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Temporary Duty Travel (TDY)

Sometimes called Temporary Additional Training (TAD) by other branches of the armed services. (specifically the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard)

Applies to All DOD Military and DOD Civilian personnel.

Authority: JFTR Chapter Four and Appendix O

Forward: Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) is travel on orders from current place of assignment to a specified destination(s) and return to place of assignment. Travel is mandated by USAREUR to be via a direct route. Deviations to direct routing will require approval (exception form) from the local SACOR/ITO or other government approving official.

DOD Contractors are personnel who are under contract to the government but are not DOD civilian employees. Contractors may present a TDY Order or a Letter of Identification (LOI). Even though the document may have an accounting citation, government fares can not be used nor can travel be charged to the CBA.

NAFI employees also go TDY. They may present an Order or a Letter of Identification (LOI). Even though the document may have an accounting citation, travel can not be charged to the CBA. Government fares may be used.

A. Validate Order Content

  1. Member’s Name and Rank
  2. Social Security Number
  3. Origin
  4. Destination
  5. Proceed Date
  6. Accounting citation
  7. Order is not expired. (TDY orders are valid from the date of issue and only for the number of days as listed on the orders. See section on expired TDY orders below.)
  8. Ensure that a complete set of orders are provided.
  9. Verify that orders have been signed and approved.

FOP (Form of Payment): If the order does not direct a form of payment, or if travelers would like to use an IBA when CBA is directed, ticketing can be provided however advise the member that the orders may have to be amended before a voucher can be filed.
Any statement on the order indicating that the member is a Government IBA card holder (i.e. "IBA may be authorized") is to be interpreted as mandatory use of the IBA. Tickets can not be issued without an amended order.

See CBA - IBA Matrix for required counseling.

FOP (Form of Payment) CINCUSEUCOM: All personnel assigned to CINCUSEUCOM, who are primarily based in Stuttgart or Belgium, have been authorized to utilize their individual IBA, the Government IBA or the Government CBA regardless of the FOP directed on the travel order. If the FOP used is different than what is stated on the travel order, we must advise the traveler that the orders may have to be amended before a voucher can be filed. Reminder, government fares can only be purchased with a government IBA or Government CBA.

Special Orders: In the future, members may provide "special orders" in an email format. These email orders must contain the same information as identified in "a - f" above in order for travel to be provided.

Variations Authorized

If the TDY travel orders specify that variations are authorized, indicated by a check mark in the small box next to "variations authorized" (block 11 on DD1610), the member will be allowed to vary his itinerary based on duty requirements. If variations authorized is checked, the traveler can select a destination that is not entered on the travel orders.

  • The traveler may vary his travel itinerary at any time prior to departure, after departure or at anytime during his travel.
  • The variations authorization cannot be used to allow travel to a leisure destination.
  • The variations authorization does not allow a member to upgrade their class of service to business or first class.

Blanket Orders

Blanket orders authorize members to travel to any points as specified in the travel order. Orders must be valid.

Expired Order

If a set of TDY orders allowed a maximum duty length of 120 days (this would be listed on the orders as "approximate length of duty"), once 120 days had past from the "proceed on date", these orders would no longer be valid. The member would require an extension or amendment to the TDY orders to authorize travel. Refer the member to the SACOR for assistance.

B. Communicate Entitlements

  • The member is entitled to Government paid travel from his/her current place of assignment to a specified TDY destination(s) and return to his/her place of assignment.

  • The member is required to travel along the most direct route. A direct route is defined as any route that does not require the government to pay additional per diem costs or additional transportation costs.

  • Travel from the duty station to the commercial airport servicing the duty station is authorized by common carrier. Common carrier is defined as rail, bus or private auto.

  • Government fares can never be used to procure leisure travel in connection with TDY travel.

      Example: Member is TDY to Fort Polk, Alexandria LA. He has leave authorized in Mobile Alabama, He wants to return to his Germany duty station from Mobile instead of Alexandria. This is not possible. Although there may be a government fare available from Mobile Alabama that is cheaper than from Alexandria, we cannot apply that fare since he is in Mobile for leisure reasons AND (point 1) he can only be routed directly to/from the TDY station.

  • If the TDY destination is in Asia, i.e. Korea, Japan, Thailand etc., the member can choose to travel via CONUS or via the direct route using a foreign flag carrier. If direct routing is selected offer the lowest restricted fare available. If a restricted fare is not available, or is not acceptable to the traveler, an approved exception form from the SACOR/ITO is required before ticketing can be provided.

Entitled Travel Options
  • When traveling on TDY orders, the member is authorized a stop-over in route as long as there is no additional costs to the government. Stop-over privilege will be determined by the rules of the airline being used.

  • DOD civilians and military personnel may elect to purchase his own transportation and file for reimbursement.
    • They must use SatoTravel.
    • Refer the member to the government finance officials for reimbursement information.

  • Leisure in conjunction with official travel (LICWO) can be incorporated into a TDY traveler’s entitlements as a round trip itinerary, paid by the customer, from either:
    • TDY destination
    • Authorized stop-over point

Mode of travel

  1. The traveler is entitled to commercial travel following the guidelines set by the General Services Administration (GSA).
    GSA Guidelines for commercial travel using
    Government Fares

  2. If traveling "down range", i.e. Bosnia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, the member is required to travel via AMC.

    • The use of commercial airlift into, out of or within Afghanistan and Iraq is not allowed. Even though commercial passenger travel exists concerns over carrier safety and/or liability as well as hostile fire prevents USCENTCOM from authorizing DOD personnel to use commercial carriers. If a customer has an unfavorable reaction to this policy refer them to their Command. The SACOR, ITO or IMCOM Europe do not have the authority to make an exception.

