Airfare for Active Troops
Sign the petition online at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/BSMMIL/
This was important to me, so I thought I would give you the same opportunity. The petition currently holds 172,868 signatures.
R/ITCM Air Fares for Active Troops:
Our military is not "flying free" as most Americans believe. As a majority of the airlines do not provide discount fares for the military, the men and women actively serving our country are paying for their own flights home during leave and - in many instances - are paying higher fares than most of the public. The reason for this is that they are unable to book their tickets in advance as their leaves are not always granted 21, 14 nor 7 days in advance. Please sign the Military Airfare Reduction petition to ask the government and 11 major airlines to provide military discounts to those on active duty. Many are unable to fly home because of the inability to afford the airline rates.
Please sign this petition in the hopes of showing our military who serve in place of those of us who will not fight our appreciation for their service and dedication.
This was important to me, so I thought I would give you the same opportunity. The petition currently holds 172,868 signatures.
R/ITCM Air Fares for Active Troops:
Our military is not "flying free" as most Americans believe. As a majority of the airlines do not provide discount fares for the military, the men and women actively serving our country are paying for their own flights home during leave and - in many instances - are paying higher fares than most of the public. The reason for this is that they are unable to book their tickets in advance as their leaves are not always granted 21, 14 nor 7 days in advance. Please sign the Military Airfare Reduction petition to ask the government and 11 major airlines to provide military discounts to those on active duty. Many are unable to fly home because of the inability to afford the airline rates.
Please sign this petition in the hopes of showing our military who serve in place of those of us who will not fight our appreciation for their service and dedication.
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Even asking a question about the military puts me at risk of yet another personal attack from less than friendly members (of which there are no shortage) but I will ask any way. Were discounting air and train fares SOP during Vietnam? I only ask because at that time the draft was in force and military pay rates were a fraction of what they are today. Discounts for military personel are a nice thought but is this a recent idea? 0 -
You got my signature. I've been there and know how difficult it can be to get home. Damn corporations are only concerned about getting that dollar. 0 -
not to be unsympathetic to our guys, especially the enlisted men,
but can the airlines afford such discounts after air travel has become highly unpopular (in no small part due to the handiwork of "take scissors away" TSA).
Perhaps Halliburton/KBR should be "convinced" that funding the difference in airfare is the right thing to do. Not a windfall tax, just threaten to cut off their lucrative contracts if they do not comply. I know that the Bush team will never go for it but it is a nice thought...0 -
I think the airlines should absorb the cost.
D.0 -
Kristov: Seems to me, if I recall correctly in WW 2 any travel for furloughs and leaves were paid for by the G.I.. If assigned to another place the expense was paid by mileage. I was paid mileage from Ft. Howze TX to my point of embarcation in N.J. and comming back at wars end
was paid mileage from from point of discharge to my home. Maybe things changed. Hope so. Being paid $52.00 per month (less laundry, life insurance and "company fund" payments) sure didnt leave much travel money.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
I think the airlines should absorb the cost.
D.
Only if they want to. Any airline that undertakes such an effort on their own will get my business.
However, we should remember that deregulation of the airline industry opened America and the world up to millions that previously did not fly because of the cost. The feds have re-inserted themselves more than enough into the industry following 11 September, 2001, and the flying public is best served by the least amount of federal intrusion.
I for one strongly object to the government forcing any business to extend special favors to anyone simply because they happen to be an employee of any branch of the government.0 -
I'm sorry, but this would be bad for a few reasons. While I appreciate all the hard, dangerous and life-threatening work that our brave men and women do, I do not like the idea of the government telling a private enterprise what it MUST do, especially as it concerns giving away a service below cost.
Our airlines are not big money-makers. They barely get by by the skin of their teeth. They're in bankruptcy or just coming out of bankruptcy, and you want the government to tell the airlines that they must give discounted/free airfare to our soldiers?
IMO, the government should be either footing the bill for the ticket -- at the same price that you or I would pay, or the government should be flying these brave soldiers to where they need to be. Lord knows there's enough military bases around where this can be done.
My heart goes out to those who want to get home. But, no, we shouldn't be forcing private enterprises to eat the cost.0 -
Here's how it works in MY family: My Daughter, Active Duty Air Force, wants to go ANYWHERE, I pay for her.
It is not right to order a business to offer any discount, just as it is not right for me to ask you to pay for my medical care.0 -
Active military individuals should fly, ride or float for free. To hell with the greedy corporate pricks, support our troops or feel free to leave. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tneff1969
Active military individuals should fly, ride or float for free. To hell with the greedy corporate pricks, support our troops or feel free to leave.
