Understanding a Travel Debt - Information Paper

Scope

The DTMO Understanding a Travel Debt information paper explains what triggers a travel-incurred debt in the Defense Travel System (DTS) and how the traveler identifies and resolves the debt. Updated 16 June 2025. A travel-incurred debt occurs when a traveler receives a payment that must be returned in whole or in part because a trip was cancelled after an advance, total previous payments (advances, scheduled partial payments, prior vouchers) exceed the total allowable payment, or a post-payment review identified an unauthorized payment. In DTS, processing a voucher to correct an overpayment results in a DUE US voucher.

Audience

• Travelers, including anyone who creates DTS documents on a traveler's behalf (Non-DTS Entry Agents, travel clerks).
• IPAC travel clerks and S-1 pay clerks.
• Travel approving officials.
• Disbursing officers and finance officers handling DUE US recoveries.
• Marines navigating DTS notifications after trip cancellation, scheduled partial payment overruns, or post-payment audit findings.

Key concepts

• Identifying a debt. DTS Financial Summary shows the Net to Traveler and Balance Due US lines under Credit Summary. Zero in Net to Traveler with a non-zero Balance Due US means the traveler owes money back.
• DUE US voucher. The DTS voucher result that records the overpayment recovery.
• Trip cancellation after travel advance. Traveler must repay the advance.
• Scheduled Partial Payment (SPP) reconciliation. Total of prior payments exceeds allowable payment.
• Post-payment audit recovery.
• Two-notice rule. DTS provides the traveler two debt notifications.

How to resolve

• Pay back the debt promptly to avoid escalation and credit reporting impact.
• Coordinate with the disbursing office or finance officer for repayment options.
• Use the DTS voucher correction workflow when an overpayment is identified in a paid voucher.
• Submit a salary offset waiver request if collection creates undue hardship.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• DoD 7000.14-R Volume 9. Travel Policy.
• DoD 7000.14-R Volume 5. Disbursing Policy. Covers debt collection and salary offset.
• Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).
• DODI 1340.21. Procedures for Settling Personnel and General Claims.
• DODI 1338.16. Voluntary Use of GTCC.
• DTMO Guide for Managing Travel-Incurred Debt (2016 version). Companion comprehensive guide.

Status

Active. Updated 16 June 2025. Hosted on media.defense.gov.