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Command-sponsored dependents attending school in the U.S. may be eligible for government-funded travel to visit family stationed at a permanent duty station outside of the continental United States.
However, there are a few requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for this entitlement.
In accordance with the Joint Travel Regulation, Chapter 7, Part C, the student must travel to the sponsor’s current duty station on permanent change of station orders prior to traveling on student dependent travel orders. The dependent must be a full-time student at a school accredited by an organization recognized by the Secretary of Defense.
This includes secondary schools, undergraduate colleges or universities, graduate education and approved vocational institutions. A student who is attending a school outside the U.S. for no longer than one year under a program approved by the U.S. school at which the student is enrolled, is also eligible for this entitlement.
Approved command-sponsored student dependents are authorized one annual government funded round-trip travel at any time within a fiscal year Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, between the OCONUS PDS and the student’s school.
If travel crosses the fiscal year (e.g., the student leaves in August for school and returns after Oct. 1), one-way tickets should be purchased to account for each fiscal year. The student dependent travel orders will state the direct route between the OCONUS PDS and school, as this is all that is authorized and funded.
Additionally, it is mandatory to make all official travel arrangements through the Commercial Travel Office, SATO Travel. If this policy is violated and tickets are not purchased through SATO Travel, reimbursement is limited to what the government would have paid for the airfare.
Use of a non-U.S. air carrier must be approved by the traffic management office prior to traveling, or travel will not be reimbursed.
For details regarding this entitlement, reference the JTR, Chapter 7, Part C at http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/travelreg.cfm. Additional information and questions can be answered by the commander’s support staff, 86th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Element, SATO Travel and the 86th Comptroller Squadron Financial Services Office.
