Has the military stopped paying for plane tickets home for leave, while Service Member is deployed?

2016-01-22T23:13:49-05:00

An organization in my local area started a charity to help send Service Members home while on leave from deployments. But I've always known that the military paid for the plane ticket from the deployed country to the destination of their choosing. Has this changed in the last 10 years or so?

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Jan 22 at 2016 11:44 PM

2016-01-22T23:44:43-05:00

Consider yourself fortunate that you got such a freebee. When I was on AD during Vietnam, we got a 5 day R&R to one of several locales (Bangkok, Sydney, Honolulu, Hong Kong) but we had to foot our own bills.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2016 11:47 PM

2016-01-22T23:47:11-05:00

If the leave is optional and not mandated, the SM has to pay for their own plane ticket, Sir.

Response by CH (COL) Geoff Bailey made Jan 23 at 2016 12:16 AM

2016-01-23T00:16:57-05:00

1LT Ryan Millican There are strict requirements regarding Non-Chargeable Leave and R&R. Several factors are weighed in determining whether a service member qualifies for NCR&R and free transport. What country are they in? How long will they be boots on the ground? What do their orders say?

That said, service members can always utilize Space-A travel once on leave to fly to central hubs and then pay for onward transportation from those points. The best means of determining eligibility is checking with your personnel shop (J1/G1/S1).

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2016 12:18 AM

2016-01-23T00:18:30-05:00

The Congressional authorization for this expired. It was a little bit of a controversy a couple of years back, but it was deemed unnecessary. It was a nice benefit. I used it to go to Europe twice.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2016 6:50 AM

2016-01-23T06:50:07-05:00

Depends on location and length of tour. Our guys in Afghanistan on 12 month orders get mid-tour with flights paid. I know Soldiers in Kuwait right now that have to pay their own flights if they want to take mid-tour leave as well as getting charged for the leave.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jan 23 at 2016 1:49 PM

2016-01-23T13:49:00-05:00

SFC Bennett is right. Kuwait, where I am deployed now, is chargeable leave and you must pay for transportation. You are allowed to use the rotator but it is space A and you can get bumped. In Iraq and Afghanistan the leave and flight is covered.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2016 6:37 AM

2016-01-26T06:37:17-05:00

I never got leave while deployed. We were told the mission came first. The best they did was give us some R&R on a large fob. Sounds like it would have been nice to get a free ride home though.

Response by Janice Hocker made Nov 1 at 2016 3:28 AM

2016-11-01T03:28:54-04:00

Would a Brigadier General stationed in Nigeria have to pay for his flight home if his tour is up? He is there under a military contract.

Response by Elizabeth Barr made Dec 10 at 2016 7:17 PM

2016-12-10T19:17:52-05:00

I have this guy I met online he says he is in army reserves for 7 yrs and he had problems with his bank account and everything else and now he is saying he has to pay for his plane ticket home from lagos Nigeria and he said he talked to his commander and he will pay for most of it all but 375 dollars. So I was wondering is this really true? Cause my friends said its all paid for.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 6 at 2017 12:30 PM

2017-02-06T12:30:34-05:00

During both my deployments (Iraq 08-09, A'Stan 11-12) I took leave for 2 weeks in each case. The flights back to Atlanta Int'l. were paid for. From there was at my cost. The only time I paid for my leave flights was when I was assigned to Korea. I paid for my flights from and then back to Korea. When I PCSed back stateside, the "Patriot Express" flight takes you from Korea to the US (Seattle, WA) then the gov't pays to get you to the closest airport to your next duty station. I however, found a great deal from Seattle to Raleigh-- $500 for a one-way first class ticket on Delta. That was a nice flight.

Response by Chance Are made Feb 8 at 2017 10:28 PM

2017-02-08T22:28:30-05:00

is true that if you ask to have a leave and the tour is not over yet your gonna pay for your airfare
thank you

Response by Gaylene Rimstad made Apr 20 at 2017 12:14 AM

2017-04-20T00:14:53-04:00

Yes do l have to pay my partners fare home why id thst

Response by Sue Malone made Apr 29 at 2017 7:34 PM

2017-04-29T19:34:30-04:00

What if they stations din egypt

Response by Gaylene Rimstad made May 4 at 2017 6:08 PM

2017-05-04T18:08:46-04:00

Wel my partner is Station in Iraq because he wants to come to Australia on leave I was told l have to pay his ticket

Response by Lora Jones made May 28 at 2017 5:47 PM

2017-05-28T17:47:35-04:00

If you are in New Mexico City

Response by Steve Douglas made Jun 29 at 2017 11:59 PM

2017-06-29T23:59:06-04:00

All of you ladies: the military provides free transportation to soldiers from ANY deployment to the deployment site AND back to the USA when it is over. ANY "soldier" asking you to pay his fare is a SCAMMER.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2017 8:53 AM

2017-06-30T08:53:15-04:00

During both my deployments (Iraq 08-09, A'Stan 11-12) the Army paid for me to get from the deployed location to the nearest APOD, which for me was Atlanta, GA. From the APOD, anywhere else was out of pocket. When I was assigned to Korea (14-15) all leave was out of pocket.

Response by Karen Bolton made Aug 25 at 2017 6:19 PM

2017-08-25T18:19:07-04:00

I'm talking to a ssg in the us army in Afghanistan he says he won't to come to the uk to visit me but he cannot access his wages in kabul and won't me to send half his fair to Nigeria to his friend so his friend can purchase his ticket for him would a ssg in the military need my help as he says he cannot get to his wages as the cash tills don't work do I help or not I'm torn

Response by Jessica Webster made Oct 2 at 2017 4:08 AM

2017-10-02T04:08:49-04:00

I really need some help I met a man and we've been dating for 2 months now he said he was shipped to Afghanistan and now needs to come home due to circumstances with his daughter in this time. We plan to get married but he just told me he needs $850 to process the forms is this true or not he's only been in Afghanistan for a couple weeks I'm really needing some advice

Response by Cynthia Tarver made Mar 6 at 2018 1:32 PM

2018-03-06T13:32:38-05:00

Hello I need to know do someone who is deployed in Kabul Afghanistan have to pay for their leave home or to the states?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 10:17 AM

2018-03-07T10:17:52-05:00

1LT Ryan Millican This would depend on service but those in the Navy would have an option under the Overseas Tour Extension Incentives Program.

http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/milpersman/1000/1300assignment/documents/1306-300.pdf

1306-300.pdf

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Response by Andrea Guy made Apr 9 at 2018 6:27 PM

2018-04-09T18:27:15-04:00

Can someone please answer a question for me. I'm the proposed Dianne of a LT Colonel working with United Nations in Afghan. My question is the UN says I have to pay for his air fare to come home to plan our wedding, is this correct?

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2018 11:44 PM

2018-05-03T23:44:43-04:00

My husband is serving in Iraq he’s ready to retired but to bring him home the processing officer commissioner of seal is requesting me to pay $1600.00 is this true