Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2005/Reserves and the Defence Travel Card

From the office of CSO(R)

The Defence Travel Card (DTC) is now in use for all Naval Reserve travellers for meetings and conferences, but is not yet being used for travel associated with postings, exercises or leave (ie the PY 82 still applies).

All frequent NR travellers have been encouraged to apply for the DTC as soon as possible and there is currently a 5-10 day processing period prior to individual receipt of the DTC. The DTC must be applied for through the Defence Restricted Network (DRN).

The following guidelines are provided for administration of the DTC for NR personnel:

• Not all Active NR members will need to apply for the DTC.
• The DTC should only need be applied for by those with a posting who, according to the receiving unit, have an expectation that the NR member will travel to meetings and conferences.
• For exceptions and short notice travel, there is provision in the DTC references that says: "The need to manage short notice travel is also acknowledged and Senior Leadership Group members are able to authorise the payment of TA to members who have not been able to obtain a DTC prior to travel." This is to be by exception rather than the rule.
• On or prior to joining the receiving unit, the NR member with prior knowledge of the requirement to travel for meetings/seminars etc should apply for his/her DTC and the receiving unit's cost code should be used for the duration of that posting. There is provision for the receiving unit to apply for the DTC on the member's behalf (if the member does not have access to the DRN).
• On completion of that posting, no further funds would be loaded onto the card from that unit. The member retains the card, but it will be inactive until the next posting.
• On posting to a new unit, the member would arrange through the receiving unit to reactivate the card (if travel is forecast) using the new receiving unit's cost code.

The Card Management System (CMS) Supervisor for the NR member will be a CMS Supervisor of the unit to which the NR member is posted, and will change for each subsequent posting to new units.

The point of contact is LCDR Gary Brown - email: Gary.Brown9@defence.gov.au. or (02) 6265 1437.