Government Credit Card for every Soldier, good idea or bad idea?

Well it depends. With all the cutbacks in troop strength, this may be a way to find more people to get rid of!! VERY QUICKLY!!! I am sure it wouldn't take very long after issuing every soldier in the military a credit card to determine that it is a very bad idea. Have you been a company commander Sir (I didn't look at your profile). The ammount of finance issues you will se as a 1SG or commander will tell you first hand that this is a very bad idea.

Some people also never notice when those things expire, which can put you into an interesting situation when you try to get on a flight that it was supposed to have paid for. 

Good idea on paper, probably a terrible idea in practice.  It would just take one idiot to ruin the entire program.  While I'm sure 99.9% of those who are issued a "GOVCC" would use it correctly, the moment someone uses it incorrectly, the program would be shot down.

Good idea - with specific restrictions.  It has worked in the past and can continue to if there are appropriate constraints applied.  You will certainly have some that abuse the privilege, but the overwhelming majority will use is in the intended manner.

My experience from 1980's - 90's where I was a Pilot in Command of a Med-Evac Helicopter, a crew of three ie: one Warrant Co-Pilot and two lower ranking enlisted. We traveled TDY to off military locations constantly and for long periods of time. Back then we Officers were issued a Diners Club CC and the Enlisted could draw a small advance on travel pay. Which didn't cover their Hotel for these trips let alone anything else. My Co-Pilot and I always took money out of our own pockets to cover what ever our soldiers needed. They in turn always paid us back when we returned home and they filed their vouchers for that trip. I fought for and was granted approval for the Enlisted to be issued CC's... a great thing we all thought! But the reality hit hard as Diners Club changed terms and the total amount charged had to be paid in full at the end of each month. If your on a 6 week+ operation this created a huge financial burden for the Enlisted and Officers as well. My enlisted couldn't file a voucher for another 2+ weeks as we were still TDY, their CC bill was due and they just didn't have the money to pay it. Many were hit with late fees (Which we fought) and a tyrant Senior Command even tried to bring charges against them (We fought and won at the 2 Star level). So in close I have mixed feelings on CC's, they can provide good benefits but also bad outcomes especially for those of us that do out of the ordinary missions!

If the soldier is totally responsible; good idea.

Eons ago.... when I was attached at a displaced Med-Evac Company we were TDY almost constantly in support of various Ops and 24 hour response to a 3 state MAST Mission. Some of these TDY's lasted 90 days or more! As a result I and the other Officers were issued a Govt. CC. My enlisted Medics and Crew Chiefs received a small Cash advance for the know/planned TDY's, nothing for the MAST overnighters. The problem: the small advances were quickly exhausted depending on where we were forced to stay! We the Officers almost always picked up the tab for all our crew and they reimbursed us months later when their Travel Voucher was finally paid. So I'm for a Govt. CC to all, with flexibility so as when on long deployments there will be NO "Balance Due" every 30 days like I/We had and all understand they are ultimately responsible and will be Articled for its misuse!

Bad idea. Too many service members are young, first time away from home and have no idea how to handle their finances and may very well abuse the card and get into big trouble.

I think that ultimately the GTCC program is not a "bad" idea. But, it should be an option not a requirement to participate. As long as the member has a credit card and they can cover their travel expenses then they should be good to go. There have been several times where I have chosen to just use my own card.

I have seen failures on both sides, both with the service member and on the program coordinator/travel office side. Kids think that they can get away with using the card for stupid things that have nothing to do with official travel, then carry a balance on the card so they pop a red flag. I have had to fight with the Personnel Office because they want to come down on a Sailor for carrying a balance on their card. Not paying attention to the fact that the Sailor submitted their travel claim within the required 5 days of completion of travel, but the Personnel Office/Travel Office has not approved or dealt with the travel claim for over 30 days.

Most Os and SNCOs got a CC which was activated and deactivated as the SM needed to use it, ATs, school, etc