Posted on Apr 27, 2016
SSG Steven E.
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Posted in these groups: Fb6487e7 MWRAe5debb6 Travel
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MCPO Katrina Hutcherson
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I've used them several times. They work great if you get to a base where they have a lot of flights going where you want to go or even close. For instance, when I couldn't get a direct flight to Italy, I took a flight to Germany then took a $20 train ride to my destination in Italy. I believe it's one of the least used and best benefits available. Combine it with military recreational hotels all around the world and you've got an even better bang for your buck! All it takes is a little pre-planning and contingency funds to fly back commercially if you have a deadline to get back home. I haven't done it since 1990, but at that time dependents could only fly MAC OCONUS and back unless your under orders or stationed overseas. I had to drive from Miami, FL to Charleston, SC to catch a flight to Germany with my children. We got a flight back to Dover, DE where we had to get a shuttle to Baltimore Washington airport for a commercial flight back to our car in Charleston. It was still a bargain trip. Flexibility and extra time is the key.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks for the info MCPO Katrina Hutcherson , your trip sounded like it was a lot of fun.. It seems that Germany is one of the best OCONUS destinations when using Space A..
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SFC Brian Bourque
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I used Space A for the first time right before I retired. We flew from Joint Base Leeis-McChord to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The whole experience was great. Even though we had to wait for flights, we met great people wiling to help us out. The only downside was the waiting; but you have to expect that. I will say I would never do it with a baby. Although she passed out with a pair of noise cancelling headphones on a C-17, the logistics of the whole thing is rather difficult. Now that I am retired, I'm now at the bottom of the pecking order for Space A flights. It's nice to have that option, but we'll have to make plans for off-season flights.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks for the response SFC Bourque, what did your family think when ya'll started up the ramp of the C-17? I've flown on them downrange where they were configured with actual seats, as opposed to the nylon webbing and/or fold down on the C-130, but still it's a giant cargo aircraft..
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SFC Jim Ruether
SFC Jim Ruether
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I flew on a C-130 from Mpls. MN with the 133rd Tactical ALW and we flew to San Antonio TX . We checked in with the 133rd by phone to confirm our flight and then headed to the Twin Cities (2.5hr drive) got on the plane and flew down with no issues sitting in the web sling seats along the wall. Hearing protection is a must and required actually before you board. Our aircraft was diverted however on our return flight back to Minnesota as ammunition was needed in Panama that day and our plane got the mission. We overnighted and flew out the next day when they returned from their mission. No Problem!
I would bring a credit card with just in case the return flight doesn't materialize and you need to buy a commercial flight home instead.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks for the info SFC Jim Ruether , much appreciated..
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SFC Brian Bourque
SFC Brian Bourque
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SSG Steven E. - That's exactly what they were: Seats in a giant cargo aircraft. It was a comfortable flight and we could recline the seats. My wife was in awe since she never flew on a military aircraft, let alone a C-17.
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SGM Erik Marquez
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Only once and it was an ill conceived mission from the get go on my part.
I had a time sensitive need to be someplace.. a Halfwit plan to get there anyway should I get stranded enroute waiting for a Space A flight. and said Halfwit plane was needed. The trip took twice as long as needed via straight com airflight, and cost me more over all as well.

And all of that was my fault. The MAC folks were awesome and accommodating the process easy to understand and use.

Fast forward 20 years and retired Still will not use it as there is no place I don't need to be in a specific time frame.......if ..IF I SAY.. I ever get to the point i'm not so busy with jobs, tasks places to be and I just want to get to Germany "sometime next week...or so" I will use Space A if it is still available.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks SGM Erik Marquez for the insight, the uncertainty of the arrival times at the intended destinations seem to be the collective downside amongst everyone to that mode of travel..
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Have any of you ever used Space A flights before? If so, how was your overall experience?
MAJ Raúl Rovira
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After graduation and commissioning flew to Germany on a C5. Made my way back to DC and then took a train back to UMASS to drive south for OBC. I had a great experience. The flight Engineer was a college friend of mine which made the trip enjoyable from the cockpit.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks for the response sir, was the process of getting manifested fairly smooth?
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MAJ Raúl Rovira
MAJ Raúl Rovira
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Once my leave started I faxed (yes, the ways back then) to all of the Pax terminals that I may find myself in. I had a little delay getting back to the US, but since I was in Germany, any delay was welcomed!

Traveling light helps. My battle buddy and I changed flight in England. Form a C5 flight (England, Italy, then Germany) to a small private type jet that went straight to Germany from England. We were both traveling with under 20 pounds.

Manifesting is easy. Then is verifying it is capture and that you are in the right order of merit based on DTG.
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SFC Founder
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I used it when I was stationed in Germany and South Korea, and flew on a C-17, commercial plane and C-5A.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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Thanks for the response SSG Fleming, did it work pretty good for you OCONUS?
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SFC Founder
SFC (Join to see)
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Traveling from Korea is always commercial to CONUS and it was a good experience except for the long 13 hour flight.
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SSG Steven E.
SSG Steven E.
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That is a long time in an aluminum tube for sure SFC (Join to see) ! Thanks for the endorsement today, much appreciated..
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SFC Founder
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CW4 Craig Urban
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Great if you are on active duty you get priority. As a retiree I always wait until after labor day. I is my birthday anyway. 2 Sep 1948.
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SGT LaTasha Carroway-Quarles
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I’ve flown several flights while in the military..from Germany to the states and enjoyed it..I flew with my daughter to the states and from where we landed in the states, we flew commercially or I rented a car to our destination.

The key to MAC flights is PLANNING!!!..Detail planning ahead and plenty of patience...
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PO1 Dennis Colton
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My wife and myself caught a flight from Hickam AFB, to Travis AFB . Was a terrific trip, enjoyed it totally
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Sgt Kathie Hall
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No
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PO2 John Zodun
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If any of you 100% disabled veterans have been on a space A flight it would helpful if you could share your experiences with the group of veterans trying to find out about benefits for us and what can and cannot be permissible would be a blessing to so many like myself that reads it’s approved the scroll down a little to find them saying it’s not approved. Have mercy please help
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