Government Travel Credit Card

[Road Program]

Hmm...wonder where my card is. I put in my paperwork as required. Last February. Haven't seen the card since. I've gone on two cross countries without it and haven't had any issues with being paid. Is this DTS crap really, really new? I remember getting an email a couple weeks ago about it, but I only got halfway through the process of setting it up before I gave up on NMCI and put it on the backburner.

 

[webmaster]

I personally HATE the government travel card, and the damn Eagles program. Fudog, glad you have had some good experiences, but for me, I was a legal officer for 18 months, and I saw all the bad side of the damn card and the system. I can say that I traveled in my last two tours, as much, if not more than you did, and I saw countless times were the damn card didn't work where we went. I am talking international travel here. Also, for those of us on the road for months on end, with limited connectivity, and filing monthly travel claims, you are just asking for trouble. That and the fact that you couldn't access the card online.... grrr.... maybe that's changed. Just way too many chances to get in trouble with the front office as a JO, when you don't need that type of attention. For those of you that are new, or junior enlisted, every command has "hit lists", from dental readiness, to PT, deployment readiness, security clearances, PQS/Quals, GMT/Training list, and of course the damn Eagles hit list.... nothing is worse as an O getting an email/cornered by your DH (read Dept Head there spouses!) and asked to explain why you are on such and such list....

And I don't have anything nice to say about DTS either.... especially when they tell you to use it, and they don't have the destinations you need listed.... grrr....

 

[insanebikerboy]

It must be different at different squadrons/bases, but when I was in Monterey I did quite a bit of TAD travel to and from SE Asia. The whole sheebang (multiple trips, including hotel/air fare/anything else) went on my personal AmEx, just so I could rack up and reap the benefits of rewards points.

The first time I did that the travel office tried to tell me I had to eat it but apparently there is some obscure reg that lets you use your personal card. Not too well known but we had a suppo traveling with us and he could practically quote the entire travel manual.

I guess my point is just get the lowdown from a suppo beforehand. The GCC isn't bad, but it isn't that great either. Personally, I think I've used it maybe a half a dozen times, and that was mainly because the places didn't take my AmEx. Plus, booking my plane tickets and rooms on my own let me get upgrades, etc, that I wouldn't have been able to get via the GCC.

Are the days of making money off per diem while on the road over?

Not as much as before while in CONUS, but play the cards right and you can come off smelling like a rose. Those SE Asia trips netted me a few thou in per diem when all was said and done.

 

[Gatordev]

Hmm...wonder where my card is. I put in my paperwork as required. Last February. Haven't seen the card since. I've gone on two cross countries without it and haven't had any issues with being paid. Is this DTS crap really, really new? I remember getting an email a couple weeks ago about it, but I only got halfway through the process of setting it up before I gave up on NMCI and put it on the backburner.

There's a difference between what "shall" be done (and it's a mandatory requirement to participate in the GTCC program for all DOD personnel) and what's actually done. For example, CNATRA lags behind what's required in several areas for a variety of reasons. But everyone is "supposed" to be using the cards.

insanebikerboy:

There's a caveat that says if you're not a frequent traveler, the card is not required. A lot of times the definition of a frequent traveler is left fuzzy intentionally by a command.

Also, the GTCC doesn't preclude getting per diem still sent to your personal bank account.

 

[feddoc]

Ahh, the GOV CC.

At NSAWC a few years ago we had a guy who was getting booted from the Navy. Good guy, very good and strong backing from his boss, but, he just couldn't hack the USN PRT program. He was sitting at about 32%BF; I know because I measured him. That is why he was getting out. Admin Sep.

Anyway, as one last gotcha to the Navy, he went to a place of prostitution near Moundhouse, NV and racked up some, uh, entertainment charges. Then paid the bill.

 

[skidkid]

BofA pulls some really shady stuff with that card that noone with a decent credit rating would put up with on a personal card.
They charge an ATM fee even when using their machines, knowing that is is reimburable so either the service member thinking they are doing the right thing using the BofA machine doesnt claim it and is out a buck or the Government is out a buck-bet that adds up quickly

The 20 or so service charge to pay over the phone is another way they bend our guys over. A Marine pops on the hit list for whatever reason, he wants to get off the skyline quickly so he calls BofA, yeah that will cost $20 for the privilidge of paying your bill. The website helps a bit.

I ralize there are many many many people who really screw this credit card up but there has to be a better way to handle government travel.

