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So if you can't take care of an outstanding balance in 210 days you deserve a bad mark on your credit history.

No argument on the process, how it works, etc.--good info, I hadn't seen that before.

On the "deserve," though, I disagree. We're not talking about (I don't believe the previous posters were talking about) someone just blowing off a credit card bill.

The issue is that I'm *required* to use my GTC for certain expenses when TDY. The expenses for which GTC use is mandated are reimbursible. So, I am *ordered* to travel, *ordered* to use my GTC for certain expenses incurred thereby, and *ordered* to file my claim within X duty days (5?) of my return. So far, no problem. However, sometimes the system breaks down--for whatever reason, my claim doesn't get paid in a timely fashion. The fact that this debt that I am *ordered* to incur on official gov't business can negatively impact my *personal* credit rating is a huge foul. I could be doing everything within my power to get a legitimate claim paid, but if it doesn't happen (for whatever reason), I am forced to choose between paying a government debt with personal funds or taking a ding on my credit rating.

Since they changed the GTC to include credit reporting (ca 1999, if memory serves?), I've toyed with the idea off and on of refusing to sign the card agreement on exactly that basis. I think that would ultimately be a winnable fight, but doing so would burn a lot of bridges (and I haven't been anywhere where I could deal w/ the headache)....

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No argument on the process, how it works, etc.--good info, I hadn't seen that before.

On the "deserve," though, I disagree. We're not talking about (I don't believe the previous posters were talking about) someone just blowing off a credit card bill.

Come on now. If a traveler is having trouble getting paid you don't think 210 days is enough time to resolve it. Many go to IG and Wing CCs after 30 days. Once it hits that level the claim is usually put at the top of the stack.

Even if they can't pay the claim right away, there are provisions where an advance could be paid by the local FSO and send the $$ directly to the card. That process is only used in extreme circumstances.

So yes, I think "deserve" fits. You can disagree and I'm sure the posters providing input have never let their balance reach the 210 days. So for those that may go over 210 days, they must be blowing off the bill--So they deserve what they get.

I'm try to clear up all the rumors and hype about the GTC reaking havoc on travelers credit history. It's that traveler's own fault (among others) if they let it go that far, not the government.

Edited by Finance_Guy
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Come on now. If a traveler is having trouble getting paid you don't think 210 days is enough time to resolve it. Many go to IG and Wing CCs after 30 days. Once it hits that level the claim is usually put at the top of the stack.

In general, yes, of course. In the vast majority of cases, the claim is settled w/in a week or so and the issue doesn't even arise. It's the potential for it to do so which remains, and I'd say that potential is real. If I'm approaching the 9-month point of a $200 bill that everyone (incl the gov't) agrees is a legit claim but the system is still bolloxed up, and I recently deployed (or have some other priority issue to deal with), that could easily slip to the back burner. So long as the member is proactively trying to get the claim paid, I don't think he should be liable.

Even if they can't pay the claim right away, there are provisions where an advance could be paid by the local FSO and send the $$ directly to the card. That process is only used in extreme circumstances.

Now that I didn't know. That, too, would fall in the "be proactive" side of the equation.

I think you & I are mostly on the same page here....

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  • 3 years later...

I sent an email asking how to track my accrual voucher (since they generally fuck it up). How awesome is this response? I copied and pasted it exactly as I received it. Signature shows an A1C sent it.

Good Afternoon,

You cancheck back with us in a couple of wees and we can check the

status of your voucher but as of now, theres no way we can really track it.

V/r,

//Signed//

Randolph AFB Finance Callcenter

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I sent an email asking how to track my accrual voucher (since they generally fuck it up). How awesome is this response? I copied and pasted it exactly as I received it. Signature shows an A1C sent it.

Good Afternoon,

You cancheck back with us in a couple of wees and we can check the

status of your voucher but as of now, theres no way we can really track it.

V/r,

//Signed//

Randolph AFB Finance Callcenter

My first thought after reading, "Me fail enlish? That's unpossible!"

