Can an Army unit force you to utilize a specific mode of travel when traveling somewhere on orders?

2019-11-18T17:49:09-05:00

I'm going on orders to Fort Bragg. I wanted to drive, but my unit is forcing me to fly. Driving costs less than flying would according to DTS. Can they do this?

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 5:49 PM

2019-11-18T17:49:53-05:00

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 5:53 PM

2019-11-18T17:53:11-05:00

Yea. They can pretty much dictate. It's their funds. Probably someone took a look at a DRA and figured there is less risk in you flying in comparison to driving and would rather pay extra for the flight.

Response by PO1 H Gene Lawrence made Nov 18 at 2019 5:55 PM

2019-11-18T17:55:40-05:00

You’re in the Army now. It doesn’t have to make sense. If they are giving you money to do the traveling, then do what you think is right. If your goal is to have your vehicle with at the next post, then drive. If they are not giving you money and you are expecting reimbursement then fly. If you don’t want reimbursement, then drive.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 6:26 PM

2019-11-18T18:26:43-05:00

If you are on orders to Bragg, whether it be for PCS or TDY, the unit has to account the distance needed to be traveled and the amount of travel days authorized. Per Army regulations, you are "not allowed" to drive more than 400 miles per day. If the total distance is greater than 400 miles, they would have to give you an extra travel day which may not be cost efficient, hence why 90% of CONUS PCS moves give you 2-3 days unless its to the west coast. TDY is almost always more cost efficient to fly the individual to the location.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 6:34 PM

2019-11-18T18:34:30-05:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member We just went through this briefing this past drill. So, the gov't appears to default to flying. You can ask to drive POV, but travel rate to be paid will be what is most affordable for the gov't. So, I would talk to you Finance folks & let them know that you would like to drive your POV, and that it is more cost effective than a plane ticket, from your research. They may have different numbers, but it can't hurt to find out. If they don't want you to drive, then your unit DOES have the final say. There may be (& probably is) more to the request than they are telling you at first.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 18 at 2019 6:48 PM

2019-11-18T18:48:03-05:00

My travel office always gave the option to drive or fly and reimbursement is based on the cheapest mode of transportation.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 7:31 PM

2019-11-18T19:31:21-05:00

Sure they can. Your orders authorize specific modes of travel.
Sometimes, like in certain trainings, they dont want you to have a vehicle.
Life happens. Drink water and carry on

Response by CAPT Patrick Mulcahy made Nov 18 at 2019 9:01 PM

2019-11-18T21:01:29-05:00

The can do it (not sure why) because your travel is at the convenience of the government.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Nov 18 at 2019 9:33 PM

2019-11-18T21:33:18-05:00

Yes, Government may specify mode, especially if there is a specific arrival time and there is not an authorization for in and around travel by government auto or POV. The purpose of travel (like a school) may specify NO POVs. What you can do is engage the travel approval authority from the DTS chain and show the lower constructive cost of POV travel Vice commercial air and commercial ground transport. If the answer is no, then it is no. Yes they can do that.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 9:52 PM

2019-11-18T21:52:54-05:00

From some of your comments, it appears that you do not have a good grasp of Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Per JTR, one day of travel is allotted for 350 miles of driving (regardless of the fact that you could rip some lines of No-Doze and drive 2000 miles in 24 hours). The cost for an extra day of orders for travel is not just the pay you will receive. It is also the cost of the hotel you would be authorized, it is the per diem you would be authorized, etc. etc. An order is not "unlawful" unless it breaks a legal statute, and commanders have wide latitude on what they can authorize or restrict. So, can you be ordered to fly instead of driving? YES, absolutely.

Now, that being said, almost every training NCO or travel official I have ever dealt with doesn't really care how you get there as long as they aren't paying more than they need to or giving you an extra day of orders for travel. Complete an accurate CTW and submit it with your request to drive your POV. Drop the sense of entitlement; educate yourself on the JTR and the necessary expenditures if you are granted your preferred mode of travel. If you come off as ignorant when they start asking you questions, you are quickly going to be shut down. In the past when dealing with a particularly stubborn training NCO, I have completed two different authorizations (without signing) in order to show the difference in reimbursement between the two modes. If you need some other ideas, feel free to hit me up; I've dealt with this similar situation several times. Best of luck!

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Nov 18 at 2019 11:19 PM

2019-11-18T23:19:40-05:00

There are other factors here. Personal vehicle or rental? Getting DA to pay for a rental is like pulling teeth. And this all boils down to money. The Army doesn't care how long you can drive without resting, they won't risk a soldier getting in a wreck if they can avoid it. Ever hear of the Army problem solving matrix? They want your travel to be as low risk as possible, even if it means spending more on a flight that they pay for. You cannot factor non reimbursable expenses into your travel like parking fees at airports. If you have a POV, you have a shot at getting your orders amended for land travel. A very slim chance I might add.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2019 12:42 AM

2019-11-19T00:42:17-05:00

Schedule is probably more of the issue than funds

Response by SSG Tom Montgomery made Nov 19 at 2019 2:44 AM

2019-11-19T02:44:56-05:00

Again, these are questions best answered by your chain of command. There are too many variables. Are you transferring to a Post with limited parking? Is having a POV detrimental to the mission? You may be deploying and not returning to the same location.
My answer: Yes they can.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Nov 19 at 2019 4:17 AM

2019-11-19T04:17:13-05:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member, if you really want to drive then submit a cost comparison to whomever is your approval authority showing how driving is more advantageous rather than fly. Keep the Joint Travel Regulation in mind as you perform the exercise since it has to be well articulated and the cost benefits easily identified.

That been said, approval is not always guaranteed since the unit might have a reason to justify their decision regardless of savings.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Nov 19 at 2019 11:03 AM

2019-11-19T11:03:11-05:00

Yes, pull up the joint travel regulation. Even as a DA Civilian the organization can select our mode of travel.

Response by SPC John Decker made Nov 20 at 2019 2:35 PM

2019-11-20T14:35:39-05:00

Why would they care? It seems to me that if your reporting date allowed for the time to drive, from wherever you started, they would have no say in how you got there.

Response by SSG Darrell Peters made Nov 21 at 2019 4:55 PM

2019-11-21T16:55:32-05:00

yes, they can. However, I know of some who put in for leave before they had to report. They drove to their new duty station while on leave. Not a good idea as they did not receive travel pay to my knowledge. Be mindful of your leave time when you arrive to your new duty station. By making you fly their has to be a process in place to get your car to your new duty station you should inquire about the process before you depart.