Aviano updates official travel system

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Carole Steele
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  The Federal Automated System for Travel is fast, but the upcoming Defense Travel System will be even faster and more efficient.

DTS will replace FAST as Aviano’s official travel computer system in July. DTS will allow users to not only create travel orders and file vouchers like the FAST system, but will also allow travelers to book airline tickets, car rentals and hotels online, store scanned receipts, and provide timeless archiving of orders and vouchers.

“I don’t think there’s any other system that goes from beginning to end like DTS,” said Elmo Gladden, deputy for Air Force Travel Reengineering at the Pentagon and project manager for fielding the DTS at Aviano.

Mr. Gladden and his team visited Aviano this week as the first step in preparing the base for DTS. They briefed base leadership on the new system, answered questions, and conveyed needed requirements and support.

The Department of Defense-wide change moves the travel system to a Web-based application. “That means that from anywhere in the world in which you have the connectivity, the DTS software, and the Common Access Card, you can access DTS,” said Mr. Gladden.

As a client server-based system, FAST could only be accessed at the base, but DTS takes the travel system into the wide world of the Web.

“You as the traveler, or someone acting on your behalf, can go out and book reservations for airlines, hotels and rental cars, and send that transaction over to the commercial travel office for booking,” said Mr. Gladden.

The DTS system has the ability to create large group orders while still providing the option of making changes for individual travelers. It also eliminates the need for amendments because it allows the approver to make changes directly to the orders in the system at any time.
When the member completes their official travel, the voucher process remains the same with DTS. The individual creates a voucher, routing it through their approval structure, and payment will be made through direct deposit to the traveler’s bank account, with the option for split-dispersement.

“One of the good-news stories is that the system allows you to store all your receipts and documentation to one specific order and voucher through scanning or faxing. The approving official can then verify the voucher online,” said Mr. Gladden. “That documentation stays online for 15 months. After that time, every transaction is archived at the Data Manpower D Center in (California).”

The historical data that will be built through DTS gives the DoD statistical records that can be used to request discount rates for the most-used hotels, airlines, etc.

The DTS system will follow individuals when they PCS, eliminating the need to be taken out of one system and loaded again at the new base. All the member’s information and historical data is retained in DTS and they merely update certain details when arriving at a new base such as e-mail address and phone numbers.

For the base, the DTS system requires less manpower – two to three dedicated finance experts versus four to five for the FAST system.

Aviano’s lead DTS administrator, Tech. Sgt Dennis O’Connell, also pointed out that the DTS is only for temporary duty and deployment travel; the 31st CPTS will still be responsible for permanent change of station moves.

There will also be one dedicated person at the USAFE level.

“Our main purpose is to develop USAFE policy,” said David Miod, USAFE DTS teammember. “We’ll also be an intermediary help desk and possibly provide future training.”