As to the actual content, I always had good luck responding with, "Great! Would you mind giving me the name and phone number of your OIC? Thanks." That will usually get them in gear, and if not you will have a good opportunity to interact with the non-rated officers on base.

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He's not an A1C working in finance because it sounded better than going to Harvard.

You are right. He is an A1C because he is ######ing retarded.

If he is an idiot, that is one thing, but it has nothing to do with him being enlisted or working in finance.

Edited by one
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I sent an email asking how to track my accrual voucher (since they generally fuck it up). How awesome is this response? I copied and pasted it exactly as I received it. Signature shows an A1C sent it.

Good Afternoon,

You cancheck back with us in a couple of wees and we can check the

status of your voucher but as of now, theres no way we can really track it.

V/r,

//Signed//

Randolph AFB Finance Callcenter

Hmm, well I have a few comments on this one and by no way am I justifying the A1C's grammar or syntax. However I do understand the written communication which is the ultimate goal, I guess? As Spoo said, at least you got a response. But I argue that Finance does have a way to track it and could have easily looked it up in eFinance, FM Workflow or RTS.

My further input to this Is why do you need to "track" your accrual voucher? Do you want someone to contact you at each step of the process to confirm to you everyone is doing their Job. A question to you--Did you use eFinance to file your accrual? If not, then keep following your paper methods of madness. Use eFinance and you "track" your own accrual to see if Finance approved it.

But after finance approves it whether in eFinance or paper copy, it gets scanned into a system [FM Workflow] to Ellsworth. Ellsworth enters the data into the voucher payment system, RTS. The nice thing with eFinance is it automatically ingests the document to FM Workflow. Then you just wait for the Ellsworth AFFSC technician to process the payment in which you will get an email from RTS--provided your email address is correct in RTS.

So to answer your question, there is really no way for YOU to track the VCH unless you keep emailing or calling. If you use eFinance and see finance approved it then you can be assured it was electronically sent to the AFFSC. But after that you wait. But finance can check in both of the aforementioned systems and see where your voucher is.

I'm assuming you are a reservist and aren't using DTS yet.

Later

FG

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Hmm, well I have a few comments on this one and by no way am I justifying the A1C's grammar or syntax. However I do understand the written communication which is the ultimate goal, I guess? As Spoo said, at least you got a response. But I argue that Finance does have a way to track it and could have easily looked it up in eFinance, FM Workflow or RTS.

At least I got a response?.... ygbfsm

My further input to this Is why do you need to "track" your accrual voucher? Do you want someone to contact you at each step of the process to confirm to you everyone is doing their Job. A question to you--Did you use eFinance to file your accrual? If not, then keep following your paper methods of madness. Use eFinance and you "track" your own accrual to see if Finance approved it.

I need to track it because I don't trust anyone that can't handle a simple sentence. I especially can't trust them with making sure my GTC gets paid on time. Furthermore, bros that have dealt with this in the past say finance is notorious for fucking it up. Also, at the local finance office's request, I filed a paper copy with them. More on that at the end.

But after finance approves it whether in eFinance or paper copy, it gets scanned into a system [FM Workflow] to Ellsworth. Ellsworth enters the data into the voucher payment system, RTS. The nice thing with eFinance is it automatically ingests the document to FM Workflow. Then you just wait for the Ellsworth AFFSC technician to process the payment in which you will get an email from RTS--provided your email address is correct in RTS.

Thanks... that's good info to know. I'll have to see if my email is right in RTS.... Is there a quick way to do that in the portal?

So to answer your question, there is really no way for YOU to track the VCH unless you keep emailing or calling. If you use eFinance and see finance approved it then you can be assured it was electronically sent to the AFFSC. But after that you wait. But finance can check in both of the aforementioned systems and see where your voucher is.

I'm assuming you are a reservist and aren't using DTS yet.

