Approving Officials,
I would like to announce the promulgation of the Coast Guard Supplement to the Joint Federal Travel Regulations (CGS-JFTR), COMDTINST 4600.17A. This new CGS-JFTR replaces a directive that served us well for almost 20 years.
The CGS-JFTR provides additional guidance to the travel and transportation regulations for military personnel and their dependents contained in the Joint Federal Travel Regulations Volume 1 (JFTR). If the CGS-JFTR conflicts with the JFTR, the JFTR takes precedence. There may be circumstances under which the payment of allowances is prohibited in the JFTR and in the CGS-JFTR; those circumstances are stated. The absence of a prohibition does not imply or grant authority or permission for any action for which authority does not exist/is not explicitly allowed in the JFTR or in the CGS-JFTR. Authorizing/Approving Officials (AOs) and travelers have the responsibility to ensure travel orders are complete, accurate, and lawful. If a statement or endorsement is on a travel order, the entitlements of such a statement or endorsement must be supported by the statutory regulations contained in the JFTR. Significant updates and clarifications to the JFTR travel and transportation regulations have been promulgated since the last CGS-JFTR issuance in 1993. Some of the most significant changes reflected in the new CGS-JFTR are listed below.
I strongly encourage members who coordinate travel and prepare travel orders to read this updated directive. Some aspects of military travel can be very complicated and challenging to understand. Our goal is to provide useful, easily understood direction within the CGS-JFTR. No paper distribution will be made of this Manual. An electronic version will be located on the Internet at http://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/4000-4999/CIM_4600_17A.pdf
COMMANDANT (CG-1222)
ATTN: YNCM SNYDER
US COAST GUARD
2100 2ND ST SW STOP 7801
WASHINGTON DC 20593-7801
CGS-JFTR SIGNIFICANT UPDATES/CLARIFICATIONS PER THE JFTR
Par.
2020-E: Members attending a conference must have an approved Conference Attendance Form on file in accordance with the Conference Guide, available on CGPORTAL. Registration fees to attend a conference which is determined to be a training activity under 5 CFR 410.404 are reimbursable travel expenses.
2710-B: An AO has the right to request a receipt for questionable travel expenditures less than $75.
2800-A: The local area may include separate counties, cities, towns, or installations adjacent to or within 50 miles or less, or a two hour roundtrip commute as determined by DTOD, served by local public transit systems, or between which the commuting public travels on a daily basis, refer to Figures 4-1 (pg. 4-6) and 7-1 (pg. 7-7) when determining the entitlement to per diem.
3320-A: A compact car is the standard size rental vehicle authorized for TDY travel. The AO may authorize or approve an appropriately sized rental vehicle when it is determined that the standard size does not meet the mission requirements. Only one rental vehicle may be authorized or approved for a member, reimbursement for multiple rental vehicles at one time is not authorized.
4102-A: A member is not authorized per diem on any day not in a travel status or any day classified as leave (e.g., annual leave, sick leave, paternity leave, etc.) or administrative absence. Refer to the Military Assignments and Authorized Absences Manual, COMDTINST M1000.8 (series) for a complete listing of authorized absences. Refer to the JFTR, Paragraph U7225, for the lodging reimbursement authorized to a reserve member ordered TDY in support of a Contingency Operation who retains lodging at the TDY location during an authorized absence.
4105: Members under a voluntary TDY in support of a Contingency Operation order at one location in CONUS for more than 180 consecutive days are authorized a per diem rate equal to 55% of the applicable locality per diem rate (lodging and M&IE).
4131: A member who leases or rents an apartment, house, or recreation vehicle with other official or non-official traveler(s) must only be reimbursed the appropriate percentage of the following lodging expenses (e.g., two occupants - each receive 50%; three occupants - each receive 33%) not to exceed the applicable locality or the reduced per diem lodging rate prescribed.
4135: Dual lodging is limited to a maximum of seven consecutive days, extensions beyond seven consecutive days may only be approved after the fact by COMDT (CG-1222).
4137: Note: Effective for orders issued on or after 1 April 2013, a member who purchases a home TDY will not be entitled to the M&IE portion of per diem in accordance with Paragraph 4177.
5020: PCS travel and transportation advances are limited to 80% of the estimated travel and transportation costs to include MALT plus per diem, DLA, and TLE.
