Posted on Jun 2, 2019
Can a reserve unit require you to stay in a hotel 20 miles away while on AT orders and not pay mileage?
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No GOV or trans provided. In & around not on orders...which were provided the day prior to report date and lodging not arranged until AFTER reporting for AT.
DTS
Defense Travel System (DTS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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If you are on AT orders, then the only mileage reimbursement you are entitled to is driving to your unit on day one of AT, and driving home on the final day. DTS is not even used for this, that reimbursement for mileage pays out with your AT pay.
AT orders are not funded for in and around mileage, or most anything else listed in the JTR for travel for all orders other than AT.
AT orders means your unit is responsible to provide lodging and chow for all 15 days at no cost to the Soldier.
If the hotel was paid for by the Unit Travel Card, it is an unfortunate outcome that your unit failed to set up home station lodging for AT prior to the first day of AT and ended up with a hotel 20 miles away.
Talk with your commander about this failure to plan and how it impacts every TPU in the unit. They can at least plan for next year's AT and not cause the same problem again.
AT orders are not funded for in and around mileage, or most anything else listed in the JTR for travel for all orders other than AT.
AT orders means your unit is responsible to provide lodging and chow for all 15 days at no cost to the Soldier.
If the hotel was paid for by the Unit Travel Card, it is an unfortunate outcome that your unit failed to set up home station lodging for AT prior to the first day of AT and ended up with a hotel 20 miles away.
Talk with your commander about this failure to plan and how it impacts every TPU in the unit. They can at least plan for next year's AT and not cause the same problem again.
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MSG (Join to see)
Thank you for the advice SGM. That was articulated quite well during the AAR. Unfortunately it was not our CO's fault (although he owned it) as he took command barely 90 days prior to AT and the 1SG transferred in less than 60 days prior.
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MSG (Join to see) Not to offend, but - can’t you stay in the place of duty?
A cot, air mattress and a fart sack have sheltered many troops.
Heck, at your age, you wouldn't even need the cot.
A cot, air mattress and a fart sack have sheltered many troops.
Heck, at your age, you wouldn't even need the cot.
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Without orders? A Reserve unit? Wow. Other than Battle Assembly, I do nothing without having orders in hand. How can they make you travel without orders?
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CW3 (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) - What's your MOS? You need a new unit. I'm sorry, but if the orders have been cut 10 days ago, and you're just giving them to me today, that's fuck fuck games. You're almost a senior NCO, no need to tolerate that.
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MSG (Join to see)
Currently 91B. Just transferred in less than 4 months ago but I'm working on implementing change.
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Does your unit not have vehicles? Duce and 1/2 haul a lot of troops on a sort run.
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I can only wish my Reserve unit would get me a hotel room even without mileage. I live 46 miles away from where I drill. I'm not eligible for LIK.
And I don't get in and around mileage at home station, why should I get it at AT? I really don't care about in and around mileage. I'm about to go TDY to Fort Gordon (drill at Ft. Meade, live near Ft. Belvoir). I'm not getting in-and-around mileage...don't really care. They can pay me what they'd pay for a flight as the mileage... more convenient for the government. I'll be housed on post, and eat at the DFAC 7 days a week. Going out to eat will be out of my own pocket. Not an issue.
And I don't get in and around mileage at home station, why should I get it at AT? I really don't care about in and around mileage. I'm about to go TDY to Fort Gordon (drill at Ft. Meade, live near Ft. Belvoir). I'm not getting in-and-around mileage...don't really care. They can pay me what they'd pay for a flight as the mileage... more convenient for the government. I'll be housed on post, and eat at the DFAC 7 days a week. Going out to eat will be out of my own pocket. Not an issue.
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MSG (Join to see)
Must be nice to be house on post. The commute by POV for all ranks down to E-1 was an hour each day for 14 days. For BA I don't complain. For AT I see that as an issue especially when the majority of the unit reported without orders and lodging arrangements had not been made prior to report date/time.
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CW3 (Join to see)
I'll be housed on post during my TDY because it's PME. I'm going to the followon technical course for ILE. If I were doing AT, it would likely be home station AT, which means I'd drive there, get a hotel room out of my own pocket, and drive back at the end of the AT.
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This stuff has nothing to do with DTS which is merely travel accounting/reimbursement/credit card stuff. The Joint Travel Regulations govern. Although the Services do a lot of gaming to hose SMs out of travel reimbursement for inactive duty training, they can't run and hide from the JTR, especially on AD stuff. It's unclear if your orders do/don't comply with JTR, but regardless, JTR governs even when the orders are messed up. They need to be brought into compliance which is usually means amendment. If refused, it's IG time.
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MSG (Join to see)
If the orders reflected the lodging arrangements that were made after soldiers reported for AT then it would be a DTS issue. Unfortunately this may be a battle I may not fight as it may jeopardize future orders.
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