R 301755Z JUN 21
MARADMIN 336/21
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC PR RFF//
SUBJ/ AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE ON THE DEFENSE TRAVEL SYSTEM UNSUBMITTED TRAVEL VOUCHER MANAGEMENT MEMO IN ORDER TO REDUCE OUTSTANDING TRAVEL ORDERS//
REF/A/JTR, CHAPTER 4//
REF/B/DODFMR, VOLUME 9//
REF/C/FPM, VOLUME 2//
REF/D/MCO 4650.39A//
REF/E/MCO 7300.21B//
REF/F/DON ASN MEMO, DATED 18 NOV 2020//
NARR/REF (A) IS THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JTR) CHAPTER 4 WHICH PROVIDES TRAVEL POLICY FOR TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY TRAVEL. REF (B) IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS (DODFMR) VOLUME 9 DOD TRAVEL POLICY. REF (C) IS THE FINANCE POLICY MANUAL (FPM) VOLUME 2 SERVICE LEVEL TRAVEL PROCEDURES. REF (D) IS THE MARINE CORPS DEFENSE TRAVEL SYSTEM (DTS) ORDER (MCO) 4650.39A WHICH DIRECTS THE IMPLEMENTATION AND DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE DTS PROGRAM. REF (E) IS MARINE CORPS ORDER (MCO) 7300.21B FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL. REF (F) IS THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY MEMORANDUM WHICH PROVIDES POLICY TO DTS UNSUBMITTED TRAVEL VOUCHERS.// 
POC1//POLICY SECTION/DC, P&R-RFF/TEL: COMM (703) 432-9134/EMAIL: HQMC_P_R_RFF@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  The Marine Corps averages 4,100 Outstanding Travel Orders (OTO) each month valued at $4.8 million (12 percent of monthly DTS expenditures).  OTOs represent risk to commanders in the form of inaccurate available fund balances, missed training and purchasing opportunities which negatively impact operational and audit readiness.  This MARADMIN outlines specific actions required to comply with reference (f).
2.  Background.  The references dictate management of Temporary Duty Travel (TDY).  Reference (ref) (d) established guidance for the management of the DTS program.  Ref (f) directs a zero dollar travel voucher be created and submitted for approval for all DTS travel authorizations that are a result of traveler non-compliance to time-lines per references (a) and (d).
3.  Action.  Effective upon release of this MARADMIN, the following actions are required: 
3.a.  Organizational Defense Travel Administrators (ODTA).  Per ref (d), ODTAs are responsible for monitoring and resolving the DTS Un-submitted Voucher Report for their organization.  This report shall be worked and reconciled weekly.
3.a.1.  Contact all travelers listed on the Unsubmitted Voucher Report by the fifth working day of the traveler’s return from TDY.
3.a.2.  Conduct follow-up contact weekly until the DTS travel voucher has been submitted for approval or 30 calendar days have elapsed since the traveler’s return and a DTS travel voucher has not been created/signed.
3.a.3.  None of the following corrective actions (create zero dollar travel voucher or cancel authorization) will be taken unless positive contact is made or 30 calendar days have elapsed without a response from the traveler.
3.a.4.  Upon positive contact, validate whether or not the TDY was executed.
3.a.4.a.  Member Did Execute TDY – Inform the traveler they have/had five (5) working days, per ref (d), to submit a travel voucher upon their return.  If requested, assist the traveler with creating a travel voucher in accordance with the references.
3.a.4.b.  Member Did Not Execute TDY – Advise the traveler to cancel their authorization using one of the two following methods:  Cancel without Expenses (selected when there are no associated mandatory expenses); or Cancel with Expenses (selected when mandatory expenses exist. e.g. Commercial Travel Office fee, cancelation fees, procurements via Centrally-Billed Account (CBA).
3.a.4.c.  If needed, the ODTA can assist with canceling the authorization for the member.  Apply the following comment in DTS, in the “Comments to the Approving Official” section, “Contacted the traveler on (enter date) and confirmed TDY was not executed.  Member is unable to access DTS to properly cancel the authorization and request it be canceled on their behalf.”  All travel vouchers possessing a monetary amount must be supported through a member signed DD Form 1351-2 included as an attachment.
3.a.4.d.  Authorization Contains Mandatory Expenses - Create a travel voucher zeroing out all monetary amounts except the mandatory  expenses; ensure a member signed DD Form 1351-2 is uploaded/attached to the travel voucher, and a Non-DTS Entry Agent (NDEA) shall sign and submit the travel voucher for approval.
3.a.4.e.  Authorization Does Not Contain Mandatory Expenses - Adjust the authorization itinerary to one (1) day, zero out all monetary amounts, and cancel the authorization.
3.a.5.  If the DTS travel voucher has not been created/submitted, 30 calendar days since return from TDY has elapsed, and contact attempts have been unsuccessful, do not cancel the DTS authorization.  Erroneously canceling an authorization will remove the Traveler’s ability to request proper reimbursements.
