Travel voucher process to change in March 2011 Published Dec. 21, 2010 By SrA Melissa Harvey 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs NAS FORT WORTH JRB -- Beginning in March 2011, the 301st Fighter Wing's Financial Management office will no longer finalize travel vouchers locally. According to Leroy Babin, 301st Fighter Wing comptroller, the job of processing vouchers will transfer to a Defense Finance and Accounting Service facility at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. The transfer is part of an Air Force effort to centralize travel vouchers, Mr. Babin said. It's important to members of the wing because it directly affects the timeliness and accuracy of reimbursements. The new process is expected to increase quality control because vouchers will be looked over here and checked again at the Ellsworth facility, he said. The travel voucher will first be submitted to the local finance office, it will then be checked for any mistakes. To the maximum extent possible, travel vouchers will be locally scrutinized to minimize DFAS rejections, according to Mr. Babin. Next, the voucher is sent to the Ellsworth facility, where it will be meticulously checked. "One mistake and it's going back without checking for other mistakes," Mr. Babin said. "So you could have five mistakes in a voucher and it could be sent back five times." A member will not be reimbursed until the entire travel voucher is correct, he said. "You either get it paid in total or not at all," Mr. Babin said. In the past, the local finance office would pay a claim to the maximum amount possible, he said. Unpaid portions would be highlighted on the unprocessed reimbursement noting the documentation needed to process the remaining amount. Currently, the rate of processing travel claims at DFAS is uncertain, Mr. Babin said. However, he is optimistic that once DFAS becomes familiar with the types of claims used here, processing will occur in a timely manner. According to Mr. Babin, members using the mandatory travel-voucher checklist will increase their chances of submitting a completed and accurate claim to avoid rejection. The finance office will assist in quality control to reduce rejects and increase timely reimbursements, he said. Supervisors will also play an important role in helping their people submit an accurate claim. Mr. Babin stressed that members are encouraged to start using the travel checklist now so that when the new process is implemented in March, things will run smoothly. More details are scheduled to be released within the next 90 days, Mr. Babin said.