CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Have you ever been on a trip and attempted to use your personal credit card, but were unable to because of unknown reasons? Well I have and it's not a pleasant experience. It may have been an honest mistake or it could have happened for not abiding with the bank's credit card policy.
Many of us meticulously plan our trips down to the penny, especially if we are using our own money. But what happens when we travel abroad for official travel? Are we as careful? One thing we seem to take for granted is our government travel card. We assume because it's a Department of Defense program, everything happens automatically and it becomes "hands off" and all we have to do is enjoy the ride.
It amazes me how many people really don't know how to use the card or how to maintain a good standing with CitiBank and the Air Force. Everyone should have a basic understanding of the program, when to use the card and what happens if we abuse it.
The GTC program standardizes the method utilized to pay for official travel. The card also provides the effectiveness, convenience and flexibility the DoD and travelers need. Not every DoD member receives the card. There is a screening process. For those whose credit score is acceptable, a standard card is issued with a $5,000 credit limit, which can be increased if the mission dictates. Unfortunately, if your credit score is too low, you may not be approved for this type of card. Rather, you would receive a restricted card with a $2,000 limit. These cards are not as common and are issued as "inactive." When required to travel, the card is activated by the Agency Program Coordinator with command approval.
The travel card is used as a regular credit card where Visa is accepted and unless exempted from obtaining one, its use for official travel is mandatory. Of course plastic isn't accepted everywhere, so for those situations such as laundry, dry cleaning, parking, taxi fares, local transportation, tips, meal charges and telephone calls, a withdrawal from the Automatic Teller Machine is authorized. Some larger common expenditures include airline tickets, rental vehicles and lodging.
The dollar amounts allocated to these types of expenses are usually significant. If you used a personal card, interest would create a non-reimbursable additional expense. There are many instances where the total limit needed surpasses your personal line of credit. Additionally, personnel would be tempted to let the balance grow and habitually spend what they receive from temporary duty assignments. This will result in potential financial hardship. The GTC eliminates many of those problems, however, not all the difficulties associated with this program are erased.
Members must still pay off their balances every month. It is disappointing a policy is needed and even though directed to settle these debts, members still run into trouble by not being proactive. Some excuses are: I didn't get paid yet, I didn't know I had a balance, I thought I paid it off, and I had too many trips and the vouchers haven't caught up. The list goes on and on.
Upon inprocessing, unit members sign a document stating their responsibilities with the program, yet every month hundreds of troops all over the Air Force show up on the delinquency report with these excuses. Although, no system is perfect, there are exceptions must be considered case by case, however, everyone seems to think they are the exception. Little do they know with a little advanced planning they could be more prepared.
There are consequences to misusing the GTC. Failing to pay as we promised may result in punitive action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and is considered misuse. Other areas, which will get you into trouble include charges for personal reasons, such as family or household purposes and cash withdrawals not related to official travel. The temptation to misuse the card is present all year, but the risk is much greater around holiday time. If you think you won't get caught, think again. There are unit and wing personnel whose job it is to ensure you are using the card correctly. Be smart and if you have any question, let your supervision know.
We as travelers need to be diligent, show an "I care attitude" and do what you agreed to do. All travelers should responsibly know exactly what was charged. Really and truly, we all know that as our card is used, there is a deadline to settle those outstanding debts. Not settling in a timely matter is grounds for CitiBank to suspend or revoke your card. That is bad and by not following the guidelines and failing to use some common sense, the Air Force mission is jeopardized. You also divert precious man-hours to fix a problem that wasn't broken. Please help yourself out. By doing so, you also help the Air Force and CitiBank.