R 231830Z DEC 14
MARADMINS 674/14
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/CLARIFYING GUIDANCE FOR LONG-TERM TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT FLAT RATE PER DIEM//
REF/A/MSG/CMC/22OCT14//
AMPN/REF A IS MARADMIN 533-14 WHICH ANNOUNCED THE CHANGE TO THE LONG-TERM TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY (TAD) ASSIGNMENT PER DIEM RULES IN THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JTR) EFFECTIVE 1 NOVEMBER 2014//
POC/MPO/MR. KERRY CERNY/(703)784-9386//
GENTEXT/RMKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO PROVIDE CLARIFYING GUIDANCE TO MARINE CORPS TRAVELERS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO TAD AT ONE LOCATION FOR PERIODS OF MORE THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. IN ADDITION TO THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BELOW, THE DEFENSE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT OFFICE (DTMO) HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE NEW POLICY ON THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.DEFENSETRAVEL.DOD.MIL.
2.  THE POLICY APPLIES TO ALL PERSONS TRAVELING AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE: SERVICE MEMBERS, CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, DEPENDENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND PERSONS TRAVELING ON INVITATIONAL TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION/ORDERS.
3.  A TRAVELER MUST INCUR A LODGING COST TO RECEIVE THE LODGING PORTION OF THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM. ALTHOUGH LODGING RECEIPTS ARE NOT REQUIRED, TRAVELERS MAY BE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY INCURRED VALID LODGING EXPENSES.
3.A.  TRAVELERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ITEMIZE DAILY LODGING COSTS.
3.B.  EXAMPLE: FOR A TAD PERIOD OF 90 DAYS WITH THE LOCALITY RATE FOR LODGING AT 100 DOLLARS PER DAY, THE TRAVELER WILL BE REIMBURSED 75 DOLLARS PER DAY (75% OF 100 DOLLARS) FOR EACH FULL DAY OF TAD (INCLUDING THE FIRST 30 DAYS), REGARDLESS OF THE COST OF THE LODGING. THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM WILL NOT BE FURTHER REDUCED IF THE ACTUAL LODGING COSTS INCURRED ARE LESS THAN THE LODGING PORTION OF THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM. ONLY IF THE AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL (AO) REQUESTS PROOF OF LODGING COSTS, THEN THE TRAVELER  MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF LODGING COSTS IN ORDER TO BE PAID THE LODGING PORTION OF THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM. PROOF OF LODGING COST COULD BE A RECEIPT, A LEASE, OR OTHER FORM THAT PROVES THE TRAVELER PAID FOR LODGING. THE AO IS REQUIRED TO ANNOTATE IN THE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION THAT THE FLAT RATE LODGING HAS BEEN VALIDATED. THE APPROVING OFFICIAL (OFFICIAL WHO CERTIFIES TRAVEL VOUCHER FOR PAYMENT) WILL ACCEPT THE AO COMMENTS AS JUSTIFICATION FOR PAYMENT OF FLAT RATE LODGING. THE TRAVELER WILL ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF LODGING TAXES PAID, IF TRAVELER CLAIMS THE TAXES FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
3.C. LODGING RECEIPTS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL LODGING TAX REIMBURSEMENT, ALL GOVERNMENT QUARTERS LODGING, AND ALL LODGING ABOVE THE FLAT RATE COST WHEN ACTUAL EXPENSE IS APPROVED BY THE AO.
3.D.  A TRAVELER STAYING WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR WHO PURCHASES A HOME AT THE TAD LOCATION WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED THE LODGING PORTION OF PER DIEM.
3.E.  A TRAVELER LODGING IN GOVERNMENT QUARTERS (E.G., TEMPORARY LODGING FACILITY, BARRACKS, UNACCOMPANIED PERSONNEL HOUSING, GOVERNMENT CONTRACTED LODGING) WILL BE REIMBURSED THE LODGING PORTION OF PER DIEM NOT TO EXCEED THE ACTUAL AMOUNT PAID TO THAT FACILITY REGARDLESS OF LENGTH OF STAY.
3.F.  IF THE TRAVELER CANNOT LOCATE SUITABLE LODGING ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED FLAT RATE PER DIEM  AMOUNT, THE TRAVELER MUST CONTACT THE COMMERCIAL TRAVEL OFFICE (CTO) FOR ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING APPROPRIATE LODGING. IF BOTH THE TRAVELER AND THE CTO DETERMINE LODGING IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE REDUCED RATE, THE AO MAY THEN AUTHORIZE ACTUAL LODGING COSTS NOT TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM LOCALITY PER DIEM RATE.
