Updated Travel Guidance

This Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) updated established policies and procedures for official and unofficial travel to meet Department of Defense (DoD) requirements. The update provides pre- and post-travel guidance for purposes of Force Health Protection (FHP) of DoDEA civilian employees and family members, and contractor personnel.

Worldwide travel is changing rapidly. The DoD maintains a conditions-based phased approach to personnel movement and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The attached DoDEA memorandum provides guidance for compliance with all DoD updates and requirements for the various phases of official and unofficial travel.

1. Pre-Travel Requirements.
   1. Mission Essential Travel Request (METR) process for official travel waivers.
   2. Travel Health Risk Assessment.
   3. COVID-19 Testing.
   4. Use of Government Travel Office (SATO) for government-funded air transportation.
2. Enroute Travel Requirements: Adherence to public health measures.
3. Post-Travel Requirements.
   1. Host nation quarantine/command-directed Restrictions of Movement (ROM).
   2. Specific travel destination ROM guidance.
4. Unofficial/Leisure Travel.
5. Entering the DoDEA Workplace Post-Travel Requirements.

This guidance applies to travel for DoDEA civilian employees, DoD family members, and DoD contractor personnel. Applicable travel types include Temporary Duty (TDY), Educational Travel (EdT), Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Renewal Agreement Travel (RAT), Separation/Retirement travel, travel by civilian employees complying with overseas tour rotation agreement requirements, Employee/Dependent Medical Travel (EDMT) , and Emergency Visitation Travel (EVT).

Travel waivers are not required for Renewal Agreement Travel (RAT), Separation/Retirement travel, and travel by civilian employees complying with overseas tour rotation agreement requirements, but all travelers must comply with the Travel Health Risk Assessments, and COVID-19 testing requirements, enroute travel, and post-travel host nation quarantine or command-directed Restriction of Movement (ROM), and DoD workplace access.

DoDEA COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Guidance (pdf)

Mission Essential Travel Request Action Memo (Word)

RAT Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

Reimbursement for COVID-19 Testing Memo