The Defense Finance And Accounting Service announced the launch of an online application to help Army active, reserve and mobilized National Guard Soldiers to complete error-free temporary duty (TDY) travel claims.
From Defense Finance And Accounting Service:
The new SmartVoucher online application launched April 9 and promises to make it easier for Army active, reserve and mobilized National Guard Soldiers to complete their temporary duty (TDY) travel vouchers error-free. This includes only vouchers that are not processed in the Defense Travel System (DTS).
Last year, errors or missing information on vouchers caused the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to return some travel vouchers to Soldiers for corrections.
“We would like to help increase the accuracy of vouchers submitted and minimize Soldiers’ waiting on payment while we request missing information,” said Aaron Gillison, the Acting Director of DFAS Indianapolis.
While local finance office personnel are available to assist with completing travel vouchers, now Soldiers can access the SmartVoucher application from the DFAS website to make the task simpler.
SmartVoucher takes Soldiers step-by-step through a series of questions that, in the end, completes the DD Form 1351-2 travel voucher. The SmartVoucher makes sure that all required blocks on the voucher are filled in accurately to increase the likelihood of full reimbursement. Soldiers will need their myPay username and password to login.
While DTS supported travel is increasing, some TDY occurs that requires the use of the manual DD Form 1351-2, and this SmartVoucher provides easy-to-understand instructions keyed to each block on the form. DFAS recently tested SmartVoucher with Soldiers returning from non-DTS travel. Some Soldiers who tested the SmartVoucher application commented it was “fast and easy to use” and “I’m not good with travel vouchers, but I like this.”
While SmartVoucher cannot ensure completed vouchers are signed or that a Soldier’s travel package has all the necessary documents included, based on the Soldier’s responses to the questions within the application, SmartVoucher will provide a list of required documents to include with the submission of the travel packet.
Once Soldiers have printed their DD Form 1351-2 via the SmartVoucher, they are provided with submission instructions to include obtaining required signatures, and attaching their orders, order amendments and other required documents. Local finance offices are a good place to start in collecting these documents or to get answers to travel questions.
