R 241400Z MAY 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 294/10
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC PR RFF//
SUBJ/MANDATORY USE OF CTO AND U.S. CERTIFICATED AIRLINE CARRIERS AND CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/JFTR/-//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/DOD 4500.9-R/-//
REF/C/MSGID:MSG/CMC/120005ZOCT2006//
NARR/REF A IS THE JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS, VOLUME 1. REF B IS THE DEFENSE TRANSPORTATION REGULATION. REF C IS MARADMIN 492/06, COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION FOR OCONUS TRAVEL.//
POC/MICHAEL O'BRIEN/GYSGT/-/NAME:HQMC-RFF/TEL:703-614-4981//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. PURPOSE. TO REMIND TRAVELERS, COMMANDERS, INSTALLATION PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION CENTERS, AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICES OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS CONTAINED IN REFERENCES A AND B REGARDING THE USE OF FOREIGN FLAG CARRIERS AND CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL.
1.A. UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS, DOD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, AND DEPENDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO USE AVAILABLE U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIERS FOR ALL COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL, IAW PAR. U3125 OF REFERENCE A. ARRANGEMENT OF OFFICIAL TRANSPORTATION THROUGH AN AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL TRAVEL OFFICE (CTO)/TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICE (TMO) IS MANDATORY.
1.B. IN THE LAST YEAR, NUMEROUS MARINES HAVE ARRIVED IN OKINAWA HAVING BEEN INCORRECTLY AUTHORIZED TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN AIRFARE INCIDENT TO OFFICIAL TRAVEL TO INCLUDE CIRCUITOUS TRANSOCEANIC TRANSPORTATION FROM CONUS. AS A RESULT, TRAVELERS WERE PURCHASING TICKETS ON FOREIGN FLAG CARRIERS, WHICH LED TO NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF TICKETS THEY PURCHASED.
2. MEMBERS  AUTHORIZED CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL BY CMC (MMIA), AND THEY DO NOT USE AVAILABLE U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIERS FOR ALL OFFICIAL TRAVEL, THEY WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. THE CTO/TMO WILL KNOW IF A U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIER IS AVAILABLE ON THE DIRECT ROUTE FROM CONUS TO OCONUS LOCATIONS AND BOOK ACCORDINGLY SINCE THIS IS THE PREFERRED ROUTE OF TRAVEL. NOTE: REIMBURSEMENT FOR AUTHORIZED CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL USING A U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIER WILL NOT EXCEED THE COST OF THE GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST (GTR) FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL OVER THE DIRECT ROUTE.
3. ACTIONS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL TRAVELERS AND THOSE INVOLVED IN TICKETING, AUTHORIZATION, AND TRAVEL FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE PROVISIONS IN REFERENCE A COVERING THE PROPER HANDLING OF TRANSOCEANIC TRAVEL. SPECIFICALLY, CLOSE ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS: U1010-B3, U1055, U3100-A8, U3120-A4, U3125, U5108-A, AND U5116.
3.A. ENSURE TRAVELERS ARE INFORMED OF THE REQUIREMENT TO USE THEIR DESIGNATED CTO OR THE LOCAL TMO WHEN MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL.
3.B. REFERENCE A PROVIDES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON EXCEPTIONS TO THE USE OF AVAILABLE U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIERS AND A CTO.
3.C. REQUESTS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF TRAVELERS DESIRING TO EXECUTE THEIR OFFICIAL TRAVEL VIA CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL WILL BE SUBMITTED, BEFORE TRAVEL COMMENCES, BY THE ADMIN SECTION PROCESSING THEIR ORDERS VIA DMS MSG TO CMC (MMIA).  INCLUDE IN THE REQUEST APPROXIMATE DATES OF TRAVEL AND DESTINATION.  ENSURE TRAVELERS REQUESTING CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL ACKNOWLEDGE (INITIAL OR SIGN) THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY.
3.D. STATE ON THE TRAVELER'S DETACHING ENDORSEMENT: "CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CMC (MMIA) IN CONJUNCTION WITH MY PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION ORDERS. I UNDERSTAND I MUST USE AN AVAILABLE DESIGNATED CTO AND/OR THE LOCAL TMO WHEN MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL PORTIONS OF CIRCUITOUS TRAVEL.  THE CTO/TMO WILL ENSURE THAT AN AVAILABLE U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIER IS USED. ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF I FAIL TO USE AN AVAILABLE U.S. CERTIFICATED CARRIER I WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF THE CARRIER TICKET(S)."
4. A COMMAND/UNIT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE/DISIPLINARY ACTION WHEN A MEMBER AND/OR AN AO FAILS TO FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE MANDATORY CTO/TMO USE. ADMINISTRATIVE/DISCIPLINARY ACTION SHOULD BE FOR WILLFUL VIOLATIONS AND MAY BE IN THE FORM OF COUNSELING (ORAL/WRITTEN), NON-JUDICIAL ACTION, OR OTHER APPROPRIATE MEANS. INFORMING THE MEMBER WILL GO A LONG WAY IN REDUCING POTENTIAL FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS INCURRED WHEN TRAVELERS ERRONEOUSLY PERFORM TRANSOCEANIC TRAVEL ON A FOREIGN FLAG CARRIER.
5. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICES MUST ROUTE ALL OFFICIAL PASSENGER TRAVELERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PART I, CHAPTER 103 A.2 OF REFERENCE B. DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING TMO TO MR. MARK EDWARDS, DSN 225-8072 OR AT MARK.A.EDWARDS5@USMC.MIL. LOCAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICES CAN ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. POC AT RFF FOR THIS MESSAGE IS GYSGT MICHAEL O'BRIEN, DSN 224-4981 OR AT MICHAEL.O'BRIEN@USMC.MIL. POC AT MPO FOR THIS MESSAGE IS MR. KERRY CERNY, DSN 278-9387 OR AT KERRY.CERNY@USMC.MIL.
6. THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH M-RA (MI, MPO, MMIA), P-R (RFF) AND I-L (LPD).
7. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY SES CHARLES E. COOK III, ASSISTANT DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES.//