What is not true about DoD travel policy?

What is not true about DoD travel policy?

Choose an appropriate option and select Submit.

A. The JTR covers both TDY travel allowances and reimbursable expenses.

B. The JTR is an AO’s primary reference for DoD travel regulations.

C. Your local and Component business rules can expand upon the JTR.

D. An AO can approve payment for items not addressed by the JTR.

Answer: D. An AO can approve payment for items not addressed by the JTR.

The statement in option D is false concerning DoD travel policy. The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) hence act as the allocative blueprint to the Department of Defense travel accommodation policies. Similar to the previous schedule, the AOs are under the regulations of the JTR and cannot authorize payments for costs or items that are not named on the issued document.

The JTR must be an all-embracing document that will address all aspects related to official travel, that is allowances, reimbursable expenses, and so on. This principle can be observed as follows: Any item or expenditure not having a direct reference to the JTR is considered as being non-allowable. Special attention should be paid to the fact that AOs must operate strictly according to the JTR provisions so that no inconsistencies and unfairness are observed within the DoD.

For instance, if a traveller has some unidentified extra costs, which are not listed in the JTR, for example, the rental of a piece of equipment not related to the duties of the traveller; the AO cannot approve such costs out of his or her discretion. However, to reply to such letters, they would require referring to the higher powers or the policy-setting institutions within the DoD.

This restriction ensures that there is control of expenditure and that unnecessary decisions which may encourage misuse of funds are avoided. In case of an emergent need for an expenditure that is not captured within the JTR, then the correct procedure would be to seek to change the regulations and the DoD through official channels and not through allowing the AOs to grant exceptions.