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Hurry Up & Wait Travel Tips... How to Navigate Travel as a Military Family
- Zahi Merz
- Oct 18, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 6, 2023
*Zahi Fun Fact*
I was a military spouse for 9 out of the 10 years I’ve been married! My husband, Steve enlisted into the USN Submarine Service back in 2010. Being the “new older spouse” was definitely an adventure! I was about 10 years older than your average spouse which always made for very interesting meet and greets. Learning a new way of life was definitely challenging but totally worth it.
I soon learned that everything was different to civilian life, that included travel, vacations and even holidays.
During the years Steve was active duty, we managed some quick getaways, road trips and somehow we even managed full blown vacations. I’ve always loved the planning aspect of vacations. Crazy, I know! I enjoy the research process and everything that entails. But traveling as a military family has so many moving parts that it is almost like the stars need to align for things to go smoothly.
In this post I will share some of the tips I've learned being a military spouse.
Vacations are tricky, but those memories will last a lifetime!
Here are some tips I’ve picked up throughout the years.
1. Use a travel agent familiar with military life:
No one will understand the complexities of military travel like someone who has been there and done that! From flexible dates, to forbidden destinations, a travel agent who is familiar with military life knows the steps that need to be taken when planning a military family vacation.
2. ALWAYS get the travel protection or the refundable ticket:
Because things have a habit of changing often, make sure to look into travel protection. A lot of the suppliers will understand that military life is fluid, but I highly encourage you to add another level of protection to your investment.
Spend the extra money on the refundable option on the plane ticket. Do not miss out on a homecoming because the date changed and you couldn’t change the flight without paying massive penalties! We actually had this happen during our last deployment. My husband’s homecoming date change, they were coming in 2 days early (YAY), but my FIL did not purchase the refundable option, and unfortunately missed our pier-side homecoming… Do not miss out!
3. Ask your service member if the destination is a safe one for them to travel to:
The military is very particular of what destinations the service member may or may not travel to. This is mostly a safety issue and your service member’s command will have to approve the destination along with the actual leave time (travel dates). In some cases, the service member will have to do safety training before going to a destination as well as give an entire plan of action to their command for approval. Always, always ask, " is this destination allowed?" I know communication is hard and not all services have the same rules. For example, sailors on the surface fleet my not have the same restrictions that sailors on the Submarine fleet have. So always ask!
4. Utilize your resources:
Your base has an amazing amount for resources, use them! Morale Welfare and Recreation or MWR has an array of activities, and source of entertainment. Things that you wouldn‘t thing of! Want to go camping? Our base, offers camper rentals! Some will offer boat rentals, grills, tents, etc..Great resources for any type of getaway! Information, Tickets and Travel or ITT, was another resource which has now merged with MWR. Think of it as the base travel agent to an extent. Want to plan a trip to Disney? Check them out! Or a TA who is familiar with your community. I can not stress this enough though, GET YOUR DISNEY PARK HOPPERS THROUGH MWR! No TA can match nor beat the price, no matter what they say! We can book your resort, flights and transfers, but we can not beat the Military Park Hopper that you get from MWR.
5. Do not be afraid to ask for military perks:
Many suppliers offer some sort perk for our Armed Forces. Whether it is a discount or an on-board-credit on a cruise, a lot of our suppliers love to show their appreciation for our service members. So never be afraid to ask!
6. Be Flexible:
For the past year we've been hearing how we need flexibility during travel in a post Covid environment. Let me tell you, no one understands flexibility more than a spouse trying to plan a post deployment vacation! Dates will change, destinations will be added to the " no go" list, that room category you want it is sold out because you didn’t have a way to get in contact with your spouse. Things will come up, so, be flexible and always reach out someone that understands and can help.
Military life is the most wonderfully stressful life. Your vacations do not need to be!
To your service member, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE 🇺🇸❤️!
If you found this useful or know of someone who can benefit from it, please share, like and comment! 😊
Have travel questions? Looking for travel tips? Or suggestions on what topics you want to read about? Email me at zahi@holabeachestravel.com
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Information was accurate at the time of publishing. For current information and instructions, see a U.S. Military Base ticket office or
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