3.a.5.a.  Ensure a DTS travel voucher is created zeroing out all expenses/reimbursements.  Upload a completed and signed “Memo in Lieu of a DD Form 1351-2” as a substantiating document with the “Travel Voucher (DD Form 1351-2)” label selected in the DTS travel voucher.  The NDEA will sign the zero dollar travel voucher and submit for approval.  Include the following comment in DTS, in the “Comments to the Approving Official” section, “Thirty days have elapsed since Traveler’s return from TDY and a voucher for reimbursement has not been created.  All expenses/reimbursements have been zeroed out.”
3.a.6.  Develop a tracking mechanism of all contact attempts and actions taken.  A DTS Unsubmitted Voucher Report documented with the minimum tracking requirements is acceptable for use as a tracker.  Minimum tracking requirements:  Contact date, method of contact (e.g. phone, email), total contact attempts, actions taken by the traveler (e.g. canceled authorization, created travel voucher), and actions taken by ODTA/NDEA (e.g. zero dollar travel voucher created).
3.a.7.  Communicate Unsubmitted Voucher Report actions (canceled authorizations, zeroed out travel voucher) to the Finance Defense Travel Administrator (FDTA) for tracking and obligation reconciliation via the Unsubmitted Voucher Status tracker.  Reduction of transactions on the Unsubmitted Voucher Report correlate to resolution of outstanding travel authorizations and impact obligations.
3.b.  Finance Defense Travel Administrators (FDTA).  The FDTA is responsible for all reports as indicated in ref (d).  In addition, retrieve the OTO Report from the Comptroller/G8 on a weekly basis and perform joint reconciliations with ODTAs, Approving Officials (AO), Comptrollers, and other stakeholders in an effort to eliminate DTS OTOs.
3.b.1.  Disseminate the OTO Report to ODTAs for validation against the Unsubmitted Voucher Report, Signed Status Report, and Approved Status Report.
3.b.2.  Coordinate with the servicing Lead Defense Travel Administrator (LDTA) and DTS Debt Management Monitor (DMM) for any actions that result in a due U.S. (Debt) to ensure proper steps taken for debt settlement.
3.b.3.  Work directly with the DTS DMM and assist with reactivating accounting system records, if required.
3.b.4.  Request assistance from the Comptroller/G8 for any accounting system related issues in accordance with ref (e).
3.b.5.  Provide monthly reports to the Commanding Officer with a summary of all OTOs exceeding 30 days of return from TDY.  Include the ODTA Unsubmitted Voucher Tracker outlining delinquent actions or non-compliance by travelers, causing funds to be needlessly tied up, effectively denying a training opportunity for another Marine.
3.c.  Unit Authorizing Official (AO).  Unit AOs have two (2) working days from the day the travel voucher was signed by the traveler to validate/complete the following:
3.c.1.  For canceled authorizations with expenses; ensure a mandatory comment is included in the “Comments to Approving Official” section of the DTS travel voucher, verify only mandatory expenses are indicated, a member signed DD Form 1351-2 has been uploaded (if applicable), and if any errors exist, return the travel voucher for correction.  If there are no errors, sign and submit for voucher approval.
3.c.2.  For zero dollar travel vouchers; ensure a mandatory comment is included in the “Comments to Approving Official” section of the DTS travel voucher and “Memo in Lieu of a DD Form 1351-2” is included as a substantiating document, verify that all expenses/reimbursements have been zeroed out (with the exception of mandatory expenses, e.g. CBA), and if any errors exist, return the travel voucher for correction.  If there are no errors, sign and submit for voucher approval.
3.d.  DTS Travel Voucher AO.  DTS AOs have ten (10) working days from the travel voucher being assigned by the Unit AO to validate and complete the following:
3.d.1.  For canceled authorizations with expenses; ensure the following mandatory comment is included in the “Comments to Approving Official” section of the DTS travel voucher, “A member signed DD Form 1351-2 has been uploaded” (if applicable), validate that all expenses are mandatory; if any non-mandatory expenses exist, adjust the travel voucher prior to approval, and for all adjustments, place comments in the AO signature section explaining the adjustments made.
3.d.2.  For zero dollar travel vouchers, ensure the mandatory comment is included in the “Comments to Approving Official” section of the DTS travel voucher, verify that “Memo in Lieu of a DD Form 1351-2” has been attached, validate that all expenses/reimbursements have been zeroed out (with the exception of mandatory expenses, e.g. CBA), and approve the zero dollar travel voucher. 
3.e.  Travelers.  Per references (a), (c), and (d), all travelers shall ensure trips not executed are properly canceled in DTS.  For trips executed, a travel voucher must be created and submitted for reimbursement within five (5) working days of return from TDY.  Not adhering to the prescribed timeline will delay reimbursement and may cause the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) to be placed in a delinquent status.  Zero dollar travel vouchers will not prevent a traveler from claiming proper reimbursements, but will require additional effort to be taken by all in the routing chain.  The traveler is responsible for ensuring the DTS authorization/voucher is correct and payment is properly supported (e.g. receipts, invoices, etc.).  GTCC penalties/fees will not be reimbursed if due to the Traveler’s non-compliance.
4.  These procedures are specific to outstanding travel caused by unsubmitted travel vouchers.  Procedures to address all outstanding travel orders and debt are currently being developed for future release.
5.  The contents of this MARADMIN will be incorporated in ref (d) during the next update.
6.  Release authorized by LtGen John M. Jansen, Deputy Commandant, Programs and Resources.//