When you run an airline, bus or shipping company, you can do exactly that.0 -
When service members are deployed and fly home for their 15 (now 18) days Rest and Recuperation leave, they DO NOT pay for their own tickets. The ticket is free to just about anywhere that service member wants to go.
see the reference, we are being taken care of when returning for R&R.
http://www.armyg1.army.mil/randr/default.asp
Edit: This policy ONLY applies to service members deployed in support of OEF/OIF. It does NOT apply to soldiers wanting to take leave who are stationed in CONUS. The above information is incorrect because service members who are taking REGULAR leave, mostly know when they are taking their leave and can get their tickets early to avoid any additional charges.
(the only exception to that would be "emergency leave" when a family member passes away or something.)0 -
quote:Originally posted by joeaf1911a1
Kristov: Seems to me, if I recall correctly in WW 2 any travel for furloughs and leaves were paid for by the G.I.. If assigned to another place the expense was paid by mileage. I was paid mileage from Ft. Howze TX to my point of embarcation in N.J. and comming back at wars end
was paid mileage from from point of discharge to my home. Maybe things changed. Hope so. Being paid $52.00 per month (less laundry, life insurance and "company fund" payments) sure didnt leave much travel money.
Thanks for your first hand insight Joe. I think that many of us (including me) had the idea that our troops during WWII simply jumped onto trains and rode for free! $52 per month...What a bargan the taxpayer got for that money. I just read that the military is looking to up some enlistment bonuses to as much as $45,000, or enough to have kept paying Joe $52 per month for 72 years!
2006 was the first time that US airlines have shown a profit since 2000 so it seems unlikely that there is money available to hand out discounted airfares. Keep in mind that the total profit in 2006 was just $1 billion for the ENTIRE airline industry, or just about the same profit level that Exxon-Mobil (alone) turns every 10 days! While it might also be nice to give our troops discounts on cars and trucks, I doubt that the US auto industry can absorb that kind of cost any better than the airlines.0 -
Kristov, when i was in the Marines during viet nam the airlines had a program called Military Standbye. it was a discounted priced ticket, you could buy for any destination in the US. if a flight wasn't full they had a list of names first come first served. they would call names to that destination until the seats were full. you may get the first flight out or maybe had to wait 1 to 2 days before you got a flight. also as a military standbye you could get bumped for an emergency leave. there were no free flights.If a flight isn't full what's the harm in letting someone in the military fly for FREE, it doesn't take any more fuel, than to fly with empty seats. 0 -
yes, during Nam, Military standby. Used to cost less than $20 to fly DC- Columbus GA. BTW- all you folks that have requent flyer miles- You can donate miles to Fisher House- to be used by families of wounded GI's taveling to be with their soldier/sailor/marine/airman at the hospital. Check on line with your airline's frequent flyer program. Last Memorial day, airlines were matching your contribution. And you are not gonna use the miles, anyway.[:p] 0 -
Our soldiers don't make a whole lot of money and the enlistment bonus is usually spread over the term of the contract not a lump sum. So while a person may get a $45,000 bonus it's likely a three year contract or more they have to agree to. Regardless of your rank a full time paycheck isn't likely to keep pace with a private sector employee with the same number of years experience. Every Sargeant in the Army gets the same pay regardless of their specialty so a cook makes the same as a computer technician or an accountant or a weapons repair person. Last time I checked any civilian with the same amount of experience, ability and responsibility gets paid much more than a soldier. Even adding the extra $15,000 a year to their pay wouldn't make up the difference and those who qualify for this amount of bonus money would be in a very few select and high demand jobs which would pay much better in the private sector. I know many reservists which have taken pay cuts since getting called up. Not that they are complaining but the money is tight. That being said I am against the government interfering with private business by forcing a discount.
I would prefer to create a fund for our soldiers travel needs out of donations. Anyone want to help start one? Anyone out there know anything about running a non-profit? I'll donate and join the organization to help run it! Any takers?0 -
...How about they fire all the Air Marshalls...with all that money saved they could fly the GI's for free when on vacation....they would be the new air marshalls. Program only available to E-5's and above. Concealed Carry authorized by the President of the United States.
Earn your privelege by proving leadership.
All else can fly for free Space A on any Air Force or Navy aircraft.
