Expanding DTS procedures for CED travel to all locations will bring long-range benefits such as increased transparency and timelier travel payments to Airmen."
Chief Stirling said the new process will positively impact Airmen in exercises or downrange, allowing them to focus more on the mission and less on getting mired in the administrative side of filing travel claims.
"For example, scheduled partial payments (or accruals) for the duration of the trip will become automatic after the initial payment is loaded into DTS," Chief Stirling said. "This new procedure will standardize voucher computation across the Air Force and streamline the filing process for the customer."
The program is slated for Air Force-wide use June 30. For more information, contact the base financial services office.
Comments
9/6/2011 6:53:13 AM ET From what I have seen with most people coming to the AOR with orders certified in DTS, it has made things more difficult for the member. Most AF members don't use DTS on a regular basis, causing a delay not in payment but in them filling out the voucher or someone at the home unit/base not completing what they are supposed to complete. I say if you are using CED orders then do a voucher in vMPF, and if you are processing orders in DTS then use DTS for the voucher.