Later

FG

It's a TDY en route. I was told specifically NOT to use DTS. No, I'm not reservist. I'm active duty and have used DTS more than I ever wanted to (and that's only like 6-9 times). When I went into the local finance office (shortly after arriving TDY, making sure to lead turn everything here), they gave me a local form to fill out and scan/email along with my orders. I'm just trying to make sure I don't have to pay out of pocket for my $1.5K GTC bill two weeks prior to Christmas. Getting some TDY money two weeks prior would be a bonus.

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Don't hate the player, hate the game.

I'm a few months into a year long TDY en-route and have not had a single accrual go through yet. Been a huge mess.

I already had to pay a couple hundred out of pocket to reinstate my GTC in order to not pay for lodging out of pocket. I really look forward to 'not being responsible' for this: post-3018-0-26656500-1354504007_thumb.jp

Everyone that I've dealt with has been doing their job. I have no complaints about the people. The system however, is broke. Everyone knows it. The AF knows it. But yet they hold you and I to the flames, declare us fiscally irresponsible, ect if our GTCs go overdue because WE haven't been paid for the vouchers we've put in on time. That's just f'd up to the 10th degree.

/preaching to the choir

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You never have to pay your GTC out of pocket.

Source? Not that I will anyway (especially due to Finance screw up), but curious because I'm TDY enroute for the first, so this would be nice to know.

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If you are TDY enroute you can go into mission critical status and have 120 days until you have to pay. If that is not enough time you can extend the mission critical status another 120 days (in certain situations). You can get mission critical status for a number of different reasons and it makes things a lot easier on you because you don't have to worry about being late or having extra fees.

Edited by one
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At least I got a response?.... ygbfsm

Thanks... that's good info to know. I'll have to see if my email is right in RTS.... Is there a quick way to do that in the portal?

Technically they did answer your question although the answer was Wrong! And I was just joking about getting a response--there should be no customer that doesn't at least get some sort of acknowledgement finance is working the question or issue.

The email in RTS can't be viewed or updated by you. Only the local finance or Ellsworth can update it. But if you go in to finance or email them again ask them to verify the email address loaded in your RTS profile. Then once they check it and respond, then ask them to pull up your RTS history and see if the accrual is showing as input and scheduled to pay.

With a TDY enroute during PCS you would not use DTS--I didn't know. So you are stuck with the paper madness. Hey once the NextGen Travel system comes online in about 5 years maybe it can handle PCS with TDY enroute.

BTW, PM me and I can check RTS for the VCH status as well, and your email address. Thanks.

FG

Source? Not that I will anyway (especially due to Finance screw up), but curious because I'm TDY enroute for the first, so this would be nice to know.

Source: A call to the Base Comptroller and tell them to fix it. Or ask the Wing King to email them. You'd be amazed how quick shit is fixed in those circumstances. Shouldn't have to be that way but at least it puts your stuff on the top of the pile.

FG

If you are TDY enroute you can go into mission critical status and have 120 days until you have to pay.

Bingo. Everyone who goes into PCS status should be put in Mission Critical. CITI has no problem with that. Best to have your unit APC do it before you depart.

FG

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Source? Not that I will anyway (especially due to Finance screw up), but curious because I'm TDY enroute for the first, so this would be nice to know.

Source: non-shit leaders who know how to distinguish between a dirtbag who doesn't file vouchers and a dude who files his voucher and has to deal with other agencies fucking it up.

Keep the boss informed and take care of your end.

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going on 3 weeks returning from my deployment/TDY and my travel voucher still hasn't been paid. My last partial payment was de-scheduled by finance and my GTC is over 3 weeks overdue now...just got the "you are on the GTC badboy list" from my chief pilot.....what a surprise.

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I get the AMC part but I am still curious to know WTF is a chief pilot?

Is that like what people in the military would refer to as a Flt/CC or DO or something?

Are ACs, Co-pilots, Navs and Sweaties called Captains, First Officers, Second Officers and Flight Attendants (as in one who is present during flight)?

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