I think that would be a good program. Israelize our airlines for defense.0 -
I don't believe in forcing businesses to lower their prices...especially when it's the gov't doing the forcing. I would support the gov't offsetting some of the costs though...and if I owned the airlines, I would take it upon myself to offer these young men and women discounts... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ECC
I don't believe in forcing businesses to lower their prices...especially when it's the gov't doing the forcing. I would support the gov't offsetting some of the costs though...and if I owned the airlines, I would take it upon myself to offer these young men and women discounts...
BINGO!
Charity and patriotism should be the choice of the person or company, not forced upon by the government.
If the government wants to kick in the cost because the private sector does it more efficiently (there's a shocker), so be it. But no, never, no way, uh-uh, nosiree, the government should NOT be forcing a private business to transport soldiers for free.
In fact, in a stretch, that could be a violation of the Third Amendment. I'm betting a lawyer could make the case and win.0 -
quote:Originally posted by ObiWan
...How about they fire all the Air Marshalls...with all that money saved they could fly the GI's for free when on vacation....they would be the new air marshalls. Program only available to E-5's and above. Concealed Carry authorized by the President of the United States.
Earn your privelege by proving leadership.
All else can fly for free Space A on any Air Force or Navy aircraft.
I think that would be a good program. Israelize our airlines for defense.
N[^]W Y[^]U'RE TALKING! I saw one of those military/history channel where it is an honor/obligation to pick-up/share rides with the IAFs - what a noble concept.0 -
How stupid of me to post my personal opinion amongst those of the internet gods, some of you need to pull your heads out and get some fresh air. 0 -
Pull our heads out Tneff?
I remember rolling coins for gas money and driving a hoopty in 1993 on E-1's pay. Now E-1's are driving $35,000 Infiniti's and getting to stay off base/camp/post with BAH....when 10 years ago they stayed in the barracks/dorms until E-5 and nobody had new cars unless daddy was a Colonel.
I was permanently medically retired a few months ago for a disability from Active Duty of 12 years......I've yet to get one penny for my "permanent disabled retirement"....The Defense Pay folks said they never received a copy of my medical retirement orders....but did receive notice I am removed from Temporary Disabled Retired and was moved over to Permanently Disabled Retired.....
DOD is throwing money at the new kids like candy to babies to get them in...but phacking over those that got injured, maimed, or killed. They couldn't finance your program because they can't fund the ""Benefits"" already out there they are supposed to provide.
http://p203.ezboard.com/fvetbenefitsfrm460 -
quote:Originally posted by tneff1969
How stupid of me to post my personal opinion amongst those of the internet gods, some of you need to pull your heads out and get some fresh air.
Actually what's stupid of you is this post. You don't bother to place your opinion, but are really good at tossing out an insult.0 -
Once more, Troops DO fly home for free when they're coming home on R&R leave from Iraq or Afghanistan.
Jeez, what more do y'all want for the troops??0 -
quote:Originally posted by rogue_rob
Once more, Troops DO fly home for free when they're coming home on R&R leave from Iraq or Afghanistan.
Jeez, what more do y'all want for the troops??
What would you know, your kind don't wait for the plane to land before you get out......[}:)][:D][;)]
Don0 -
spanielsells:
Actually what's stupid of you is this post. You don't bother to place your opinion, but are really good at tossing out an insult.
Pull your head out and read the first page, my opinion is there Mr forum hall monitor.0 -
I think the military should use their own planes and pilots to take troops back and forth to the states. I don't think the soldiers should have to pay for a flight home after being there for fifteen months. That's a bunch of horse crap. 0 -
Alright. Let's debunk some myths here before it gets out of hand. Soldiers returning from Iraq fly home FREE. Heck, I could have just decided I wanted to fly to Germany and take a European tour while I was on my R&R and they would have flown me to Germany for free. Soldiers are NOT being set back on transportation costs coming home from Iraq for their R&R leave.
Secondly, units typically let soldiers know WELL IN ADVANCE when the unit will be allowed to take what is called "block leave". This required some planning and some fore-thought on behalf of soldiers. I'm taking 4 days of leave in October for deer season. I'm driving and I'm submitting my leave request tomorrow. Most soldiers would wait until late September to submit the leave request. Let's face it. Most young soldiers I know wait until the last minute to make plans, save for retirement, get an education, etc. It's not the failure of the taxpayer. It's the failure of the individual Soldier's Team Leader and Squad leader who don't care enough about the Soldier to give them the advice that they would typically be getting from their Father and Mother if they were college freshmen living at home. Moms and Dads typically think that the Army is going to take care of their son or daughter. Leaders who give a @#%! talk to their soldiers and tell them to submit their leave requests EARLY so that they don't pay an arm and a leg for air fares.
