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CSA, the new way to pay for AF travel

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Saphfire D. Cook
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The Air Force will be replacing the old government travel cards with new controlled spend account travel cards from January 2011 through March 2011.

The CSA, provided by Citibank, is designed with more flexibility to better meet the needs of travelers and differs from the GTC in many ways.

Before, travelers had to pass a credit check to be issued a GTC.

"If Citibank evaluated the credit history of the Department of Defense member and they did not meet the DOD established criteria, they were not issued a travel card," said 2nd Lt. Rogelio De La Fuente, 355th Comptroller Squadron financial services officer. "They may have been eligible to receive a travel advance, but if they refused a credit history check, they weren't eligible for that either."

The CSA does not require a credit check.

"CSA is better because Air Force members will not be subject to a credit history check or have to self-certify their creditworthiness, so all will be approved," he said.

Not only are CSAs available to everyone, but they are better equipped to meet the needs of those traveling.

Another benefit of the CSA is that their credit limits are based on the estimated cost of an approved travel itinerary. This feature is meant to cut down on unauthorized card use, which was a major problem with the GTC.

"I like the CSA because it helps reduce the risk of delinquencies and misuse. I spend approximately 10 hours a week researching delinquencies and contacting squadron agency program coordinators to find out delinquency statuses," Lieutenant De La Fuente said. "With the work load reduction of the GTC, I will be able to focus more on my primary duties."

CSAs also have the added benefit of a credit balance refund, which lets the cardholder use any remaining funds for personal expenses.

"If there are funds remaining on the card after the assignment is complete, cardholders are authorized to use the CSA's remaining funds like you would with a prepaid card," Lieutenant De La Fuente said.

Features such as this would provide funds for Airmen, but the CSA would also financially benefit the government.

With the GTCs, not all the monies used for government travel were charged to travel cards.

"In fiscal year 2009 travel costs amounted to $2.5 billion, but only $1.3 billion was charged to the GTC," Lieutenant De La Fuente said. "The difference of $1.2 billion cost the Air Force $10 million in rebates. That rebate money could have been used at the base level for programs that support our Airmen."

All government travel, including temporary duty assignments, permanent changes in station and deployments, will now be paid for using a CSA. This helps the government keep an accurate account of their government travel expenses.

For additional information, Airmen can visit the "Virtual Finance" site on the Air Force Portal or on Citibank's CSA website. Both contain useful learning tools, such as the CSA Checklist, that Airmen can use to educate themselves on the changes and benefits of the program.