No-cost TDY orders

[HuggyU2]

The AF never does these. I'm told the JFTR does not allow it.
However, the Dept of the Navy does do this. Y'all know that better than I.
For example, going cross-country in your aircraft, where the squadron will let you go only if you cover all expenses.

My question: are any of you savvy enough with the finance regulations to know if this is legit? Or is it just a Navy-thing, and nobody bothers with the regs?

I'm asking because I want to do no-cost TDY orders for something, but am sure I will get the big "no way".

 

[e6bflyer]

Not sure, but every Navy squadron I have ever been in has done it for one reason or another. It is well understood by both parties that it is purely on a volunteer basis. I can't imagine the IG nazis would have let it go on if it weren't legal.
It is usually in the form of "Hey, bro, we have this great deal, but we are out of money. We are taking volunteers to go no cost" or "there are cross country opportunities this weekend, you can take a plane and go away no cost or do local weekend ops, your choice"

 

[Jim123]

Dumb question, could you just call it "permissive TAD/TDY and get the answer you want?"

 

[magnetfreezer]

Dumb question, could you just call it "permissive TAD/TDY and get the answer you want?"

The AF instruction for flight orders, incentive flights, etc:

2.7.1.5. Rated officers will not perform flying duties during periods of non-flying TDY,permissive TDY, or while on leave.
EXCEPTION: ARC members on terminal leavefrom active duty, who are otherwise eligible to fly, may perform flight duties.

The AF also has another instruction for PTDY/leave which lists 48(!) specific reasons which are the only ones that permissive TDY may be granted for, as well as instructing COs not to use PTDY for situations when an official business funded TDY would be appropriate. Sounds like the only way to do it would be getting "funded orders" issued with no funds, which is the finance problem Huggy seems to be running into.

 

[Renegade One]

Probably dating myself, but the only "benefit" from No-Cost/Permissive TAD/TDY orders (that I can recall…) were that they could either wangle you into a BOQ room or get you the "Government Rate" at the local no-tell/hotel/motel. Beyond that…I dunno. Probably mean something more these days. Maybe at tax time under "unreimbursed business expenses"?

Don't think I EVER went on a "discretionary" X-C where I didn't pony-up to covering all expenses:

"Son, I'm giving you an airplane and a fuel credit card. Just bring everything back in the condition it was issued. Where you sleep, what you eat, what you drive…well…good luck with that."

 

[MIDNJAC]

Done it a number of times over the years. Probably have been on cost TAD orders more often than not, but you are right that it is something that is routinely done. I also can't think of a cross country that I have been on which has been funded, other than a ferry flight to/from a det, and I guess I have been lucky to not have been stuck overnight anywhere in those instances. Like the R1 said, I don't look a gift horse in the mouth when he says "here is a jet, dont break it, have fun"

 

[Bevo16]

I've been on no-cost TAD at least a dozen times both for work related and family related issues. When my son was critically ill, my squadron sent me from San Diego to Memphis (where my son's hospital was) on 180 day no-cost TAD orders. 180 days is the maximum you can be sent no-cost somewhere, and when that 180 days was up and my son was only 1/2 way through his treatement, they just cut another memo.

Every year my son has to go back to St. Jude for scans to confirm that he is still in remission. I'm in a joint command now, so I sent an e-mail to my Air Force O-5 and CC my Navy E-7 with the hospital schedule, and later that day I get my no-cost orders.

You can even do these orders in DTS, just click the "Permissive" tab, and you are good to go. If there is a conference that is somewhat related to your job that your boss doesn't mind you going to but doesn't have the money to send you, that is the option you use. Anyone saying it isn't legal or in the JFTR is just an idiot giving you the "easy no" instead of pulling their head out of their ass to help a brother out.

 

[webmaster]

I always had the flight hours to send a bird on the road, but never the money. We extensively used airshows to and no cost orders to send people on good deals, including our maintainers (depending on what the airshow would support). Hate to say that the no cost orders are much more prevalent than when I was a JO (remember log runs and sleigh rides? sigh).