What's happening is that Soldiers don't typically know the dates of their unit's block leave after they redeploy back to the states. That's touchy because it is dependent upon how smooth the timeline is for the various phases of redeployment that have to occur before they go on vacation. That's the LAST thing I worried about when I got back from Iraq. I had already been living tax-free for 12 months. I had been getting paid hazardous fire pay and all of those other wonderful financial benefits. I was CONSERVATIVE and didn't blow the whole wad when I went home on R&R and I PLANNED because I knew the costs that were going to come up when I got home. Let's face it. Young soldiers are thick-headed in many cases and live from paycheck to paycheck blowing their money on whatever. It's way more common that most want to think or believe.
Ever been on an Army post? You'll see more new and late-model FINANCED automobiles on an Army post because, God forbid the car you drive might have more than 30K miles on it and be more than 3 years old. Gotta finance that new BMW. You'd be SHOCKED at the number of $30K+ vehicles you see driving on an Army installation. I had a Soldier who got a HUGE re-enlistment bonus (tax free in the combat zone). We talked about how it would be important to invest/save that money wisely because of the upcoming birth of a new baby. The first thing he did on R&R leave was finance a BRAND NEW vehicle worth about $10K more than the bonus. Stupid is often also stubborn in the Army when it comes to young soldiers.
Lessons Learned:
1. Soldiers typically lack fore-thought and don't plan their leave time very well. Hence, they typically don't submit their leave requests as early as they could.
2. Soldiers don't have good money-spending/saving habits and typically live paycheck-to-paycheck. This is also evidenced by the fact that you'll find more rent-to-own FURNITURE (!!!) in military homes than you'd probably find in the average civilian world as well. Nobody taught them how to be wise. You'll probably not find a written budget anywhere in a barracks building (where young single soldiers live).
3. Soldiers don't have it all that bad if their junior leadership would get their act together. Stupid is often stubborn though. Coddling Soldiers won't teach them lessons about saving/investing. A few lessons from the school of hard knocks will.
On a FINAL note, I have one request: "DON'T CODDLE MY SOLDIERS! PLEASE LET THEM HAVE A TASTE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD! THE REAL WORLD WON'T GIVE THEM A FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP LIKE THEY HAVE ON POST!"0 -
quote:Originally posted by watrulookinat
I think the military should use their own planes and pilots to take troops back and forth to the states. I don't think the soldiers should have to pay for a flight home after being there for fifteen months. That's a bunch of horse crap.
They DON'T pay for their flight home on R&R. They fly back to their duty station with their unit and undergo post-deployment recovery operations (gear, personnnel, etc). Then they are typically put on a few weeks of block leave when everyone gets a little vacation time. It's that vacation time AFTER the deployment is over and AFTER they have lived tax-free for 12-15 months that they get to buy their last-minute plane tickets and fly home. See the above post.0 -
quote:Originally posted by kristov
quote:Originally posted by joeaf1911a1
Kristov: Seems to me, if I recall correctly in WW 2 any travel for furloughs and leaves were paid for by the G.I.. If assigned to another place the expense was paid by mileage. I was paid mileage from Ft. Howze TX to my point of embarcation in N.J. and comming back at wars end
was paid mileage from from point of discharge to my home. Maybe things changed. Hope so. Being paid $52.00 per month (less laundry, life insurance and "company fund" payments) sure didnt leave much travel money.
Thanks for your first hand insight Joe. I think that many of us (including me) had the idea that our troops during WWII simply jumped onto trains and rode for free! $52 per month...What a bargan the taxpayer got for that money. I just read that the military is looking to up some enlistment bonuses to as much as $45,000, or enough to have kept paying Joe $52 per month for 72 years!
2006 was the first time that US airlines have shown a profit since 2000 so it seems unlikely that there is money available to hand out discounted airfares. Keep in mind that the total profit in 2006 was just $1 billion for the ENTIRE airline industry, or just about the same profit level that Exxon-Mobil (alone) turns every 10 days! While it might also be nice to give our troops discounts on cars and trucks, I doubt that the US auto industry can absorb that kind of cost any better than the airlines.
BINGO! U.S. Soldiers serve at the pleasure of the taxpayer. Nobody owes us anything and I live my life in such a way that I won't NEED retirement pay when I decide to retire. Soldiers should not be a burden on private industry.0 -
quote:Originally posted by idsman75
BINGO! U.S. Soldiers serve at the pleasure of the taxpayer.
I respectfully disagree. I am starting a petition to have Exxon and Chevron pay for the gasoline active duty troops put in ther cars. And free cable. Dairy Queen, too.0
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