News Release

Split Disbursement to Travel Card Vendor Becomes a Default for DOD Civilian Travelers

DoD civilian employees who travel on temporary duty and use the government travel card are encouraged to use split disbursement to the maximum extent possible. While union negotiations take place to make split disbursement a mandatory requirement, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) directed in his April 23, 2003 memorandum that default split disbursement be implemented for civilian travelers. The default split disbursement process has already been negotiated with most DoD unions. To determine if a particular local union has bargained this provision, individuals should check with their labor relations office.

This requirement also applies to partial/accrual payments for long-term TDY if the travel card is used. For claims sent to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), effective for travel beginning on or after September 19, 2003, these partial/accrual payments must have a reviewer’s signature. Travel claims will be returned, unprocessed, without the reviewer’s signature and date.

The DoD travel voucher is a DD Form 1351-2 (Travel Voucher or Subvoucher). Block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 tells the travel office how to disburse the travel payment, e.g. check, electronic funds transfer (EFT) or split disbursement.

For travel vouchers processed by the DFAS, the travel office will disburse the travel payment in accordance with the instructions in block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2. However, if block 1 is empty, DFAS will follow the procedures below to determine how funds will be disbursed.

If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty, the travel office will look at the travel order. Travel orders are required to identify if the traveler has a government travel card. If the travel order states that the traveler is a travel card holder, and block 1 is empty, the travel office will add the lodging, rental car, and air fare (if claimed on the DD Form 1351-2) and send the sum to the government travel card company on behalf of the civilian traveler. This is the default split disbursement provision. Any entitlement in excess of what is sent to the travel card company will be sent to the traveler’s EFT account.

If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty and the travel order states that the traveler is not a travel cardholder, the entire travel payment will be sent to the traveler’s EFT account.

If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty and the travel order is silent about whether or not the traveler has a travel card, the travel office will make one attempt to contact the traveler. If clarification is not received within 48 hours, the voucher will be returned to the traveler.

For more information on the implementation of the default split disbursement policy contact your local travel office for details.