 

[gaijin6423]

Unfortunately for everyone, DTS is going to be the main method of TAD-type orders/travel claims/etc. As in, your orders will be processed on it, your plane tickets will be purchased on it, and your travel claim settlement will be via it. The default method of payment via DTS is to your GTCC account, so even if you don't use it to pay for anything, the program still sends payment to your GTCC account. Bank of America then has to cut you a check (as in, paper) to be reimbursed. It sucks, especially for anyone who goes TAD (or TDY if you prefer that term) on any kind of regular basis. That would be me, if you're wondering.

If you've got specific DTS or GTCC questions, shoot me a PM, and I might be able to help, as I've got a freshly-trained guru of said topics sitting next to me in the DASC on a daily basis.

 

[insanebikerboy]

There's a caveat that says if you're not a frequent traveler, the card is not required. A lot of times the definition of a frequent traveler is left fuzzy intentionally by a command.

Yeah, the "fuzzy" part is what makes it nice. We were traveling TAD so much that we weren't by any means infrequent. I think it might also have to do with some people in the travel offices just realizing it makes it easier.

The default method of payment via DTS is to your GTCC account, so even if you don't use it to pay for anything, the program still sends payment to your GTCC account. Bank of America then has to cut you a check (as in, paper) to be reimbursed.

Unless the entire DTS system has changed in the past five months, that's not entirely true. What is true, like you said, is that the default method is sending all of the money to the GTCC. However, I can't remember the exact screen (it's near the end before you electrically sign it with the CAC card), but in the DTS program there is the option for split disbursement. That's where you can select how much money to send to your GTCC and how much will be sent directly to the traveler.

Asking the travel office to send money directly to you other than what you get for per diem might cause some problems initially, but just show your receipts to identify that you actually used your personal card for the items. Receipts are required anyways so it's just another couple of minutes. That way you can bypass having to wait on a check from BoA.

 

[HooverPilot]

The split payment is an option when your travel orders are liquidated at the completion of the travel. But my point is this: I'm on 7 month travel orders (deployment) and the monthly liquidation does not allow for the split disbursment. This is fine for me and the other officers because we have the means to spot the bill until getting the disbursment and can pay the bill as required, but the troops are another story. It was a lot easier when the admin O could set the split disbursment up to pay the card off first for the guys every 30 days.

Knock on wood, I've never had a problem with my GTC in 9 years, but they sure are trying to make it difficult to use!

 

[jmac12]

It sounds like I'm fairly alone in saying this, but I've never had any trouble with the card. I use it for everything when I travel on orders, including food, drinks, ect. It will get declined at a few places, but more often than not it is accepted. That being said, your command will find out within days that your card got declined, so you will need to be able to explain why you were using it at said location. For people that can't afford to pay out of pocket for TAD, IE, those with families, ect, it works great as both a means to get cash and charge anything you want.

 

[HooverPilot]

It sounds like I'm fairly alone in saying this, but I've never had any trouble with the card. I use it for everything when I travel on orders, including food, drinks, ect. It will get declined at a few places, but more often than not it is accepted. That being said, your command will find out within days that your card got declined, so you will need to be able to explain why you were using it at said location. For people that can't afford to pay out of pocket for TAD, IE, those with families, ect, it works great as both a means to get cash and charge anything you want.

I agree with you, I've never had a problem with the card either. The thing is, they are making it harder for the troops to use it as a means to get cash and charge things. There is now a $500/month limit on cash advances, $2K/month limit on charges. Normally these limits wouldn't be a problem except we are gone for 7 months and have cars and lodging to put on the cards. BoA has refused to raise the cash limit at all. The total limit can be raised to $7K with justification though. For the troops, an old fashioned cash advance may be the best way soon.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I was under the impression that the lower limits were simply there as the initial limit set when the card was issued. I.e, the admin officer or travel office (whoever has physical access to the GTCC admin website) can increase the limit based on what your going to be doing in the near future.

The max limit I ever saw for charging was 10k and max for cash was 1000.

 

[Goober]

Just had mine back from 15k after my re-assimilation with the "real" navy. Just depends on where you are.

 

[BigIron]

I just recently found out that all BoA GOVT card holders have to take an online course and pass a test to get the certificate. I don't know if this is a new thing, but we all just had to do it. All of the comments above are addressed in the training. If you AD types want the link, let me know and I'll PM it to you.

 

[squorch2]

That training is the bane of my existence about now...