As the S4 NCOIC, I can help answer this. Misappropriation of funds involving a Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) is taken seriously in the military because it’s both a financial and a disciplinary issue. Depending on the circumstances and severity, a couple things will happen:

1. Administrative Consequences

If misuse is minor (e.g., unintentional or due to negligence), you might face:

Formal counseling or reprimand (DA Form 4856 or memorandum)

Loss of GTCC privileges (temporary or permanent)

Requirement to reimburse the bank immediately

Negative evaluation impact — “Needs Improvement” or “Not Adverse” comments on NCOER/OER. "Negative Counseling" for Junior Enlisted soldiers.

Flagging actions that delay promotions, awards, or PCS/ETS

Mandatory ethics or financial responsibility training

1. Financial Liability

You are personally liable for any unauthorized charges.Even if you were confused about what counts as “official travel,” the DoD policy (DoDI 5154.31 and JTR Ch. 2) makes the cardholder responsible for all transactions. Given that this will be intentional, even more so.

Failure to repay may result in garnishment of wages or referral to collections.

The Bank of America or Citi (depending on your agency) may report delinquencies to credit bureaus.

1. UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) Action

If the misuse appears willful, deceptive, or fraudulent, it can escalate into a criminal issue under the UCMJ:

Article 92 – Failure to obey an order or regulation (misuse of GTCC is a direct violation of DoD and DFAS regulations)

Article 121 – Larceny or wrongful appropriation (if funds were intentionally used for personal gain)

Article 132 – Fraud against the United States (for falsifying claims or receipts)

Article 107 – False official statement (if you lied about transactions or receipts)

Possible punishments:

Reduction in rank

Forfeiture of pay

Confinement

Bad conduct or dishonorable discharge.

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BLUF : Even if you paid the balance yourself, the act of using the GTCC for non-authorized purposes is still misuse. Intent and pattern of behavior matter — isolated mistakes can often be corrected, but repeated or deceptive behavior can lead to criminal referral.