Defense Travel Regulation is one of the most exciting aspects of life. It allows you to meet new people, see new places and experience new cultures. However, traveling can also be dangerous if you are not prepared. A prime example of this is the recent terrorist attacks in Kenya and Tanzania where local authorities reported that a group of American tourists were among those killed by al Shabab terrorists during an attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall in 2012.
A lot has changed since then with regards to global travel regulations aimed at curbing terrorism-related activities such as cross-border attacks by extremists’ groups such as al Shabab. In order to ensure that your trip abroad does not turn out like the unfortunate one many Americans experienced back in 2012.
Here are some steps you can take before traveling overseas with defense travel regulation:
Blanket Services
Blanket services are available to all travellers, but there are some exceptions. The following groups of travellers don’t receive blanket services:
Those who have a permanent change of station (PCS) and those who are TDY for more than 30 days. If you fall under one of these categories, see our section on Temporary Duty or PCS assignments and family members moving with you for more information about what kind of defense travel regulation benefits you can expect.
Traveller Responsibilities
The following are the responsibilities of travellers under the Defense Travel Regulation System:
- Comply with all travel policies and procedures, including those in this handbook.
- Pay any costs associated with their travel and verify receipt of funds prior to departure.
- Obtain necessary documentation, including visas and passports, before departure.
- Notify DTS if they change their itinerary or if a trip is cancelled or postponed due to circumstances beyond their control.
Air Travel
Check in at least one hour before your flight’s scheduled departure time.
Carry the same documentation for domestic and international travel. Be prepared to show proof of citizenship and identification, such as a birth certificate or passport; remember that each of these items should be current and valid for at least six months following your trip’s end date.
Before traveling with children, it is important to bring their birth certificates along with copies of their passports (which may be required if they are traveling alone). Parents are also encouraged to bring any relevant court orders pertaining to custody arrangements or custody-related defense travel regulation restrictions that may apply while they’re away from home on business or leisurely pursuits such as an order restricting them from taking their child out of state without prior approval from another person who has legal custody over him/her (elements like these can sometimes affect airline ticketing procedures).
Transportation
If you’re traveling under TDTR, your travel must be booked through the Defense Travel Regulation.
You are responsible for arranging transportation to and from the airport. This can be done by car rental, taxi service, or by public transportation such as a bus or train. The government will not provide any of these services.
In case of emergency evacuation from an area near a combat zone, Transportation Officers may arrange private vehicle transportation at no cost to you if necessary (which would normally cost $50+ per day).
Lodging
Lodging is one of the most overlooked items in the government defense travel regulation, but it’s also one of the most important. While many civilians travel to their destinations, they can generally find quality lodging with rooms at an affordable price. For military travellers, however, this may not be the case.
Military lodging tends to be older than civilian hotels and motels and may have fewer amenities than those offered by civilian properties (such as a pool or fitness center). It’s also typically more expensive than civilian hotels because military personnel are often traveling long distances for work-related reasons and as such do not have many options in terms of where they can stay while on official business trips.
Military lodging can often be limited by availability. If you need specific types of accommodations (such as suites with extra room), then you may find yourself having difficulty finding any place that fits your needs within budget constraints specified by your employer or agency administrator (who might allow only certain types of lodgings based on federal regulations governing how much money goes toward travel expenses).
Conclusion
The best thing you can do is to stay informed. You can do this by following us on Twitter or signing up for our newsletter. You should also keep an eye out for new defense travel regulations that may affect your upcoming trip, as well as check with your travel agent/agency before booking anything so they can help guide you through the process.
