Hi

Given the large role these services have played in OIF & OEF etc over the last few years, is it no time to change the no OCONUS travel rule ?

What is the rationale behind it and would there by major objections to lifting this ban by
anyone ?

I am willing to go to my local Congress Rep. to talk about it as I suspect it would be fairly simple to do it.

If activated then the restrictions are gone, but not if still on Reserves.

To be honest I think it shouldn't change, they are not full time, and this would mean that those who do are now up against them when trying to go overseas with their family. It is then not fair to those who are AD.

This isn't something that is simple at all. What category would you be then? If you say Cat 3, then that means Spouses of AD members who are stationed overseas have a harder time as well. Retirees who did their time have a longer wait as well. If you talk about making a new category like 7 then you are still on restrictions. Then there is the widows/widowers who lost it when their sponsor died what about them?

Take what you have you can travel around the 50 states and the territories.

I completed 6 years of NG service and I exited.
Do I qualify for Cat 6? I looked up the eligibility and I'm not sure whether ex-NG are considered "retired"?

quote:

Originally posted by kalos7k:
I completed 6 years of NG service and I exited.
Do I qualify for Cat 6? I looked up the eligibility and I'm not sure whether ex-NG are considered "retired"?

Serving only 6 years and then getting out isn't considered Retiring especially in the NG. For retirees in the AD it is 20 years of serving unless they have been medically retired. You will have to wait until you get all your retirement benefits/pay/id at the age of 62

quote:

Originally posted by kalos7k:
I completed 6 years of NG service and I exited.
Do I qualify for Cat 6? I looked up the eligibility and I'm not sure whether ex-NG are considered "retired"?

If you do not have an ID card as retired, you are not retired.

Thx. I guess marrying is more valuable than serving.

no offense.

quote:

Originally posted by kalos7k:
Thx. I guess marrying is more valuable than serving.

no offense.

I do take offense to that statement. Yes you served but you did 6 years of NG. When you get your ID you can fly as Category 6. You are not in the military right now so why should you get the benefits of Space A or anything else. My husband has been in for 18 1/2 years, unless he is with me or deployed or we are overseas on orders I can't fly without him. Why shouldn't family be allowed to fly if it is allowed? I have been through the deployments for over 6 months, non communication for over 90 days, unaccompanied orders, moving in 29 days from overseas to the mainland, ER trips with our children while he was gone, first day of school, first soccer game, and everything else without him. And you know what if something happens to him and he leaves God's Earth then I can never fly Space A again.

yes you served your time, I'm sure deployed and everything else and salutes to you for that. But do not count out what these spouses at home go through as well.

I do have an ID. I am 100% disabled and feel that even if I could fly Space-A, I would rather a service member of leave have the spot.

you know what confuses me? whay the all fired need to qualify for Space A in the first place?! it's not that great a perk and in fact is often more trouble than it is worth.

whay the sense of entitlement?.

everyone makes it sound like they get the shaft if they don't get to fly anywhere for free.

Most do not remember standby - student and military - flights. Here is the deal with much of space A

You sign up and hope that someone with a higher priority on Space-A or Space Required do not get the seat. Guess what retired is the lowest level. Ypu have to be there 2 to 3 hours prior to depature to see if you get a seat. There are no reservations for Space-A. No Pets, clothing rules are fairly strict. And a lot of the planes are military configuration - you know web seats, no john, etc.

Space-A travel is not for anyone on a tight schedule.

here's a question. i served my 4 years on active duty and am now in the air national guard out here at hickam. which is considered OCONUS. no does that mean i cant fly space a to the mainland and back. or how will that work?

Only when active duty in some capacity. Read the top of the topic.

Can Reservist or Guard members travel Space-A?

Reserve members on the Active Status List (may train for points and/or pay and may be considered for promotion) with DD Form 2 (Reserve) identification and DD Form 1853 may fly to, from, and between Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the CONUS.

""Note:"" The current (1994 vintage) regulation mentions the DD Form 2 (Red) ID card is required. The Red ID card was replaced with a Green Reserve ID Card in 1998. Reserve Retired (gray area retirees) cards and Reserve family members' cards remained red. If you are activated for more than 30 days then you will have all the Space-A benefits of active duty while you are on active duty ordinary leave (except dependents cannot travel unaccompanied under the Command or non-command sponsored travel programs).

Reservists placed on active duty for more than 30 days acquire Cat-III status while on leave and may fly anywhere overseas that AMC has flights operating.

I am currently at reserve status, I still have few year to go until I reenlist.
I have interest to go overseas for few weeks, and come back before my drill next year.
People tell me I can go RST and stay longer, but that will not be necessary, I just need to see few friends that is all.

Is there space-a good for me? how much I have to paid??
my schedule is loose, and if I can get cheap fly means I can live and travel more while I am overseas.

Thank you.

I guess you did not read my post.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave_M:
I guess you did not read my post.

But that would mean they had to actually look for the answer themselves and oh my goodness READ instead of getting it answered again for the 20 millionth time.

My husband is part of the Navy medical program where they paid for his medical school, he gave his payback time on AD, and now he is in a civilian residency program and also still on 'active reserve' (he was promoted to LCDR during residency). We used Space A travel while he was on AD, but we are wondering if we are eligible for it now. It seems as though we're somewhere between AD and Reserve. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

Does he have an ID card? What about you? If he is AD then he can fly and so can you Space A. If he is Reserves then he is limited to only in the US and its Territories and you cannot fly.

This has long been a thorn in my side. Especially now that unaccompanied dependents can fly any where in the US with a higher priority than those who wear the uniform or who have worn the uniform. I think it is time to do away w/ categories five and six and put reservists, retirees, and unaccompanied dependents all in the same category ... category four. Also reservists SHOULD be able to fly overseas.
Furthermore reservists should absolutely have a priority category when when they are trying to get to drills.

quote:

Originally posted by Doliver701:
Hi

Given the large role these services have played in OIF & OEF etc over the last few years, is it no time to change the no OCONUS travel rule ?

What is the rationale behind it and would there by major objections to lifting this ban by
anyone ?

I am willing to go to my local Congress Rep. to talk about it as I suspect it would be fairly simple to do it.

This has long been a thorn in my side. Especially now that unaccompanied dependents can fly any where in the US with a higher priority than those who wear the uniform or who have worn the uniform. I think it is time to do away w/ categories five and six and put reservists, retirees, and unaccompanied dependents all in the same category ... category four.

Also reservists SHOULD be able to fly overseas.
Furthermore reservists should absolutely have a priority category when when they are trying to get to drills.