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Military Retirement Travel

Authority: JFTR Chapter Five (U5130)

Forward: Military members who have served a required number of years are eligible for "military retirement." They will be issued military retirement orders. Under military retirement, a member is authorized travel to a "home of selection" (HOS). A HOS may be made anywhere in the United States, Alaska or Hawaii. Furthermore, the military member has twelve months from the actual date of retirement to select and commence travel to a HOS. This twelve month period is sometimes extended. An extension to the 12-month period requires an amendment to the retirement orders.

A. Validate Orders Content

  1. Members Name and Rank
  2. Names of dependents and dates of birth of children if traveling.
  3. Social Security Number
  4. Origin
  5. Destination
  6. Accounting Citation
  7. Order is not expired
  8. Ensure that a complete set of orders are provided.
  9. Verify that orders have been signed and approved.
  10. Request for Transportation Services (RTS) form, if shipping a POV.

FOP (Form Of Payment): If the order does not direct a form of payment, or if travelers would like to use a form of payment other than what is directed in the order (i.e. IBA directed however would like to use CBA), ticketing can be provided however advise the member that the orders may have to be amended before a voucher can be filed.

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.

Expired Order
Order expires 12 months after the actual date of retirement.

  • In some cases, the 12 month limitation will be extended. SatoTravel must be provided a copy of this extension (amendment) prior to ticketing.

B. Communicate Entitlements

  • The member is entitled travel to:
    • A Home of Selection (HOS), which may be to any point in the United States, to include Alaska and Hawaii.
    • A HOS outside CONUS provided it is entered on the retirement travel order.

  • 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.

  • Traveler is authorized government sponsored travel to any location of choice other than the United States, Alaska or Hawaii, provided it is less expensive than the government rate from the overseas retirement duty station to Seattle, Washington.

      Example: A member electing to retire in Japan, could be provided travel at government expense, provided the cost of travel to Japan would be less than Frankfurt to Seattle Washington.

  • Military and DOD civilian personnel traveling to the United Kingdom from Europe may elect to drive their POV. POV may be booked on the Chunnel or via Ferry transportation for travel across the English Channel. SatoTravel will make reservations and provide ticketing for the POV and family members.

  • If the member is shipping a POV at government expense (reference JFTR U5002), the DOD traveler is entitled to Government paid travel from where the member is currently stationed to the commercial airport that serves the primary port (the POV shipping point that services the members authorized PCS destination), or any government POV shipping destination East of the members new duty station. Refer to the POV port list for the primary port for each State. If a customer requests a port that is West of his new duty station, the member must purchase his own ticket and file for reimbursement.
    POV Primary Port List

Entitled Travel Options

  • A stop-over in route is authorized as long as there are no additional costs to the government. Stop-over privilege will be determined by the rules of the airline being used.

  • A member 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.

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. All travelers are required to use American Flag air carriers.
    • If American Flag carriers exists, but no seats are available, use of Foreign flag airlift requires an approved and signed exception form.
    • If no American Flag carrier exists for the route, and a Foreign Flag is used, an approved and signed exception form is required.
    • If travel orders "Direct" or "Authorize" the use of foreign flag air travel, SatoTravel is still required to gain the approval of the SACOR/ITO.

Availability Date

No availability 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.

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

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 September 29, 2005