4.  THE MEALS AND INCIDENTAL EXPENSES (M&IE) PORTION OF PER DIEM WILL BE THE FLAT RATE FOR EVERY FULL DAY OF TAD (INCLUDING THE FIRST 30 DAYS) IF THE PERIOD OF TAD IS MORE THAN 30 DAYS (75% FOR 31-180 DAYS AT THE SAME LOCATION AND 55% FOR 181 OR MORE DAYS AT THE SAME LOCATION). M&IE IS INDEPENDENT OF THE LODGING PORTION OF PER DIEM. THE REDUCED M&IE RATE APPLIES REGARDLESS WHETHER THE TRAVELER’S LODGING INCLUDES MEANS TO PREPARE MEALS. FOR SERVICE MEMBERS AND OTHER TRAVELERS DIRECTED TO USE GOVERNMENT MESSING IF AVAILABLE, IF GOVERNMENT MESSING IS AVAILABLE, THE TRAVELER WILL BE REIMBURSED THE GOVERNMENT MEAL RATE (GMR) OR THE PROPORTIONAL MEAL RATE (PMR), DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT MEALS AVAILABLE (GMR FOR THREE MEALS, PMR FOR ONE OR TWO MEALS).
4.A.  EXAMPLE 1: A TRAVELER WHO LODGES IN TEMPORARY LODGING ON THE ECONOMY AT A DAILY COST WITHIN THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM FOR LODGING WILL BE REIMBURSED THE SAME FLAT RATE FOR M&IE.
4.B.  EXAMPLE 2: A TRAVELER WHO LODGES IN TEMPORARY LODGING ON THE ECONOMY AT A DAILY COST THAT EXCEEDS THE FLAT RATE BUT DOES NOT EXCEED THE LOCALITY LODGING RATE, WILL BE REIMBURSED THEIR ACTUAL LODGING COST AND THE REDUCED RATE FOR M&IE (75% FOR 31-180 DAYS AT THE SAME LOCATION AND 55% FOR 181 OR MORE DAYS AT THE SAME LOCATION).
4.C.  EXAMPLE 3: A TRAVELER WHO LODGES IN A RESIDENCE BELONGING TO THE TRAVELER’S PARENTS WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LODGING PORTION OF PER DIEM, BUT WILL BE REIMBURSED AT THE REDUCED RATE FOR M&IE.
5.  FLAT RATE PER DIEM IS EFFECTIVE FOR ALL PERIODS OF TAD LONGER THAN 30 DAYS IN DURATION AT ONE LOCATION BEGINNING 1 NOVEMBER 2014. FLAT RATE PER DIEM IS EFECTIVE AND APPLIES TO THE FIRST DAY OF TAD AFTER A MODIFICATION IS APPROVED WHICH EXTENDS A PERIOD OF TAD BEYOND 30 DAYS (WHEN ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS) AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE TAD AT THAT SINGLE LOCATION.
5A.  EXAMPLE 1: A TRAVELER WHO IS AUTHORIZED TAD FOR A PERIOD OF 35 CONSECUTIVE DAYS IS SUBJECT TO THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM BEGINNING THE FIRST FULL DAY OF TAD.
5B.  EXAMPLE 2: A TRAVELER HAS TAD ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 25 CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM 1 FEB TO 25 FEB. AFTER THE TRAVELER BEGINS THE TAD, THE ORDERS ARE MODIFIED EXTENDING THE TAD PERIOD TO 30 MARCH. THE ORDERS MODIFICATION IS APPROVED ON 15 FEB. FLAT RATE PER DIEM IS EFFECTIVE ON 16 FEB FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD OF TAD, SINCE THE REMAINING PERIOD (AFTER APPROVAL OF THE MODIFICATION) IS GREATER THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
6.  THE NUMBER OF DAYS OF TAD DOES NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL DAYS (FIRST DAY AND LAST DAY). EXAMPLE: A TRAVELER RECEIVES TAD ORDERS FOR THE PERIOD OF 1 JANUARY TO 30 JANUARY.  1 JAN AND 30 JAN ARE TRAVEL DAYS, THEREFORE THE PERIOD OF TAD IS 28 DAYS AND THE FLAT RATE PER DIEM DOES NOT APPLY.
7.  THE DEFENSE TRAVEL SYSTEM DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATE REDUCED PER DIEM BASED ON THE LENGTH OF THE TAD. THE DTMO WEBSITE CONTAINS INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING FLAT RATE PER DIEM IN DTS AND A PER DIEM RATE CALCULATOR TO ASSIST THE TRAVELER AND AO IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF AUTHORIZED PER DIEM.
8.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE.
9.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//