DTMO Guide for Managing Travel-Incurred Debt - Defense Travel System

Scope

The DTMO Guide for Managing Travel-Incurred Debt is the comprehensive Defense Travel System (DTS) reference for identifying, processing, and resolving travel-incurred debts across DoD. Version 2.0, dated 12 August 2016. The guide walks each role through the debt lifecycle from initial recognition through final collection or write-off. The companion short-form reference is the DTMO Understanding a Travel Debt information paper.

Audience

• Travelers identifying a debt situation.
• Authorizing Officials (AOs) and Reviewing Officials.
• Defense Travel Administrators (DTAs).
• Disbursing officers and Debt Management Offices.
• IPAC travel clerks and S-1 pay clerks.
• Finance officers handling DUE US recoveries.

Chapters

• Chapter 1. Introduction.
• Chapter 2. Roles in Debt Management. Traveler, AO, Reviewing Official, DTA, Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), Debt Management Office.
• Chapter 3. Recognizing a Travel Debt.
• Chapter 4. Trip Cancellation After Travel Advance.
• Chapter 5. Trip Cancellation After Scheduled Partial Payment (SPP).
• Chapter 6. Post-Payment Audit Recovery.
• Chapter 7. DUE US Voucher Processing in DTS.
• Chapter 8. Debt Collection Procedures.
• Chapter 9. Salary Offset.
• Chapter 10. Hardship Waivers and Write-Offs.

Key procedures

• Traveler initial notification on debt recognition.
• Traveler second notification.
• Trip cancelled after non-ATM advance or SPP paid.
• Post-payment recovery workflow.
• Salary offset under 5 USC 5514.
• Voluntary repayment plans.
• Debt write-off thresholds.

Note on availability

The 2016 v2.0 guide is no longer hosted on the active DTMO site. The current short-form replacement on travel.dod.mil is the Understanding a Travel Debt information paper (June 2025). The full 2016 guide remains in DoD archives and on service-component travel reference sites for historical reference.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• DoD 7000.14-R Volume 9. Travel Policy.
• DoD 7000.14-R Volume 5. Disbursing Policy.
• Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).
• 5 USC 5514. Installment deduction for indebtedness to the United States.
• 31 USC 3711-3720E. Federal debt collection authority.
• DTMO Understanding a Travel Debt information paper (June 2025). Short-form companion.

Status

Version 2.0 dated 12 August 2016. No active replacement of the comprehensive guide. The Understanding a Travel Debt information paper covers the high-traffic procedures.