ALCOAST 343/18 - OCT 2018 FY19 “C” SCHOOL ORDERS AND TDY TRAVEL GUIDANCE

united states coast guard

R 041542 OCT 18
FM COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA//FC-Cd//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS//N01000//
ALCOAST 343/18
COMDTNOTE 1000
SUBJ: FY19 “C” SCHOOL ORDERS AND TDY TRAVEL GUIDANCE
A. Personnel and Pay Procedures Manual, PPCINST M1000.2 (series)
B. The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR)
C. Cutter Training and Qualification Manual, COMDTINST M3502.4 (series)
D. Performance, Training, and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10 (series)
1. To remain a Ready workforce, we must use our precious training funds as effectively as
possible. This ALCOAST seeks to raise awareness of general programmatic concerns, reiterate “C”
School TDY travel guidance, and highlight critical policy contained in REFs (A) through (D).
Many of these policies are not being followed, increasing training costs, wasting training quotas,
and adversely impacting CG-wide training opportunities.
2. “C” School Orders Issuance. The Education and Training Quota Management Command (ETQC) issues
travel orders via Direct Access (DA) to all Class “C” Schools. Commands are responsible for
reviewing orders on the Airport Terminal in DA for attached members and servicing Personnel and
Administrative (P&A) Offices are expected to manage temporary duty orders, to include providing
travel and transportation administrative support and counseling to members.
    a. It is the responsibility of the traveler and unit Approving / Authorizing Official (AO) to
read all order notes in their entirety, ensure proper travel and entitlement counseling occurs
before the travel begins, and certify the accurate reimbursement of travel entitlements is paid
upon completion of TDY.
    b. Members are obligated to exercise the same care and regard when incurring Government
reimbursable expenses as would a prudent person traveling at personal expense.
    c. Members are expected to request and receive timely counseling on authorized travel
entitlements from the servicing P&A office, typically within 5-7 business days after the issuance
of orders.
    d. Members should schedule transportation and lodging as early as possible, in an effort to
maintain fiscal responsibility. Unnecessary or unjustified delays in making reservations precludes
a traveler from using the least expensive transportation and / or accommodations available.
3. Amendments to Orders. IAW REF (A), unit AOs may not amend “C” School orders issued by ETQC to
authorize rental vehicles or change course training dates. If such a request is required, ETQC
will provide a memo amendment to the orders on ETQC’s letterhead, to be signed by the unit AO. For
all other amendments, unit AOs shall not physically modify “C” School orders issued by ETQC within
DA or through the use of Adobe editing options. Changes to authorized entitlements as issued by
ETQC shall only be amended by the travelers’ unit AO via CG Memorandum.
4. Changes to Government Lodging. In an effort to travel in the most fiscally responsible manner,
travelers who are issued “C” School orders directing government lodging are obligated to book their
lodging immediately upon issuance and receipt of orders (typically within 7-10 business days).
    a. If Government quarters are not available, the traveler is required to obtain a non-
availability confirmation number from the government lodging registration process, as supporting
documentation, and to justify reimbursement for commercial lodging and per diem. Unit AOs are
required to obtain and reference the non-availability document in any amendment issued to travelers
who were directed to use government lodging.
    b. Purposefully waiting to book government lodging in an attempt to secure commercial lodging is
an abuse of government funds and may lead to administrative action and/or cancellation of orders.
5. Changes to Meal Entitlement. While TDY to a U.S. installation where adequate government quarters
and meals are available, the standard government meal rate (GMR) or proportional meal rate (PMR) is
authorized per REF (B), table 2-17.
    a. The standard GMR is the authorized meal rate for installations where meals are served at
“à la carte” prices.
    b. Unit AOs shall not amend orders to authorize an increased meal rate [PMR and/or commercial
(locality) meal rate] in lieu of the standard GMR for “à la carte” prices at a U.S. installation
without the required written approval from the DoD Base/schoolhouse commander.
    c. Unit AOs are required to obtain and reference the written approval for any amendment issued
to travelers whose orders direct the standard GMR.
6. Financial Management. Unit AOs shall not approve requests for travel settlements unless the
obligated amount recorded in FPD (the estimate on the travel orders) is equal to or greater than
the amount of the settlement. Sufficient funds must be obligated prior to unit AOs approving travel
settlements in TPAX for “C” Schools. If the travel settlement exceeds the amount obligated,
requests for funds adjustment must be sent to FORCECOM before final AO approval of the travel claim
in TPAX. The request shall be sent via e-mail to:
HQS-PF-fldr-A-CSCHOOLTRAVELCLAIMADJUSTMENT@uscg.mil and include the member’s travel orders, all
amendments, and the TPAX travel voucher summary as attachments. The requesting AO and traveler will
be contacted once action has been completed and the AO will then be authorized to approve the claim.
7. Training Cancellations/Substitutions. Commands shall make every effort to use quotas assigned
by ETQC.
    a. Cancellation and/or substitution requests must be sent via Admin OIX message to ETQC and the
appropriate Program Manager within ten days of receiving orders, giving the Program Manager ample
time to consider the request, and giving ETQC the opportunity to reassign the quota.
    b. Per Paragraph 3.D.1 of REF (C), ETQC is only authorized to cancel pre-arrival training quotas
due to medical emergency, Red Cross verified family emergency, unplanned contingency operations
(e.g. Deepwater Horizon), or program approved waiver.
    c. Training held at the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) must comply with the cancellation
and substitution policies set by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC). Commands
should be aware of these polices to maximize training quota usage. These policies are:
       (1) FLETC requires a minimum of 18 students (or 75% of the maximum class size) to hold a
course. If a course has less than 18 students (or is below 75% of the maximum class size) 30 days
prior to the course beginning, FLETC will cancel the course.
       (2) Substitutions cannot occur within 1 week of the course convening.
       (3) Substitutions within 30 days of the course convening must be gender neutral.
       (4) All courses are capped (no additions) 30 days prior to the course commencing.
8. For field level questions regarding authorized travel entitlements, please refer to your unit AO.
Unit AOs should contact ETQC course schedulers for rental vehicle and training date amendments.
ETQC course scheduler contact information can be found at:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/forcecom/ETQC/SitePages/Home.aspx.
9. ETQC’s Point of Contact: LT Erica L. Linnemann, (757) 366-6581.
10. Dr. Gladys Brignoni, Deputy Commander, Force Readiness Command, sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.