Split disbursements

Military service members using government credit cards must use the split disbursement feature, which automatically pays the credit card vendor, Citi Bank, for credit card charges incurred while TDY. This requirement also affects partial/accrual payments for long-term temporary travel and local travel if the credit card is used.

Whether filing a SF 1164 for local travel, or a DD Form 1351-2, the traveler must include all official expenses that were charged on the credit card during the official travel in the split disbursement payment box (Box 1 of DD 1351-2). The new procedures require the supervisor/approving official/reviewer to return to the traveler any claims that do not accurately reflect the charges to be sent to the credit card company. Money owed to the traveler that is above the amount owed Citi Bank will be sent by electronic funds transfer to the traveler's bank account. For claims sent to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), a reviewer's signature is required on the travel claim before submission for payment.  For more information on this policy, contact your local travel office. DoD civilian employees using the government travel card are encouraged to use split disbursement to the maximum extent possible.  This requirement also applies to partial/accrual payments for long-term TDY if the travel card is used.  Partial/accrual payments must have a reviewer's signature, and will be returned unprocessed without the reviewer's signature and date.

For travel vouchers processed by DFAS, the travel office will disburse the travel payment in accordance with the instructions in block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 . However, if block 1 is empty, DFAS will follow the procedures below to determine how funds will be disbursed. If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty, the travel office will look at the travel order. Travel orders are required to identify if the traveler has a government travel card. If the travel order states that the traveler is a travel card holder, and block 1 is empty, the travel office will add the lodging, rental car, and air fare (if claimed on the DD Form 1351-2 ) and send the sum to the government travel card company on behalf of the civilian traveler. This is the default split disbursement provision. Any entitlement in excess of what is sent to the travel card company will be sent to the traveler's EFT account.

If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty and the travel order states that the traveler is not a travel cardholder, the entire travel payment will be sent to the traveler's EFT account. If block 1 of the DD Form 1351-2 is empty and the travel order does not indicate whether or not the traveler has a travel card, the travel office will make one attempt to contact the traveler. If clarification is not received within 48 hours, the voucher will be returned to the traveler. For more information on the implementation of the default split disbursement policy, contact your local travel office.

Note: The split disbursement requirement became effective April 23, 2003 as a result of Public Law 107-314, The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003, section 1008, and the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) memorandum dated April 23, 2003 (Implementation of Legislative Changes to the Department of Defense (DoD) Travel Charge Card Program). The April 23 memorandum also directed that default split disbursement be implemented for civilian travelers. 

Page updated February 10, 2015