News

Process for travel settlements changes

  • Published
  • By Sandra Pishner
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The travel settlement process Reservists are familiar with is changing. No longer can travel vouchers be faxed to 62nd Comptroller Squadron's travel pay section. They must now be dropped off in a box at the finance self-help station. And, there are new methods for what to submit, how the voucher will be processed, and how long it will take to get your pay settlement. 

All these changes are a direct result of the Air Force's new centralized financial service structure, with the central process center located at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. Locally the 62nd CPTS, which supports Reservists in the travel pay process, is down to two Airmen as services are transferred to Ellsworth. This means customers must rely more on the self-help station in Bldg. 100 at the Customer Service Mall. 

Those needing assistance with filing their travel voucher will need to make an appointment. Walk-in times will be reduced to a one hour window - 8 to 9 a.m., each weekday. 

"They prefer that appointments be set up, but they will still accept walk-ins," said Senior Master Sgt. Louis Desjardins, 446th Airlift Wing financial management and comptroller support. "But if it takes longer than five or 10 minutes Airmen will be encouraged to set up an appointment." This new system is great for active-duty Airmen, but not so good for Reservists, he added. 

New requirements Airmen must comply with before turning in their travel vouchers include checklists and presentation of receipts. 

Two new checklists are available to help organize vouchers and ensure the voucher is complete and will not be returned unprocessed due to errors. A long checklist is used for settlements of temporary duty travel and a shorter version is used for mileage-only vouchers - the one used most by Reservists. 

"The voucher will be sent back if it's missing the appropriate checklist," said Sergeant Desjardins. 

Because of the way vouchers will be processed for the Air Force Financial Service Center, receipts must now be on 8 ½ x11 paper and Airmen must try to fit as many receipts as possible on one sheet of paper. 

"What I recommend is to make a copy on the large paper of your receipts and keep the original receipts," said Sergeant Desjardins. 

Reservists filing mileage-only vouchers must include a privately-owned vehicle statement signed by the Airman and a supervisor. 

As the Air Force Financial Service Center forms and matures, processing time for travel vouchers will improve, but in the meantime Airmen may experience longer waits for their settlements. 

Questions or concerns about the new travel settlement process can be addressed to the 62nd CPTS at 982-3945 on weekdays. 

(Airman First Class Patrick Cabellon, 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this report)