Need Help Obtaining Government Charge Card

MARINES - I need some help. I just found out today that my billeting for AT is supposed to be paid on my government charge card.

I don't have one. I've never had one. I also don't have a personal credit card (paid them off and cancelled them all), and I'm not paying for two weeks of hotels and travel out of my savings account.

I work for EUCOM with a joint det, and I have almost no USMC administrative support to lean on. Can anyone assist me on where to start the application process, and the steps required to get the ball rolling?

Thanks in advance!

Sgt Webb

The process starts with your I&I staff/your parent command, it would have to be approved through them first anyway. Even if your command approves one for you, you will not get it in time to cover your current expenses. It took me almost 6 months to get my card a few years ago. Sounds like a sh***y situation and you'll have to cover it on your own dime and then get reimbursed for it when you do your audit and travel claim when your get back.

Advanced pay?

You say you have "almost no administrative support to lean on," but you at least have some. You are going to need to lean on what you have and go up the chain to get some assistance.

Barring that, Josephd is correct, you will have to dip into your savings and then get reimbursed. Save all receipts.

Thank you for the responses. I appreciate your time.

This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous, but my wife and I close on our home on August 20th - the Monday after I return from AT. Bad timing at its best. There is no way that I can physically flip the bill for two weeks of hotel, food and travel. The money would have to come out of what we need for closing costs ($7k).

I've received two "support" contacts since my transfer to this unit. One is a Gunny that told me he doesn't know answers to my billeting questions, and the other is a SSgt that helped me with the transfer whom I'm still waiting to hear back from.

The good news is that I like to camp, so my two-man tent may be getting some usage over the next two weeks ;)

Thanks, again for your replies. Hopefully I can work it out.

Sgt Webb

I would avoid getting one if you can.

I'm assuming you'd be submitting a travel claim once your AT is over to pay off the card? If thats the case case I'm also assuming you are using DTS to book your hotel. If you are using DTS you should be able to request advances and thus wouldn't need a GTCC.

If you do need to get a card you'll need to get in contact with your APC and he should be able to get you all the information you'll need with CitiBank to get a card.