Posted on Apr 9, 2014
Government Credit Card for every Soldier, good idea or bad idea?
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We require every Soldier who travels at least twice a year or are E5 and above to have a Government Credit Card (GOVCC). Is this a good idea or a bad idea? I have seen it work and I have seen it fail miserably. What is your experiences?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 30
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Omg, you really posted this crazy question? Haha, it always works out bad. If you sit in command and staff, they always... always talk about people $1000s of dollars in debt from not paying their cards off. Worse, it increases fraud and creates risk where debt/fraud are carried over into the workplace. As a former paralegal (27D), there are way too many stories about people abusing their govt cc. Good luck with that one!
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CW5 Sam R. Baker
Great reply, I remember once being at a Nashville Kats game and wanting to buy season tickets, I had left my regular cards at home and purchased my season tickets with my BOA card and of course I paid it off when the bill came, but I had no idea it was punishable back then. I thought only NOT paying the bill was a unit legal liability until I had to go to the class for the unit.
I don't like it and only use my personal card with a GOVT reimbursement and I don't charge the GOVT for the interest.
I don't like it and only use my personal card with a GOVT reimbursement and I don't charge the GOVT for the interest.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC William Laws , I apologize. I have not been here in a while. I really do not know. I never took the card and just took the cash settlements... but sometimes the card is required if you travel I believe more than twice a year. I just did not like the fact that the govt cc can hit a person's personal credit report and the fact that during command and staff, owing money was a bad omen for those who were in debt due to a govt cc.
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I think they are a great tool. I wish they weren't "mandatory" for travel, but I understand why they are according to the JTR. I think citi definitely has a good deal going for them. I've never had a personal card with so many fees. However, they seem to be a little more forgiving when RMO forgets to handle your $10k travel voucher for the month. I don't know if AMEX would be so understanding.
I never understood the preoccupation with misuse of the card. It really becomes the Soldier's card once it is issued. If they want to use it for the wrong things and then rack up charges they can't pay, I think they should get hit with finance charges and fees by the credit card company, not necessarily UCMJ Action. I never understood when I saw it pop up as a CCIR criteria in some units. I might be missing something though and would love to hear from someone who might have better insight.
I never understood the preoccupation with misuse of the card. It really becomes the Soldier's card once it is issued. If they want to use it for the wrong things and then rack up charges they can't pay, I think they should get hit with finance charges and fees by the credit card company, not necessarily UCMJ Action. I never understood when I saw it pop up as a CCIR criteria in some units. I might be missing something though and would love to hear from someone who might have better insight.
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CPT (Join to see)
It become a problem because the charges that are racked up become an "Army" problem. It would affect the Soldier's careers. Personal CC, not much of a problem. Imagine the Army Times, 1 in 3 Soldiers are unable to pay the CC bill.
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MAJ(P) (Join to see)
They become an Army Problem in that Soldiers are racking up debt. That can actually have very negative effects whether it is a Government or Personal Card. Indebtedness can make a Soldier ineligible for a security clearance if it is high enough. That said, I've thought about another reasons why GTC abuse becomes an issue.
Unlike a civilian card, where a company like Citi would be much less likely to issue a PVT with no credit history a card with a low fee/rate, the GTC can get issued to Soldiers who otherwise wouldn't get one. They could be greater credit risks which makes sense why the Company and the Army do need to ensure that the card isn't misused, especially if misuse of the GTC has fewer consequences to a credit report than a personal card would.
Unlike a civilian card, where a company like Citi would be much less likely to issue a PVT with no credit history a card with a low fee/rate, the GTC can get issued to Soldiers who otherwise wouldn't get one. They could be greater credit risks which makes sense why the Company and the Army do need to ensure that the card isn't misused, especially if misuse of the GTC has fewer consequences to a credit report than a personal card would.
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That's because the government mandate them to use the government travel card on plane ticket and lodging (please correct me if I am wrong) for official travel. Personally, I rather use my own. It doesn't affect the price of the plane ticket or lodging. As a matter of fact, I don't think there is any difference using personal credit card or the government travel card. So why the mandate? So Citigroup can have a steady income?
I understand that some Soldiers may not have a credit card and they do need the government travel card for official travel. If we trust them to operate tactical vehicles, heavy machinery, and weapons, why shouldn't we trust them to manage a credit card that will only get activated for official travel?
I don't think it is a good or bad idea. It is more of a necessity.
I understand that some Soldiers may not have a credit card and they do need the government travel card for official travel. If we trust them to operate tactical vehicles, heavy machinery, and weapons, why shouldn't we trust them to manage a credit card that will only get activated for official travel?
I don't think it is a good or bad idea. It is more of a necessity.
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