Complete vouchers ensure speedy pay

  • Published
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) --  Department of Defense travelers can help ensure their travel vouchers are paid promptly by preventing common mistakes, according to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials here.

Some of the biggest sources of delay in the travel-pay process are incorrect or incomplete information on travel vouchers, officials said. The most common errors include:

-- No traveler’s signature or date.

-- No reviewer’s signature.

-- No orders attached.

-- Blank, incomplete or erroneously filled out itinerary.

-- Orders do not match itinerary dates or location.

"Double checking the voucher before submitting it can prevent the voucher from being rejected or paid partially," said Claudia L. Bogard, director of corporate communications for DFAS.

DFAS employees try to help people by partially paying vouchers that contain some errors rather than rejecting the entire voucher, officials said. In these cases, the payable amount is given to the customer with an advice of payment, which explains the reasons for only partial payment. The customer may then submit a supplemental claim for the remainder. Before making partial payments or returning the claim for a correction, DFAS customer-service representatives attempt to contact customers and allow 24 hours to correct the voucher.