    • Commercial airlift to Bosnia or other down-range destinations, except for Afghanistan and Iraq, can be approved by SACOR/ITO. See below list of reasons that may require commercial airlift.

      • An AMC flight is not available on the traveler’s selected travel date.
      • There is no seat available on an AMC flight on the traveler’s selected travel date.
      • The member certifies that AMC does not meet TDY mission requirements by signing the invoice containing the invoice remark, "I certify that AMC will not meet mission requirements." (No exception form required.)
      • Using an AMC flight to an official destination would require a six hour, or longer, stop-over.

      If the SACOR/ITO approves commercial air transportation the lowest fare must be offered for the desired route, even if there are associated penalties. Inform the traveler of the penalties. If the traveler declines a penalty fare, the PNR must be annotated:

    "PAX declined lowest available fare due to mission requirements"
    -or-
    "PAX declined restricted fare due to penalties."
  1. Under the ‘FLY AMERICA ACT’ all DOD funded travel is required to use American Flag air carriers whenever they are available. There are exceptions to this rule if one of the below conditions apply. The two most common exceptions are:

    • “Cannot Provide Service" usually used when travel does not involve travel to the United States (CONUS)
    • “Non-Service on Part of Route", when a Foreign Flag carrier feeder flight is needed in conjunction with an American Flag carrier.

    When using a foreign flag air carrier it is mandatory that the applicable FFEX (Foreign Flag Exception) JTR/JFTR paragraph is printed on the invoice.  Click  FFEX   for detailed information on the exceptions below.

    • FFEX1  Multilateral Agreement
    • FFEX2  Non-Service on Part of Route
    • FFEX3  Involuntary Reroute
    • FFEX4  Double Travel Time
    • FFEX5  Foreign Payment
    • FFEX6  Nonstop Service Extended Travel By 24 Hours
    • FFEX7  Aircraft change more than 2 times/travel extended by more than 6hrs/connecting time more than 4hrs
    • FFEX8  Cannot Provide Service/Medical Reasons
    • FFEX9  Unreasonable Safety Risk
    • FFEX10  Less than 1st class service available
    • FFEX11  Delay in travel/travel between midnight and 6 AM
    • FFEX12  Payment By Non Federal Source
    • FFEX13  Medical reasons
    • FFEX14  Travel between midnight and 6 AM

Proceed date

  • Military Member: The TDY travel window is from three (3) days before to three (3) days after the proceed date listed on the orders. Seven (7) days total.

  • DOD civilians: No proceed date requirements.

Premium Class Travel

It is DOD policy that economy class travel accommodations be used for all official travel unless higher class accommodations are properly approved. When booking a travel request keep in mind, direct air service does not have to be used. Circuitous travel can be provided if economy seating is available even if the circuitous routing is more expensive than the direct route using a COW/CRT fare.

COW/CRT fares may not be used as they are considered, by USAREUR, to be business class fares. For some routes you have the ability to override the business class fare for a unrestricted coach fare (YOW/YRT). Check with your Branch Manager for CRS entries and further instruction if required. If overriding is not possible proper approval for business class travel must be obtained. If a circuitous routing is used to avoid the use of a business class fare, the following sentence must appear on the invoice:

"Circuitous routing used to ensure an economy fare, as direct route required the use of a business class fare."

  • Approval

    In all cases appropriate approval authorities are at the General Officer (GO) level. Obtaining approval is the direct responsibility of the Authorizing Official (AO) which is also the person/agency responsible for publication of travel orders.

    Approved orders must contain the following.

    • Name of the approving General Officer.
    • The travel points the approval is being provided for.
    • The specific paragraph reference in the JTR or JFTR and reason/justification used.
    • Name and contact information of the person responsible for preparing and executing the approval request.

    To view a sample copy of a TDY travel order (DD1610), with an appropriate approval authority contained in block 16, click here.  

  • IBA
    If a customer pays with his IBA (Government Travel Card), approval is not necessary as long as the traveler is aware that the following sentence will appear on his invoice.
    "Notice: if a business class fare was purchased, you are advised that appropriate approval for this class of service has to be properly approved or you may not be reimbursed for the travel performed."

  • Round Trip Ticketing
    The issuing of a round trip ticket for one way travel as a means to obtain economy fares has been determined to be an illegal business practice. USAREUR transportation personnel have also agreed that it should not be done. SatoTravel Associates will not indulge in this practice.

  • Statements of non availability
    SatoTravel does not provide statements of non availability for economy fares. Travelers who have performed travel at personal expense, and bought tickets from other than a contract travel office, will have to discuss reimbursement with a government representative.

Excess Baggage

Orders must authorize excess baggage in order for the traveler to be reimbursed. Excess baggage cannot be charged to the CBA. The member is required to pay for excess baggage and claim reimbursement. There are special cases in which military personnel can be authorized to charge excess baggage costs to the CBA. While the SACOR / ITO can not approve this exception, they will assist the traveler in obtaining approval from the proper authority. Refer the traveler to the SACOR.

Pet Travel

Cost of pet travel is at the traveler’s personal expense. The contract carrier can not be waived if there is no pet space available or the contract carrier cannot accommodate the pet.

C. Communicate Exception Options

The following is a partial list of common exception requests:

  • Travel to destination other than authorized on orders. (TDY point)
  • Unauthorized travel route.
  • Travel date outside of what is approved on orders.
  • Government fares for a leisure destination(s).

If a customer requests an exception to their travel entitlement refer them to the SACOR / ITO for approval (exception form). SatoTravel will gladly ticket any travel request that has been approved with an authorized and signed exception form. This does not apply to Premium Class Travel. Refer to Premium Class Travel for approval authorities.
Exception Form

"SatoTravel is a government contractor. We are obligated by contract to follow the rules of the JFTR."

last update November 19, 2007
last review June 5, 2007