Enclosure (3) to COMDTINST 4600.14B
TRAVELERS CHECK PROGRAM
A. General.
1. The Coast Guard's travelers check program was originally implemented as a means of
reducing the amount of cash held in Coast Guard imprest funds and a means to
supplement other Coast Guard travel advance programs. The program has been fully
implemented within the Coast Guard and no new unit level travelers check programs will
be established. Units that currently have a travelers check program will continue to
operate until their Command has determined there is no continued need for the program
or the Coast Guard discontinues the overall program. Commandant (CG-102) has overall
program management responsibility for the Coast Guard travelers check program.
2. Travelers checks can only be held and disbursed by an officially designated individual.
Travelers checks are provided to travelers check agents under a trust agreement between
the travelers check agent and American Express. Travelers check agents have the
authority to disburse any or all of the checks for their face value, subject to the right of
American Express to immediately recall, at any time, all or any of the checks prior to
their disbursement. Travelers checks will only be issued in accordance with the policies
and procedures contained within this Instruction.
3. The travelers check program operates in direct relationship with the travel card bank's
centrally billed account (CBA) program. Any disbursement of travelers checks outside
of this relationship is strictly prohibited and will be classified as failure to comply with
the policy and procedures contained within this Instruction.
4. Travelers check agents are held to a high standard of care with respect to the travelers
checks with which they are entrusted and are personally liable at the moment a physical
loss occurs while checks are under their care. A physical loss includes instances where
an issued travelers check is negotiated and the issuance has not been accurately and
completely accounted for by the travelers check agent. When a physical loss is realized,
the travelers check agent is personally liable until found faultless. Negligence is
presumed, with the burden of proving otherwise falling on the agent. The Comptroller
General has consistently held that where regulations govern the activities of an
accountable officer, the exercise of reasonable care entails following these regulations,
and that failure to follow the regulations constitutes negligence. If negligence is found in
a physical loss, relief from liability will not be granted.
5. The purpose of the travelers check program is to pay temporary duty (TDY) and
permanent change of station (PCS), as qualified below, travel advances to individuals
who do not possess a government travel charge card (GTCC) or are exempt from using
the GTCC. Travelers checks will only be issued to these individuals when the time
between the receipt of authorization to travel and the commencement of travel does not
allow for the timely receipt of an advance from the U.S. Treasury. At no time will
travelers checks be issued to an individual more than three business days prior to the
actual commencement of travel. Travelers checks will not be used as a routine means of
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