New policy means personal use of CSA prohibited

Published Sept. 8, 2011
By 1st Lt. Christine Kemnitz
75th Comptroller Squadron, Financial Services officer

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Effective immediately, personal use of the CSA (Controlled Spend Account) is no longer authorized. This new policy applies to all military and non-bargaining civilians. All bargaining civilians still fall under previous policy.

What does this mean to you? The CSA will still be used for expenses incurred while performing official travel. Food, lodging, taxi fees and airfare, just to name a few, are still authorized to be charged on the CSA as long as the purchase is for a necessary temporary duty (TDY) expense. After a final travel voucher has been paid to the card and the balance on the card has been reconciled, the leftover money is still yours to keep. However, you must call Citi to request the residual balance to be electronic fund transferred (EFT), sent via check or withdrawn from an ATM with a 2 percent fee in order to use the leftover funds. At that point, you will no longer be authorized to use the CSA for personal expenses.

The Air Force General Counsel, General Services Administration and Defense Travel Management Office have provided feedback that utilizing the CSA for personal expenses violates GSA and DoD policy. The DoD Financial Management Regulation limits use of a government travel card to those expenses incurred while performing official travel.

Compliance is mandatory and effective immediately.

For bargaining employees, the new policy is still being negotiated with the union.

Further information will be disseminated as it is received. Please contact hill.finance@hill.af.mil or 801-777-1851 or stop by Building 430 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. if you have any questions.