Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), the Navy's Defense Travel System (DTS) program management office, has announced Navy military and civilian personnel in certain locations in the United States are taking part in a Defense Department (DoD) integrated Lodging Program Pilot.

The pilot program, which began June 15, brings changes to DTS when booking official travel online.

The affected sites include:
* Charleston, SC - Joint Base Charleston
* Dayton, OH - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
* Norfolk, VA - select area U.S. installations
* Saratoga Springs, NY - Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs
* Seattle-Tacoma Airport area, WA
* Tampa, FL - MacDill AFB
* Twenty-nine Palms, CA - Marine Air/Ground Combat Center

Service members and civilian travelers who are TAD to a military installation at an Integrated Lodging Program Pilot site are required to first book government lodging if available, and then preferred commercial lodging.

When TAD to a pilot site, city or metro area, travelers will be directed to use DoD preferred commercial lodging before booking other lodging options. If government or preferred commercial lodging at a pilot location is available and a traveler chooses to stay in other lodging, reimbursement for lodging costs are limited to the amount the government would have paid if the traveler stayed in either government (if available) or a participating preferred commercial lodging property.

DTS booking for Navy Gateway Inns and Suites was scheduled to be available June 17. Navy Lodge locations do not have a start date yet, but are expected to be online in the near future.

The program will provide quality government and commercial lodging, with greater safety and security and better services at reduced rates, according to the Defense Travel Management Office.

Need to know:

* Orders list TAD location as military installation: If a traveler's orders list the TAD location as an U.S. installation at a pilot site, the traveler is directed to book government lodging if available. If available and the traveler chooses other accommodations, lodging cost reimbursement is limited to the cost of available government lodging.

* Orders list TAD location as pilot site, city or metropolitan area: If a traveler's orders list the TAD location as a pilot site city or surrounding metropolitan area, the traveler is directed to book preferred commercial lodging if available. If preferred commercial lodging is available but not used, lodging cost reimbursement is limited to the highest negotiated rate for preferred commercial lodging.

An authorizing official may authorize exceptions based on mission, distance, lower rate, as well as other exceptions listed in the JTR.

DTS modifications:

To support this new program, DTS will be modified to guide travelers to selecting the directed lodging at the TAD location.

Another welcome feature is that the system will automatically secure a non-availability confirmation number when directed government lodging is not available, as required by policy.

This is an added convenience and prevents the traveler from having to contact the facility directly to obtain the number as was previously necessary.

Additionally, when traveling to non-pilot sites, travelers will be able to book government lodging facilities directly in DTS.

The Integrated Lodging Program Pilot will provide valuable insights for sourcing and managing an enterprise-wide program; it is the genesis of a model for managing the DoD's future lodging requirements. The pilot is authorized to run through 2019 and the Defense Travel Management Office expects additional pilot sites will be added along the way.

For more information, including FAQs and a description of the new DTS functionality, visit http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/lodging.cfm

NAVSUP provides U.S. naval forces with quality supplies and services. With headquarters in Mechanicsburg, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP oversees logistics programs in the areas of supply operations, conventional ordnance, contracting, resale, fuel, transportation, and security assistance. In addition, NAVSUP is responsible for quality-of-life issues for our naval forces, including food service, postal services, Navy Exchanges, and movement of household goods.

For more news from Naval Supply Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/.