5100: In accordance with the JFTR, Paragraph U5355, on a case-by-case basis COMDT (CG-1222) may authorize or approve a local short distance HHG move to include DLA in connection with a PCS order when the member's residence or old PDS are within the local area of the new PDS and household relocation is mission essential, in the Government's best interest, and not primarily for the member's convenience, this would include a short distance HHG move for a member when the new or old PDS is an Unusually Arduous Sea Duty vessel in accordance with the JFTR, Paragraphs U5222-D2 and U5350-C.
5107: POC travel thru CONUS is not authorized for a consecutive overseas tour (COT) PCS order unless in accordance with Paragraph 7200-C, POC travel is authorized or approved by COMDT (CG-1222) because it has been determined to be cost advantageous to the Government.
5600-D: DLA is not authorized in connection with a PCS from home or from the place from which called/ordered to active duty (PLEAD) to the first PDS unless the member has dependents that relocate. This would include a reserve member issued a long-term active duty PCS order that is not currently on long-term active duty.
5600-E: A member married to member couple (with or without dependents) who both relocate in connection with a PCS during the same assignment season, from the same residence at the old PDS to the same residence at the new PDS, are only authorized the applicable DLA rate (with or without dependents) to one of the members, not both. An exception to this rule may be authorized if the member that remained at the old PDS was required to establish a new non-temporary residence and had a separate HHG shipment.
7150-A: Travel and transportation allowances are not authorized for travel between the member's primary residence/home/PLEAD and the place of active duty when both are in the corporate limits of the same city/town. When a member's primary residence/home/PLEAD is not within the corporate limits of the same city/town but is within the local area as defined in Paragraph 2800-A, one round trip during the active duty period may be reimbursed using the applicable TDY mileage rate determined by odometer reading, per diem would not be authorized. When determining the entitlement to per diem the DTOD is the only official source for determined TDY distances.
7200-A1: In-Place COT (IPCOT). Personnel who receive consecutive tours of duty at the same OCONUS PDS must have completed their initial tour length to include any extensions and their new assignment must be for the tour length contained in the Military Assignments and Authorized Absences Manual, COMDTINST M1000.8 (series), Articles 1.A.4.a.(1)-(3),(5) for officers and Article 1.A.4.b. for enlisted, to be entitled to IPCOT leave travel. The member must complete the first overseas tour regardless of billet reassignment at the PDS to qualify for IPCOT leave travel.
7200-A2: Note: The tour lengths (with or without dependents) contained in the Military Assignments and Authorized Absences Manual, COMDTINST M1000.8 (series) govern COT/IPCOT leave travel eligibility; any deviation in tour lengths (e.g., short tours) could adversely affect eligibility.
7200-C: COT travel performed by POC may be authorized or approved by COMDT (CG-1222) if determined to be cost advantageous to the Government. If POC use is authorized or approved the member is authorized MALT plus per diem. If a POC is used for PCS travel between two OCONUS PDSs without authorization or approval the member's reimbursement is limited to the policy constructed airfare contained in the JFTR, Appendix A.
7200-D: COT leave travel is meant to be taken between two OCONUS tours in connection with PCS travel and should only be deferred when the member is operationally unable to travel to the HOR or an alternate location en route. Commands should counsel detaching personnel eligible for COT leave travel as to this requirement. Deferral of COT leave travel for an eligible traveler that travels through CONUS, or through or near an OCONUS HOR may only be authorized by COMDT (CG-1222). Commands have no authority to authorize deferral of COT leave travel for an eligible traveler that travels through CONUS, or through or near an OCONUS HOR.
7450: When a member is ordered to travel for disciplinary action (e.g., NJP, Court-Martial) lodging, meals, and travel must be provided by the Government (Government conveyance or Government procured transportation). Payment of per diem, while traveling or while at the disciplinary action point is not authorized.
7450-A: If a POC is used for the ordered travel, the member is authorized the Other Mileage Rate contained in the JFTR, Paragraph U2600-A for the official distance and reimbursement for highway, bridge, tunnel tolls, and parking fees.
7960-A: The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-281, 124 Stat. 2905, signed into law on 15 October 2010 authorizes reimbursement for travel to specialty care less than 100 miles for a beneficiary and one necessary attendant residing on an island in CONUS which lacks public access roads to the mainland. The beneficiary must be enrolled in TRICARE Prime and referred to a specialty care provider by a primary care physician.