Using the fantastic plastic
The Defence Travel Card has now become part of everyday life for personnel who have to travel, as Corporal Simone Liebelt discovered.

The new Defence Travel Card with official passport and Air Force uniform in a suitcase, ready to go.

Photo by CPL Simone Liebelt

THE journey has begun for members using the new Defence Travel Card (DTC).

Rolled out to Air Force over the past few months, the DTC is a different but effective new way of doing business, according to Sergeant Joanne Williamson from the Directorate of Military Administration – Air Force.

“The majority of Air Force personnel now have the card, so they should make themselves as familiar as possible with the system and the processes involved in using it,” she said.

“Personnel have been accustomed to their administration/travel clerks making all their travel arrangements, calculating and paying the allowances into a bank account, and also paying traders’ accounts.

“Now it is the member’s responsibility to make the bookings, complete the documentation, withdraw the correct funds and pay traders using the DTC.”

Phase one of the system involved the rollout of the DTC to all ranks below the Senior Leadership Group for unit-funded business travel. In phase two, the system will be implemented to cover all operations, training, exercises, deployments, relocations and group travel.

Sergeant Williamson said many members have been apprehensive about using the DTC for the first time, but are realising the advantages of the system.

“The main challenge has been convincing personnel that using the DTC is a better way of doing business,” she said.

“Most users are concerned that doing all the tasks associated with the card, including completing the budget calculator, booking travel etc, and then acquitting the transactions on the Card Management System (CMS), is an additional impost on their already busy work schedules.

“Having said that, most users of the DTC are finding it less of an imposition than they expected and agree that the more they use the card, the easier and less time-consuming the process becomes.

“They acknowledge that, if done correctly, the process is quite simple and that the DTC can be a very useful tool, especially when it comes to arranging travel at short notice, or where there is a requirement to adjust travel during a trip.”

She said there were many avenues available for members having difficulty with the new system.

“Acquitting transactions on CMS seems to be the biggest problem for personnel, so as a result, DMA-AF has developed a step-by-step guide for completing this process in the form of a Bench Level Instruction (BLI).

“The e-learning packages on CAMPUS are an excellent tool for beginners, and members should also approach their administrative staff to walk them through the process when using the DTC for the first time.”

The BLI is available at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/raafweb/sites/DMA-AF/ or members can call the Corporate Card Support Cell for assistance on 1800 007 606.

 

Making my own way

.